Max HeyraudScottish vocalist, DJ, and songwriter John Reid of Nightcrawlers, best known for the house anthem “Push The Feeling On,” has died aged 61.
John Reid, the Scottish DJ, producer, and vocalist best known as the founding member of Nightcrawlers, has died aged 61. The news was confirmed by singer Mary Kiani, his former fiancée, in a Facebook post on Sunday, June 15th. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Reid, who was born in Glasgow, founded Nightcrawlers in the early 1990s as a soul and funk-influenced pop group before transitioning to house music. Their biggest hit, “Push The Feeling On,” which was released in 1992, initially failed to chart. But it was Marc Kinchen’s now-legendary MK Dub Remix, a minimal, looping reimagining that removed the majority of the original vocals, that resurrected the tune on the underground scene. The remix reached number three in the UK in 1995 and became a defining anthem of 1990s house.
MK would go on to remix other Nightcrawlers tracks, including “Surrender Your Love” and “Don’t Let The Feeling Go,” both of which made the UK Top 20. “Push The Feeling On” remains Nightcrawlers’ signature track, later sampled by artists like Pitbull (“Hotel Room Service”) and Riton, and collectively racking up over 1.7 billion Spotify streams.
Beyond his club hits, Reid had an extraordinary songwriting career, penning chart-toppers for pop giants. These included “Unbreakable” by Westlife, Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” (later a UK No.1 for Leona Lewis), and songs for Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Andrea Bocelli, Eternal, and Bad Boys Inc. He was widely respected for his vocal ability and songwriting versatility.