Founding Foreigner guitarist and songwriter Mick Jones celebrated his 80th birthday on December 27. Jones was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of his famous band this past October, but he wasn’t able to attend the ceremony because of ongoing health issues.
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Jones started his music career in the early 1960s, playing in London blues-rock outfits. In 1964, he relocated to Paris, where he played with French pop star Sylvie Vartan and eventually became the musical director for French rock legend Johnny Hallyday.
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Mick moved back to the U.K. in the early 1970s. From 1972 to 1974, he played with keyboardist Gary Wright and others in a re-formed version of the British blues-rock group Spooky Tooth.
In 1976, Jones founded Foreigner with a mix of British and American musicians, including former King Crimson multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald and powerhouse singer Lou Gramm. The band enjoyed immediate success, fueled by its accessible mix of hard-rock anthems and power ballads, as well as Gramm’s dynamic voice.
Jones has written or co-written nearly all of Foreigner’ songs. They include such classics as “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Double Vision,” “Head Games,” “Urgent,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Juke Box Hero,” and “I Want to Know What Love Is.”
Jones also established a successful side career as a producer. His production resume includes Van Halen’s 5150, Bad Company’s Fame and Fortune, and Billy Joel’s Storm Front.
Meanwhile, music fans may not be aware of some of the musical contributions Jones has made to other artists’ albums. In honor of his milestone birthday, here are four interesting songs by various artists that feature Jones.
“All I Wanna Be (Is by Your Side)” – Peter Frampton (1972)
Jones contributed rhythm guitar to “All I Wanna Be (Is by Your Side),” a memorable tune from Peter Frampton’s 1972 debut solo album, Wind of Change.
Mick was a member of Spooky Tooth at the time he worked on Frampton’s album, which also featured Jones’ then-bandmate Mike Kellie on drums. Bassist Rick Wills, who later was a member of Foreigner, also played on Wind of Change.
Frampton later included a live version of “All I Wanna Be (Is by Your Side)” on his classic 1976 album Frampton Comes Alive!
Foreigner and Frampton both were inducted into the Rock Hall in 2024.
“Ding Dong, Ding Dong” – George Harrison (1974)
Jones played acoustic guitar on “Ding Dong, Ding Dong,” a celebratory track from George Harrison’s 1974 album Dark Horse. The song, which was written as a New Year’s Eve sing-along, peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Ding Dong, Ding Dong” featured contributions from a variety of other well-known musicians, including Wright (a close friend of Harrison’s), Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood, and Ten Years After’s Alvin Lee.
“State of Grace” – Billy Joel (1989)
Jones co-produced Joel’s 1989 album Storm Front with Billy. He also contributed backing vocals and guitar to a few tracks. Among the songs on which Mick appears is the emotive rock ballad “State of Grace.”
Jones played a guitar solo on the track, and also sang backing vocals. The song features Joel singing about a romantic partner with whom he’s having trouble communicating. It’s believed that the tune was inspired by tensions in his relationship with then-wife Christie Brinkley. The couple divorced in 1994.
Stormfront topped the Billboard 200 in December 1989. The album included the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and such other charting singles as “I Go to Extremes” and “And So It Goes.”
“Where It’s Gone … I Don’t Know” – William Shatner (2013)
Jones was a featured guest artist on legendary Star Trek actor William Shatner’s 2013 prog-rock concept album Ponder the Mystery. The quirky project features Shatner’s spoken-word musings on the wonders and mysteries of life combined with music composed by current Yes bassist Billy Sherwood.
Jones played guitar on a song titled “Where It’s Gone … I Don’t Know.” The tune features Shatner poetically reflecting on his struggle to regain his passion for living.
Other artists who contributed to Ponder the Mystery included The Doors’ Robby Krieger, Edgar Winter, Rick Wakeman, Steve Vai, Al Di Meola, and Dave Koz.
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