Lou Gramm admitted he had “given up” on being inducted into Foreigner's Rock Hall until this year

Before the band he fronted for nearly 25 years was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2024, Lou Gramm says he had “given up” on the idea of ​​Foreigner ever being inducted. Even now he's trying hard to temper his expectations as public and professional voting for this year's inductees continues until April 26.

“I didn't feel good that our peers were years ago and we were completely neglected,” Gramm says. Advertising sign from his home in his hometown of Rochester, New York “Personally I had given up that we would ever be considered. I didn't think about it anymore, to be honest with you. So (the nomination) was a big surprise for me and I didn't want to get too excited when I heard about it. I didn't want to get too strong or get my hopes up because of how things have gone down in the past. I was like, “Okay, that's good. Let's see what happens. I hope we get in.' I'm patiently waiting to see what happens.”

Gramm believes “things are looking really good” and has praised the campaigning efforts of Mark Ronson, son-in-law of Foreigner founder Mick Jones, who has recruited artists such as Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Slash, Jack Black. , Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and others to publicly express their disbelief that the veteran is not already in the Rock Hall.

“I think he's a pretty creative guy, and there hasn't been anything too loud or weird,” Gramm says of Ronson's efforts. “He tells the story as he sees it, from his point of view with his stepfather. It makes sense.” McCartney's participation, Gramm adds, “was awesome. Which I certainly didn't expect, and if you watch it once you realize it was completely irrelevant to him. He said what needed to be said. [‘Foreigner? Not in the Hall of Fame? What the f–k?!’] and that was it. I was very impressed and very grateful.”

Gramm was the original frontman for Foreigner and was with the band from 1976-1989 and 1992-1993, serving as Jones' primary songwriting partner. the two were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013, the same year Gramm published his memoir Juke Box Hero: My Five Decades in Rock 'n' Roll. Gramm was part of Foreigner's 2017 and 2018 reunion shows and is currently running with his Lou Gramm All Stars. He will be part of Poison frontman Bret Michael's Parti-Gras 2.0 tour this summer as well.

Gramm says he hasn't been in touch with any of his bandmates, but has been told that if inducted, Foreigner – who have remained in the top 5 of fan voting since opening in February – will perform two songs at the ceremony in Cleveland. “One thing I'm sure will be 'I want to know what love is,'” notes Gramm. “I don't know what the other one will be.” He's up for most of it, though. “I think they were really well-written songs, you know? At that time in our careers Mick and I had a blossoming chemistry and we were having a lot of fun writing the songs and we knew what it would mean if these songs were recorded and produced properly and became very popular.”

However, Gramm feels there is some unfinished business for Foreigner. He says “there's a whole album of songs” from the early 2000s that he and Jones co-wrote and recorded only in rough form. Several years ago he was contacted by Foreigner's management saying that Jones could not find his recordings of the material. Gram sent what he thought was a backup only to find that it was, in fact, his only copy. He says that despite requests the band has not returned his CD or copied the songs.

“They're great songs … some of our best songs,” says Gramm. “There were about eight or nine of them. We didn't have a record company then, so we waited to see what happened. Then Mick and I had a huge falling out, and I left the band…So now Mick has the copy and I don't and I don't know if he'll ever do anything with them. I kind of doubt it, but I'd at least like to hear those rants we made. They were great ideas.”

Bassist Jeff Pilson, who along with singer Kelly Hansen fronts the current incarnation of Foreigner, said Jones was working on some new songs with Marti Frederiksen and even predicted they would be released at some point, though no specific plans have been announced. Jones revealed last month that he is suffering from Parkinson's disease, which has prevented him from playing with Foreigner from 2022.

The current lineup of Foreigner is in the midst of a farewell tour that will likely begin in 2025. Gramm, meanwhile, also plans to retire after his 2024 run. years and some years ago. I still enjoy playing but can't take the travel anymore. I'm sure I'll miss it initially, but I have a lot of memories, fantastic shows playing all over the world. I don't become a lonely person, but I value my alone time and when I'm out there, I don't have it and I don't like it anymore.”