They hit it out of the park with their 1977 debut album. Now Foreigner is turning 40 and celebrating with a mammoth year-long, classic rock celebration including–according to band co-founder Mick Jones–a reunion on some dates with original members Lou Gramm, Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood. The band will also be joined on a worldwide tour with Cheap Trick, also celebrating the 40th anniversary of their debut LP, and special guest Jason Bonham.
Tickets go on sale January 13 here.
Mick Jones tells Billboard that original Foreigner members Lou Gramm, Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood will be appearing on select dates. “They’re not on the whole tour, but there will be some appearances,” Jones says. “It’s the right time to do this. I’m looking forward to that and we’ll see how it goes, and I’m sure it’ll go down well.”
The specific reunion dates have not been identified. And Gramm refuted the story via Twitter…
I Have Not been asked to Join Any Part of the SUMMER 40th FOREIGNER ANNIVERSARY Tour 2017 https://t.co/AWr0QpPtHX
— Lou Gramm (@GrammLou) January 9, 2017
And then later the same day…
In Hindsight I meant 2 Say that I am considering that . No definite plans . I was caught a bit off guard today .
My apologies. https://t.co/NpZwo7T6In— Lou Gramm (@GrammLou) January 9, 2017
“I never could have imagined when I set out to create Foreigner forty years ago, that we’d still be touring around the world and performing the music we love all these years later,” says Foreigner founding member and lead guitarist Mick Jones. “I can’t express the gratitude I feel when fans share stories of how our songs have been woven into their milestones and memories over the years. I can’t imagine a better group of friends to share this monumental tour with than Cheap Trick and Jason Bonham who are sure to make it a true tribute to the everlasting power of rock and roll.”
1977’s Foreigner was an out-of-the-box smash with three huge pop hits: “Feels Like the First Time” (#4), “Cold as Ice” (#6) and “Long, Long Way From Home” (#20). The band enjoyed 14 Top 20 singles including the 1978 follow-up album’s “Hot Blooded” (#3) and “Double Vision” (#2), 1981’s “Urgent” (#4) and “Waiting For a Girl Like You” (#2). In 1984, they earned a #1 chart hit “I Want to Know What Love Is.”
2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Cheap Trick formed in 1974 and recorded such hits as “I Want You To Want Me,” “Dream Police,” and “Surrender.” Their commercial breakthrough was ironically through their 1979 live album, Cheap Trick at Budokan. They earned a #1 hit with 1988’s “The Flame.” In 2016, they released their 17th studio album, Bang Zoom Crazy…Hello.
“I was thrilled to hear Mick Jones wanted me to be involved in celebrating 40 years of Foreigner. I spent three years as their drummer and had a great time,” says Bonham. “Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience show will hit home run after home run with these timeless classics done to perfection. JBLZE started 7 years ago as a way to show my appreciation not only to my dad and the music of Led Zeppelin, but also to the fans themselves.”
To coincide with the tour, Foreigner–Mick Jones (lead guitar), Kelly Hansen (lead vocals), Jeff Pilson (bass, vocals), Tom Gimbel (rhythm guitar, sax, vocals), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitar) and Chris Frazier (drums)– will be releasing a celebratory anniversary album 40 – Forty Hits From Forty Years coming May 5 on Rhino. The album includes two new songs, “The Flame Still Burns,” and “Give My Life For Love,” a brand new song by Jones. Rhino is kicking off a year-long catalog promotion with a picture disc release of 1979’s Head Games on January 24.
Foreigner 40th Anniversary Tour with Cheap Trick and Jason Bonham
(More dates will be announced in the coming weeks.)
Jul 11 – Syracuse, NY – Lakeview Amphitheater
Jul 13 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
Jul 14 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Jul 15 – Hershey, PA – Giant Center
Jul 17 – Boston, MA – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
Jul 18 – Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga PAC
Jul 20 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
Jul 21 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake PAC
Jul 22 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
Jul 25 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
Jul 26 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Jul 28 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
Jul 30 – Pelham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
Aug 01 – West Palm Beach, FL – Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre
Aug 02 – Tampa, FL – Mid Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Aug 05 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
Aug 06 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek Amphitheater
Aug 08 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Aug 09 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Aug 11 – Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
Aug 12 – Burgettstown, PA – KeyBank Pavilion
Aug 13 – Noblesville, IN – Klipsch Music Center
Aug 15 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
Aug 16 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – St. Louis
Aug 19 – Woodlands, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Aug 20 – Austin, TX – austin360 Amphitheater
Aug 23 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater ***
Aug 24 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion ***
Aug 26 – West Valley City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre ***
Aug 29 – Chula Vista, CA – Sleep Train Amphitheatre ***
Aug 30 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre ***
Sep 01 – Marysville, CA – Toyota Amphitheater ***
Sep 02 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre ***
Sep 04 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre ***
Sep 08 – Ridgefield, WA – Sunlight Supply Amphitheater ***
Sep 09 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre ***
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