Lou Gramm Gets Real About His Days With Foreigner - Part One

[@chrishinch3200]

I had a car accident and hurt my head. I lost alot of my memory. I recently started listening to foreigner and I regained a lot of memories. Things I inside that I had been searching for. Listening to your songs brought it back. As well as how much I loved listening to your music. THANKS

[@BeatlesFan1975]

I hope you're ok. 😊

[@davidrice3337]

I'm pulling for you brah - I work with horses and all of us stay beat up and we all have at least 1 catastrophic injury - several of my buddies have had head injuries - it's tough - we lost a good hand a couple of yrs ago - Hang in there

[@shotgunsnare]

One of the greatest voices of all time he could belt it out heavy or handle a ballad beautifully- just brilliant- foreigner is now a great tribute band ~

[@SerenaGilroy]

I listened to Kelly Hansen first, liked him, but then came across Lou. Wow what a difference !!! He has a much more rounded voice, love love love him . Just bought his biography.

[@joannmartinez8295]

OMFG!.... what an interview! Lou is also a great storyteller, I can't wait to hear the rest. He is also greatly respected in the music business I've never heard a bad word said about him by anyone.

[@dragongeraldb]

I have to say the new guy( has been the singer for longer than Lou) and no one missis Mick Jones, but Lou really put them on the map and it is his voice that made them famous.

[@chrisclermont456]

I saw Foreigner a few years ago when Mick Jones was still there. Over the years I have heard lots of rumours that he is a not so nice guy. Shame.

[@waltersimmons946]

Kelly Hansen has been in Foreigner for only 17ys. Lou was in Foreigner 26 yrs from when the band formed 1976 till 2002 remember he was out from 1990 till 1992 but all together it was 26 yrs, uh, check your math if you get the chance.

[@mr.brenman2132]

@dragongeraldb You have to lie you mean. Lou Gramm was in the band Longer then Kelly Hansen has imitated Lou in a Foreigner cover band. You won't delete or edit your comment because of the amount of likes you have.

[@mr.brenman2132]

​@@waltersimmons946Until 2003 actually.

[@scottsanford216]

​@@chrisclermont456o88888

[@stevesmith3990]

I clearly remember seeing Foreigner at The Hammersmith Odeon in London in the summer of '81, they took the roof off. Great interview, thanks for the music Lou.

[@allisonedwards-wiley9572]

Yes! Lou made them famous indeed. An amazing voice!

[@KarlHalliday-q6j]

Awesome interview with Lou. Such a neat guy to listen to about his musical life.

[@hadynnlegros4759]

U got that right buddy Lou is the juke box hero 🦸‍♂️

[@sherryjensen-mason8457]

Head Games is my favorite Foreigner song. It encapsulates my lived experience in high school!

[@sigilork785]

lou was and is one of my rock vocal heroes - i also enjoyed his solo albums very much - best wishes for you nobody can take your great acomplishments from you. You stood your own ground firrmly also as a solo artist. It is good to know that the industry could not spoil you as you stayed true to yourself.

[@1972mrkleen]

I've never seen an interview with Lou so I always assumed he was British. LOL One of the best rock vocalist EVER but unpretentious and down to earth. Refreshing

[@waltersimmons946]

The band was originally made up of 3 Americans and 3 British musicians. When they went to 4 people in 1980 Lou was the ONLY American in the band . In fact Johnny Edwards who replaced Lou from 1990-92 and Kelly Hansen from 2005-2023 . All 3 vocalists are Americans.😢

[@michaelrochester48]

Lou is from Rochester, New York

[@michaeloneill1360]

I just want to say this: When I heard Foreigner for the 1st Time in October 1977, I pumped my Fist in the Air & said a 'Prayer of Thanks' that we were Finally Saved from Deluge of Disco!!!

[@Faltor895]

What about Boston, Heart and Kansas, whose albums came out in 1976?

[@waltersimmons946]

​​@@Faltor895In Lous book "Lou Gramm JUKE BOX HERO my 5 decades in Rock n Roll". Lou fully credited BOSTONs debut album and its success for opening the door for Foreigner and other rock bands during the disco era. He really gave Boston the credit for that. 4:40

[@TheSports50]

When I first heard Foreigner at the Richmond in 1981 . Foreigner 4. This band was special. Great being live and loud and so much energy and enthusiasm. What a great show they did . The next day mom gave me an news article out of Richmond Times where a credits said that Foreigner was one of the best bands.

