The TRUTH! Why I Left FOREIGNER: Lou Gramm
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- Опубліковано 6 кві 2024
- Former Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm candidly discusses his decision to leave the band. He delves into the creative differences that led to his departure, including the band's shift towards keyboard-driven songs. Lou also reveals the friction with fellow band member Mick Jones and the impact Mick had on his solo career. This behind-the-scenes revelation offers fans a rare glimpse into the inner turmoil and artistic direction that ultimately led to the breakup of one of rock music's biggest selling guitar/singer combos.
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Foreigner WAS Lou Gramm. ❤️
I seen foreigner in 2021 here in Ohio only to find out even mick wasn’t playing !
I got free tickets but still they were a cover band , they were a GREAT cover band
I’ve been in a cover band for nearly 40 yrs.
They should have told us mick wasn’t going to be there
But did I say the lead singer hits all the notes that Mr Gramm can’t anymore
But IT WAS A COVER BAND !
Foreigner is done , sadly they as a band ran there course in time !
💯🙏😎
He seemed like the unlikely rockstar. Like the guy nobody even came back stage for the meet and greets with. Probably never really got any groupies and nobody ever really wanted to hang out with him. Just not a dynamic personality. Off-putting most likely.
Agreed
I totally disagree , I’ve been playing in bars ,clubs & writing songs and music since I was 14 yrs old in 1978
The band as a whole is what makes a band produce the songs , it’s everyone’s contribution
to the song , now when it comes to writing it’s quite different,it could only take one person or a couple
persons to write the lyrics. But Lou gram wouldn’t be “ Foreigner “ without the other contributing members.
It’s a soup of sorts when your players in a band a group effort , if it could be just one person playing nearly everything
we call that band “ Boston “ one guy wrote , played ,& produced nearly all the parts in the music lol
Just saying !
Never stop playing !
Lou will always be the voice of Foreigner. I agree with him, once they lost the rock guitar sound, they werent as good. Lou is a class act. all the way.
Agreed
@@davidrice3337 Funny thing though, they go and release Unusual Heat and it turns out to be one of the rockiest albums in years.
Except on Spotify, Foreigners most streamed songs are the ballads, if you go to Lou Graham , most of his so called rock numbers have a fraction of the streams.
"Class acts" don't spill their guts about internal band matters to a interview like this! This guy is a buffoon
@@rgsxyz1105 just because songs are more popular on a streaming site, it doesn’t mean they are better.
Lou is the heart and soul of Foreigner
Lou is just a stellar vocalist. One of the best to ever do it.
It was Lou’s golden voice that made Foreigner worth listening to.
When Lou Gramm left, Foreigner were lost in the shadows.
😂
Ugh! LOL
Lou left they took a secondn rate singer.
He was getting sick off all the "HEAD GAMES".
Cant name a Foreigner song without Lou singing
Nor I.
Starrider , a great example of Mick Jones vocal. 🙂
In Pieces, Low Down and Dirty..
Woman oh Woman and I have waited of so long.
I don’t want to know a Foreigner song without LG 😂
What Lou explained is very believable. Lou handled himself well in my opinion.
God bless Lou! One of the top 10 rock vocalists EVER!
Midnight Blue is one of my favorite songs. You just have to sing along.... Lou's voice was perfect on this song.
God, I hated that song.
That isn’t a foreigner song. Solo stuff.🙄
He got some other good solo ones too
Lou really WAS NOT getting his due as a writer /co-writer in Foreigner. Plus, his voice was the real reason Foreigners songs 🎵 were successful.
That is correct!!!!
So true Lou was the driving force,mick jones wanted the band to himself
@@petershute3580 He wanted all the 💰 💰 for himself. Lou told John Beaudin on Rock History "MY house looked like a shack compared to Micks place".
Lou Gramm, absolute legend of a singer!!!
A Rock King! ❤
Lou Gramm, in my humble opinion is one of the greatest, if not the greatest singer I've ever heard. I thank him for his voice.
