Metal Reviews

Former CRIMSON GLORY frontman Midnight (real name: John Patrick Jr. McDonald) passed away earlier today (Wednesday, July 8) from "total kidney and liver failure." He was 47 years old.

According to JON OLIVA'S PAIN guitarist Matt LaPorte, who played on some of Midnight's recent solo recordings, the singer spent his final hours surrounded by his mother, brother, daughter as well as members of CRIMSON GLORY, SAVATAGE, and JON OLIVA'S PAIN. His death occurred at 3:45 a.m EST at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

"I will miss my partner Midnight — the greatest voice and friend I've ever known," LaPorte told BLABBERMOUTH.NET. He added, "In spite of his demons, [Midnight] was a beautiful soul who constantly changed the lives of those he met and came into contact with."

Midnight sang on CRIMSON GLORY's first three albums — "Crimson Glory" (1986), "Transcendence" (1988) and "Strange and Beautiful" (1991) — before going into self-imposed exile for almost a decade. He eventually rejoined CRIMSON GLORY in 2005 but was dismissed in January 2007 following the revelation that he was arrested in Sarasota, Florida and charged with "DUI [driving under the influence] with .20 [blood-alcohol level] or higher or having a passenger under 18" years of age. Midnight, who gave his occupation as "painter" to the authorities at the time of the arrest, was also cited for driving with a suspended/ cancelled/ revoked license.

Last fall, Midnight announced plans to release a new solo CD called "All Souls Midnight" which was to feature the "Acoustic Crimson" EP (four songs) along with the lost "Midnight Mass" recordings from the late '80s/early '90s plus some other "cool rarities.
(source Blabbermouth)

I'm really really sad.
It's a fucking sad day.

Great singer, but you had to figure this was gonna happen soon. With his history of alcohol and drug abuse it was just a matter of time. its a shame though, I know a lot of people would have liked to see the original Crimson Glory lineup perform. What a horrible waste for such a great talent.

RIP he was a great singer.

This was sad. I have actually been listening to the Crimson Glory album "Transcendence" quite a lot recently and I was really impressed by his vocal performance. I'm sure he will be missed... and I'll make sure I get my hands on the other two albums he sang on.

The debut album is better in my opinion than Transcendence, although both are amazing. The third album he sang on "Strange and Beautiful" is worth skipping as there is nothing of value on it.

Midnight's solo material is interesting. Kind of a mix between the stranger vocal stuff King Diamond did and some Led Zeppelin acoustic stuff.

The first two Crimson Glory's albums are among the best in Metal history. It's indeed a very sad day, he was still young. As time passes by, all the great icons of Metal will die. I don't even want to imagine when Rob Halford, Dio or Blackmore dies

Fuck, when Bruce Dickinson kicks the bucket the world will go into permanent mourning.

I wonder how much he actually drank? It'd be kind of nice to know how much you can drink before you eventually experience 'total liver and kidney failure'.

The music world lost one of the best metal singers of all time RIP Midnight you will be missed

Did he have cirrhosis?

RIP

Sad news indeed, though as H_T says, not exactly surprising. A really unique talent gone.

In my eyes he was as great as Halford or Tate. RIP

I find it interesting that people compare Crimson Glory to Queensryche.......this cannot go on. First off, Crimson Glory was more on the power than the prog side, and second, Midnight, in my opinion, was a far superior vocalist than Geoff Tate. I've seen strange posts all over the internet about how Midnight was Geoff Tate ripoff and that CG were just riding the Queensryche wave. I believe that there are many stupid people in this world, the above mentioned posts reaffirm this belief.

I think you completely missed what he was saying, but then again you're a douche so...