Foreigner, The #37 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

(Continued from Part One)

 

Rick Wills replaced Gagliardi in the group prior to their third LP.  The 1979 album Head Games may have been their career best, although it has "only" sold three million copies.  "Dirty White Boy" was an odd choice for the lead single, and it only reached #12.

 

The band recorded Head Games at Atlantic Studios in New York City, with the finishing touches added at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles.  It was the only Foreigner album co-produced by Roy Thomas Baker, who became famous for working with Queen.  The title song peaked at #14.

 "Women" was released as the third single; while it only made it to #41, it is a solid track.  The unforgettable guitar riffs, Wills' throbbing bass and the pummeling drum and piano rhythm launch the song into orbit and fire the song up again and again.

 

Released in Europe as a single, this Top Track* enjoyed some success.  Featuring the keyboard work of Greenwood, here is "Love On The Telephone".  

 

"The Modern Day" is a meeting of Rock & New Wave, similar to what the Cars sounded like.  Great track here from Foreigner!

 "Blinded By Science" seems like the protagonist is conflicted between science and religion and is sitting on the fence, disillusioned by what he sees.

 

A muscle car fanatic since he first got his driver's license, Gramm has bought and sold more cars than he can keep track of.  That background gave us "Rev On The Red Line".

But the band members had different ideas about the direction of the band, so in 1980, Foreigner fired Greenwood and McDonald. The group stayed as a quartet, with session musicians being brought in to help with recordings or on tour.

 

The remaining members wanted their next album to have a harder edge and brought in Robert John "Mutt" Lange to produce it.  Lange helped them come up the album of their career, 4, that would elevate them to the top of the Rock world.  Featuring a dynamite saxophone solo from Jr. Walker, "Urgent" rose to #4 overall and #1 on the Mainstream Rock Chart, and also hit #1 in Canada.

 Foreigner was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album and was nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance for their work on 4.  Foreigner released the ballad "Waiting For A Girl Like You", which showed their versatility.  It is one of The Top #2 Songs of the Rock Era*, staying in that position for 10 weeks and selling over one million singles.

Thomas Dolby, who later enjoyed the hit "She Blinded Me With Science", played synthesizers on "Urgent" and "Waiting For A Girl Like You".

"Juke Box Hero" was inspired by a real person who got a peek of what it is like to be a Rock star.  Jones shared the story with SongFacts:

     That stemmed from an experience that we had, I

     think it was in Cincinnati.  We'd gone to the arena

     for a soundcheck, and it was pouring down rain, and 

     there were a bunch of fans waiting at the door...

     When we came back for the show later on, all that

     was left was one lonely fan, a young guy waiting out 

     there in the rain, soaked to the skin.  I thought, well,

     he's waiting like five hours here, maybe we'll take

     him in and give him a glimpse of what happens 

     backstage at a show.  And this kid was just 

     mesmerized with everything.  I saw this look in his

     eyes, and I thought, he's seeing this for the first

     time, he's having this experience.  And I just imagined 

    what was going through his mind.

 

Foreigner launched a contest to find the inspiration behind the song, but there is no evidence that they found him.  But the song has also spawned Jukebox Hero The Musical, a saga featuring 16 Foreigner songs.  Ripe with amazing guitar riffs and hooks, "Juke Box Hero" peaked at #26, one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

 "Break It Up", the album's fourth single, is another worthy song.

 Lange, fresh from producing the AC/DC masterpiece Back in Black, worked his magic again on 4.  His influence on this album is unmistakable--case in point the energetic "Night Life".

 

On most albums, "Girl On The Moon" would be the best ballad of the bunch.  Entirely outclassed by "Waiting For A Girl Like You", it still is a worthy track.

 

Here is the sultry "Woman In Black" with Gramm providing outstanding vocals as usual.

Join us for Part Three of Foreigner!

Foreigner, the #37 Artist of the Rock Era, Part One

"Powerful music--some of the best Rock & Roll ever recorded."

"This is incredible music."

"One of the best Hard Rock bands that ever existed."

"Foreigner had great finesse and artistry."

"This group put out some of the best music I've ever heard my entire life."

"They're one of my all-time favorite groups."

"It doesn't get much better than Foreigner."

"Breathtaking music."

"This is classic rock."

"World class songs."

"They are amazing!"

"Foreigner is an awesome group--I love them!."

"They have so many fantastic songs, and they're great live too."