Certainly not controversial to rank him among the greatest rock signers.
But the competition is tough.
Freddy Mercury, Steve Perry, Chris Cornell, Bon Scott, Dio, the list is long.
@@jvgauthier Take a listen to Lou Gramm covering Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog" on UA-cam" and all his vocal performances, he can do any category equally well. I agree about the singers you listed, they are great, but its not only the vocal range, but the tone and resonance of a voice, put simply the masses just loving to hear a particular singer, such as Elvis, McCartney, and Lennon.
Paul Rodgers is up there!!
@@vayabroder729 100%
The lead singer from BOSTON.
Lou is DEFINATELY on the same ability level as singers like Steve Perry, Ian Gillan, Sammy Hagar, Klaus Maine just to name a few greats.To be treated so shabbily by an egotistical band leader who didn't appreciate what Lou brought to the table, due to a bloated ego is just ludicrous. Mr Gramm is a class act and an absolute gentleman.Well,as earlier commented, Lou Gramm will forever be the voice of Foreigner.
Have you actually heard Steve Perry lately? The range is gone bud....just a part of growing old.
Klaus Meine, not Klaus Maine.
Hagar? Crust Sammy wishes he had Lou’s chops
@@dranderson6071 Lou is a shell of himself vocally. Sammy can still sing. Father Time chooses who wins and who loses. You ever listen to the first Montrose album? Both guys are two of my favorite tenor rock singers and they both kicked ass.
@@bloozedaddy Irrelevant. Both in prime is what matters. Come on man
I LOVE this man's voice. He IS Foreigner. Thank you for SO many great songs from my childhood. Midnight Blue speaks to my soul 💜
He was such a huge component to their success. Huge. Where that man took his voice was nothing short of spectacular.
Lou Gramm was/is one of the very best singers ever. I saw him on the Head Games tour, and Lou was great! He's a class act.
Lou's vocal was far above all other American artists including Steve Tyler who was a great rock vocalist & Sting who was a great pop vocalist & Lou's record was produced very well BUT there just weren't any great tunes on that record. Mick was a great writer & Lou was a great vocalist. When those 2 assets are divided between 2 people it can cause issues. The reason Elton & Bernie made it so long - they weren't in a band together. That's one thing I've noticed about the Brits from that era. They were realistic. Americans just aren't that at all.
@@thetruthchannel349 Your last sentence sounds like Stuart Adamson form Big Country who's career basically tanked after he said more or less the same thing. The 2 greatest countries overall for music was the U.K. and USA that's a fact!
@@thetruthchannel349 Sting is not American though.
Saw Them with Him an Couple of times early 80’s
@@thetruthchannel349 Ready or Not was better than Agent Provocateur and Inside Information combined.
The (now) classic rock was all that was good in the 70s & 80s. We were the second half of the baby boomers, struck with rampant inflation and high interest rates. As (mostly) single, in our early 20s, we barely got by, but managed to buy the records, stereos, hang out with friends and go to concerts. It was a different and memorable place and time. Thanks for the memories.
I loved both directions. Mick is a hell of a writer whose songs would have never been heard without Lou. Lou is one of the greats of all time!
The most recognizable part of Foreigner was the Voice of Lou Gramm, Period! Like Brian May once said , without a great singer to sell the song, you have nothing! Lou Gramm took Foreigner to "11" & Beyond! The remarkable sound of his voice is what you heard first and it captivated everyone! God Bless you Lou Gramm, Thank You for sharing your Brilliance!! :)
I saw Lou open up for Steve Miller. He was great. Mick was a fool for treating one of the best rock singers ever like an employee.
But he WAS an employee
That is how leaders of almost any institution are. They get a power complex very easily and then “whatever I say goes”.
@@FYMASMDThat employee co-wrote many songs and sang all the hits. It’s best for the company to treat the employees well.
@@lp59peteSee Frey and Henley of Eagles. Once the band reunited for the 1994 Freeze Over tour, thise 2 thought they deserved more money and Don Felder is rightfully not happy there because they should be equal
@@FYMASMD for the label not Mick lol
Midnight Blue was awesome. Glad he could release it in his own name and get the credit.
