JON OLIVA: 'I Am Filled With Sadness After Learning Of MIDNIGHT's Death'

July 9, 2009

BLABBERMOUTH.NET has received the following message from SAVATAGE/JON OLIVA's PAIN mastermind Jon Oliva regarding the passing of former CRIMSON GLORY frontman Midnight (John Patrick McDonald, Jr.):

"I am filled with sadness after learning of Mid's death. He was truly one of the most unique, heart-melting singers and lyricists I've ever come across. Through his work with members of my band, I was exposed to many of the songs he has recorded recently and can honestly say that they are some of the most epic pieces of high art I've ever experienced.

"I am so honored to have recorded a duet [with Midnight] on [a reworked version of the CRIMSON GLORY classic] 'Painted Skies'. When Matt [LaPorte; JON OLIVA'S PAIN guitarist and recent Midnight collaborator] asked me to do that, I had never heard the song before, but as I was reading the lyrics before recording my parts, I was simply blown away by the depth within his words.

"I had been planning on using Mid to play a feature role on an upcoming concept album by JON OLIVA'S PAIN, our first, but now I will sadly have to abandon such plans.

"God bless you, John. You touched my life and I am so grateful."

A memorial service for Midnight will be held on Saturday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Siesta Key public beach (just south of main pavillion) in Florida. This celebration of Midnight's life will be open to all who wish to attend.

Midnight passed away yesterday (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 3:30 a.m EST at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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.

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."

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