"They had a perfect sound."

"Much love to Foreigner."

After the breakup of the Leslie West Band in 1976, former Spooky Tooth guitarist Mick Jones received encouragement from Bud Prager, manager of the band.  Prager told Jones to continue writing songs and form a new band.  Jones, keyboardist Al Greenwood, bassist Jay Davis and drummer Stan Williams began playing together in a rehearsal room Prager let the band use near his office in New York City.

Ian Lloyd, lead singer of the Stories ("Brother Louie") was brought in as well, but Jones felt the chemistry wasn't right.  He liked Greenwood and began searching for the right combination of musicians.  Jones soon met Ian McDonald, formerly with King Crimson, and drummer Dennis Elliott.  The group auditioned dozens of singers, but were finding that the most difficult piece of the puzzle.  

Finally, Jones remembered meeting the lead singer of Black Sheep who had presented one of the group's albums to him backstage at a Spooky Tooth concert several years before.  Jones listened to it and called Lou Gramm, who lived in Rochester, New York after Black Sheep broke up.  Gramm was the perfect fit, and, with bassist Ed Gagliardi, the lineup was complete.

The group settled on the name Trigger and recorded a demo tape.  No one was interested in the group initially, until John Kalodner, A&R man at Atlantic Records, noticed the tape on the desk of Atlantic president Jerry Greenberg.  Kalodner had seen a group by that name recently, but upon listening to it, realized it wasn't the same group.  Kalodner liked the tape and suggested to Greenberg that he sign them.  Since the name Trigger was already in use, Jones decided to rename his group Foreigner, since no matter where they were in the world, at least half of its members would be foreigners--Jones, Elliott and McDonald were English while Gramm, Gagliardi and Greenwood were Americans.  Prager agreed to manage the group.

After six months of intense rehearsal, Foreigner began recording their debut album, which they released as their self-titled album in 1977.  The group had auditioned 50 singers for lead vocals before deciding on Gramm, and oh how it paid off immediately.  "When I heard his voice on an album that I'd been given of his band, Black Sheep, I was actually in the midst of writing 'Feels Like The First Time', Jones told Billboard.  "I'd had a few demos from people who'd sent stuff in, and I was listening to them.  The moment I heard Lou's voice, it clicked."  This was the song that earned the group their contract with Atlantic Records, and Foreigner's first single, "Feels Like The First Time", took off to #4 in the United States and #7 in Canada.  

 

The album became one of the biggest debuts in history, staying in the bestseller lists for a full year and selling over four million copies in the U.S. alone.  "Cold As Ice" reached #6 in the U.S. and #9 in Canada.  The piano opening is one of the greatest riffs in Rock history.

Foreigner was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards and received an American Music Award nomination for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group.  On this first song that Jones and Gramm worked on together, Gramm said that it is about when he moved from Rochester to New York City.  The newcomers pulled a third hit from the album, although at a peak of #20, "Long, Long Way From Home" is underrated.  

 

Foreigner came out at just the right time with their fresh sound.  The 12-string guitar at the transition is wonderous on "The Damage Is Done".

"Starrider" features rare lead vocals from Jones and keyboard work from Greenwood, who co-wrote the song.

 

Mark Ronson, who is Mick's stepson, produced "Fool For You Anyway", which provided the first hint of the magic Foreigner could do with a ballad.  Jones describes how Ronson took an interest in what he did:

     Right from the early days, from when he was in his 

     teens, we'd talk about putting the idea together: 

     "Well, if you get to a certain point, maybe we can work

     together." And it took a while, but we were talking 

     about a year ago, and I said, "How about we work on               something on this new album I'm doing?" He was

     really up for it, and "Fool For You Anyway" was one

     of his favorite songs from early on. He chose that one

     to produce. And I let him do his thing.  

The band played large venues throughout North America and played before 200,000 at California Jam II in 1978.  They then traveled to Europe, Japan and Australia.

Foreigner released the great album Double Vision in 1978.  Nothing conveys a man on the make quite like the signature guitar riffs of Jones and the sexually-charged singing of Gramm.  "Hot Blooded" raced to #3. and sold over one million copies.

 

Jones was inspired to write "Double Vision" after seeing a hockey game.  "I was an avid Rangers hockey fan in those days, and Lou and I went to a game," Jones told Songfacts.  "and the goaltender for the Rangers got a concussion, and it was announced over the PA that he was taken off and was suffering from double vision."   The title song peaked at #2 for two weeks and also sold over one million units.