[@kellibrewer5220]

Lou, you have one of the best voices in rock n roll. I drove 100 & some miles from Purdue University to South Bend IN to see you 2 weeks ago at the Fourwinds Casino June 16th 2023 & it was such a pleasure to see you & talk with you after the concert when you were signing T shirts & other stuff. You signed 4 things for me & my name is Kelli, remember? You are so humble and kind. You rock!!❤

[@shots-shots-shotseverybody2707]

I was a huge foreigner fan and I finally got to see them in concert at the Long Beach Arena in Southern California I believe this may have been 1987 ish and i can still remember the opening song and how the stage was set on Juke Box Heros and Lou came out on stage and knocked it out of the friggen park, he looked so cool on stage as he totally commanded the stage and no matter how cool he looked when he belted out those songs his voice was even cooler. I have been to so many concerts that can't even remember but that had to be in the top three concerts maybe top two I've ever been to

[@leahness3588]

Love Lou. I have ALOT of fav lead singers but Lou is #1. EPIC 80s VOCALS!!!

[@ThomasSielaff]

Just ran across you channel and I'm really enjoying this interview!! My teen years were the 70's, so this is such a treat. Thank you!!!!

[@G_Machine_Joe]

Love seeing Lou out with those cars at the local car shows around here. What a great guy and a legend in rock&roll 👍

[@pepisegovia9747]

España❤❤❤❤

[@pepisegovia9747]

Me gusta. Mucho😢❤😅

[@alexknightma]

Legendary! 🏆

[@rhondarobin-jones6957]

I LOVE LISTENING TO YOU TALK. I CAN LISTEN TO YOU ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. YOU'RE LIKE A TEACHER WHO HAS BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT. AND YOU HAVE. THANK YOU FOR OPENING UP AND SHARING THE LESSONS YOU HAVE LEARNT. I LOVE LOU GRAMM FOREVER

[@Kidsrights4u]

Lou...your voice in Foreigner IS what got me thru my teen yrs. Recently I went to see Foreigner with K. Hansen and was soo disappointed to NOT feel the Foreigner voice of yours. God speed take care❤

[@taroman7100]

Not to criticize Hansen too much but I miss the powerhouse that was Lou's vocals. He put the stamp on Foreigner like Steve Perry for Journey and so on

[@DaleCrommie]

So much fun, like chatting with Lou, personally.😄

[@DavidOhlerkingII]

When Doug Pinnick was teaching me about singing, it was mostly Lou Gramm and Mavis Staples. I love Lou, and Mavis.

[@chriskeyes7485]

Great interview John with Lou

[@timothyturcott9337]

Amazing interview so far! ❤️

[@chrisclermont456]

Hey John... Hope you and your wife are happy with your move to Montreal. I have always been a huge fan of Foreigner since junior high school. It is great hearing those stories about the songs. I had my own little rock group when those records came out. We used to do a cover of "Dirty White Boy," and I sang lead!! I'm black!! LOL It's just a great song. Great interview!!

[@RockHistoryBook]

Hi Chris, we actually moved to Moncton, New Brunswick. Though I was born in Montreal.

[@isabellajanovsky]

That’s such a great story, had to be hilarious in the right setting! Lol

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Thank you so much for this. This video inspired me to write a song called “Paid My Dues”. It is a great song title.

[@ruthwaymire4850]

I feel so bad for Lou!! Always loved Foreigner!!!

[@tallguynmass]

Long long way from home, Starrider, The Damage is done, Fool for you anyway, Cold as Ice, Feels like the first time. The first album was just an outrageously successful debut. I remember listening to it at age 17 thinking these guys are just fantastic. Then amazingly Double Vision was even better. Head Games was also excellent. Foreigner IV was good but kind of the beginning of the bands demise. Agent Provocateur was extremely mediocre at best with oddly their only number one hit, I wanna know what love is. After that, sadly it was over for Mick and Lou ever coexisting together again.

[@margueritemazzeo2904]

I could listen to Lou all day..hes a very endearing guy besides being a rock legend..🥰👑👑🌠🎊

[@mr.brenman2132]

The current touring foreigner cover band is not foreigner. You can't be Foreigner with no original members.

[@ArizonaBasement]

I love Lou's talent and music - there is no comparison between Lou's 2 solo albums and Mick's solo album - Lou's material is clearly superior. Sad to hear that Lou is still angry over what happened all those years ago - understandable, but sad... :^(

[@pablocruise9514]

Please interview Al Greenwood. It would be interesting to hear his take on the early years.

[@amsedelm]

It was actually in Paris that Mick met the Beatles.

[@jhimmelberger5371]

I thought I was the only fan of the band Spooky Tooth.

[@paulam408]

I still think Head Games is one of their best songs.

[@louisatanner4306]

Great channel

[@pittroadsixzeroseven]

I am so sad that happened to Lou but I love his solo album. Cherry Red or Midnight blue is my favorite by him. If I were him at that time I wouldn’t sang have sang that last song at the end. F Mick Jones.

[@waltersimmons946]

Lol 😆 👍 👍 I agree !!

