Despite the formidable induction, the outsider camp was downright sad that founder Mick Jones, who is battling Parkinson's disease, was not in attendance. “I wish he was here, but we understand why he's not,” said longtime bassist Rick Wills. “He is a very sick man at the moment, and he would be here if he could, but he does not want to be seen as he is now. That's not Mick. It's just not his way. But he knows we are thinking of him and sending him all our love.” Original frontman Lou Gramm added: “And we represent him.”
Members of the current squad felt the same way. “For me it's very tragic,” says Jeff Pilson, Foreigner's bassist since 2007. “It really breaks my heart that he's not here because this is his baby. we want to make sure that what we are doing is really right. I want to do this for him, because I love him so much and I love his legacy and I love what he's about, so I want to make sure he's happy. So that's what we're doing and, yes, (Jones' absence) motivates us.”
Two of Jones' children — actress daughter Annabelle and son Christopher — were in attendance Saturday while the others were with their father at home, watching the stream on Disney+. “He was sad he couldn't be here but excited to be watching on TV with our brother Alexander and our two sisters Charlotte and Samantha,” says Christopher. “They have balloons and everything. They throw a whole party.”
The two described the all-star performances as 'breathtaking', while Annabelle added: 'I think it means the world to him. It's a very special honor and recognition, and it means a lot to us. We're very proud of him and really sad that he can't be here.”
Gramm, meanwhile, was less supportive of original drummer Dennis Elliott's last-minute decision to skip the ceremony due to what he called “completely unacceptable” circumstances — including, sources say, the fact that the band members' wives were not allowed to participate in them. on the small red carpet in the bowels of the arena. “He emailed us very angry, saying he and his wife weren't going to be there and something, something, something and that's it,” Gramm noted. “He's really angry about something and we can't figure out what it is, but he's not coming. You'd think there'd be solidarity within the band, but not Dennis.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-induction-2024-backstage-artist-interviews/