Double Vision has now sold over five million copies in the United States.  A young musician burning the candle at both ends..."Blue Morning, Blue Day" stalled at #15.

"Spellbinder" is to this day one of Jones's favorite Foreigner songs.

"Tramontane", written almost exclusively by Greenwood, is Foreigner's foray into Progressive Rock.

Foreigner continued their surge to the top.  Hear more in Part Two!

Journey, The #38 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Four

 

(Continued from Part Three)

Before recording their next album, Smith and Valory were both fired due to musical differences.  They later coaxed Rolie into forming the group The Storm.  Randy Jackson, who later became a long-time judge on the television talent show American Idol and session player Larrie Londin filled in to record the album Raised on Radio, released in 1986.

 

"Be Good To Yourself" rose to #2 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #9 overall.

 

"Girl Can't Help It" achieved a ranking of #9 on the MR chart and #17 on the Popular chart.

 

The single "I'll Be Alright Without You" reached #7 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #14 overall.

 

Perry can be forgiven for sounding smitten on "Suzanne"--it was written about a crush he had.  "It was a fantasy encounter with a film star," Perry said in a 2011 fan Q&A.  "Just a secret person that's in the song to live forever in that song."

 

This song was written in tribute to Journey's fans--"Why Can't This Night Go On Forever".

 

"The Eyes Of A Woman" highlights the underrated efforts of Smith.

The album has sold over two million in the United States.  Journey set out on another tour but Perry was unable or unwilling to continue, forcing the group to cancel most of the dates.  At this point, Journey entered a long and indefinite hiatus.

Schon and Cain formed Bad English in 1988 with two of Cain's ex-mates in the Babys--John Waite and Ricky Phillips.  
Bad English was fairly successful but broke up in 1991, when Schon co-founded the metal band Hardline.  Cain worked on a solo career.

With Journey's future uncertain, Columbia released the group's Greatest Hits compilation in 1988.  It has been a steady seller ever since, and is now the sixth-best-selling compilation in the U.S.

 

On the occasion of a tribute to promoter Bill Graham, Perry, Schon and Cain united to perform "Faithfully" and "Lights".  Cain, Perry, Schon, Smith and Valory reunited for the 1996 album Trial by Fire.  "When You Love A Woman" made it to #12 and earned a nomination at the Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

 

Although the group's better days were behind them, they came together for this great song--"Forever In Blue".

  

Perry delivered great vocals as always on "If He Should Break Your Heart".

  

 

The one-of-a-kind Perry singing "Don't Be Down On Me Baby".

The group planned a tour, but Perry injured his hip and needed hip replacement surgery, which he refused to have.  By 1998, Schon and Cain began searching for a new lead singer, while Smith opted to quit the group.

Steve Augeri replaced Perry while Journey also hired Deen Castronovo, drummer with Schon and Cain in Bad English.

  

In 2001, Journey released the album Arrival.   "We Will Meet Again" is one of the few great songs with Augeri.

In 2005, the group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  The band also released the album Generations in 2005.


             

"Faith In The Heartland" is another Top Track* on the album.

Journey was named the fifth-best American rock band of all-time in a USA Today opinion poll.

Augeri left the group in 2006 after years of vocal problems.  Jeff Scott Soto filled in for a year, with Arnel Pineda permanently replacing him in 2007.  Journey released their first album with Pineda, Revelation, which went Platinum.

In 2011, Journey (shown above celebrating the announcement that "Don't Stop Believin'" became the top classic digital track) released the album Eclipse, and followed up that studio album with their Greatest Hits, Volume 2.  The compilation earned a World Music Award for World's Best Album.

 

The rhythm section of Valory and Castronovo shine on "Edge Of The Moment", but Schon is the star, still coming up with new riffs and styles all these years later. 

In 2015, Castronovo was indicted for assault.  He was temporarily replaced by session drummer Omar Hakim before Smith returned to the lineup.

In 2016, Journey was elected to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a 2017 ceremony.

The band has scored 18 Top 40 hits in the United States, second-most without a #1 song behind the Electric Light Orchestra with 20.  They enjoyed six Top 10 hits, but as pointed out above, many others should have been.

Journey has sold 48 million albums in the U.S. and over 90 million worldwide.

The group has won one World Music Award and been nominated for a Grammy Award and an American Music Award.