Pretty wild they'd treat a generational talent like that. Such a great singer.
Foreigner was one of my most favorite bands growing up in the 70's... Lou Gramm was iconic... His voice had so many wonderful qualities of power range and emotion...
As a band... they produced such an array of great songs...
There was a very tactile connection of driving rock songs to moderate ballads..
Lou was the heart and soul of their sound... His phrasing and vocal skill's top level...
Unfortunately.. they had a falling out...
I will always remember the gift they had... We were lucky to have them...
There would not have been a Foreigner without Lou. This my personal opinion even as much as I love Mick’s guitar phrasing, playing and production knowledge.
We love our home town guy here in Rochester New York.
While listening to Lou speak, I can’t help but go through the catalog of downright classics singing in my head, this man is Rushmore level when it comes to the greatest rock singers of all time, arguably the greatest!! Those melodic chorus lines are so strong and timeless 💯🎶🔥👏
Love this!
Was fortunate enough to see them open for heart in 1977! My first show. Incredible vibe. I had their album and knew it by heart. No pun intended.😊
I always thought it was just me not liking the ballads. The only one on my playlist is "I Don't Want to Live Without You." The rest is all 1970s era Foreigner. The biggest mistake Jones ever made was letting Lou walk away, but I'm sure I'm not the two millionth person who's said that.
There is no Foreigner without Lou. Lou ROCKS!! ALWAYS! 🎤🎶💙🔥🙏
We know and understand Lou.
You are the lucky one
You escaped this industry
With your life❤
I'm with Lou. 👍
He's a huge talent and was bursting at the seams with music and that's not something you can stifle.
All the best Lou.. ❤
It was announced on April 21st that Foreigner will finally be inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, class of 2024. Lou has said he will show up for the induction. Hopefully sing too if he can. Long way overdue honor.
The early records were awesome but I had that feeling around 4 that they were cresting the hill & the long decline was next. I could never go to a Foreigner show without Lou singing.
Lou you will always be one of the best singers in the world and Foreigner will be one of the best bands out there ever!
Lou has one of the greatest voices in Rock music. I agree with him, all those sappy love songs started to turn me off too. Time will reflect kindly on his body of work. I'll always be a fan of Lou, he really knows how to rock!
I have to wonder if Lou regrets folding up his gig with Steve Miller at Mick's request to go back and record with Foreigner.
That ls what I was thinking when he said it too
Would Lou have become a bigger solo star had he not gone back at that point? Hard to know now, but he had the initial hits to think it would be a possibility
Oh yeah, you can see it.He was dutiful and He got screwed for it.I know that was heart breaking
Lou had some good solo stuff too...Lost In the Shadows from The Lost Boys soundtrack sticks out..still one of my faves after all these years!🙂
Lou is one of the GOAT rock vocalist.
One of my favorite singers but reality is part of this story as well.
"In April 1997, Gramm was diagnosed with a type of brain tumor called a craniopharyngioma. Although the tumor was benign, the resulting surgery damaged his pituitary gland. In addition, the recovery program had caused Gramm to gain weight, and likewise affected his stamina and voice."....the vocal issues were apparent. That being said...I'm very happy that he's almost all the way back mentally at this point. Not sure if vocally that's the case.
I just came here to look at all the love for Lou in the comment section 😍 It's the same on every video he shares his woes. Ain't no Foreigner without Lou!! 🤩
I never knew a man could be so lonely.
That life could treat a man so wrong.
But when the odds were all against me
Lou gave me the strength to carry on.
Thanks Lou.
The music business is as ruthless as you think it is.
You are so right and having been in it at the lower level professionally for a number of years, I half regret it as I've never met so many mercenary ,sly pieces of garbage posing as humans in my life. Thankfully I compose my own music on my other channel and band will not be required now or the drugs and booze lol.