[@michaelwright664]

One of the best Singer’s in Rock, If there was one question it would be did Lou ever met Johnny Edwards and what did he think of Johnny’s performance on Unusual Heat ?

[@waltersimmons946]

Michael? Johnny Edwards is now in a band called BLEU PHONQUE (pronounced blue funk) since 2015 in Kentucky where hes from some of their shows are on KZbin. Also he did a podcast interview in 2019 and the interviewer asked him did he ever meet Lou . Johnny answered " NO, I NEVER MET HIM AND I NEVER GOT TO TALK TO HIM" That's was of course because of Mick Jones, the way Mick let him go from the band in 1992 (they had 10 new songs written for a follow up to Unusual Heat) according to Edwards was "unprofessional and humiliating " Edwards was also picked over Kelly Hansen who was in Hurricane in 1990.

[@mars6433]

@15:28 I don't know who Francis Scott Key is. OH DEAR LORD !!

[@waltersimmons946]

He wrote the STAR SPANGLED BANNER .

[@tb0yp]

Thank you!

[@raythackston1960]

I still remember the 2 guys that got fired from the band put a new band together and had a great album called The Spys. It was really cool sound with great songs...but the label got told not to push the album. And they faded away.

[@waltersimmons946]

Ed Gagliardi (RIP) was fired before Head Games. Ian McDonald (RIP) and AL Greenwood were fired during the early stages of the 4 album being put together. It was AL GREENWOOD and ED GAGLIARDI who led the SPYS . I listen to their recordings last year and I realized that Lou was NOT the first original member to put out an album outside of Foreigner.

[@aubindemontfalcon5967]

The path of FOREIGNER through the years, from the beginning to now, was not a bed of roses. The band had a rough beginning, then had their peak of success in 1981 with "4", and soon after, went gradually downhill in the late 80's. A very long career, but only a few years of massive success really... Not to mention some radical changes in the band members, several times... They struggled hard ! I love that band, one of my all-time favorite really. I know all their albums from the first to "Inside Information" (that's to say : the Gramm years) but I don't know their following albums. My favorite are : First album, 4, Head Games and Inside Information. I find "Double Vision" is just OK, and I'm not too keen on "Agent Provocateur"'.

[@benadam7753]

The ONLY voice of Foreigner, Mr. Lou Gramm!!!

[@sososo2445]

That hockey story sounds very similar to Dave Forbes of the Boston Bruins, and Henry Bouche of the Minnesota North Stars who suffered from Double Vision after Forbes hit him with the end of his stick when he punched him in the eye. Ruined Henry's career.

[@WhatsCookingTime]

Why would anyone even bother with the Foreigner cover band

[@mrgreenelander4952]

I wish the interviewer would be more specific. Like okay Lou tell us why you let these guys go? how were they holding you back? drugs? booze? partying? I remember back in the day, that Lou had stated that the three being Ed, Al, and Ian looked way to complacent like all this success was just part of the lifestyle? When Lou says, "they were holding us back" please tell us how?

[@hank3988]

Lou’s memory is a little fuzzy here . When talking about he mailed it in on the album Inside Information he’s full of it - he killed it on that cd- especially on Heart Turns to Stone. Also he referred to the album with Johnny Edwards as Inside Information - it’s Unusual Heat . Lou comes off a little too whiny a lot of the time - he justified about the song credit on IWTKWLI but move on - it’s more classy to say less .

[@J9R230]

I'm sorry, but although Lou Gramm really is a great singer, I really don't like how he puts Kelly Hansen down in each of his interviews, which in my view, is him behaving like a jealous child having a tantrum while voicing his displeasure every chance he gets and I've lost respect for him for that reason. Of course Kellly Hansen is, as Gramm puts it, "mimicking him" strictly because he wants to keep the integrity of those songs as they were originally recorded... I love that as there's nothing worse than going to a concert where the hit songs are sung differently! Personally, I think Kelly Hansen is a great singer in his own right and has only gotten a bad rap because of Lou Gramm's tirade against him.

[@albaghdady2007]

Go out in the street and sing! Prove that you can sing. Avoid discussing money publicly. It is damaging to you, your history and your audience. Artists do not talk about money. This is the whole point about artists, they have high morals and take pride in what they do. What you are now doing is the opposite.

[@mrgreenelander4952]

Jesus Lou I know your a Christian but throwing three guys under the bus like that without even saying they're names? Translation, yeah we wanted to replace them with replacement musicians at a fraction of the cost? I remember reading back in the 70s that Mick expected more musical writing input from them? Whatever reasons that were? Foreigner was never the same even after Mick jacked Lou

[@yvonnemendez3075]

I think he stinks

[@SerenaGilroy]

I listened to Kelly Hansen first, liked him, but then came across Lou. Wow what a difference !!! He has a much more rounded voice, love love love him . Just bought his biography.