I met Lou Gramm while serving him as a room service waiter at the Plaza Hotel in Edmonton Alberta in 1979. A nice guy and down to earth.
Lou Graham will always be the voice of Foreigner...Long live the 80's!!
Gramm, not Graham.
I listened to Foreigner primarly for his voice.
I always was left a little unsatisfied with the guitar work.
As Foreigner drifted into keyboard ballads they lost me.
Midnight Blue was a great song.
Foreigner and Bad Company, in my 75 Olds Cut…time passes fast.
Lou Gramm is a special vocalist and a good dude. He deserves all the success he’s received and none of the grief
That's a crazy story lou, keep going on your own 🎉
I've texted with lou, he's a regular guy,loves his fans ✌️
@@markrichardson3566 that is very cool!
He's a next door neighbor 🙂
I love mister lou, great singer, great exemplar of the life,never forgot his greatest songs
Saw Foreigner in 1978. Dude can sing.
Double Vision tour. I'm sure that was awesome.
Bought the first two records, saw Double Vision tour in Nashville. Lost interest after but did like a few of the later singles.
I saw and felt the negative energy between Mick and Lou at a concert at the Columbia gorge Washington state in the late 90s. Lou pointed at me and gave me a smile. It was one of the best concert I ever attended. I love both of you guys.
One of the greatest frontman of all time.
Phenomenal Vocalist. Love this guy. He and Steve Perry = next level. Mick Jones is "Basic" not on the same planet as: Alex Lifeson, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Howe, David Gilmour or Andy Summers.
Great comment but Mick was a great writer but they way he treated Lou like a dishrag was disgusting Mick got very greedy.
Mick did get greedy
I'm happy that Lou can speak freely about his trials and tribulations with Mick Jones. Imagine a singer of his calibur having to sing sections six ways to Sunday for Jones' approval.
Lou is spot on. I bought Agent Provacateur. And even though I liked it, I gravitated to the guitar-driven songs of the earlier days.
I've never been a rock snob. Don't necessarily care about guitars vs keyboards. If it connects and it gets in your soul, that's all that matters to me. Headgames is great, Waiting for a Girl like you is sublime. I like all of it. Love Lou.
Love Mick but I couldn't put up with the ballad stuff. Juke Box Hero over I Want to Know What Love Is any day
Mick was writing what Atlantic wanted him to write & he wanted Top 10s. You get Top 10s by writing what the label wants. Top 10s don't happen because of great music. They happen because of $$$. You dont get $$$ if you dont write what the label wants from you.
@@thetruthchannel349 I agree!
Lou knew what he was doing. And was right all along. Just glad I got to see them back in their hey day.
I was inlove with this song , this voice still I’m 61 now , he is still my favorite one ❤
I drove a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T my last year of high school in the early 80’s. I had a rocking pioneer cassette system in it and my go to album was always Foreigner 4, released in 1981. I still have that original cassette from 43yrs ago but unfortunately, not the Charger.
Great interview.
For me, two ironies here:
1). "Midnight Blue" is such a great song, you would really have to be a fool to turn it down to put on an album. So Mick Jones is a fool. I even saw Michael Stype perform it at an REM concert, much to the chagrin of some of the REM purists (Get over yourselves, folks).
2). I saw the current version of Foreignor last summer. It was a great concert. Why? Because they focused entirely on their guitar hits, which is what people want to hear. So Lou was right again.
It takes alot of time..alot time to think things over..Lou is forever in my memory he was Foreigner
One if the most approachable rock stars ever! Lou is from my hometown in NY (he had a house across the street from one of my best friends in high school). We would see him at the local supermarket several times and he would stop and talk to everyone who wanted. He never made them feel rushed and always had a smile. Hes correct about the "ballad lull" at Foreigner concerts. The chicks made those songs huge. But us dudes were waiting for the "rockers". Ill take "Dirty White Boy" and "Rev on the redline" over "Waiting for a Girl like you", anytime.
From Rochester always loved this guy. Heard him play in Blacksheep at the tennis courts in Greece NY.
Midnight Blue is such a classic rock song. Never get tired of hearing it.
Lou didn’t get the credit he deserved… He made Foreigner❤
Lou Gramm's voice is epic!He is what made Foreigner the iconic band it is/was!
Very True, I miss the Guitar Rock!
the 80's, for all it's theatrics, was the decade with the best overall rock vocalists. It was tough to compete in that era because of guys like Steve Perry and David Coverdale (yes, one of the best). But LOU GRAMM was one of the most prominent voices of the 80's. His voice was on the radio ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. He is one of the greats, and I wish his split with Foreigner didn't happen, or was more amicable. He went on to have a great couple of solo albums and cemented himself as one of the greats from that era.
Lou Gramm is not just an amazing vocalist-I could listen to him talk forever. He has a mesmerizing voice to listen to.
nice guy too
Wow that was really candid. Thanks Lou for sharing. The 80s synth trend was neat in its own way, but it wreaked havoc on rock a bit as well. Grunge was a trend that was also very disruptive and not welcome by all of the rock world.
What an amazing insight buddy I’ve read lots about this story and this is brilliant and although it’s Lou’s side of the story it’s sounds very true.
Saw his show while he was touring with Steve Miller Band. GREAT GREAT show. At the top of his game and he looked happy.
Yup exactly! I’m 65 and remember all this.
Very interesting. It seemed all the media at the time about why Lou was out of Foreigner was about Lou’s health. I wondered if that was really all there was to it. Lou’s explanation is more believable.
Lou Gramm, was Foreigner plain and simple he was the voice!
I'm with Lou. Total agreement.
Well I love Foreigner, But I also love Lou Graham's stuff as much.... As always, all good thing come to an end.
Did Foreigner have albums without Lou singing on them? I did not even know that. All their great music back then, I remember hearing him singing. I seriously did not know Foreigner put out music without him in the band.
Lou, one of the all time greatest rock singers.
It had to be great that Mick had him sing things differently so that there would be all sorts of versions of the songs that can/could be released in the future! Brilliant!
This guy lucks into a lotta candid interviewees. He doesn’t elicit the candor (like Stern used to), but he sure finds himself w guests willing to really put it out there! 😅👍
Note: Do we _really need_ these obtrusive “guidelines” before we post as adults? It’s an inauspicious way to get things started. 🤷♂️
Lou is one of the greatest rock voices ever but I still enjoyed the keyboard driven songs as much as the guitar driven songs.
"I need you" was a great "rock" band sound. Guitars and Lou's voice made it!!!
LOU “THE LEGEND” ROCK-ON MAN
Midnight Blue is one of my favorite songs. Fantastic song!
Lou Gramm IS Foreigner!
So, it was "URGENT" for Lou Gramm to move on.😊
He thought I’m leaving and “I’m gonna win”
He was getting tired of all the "HEAD GAMES".
He’s gonna send mick “ back where he belongs”
@toddprater144 That's right, 'cuz he's just a "DIRTY WHITE BOY"!
One of the all time greats
Lou is a fantastic musician. He had a solo career and could easily use his own band to do whatever he wanted. Well done
One of the greatest rock voices ever.
Midnight Blue. Fantastic guitar driven masterpiece. Great story.
I saw Lou open for Steve Miller in Seattle... it was amazing!
"LONG HARD LOOK" had more impact on me than any Foreigner album. I was 18yrs old and that was a glorious time of my life. That album was the soundtrack of that period of time and the album still gives me chills, literally, when I hear it. Takes me right back to the glory days! Cheers Lou!
Great interview 👍
Thanks Lou for all the great songs!
Lou was the reason I loved foreigner. You can tell that he was deeply hurt by the things that happened in that band.
Saw them when they went on tour with the choir for I Wanna Know What Love Is. Epic and very memorable Lou sang his a** off.
We need a Lou Gramm biopic
Fantastic interviews , you just lay back and let the artist speak without interruption, thanks