In February, Paul McCartney filmed a brief video message in support of a campaign that producer Mark Ronson launched to help get Foreigner inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In the clip, McCartney looks into the camera and declares, “Foreigner, not in the Hall of Fame? What the f—?!”
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Now, in a new interview with Billboard, original Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm has shared how he feels about the Beatles legend’s NSFW thumbs-up to his group.
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“[It] was awesome,” Gramm said. “That one I certainly didn’t expect, and if you just see it once you know it was completely off the cuff for him. He said what needed to be said, and that was it. I was very impressed and very thankful.”
Foreigner was nominated for induction into the Rock Hall for the first time this year. However, the band has been eligible for the honor for more than 20 years.
About Ronson’s Campaign to Get Foreigner Inducted
Ronson is the stepson of Foreigner’s founding guitarist and main songwriter, Mick Jones. He explained during a February 2024 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon his motivation for initiating the campaign.
“[Mick has] been a huge influence on me. … He’s written all these great songs, like ‘Hot Blooded,’ ‘Cold as Ice,’ and ‘I Want to Know What Love Is,’” Ronson noted. “[T]he Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a really big deal for a rock ‘n’ roll musician, and certainly for him. … [T]he past few years, also, he’s had some tough health challenges … And … we just decided to go all-out this year and really try and get Foreigner [into the Rock Hall].”
[RELATED: Foreigner Legend Lou Gramm Makes Final Call on Retirement Plans]
In addition to McCartney, Ronson got other celebrities, including Dave Grohl, Slash, Chad Smith, and Jack Black, to film video clips of them encouraging people to vote for Foreigner’s induction. He compiled them into a video montage that he posted on social media.
Gramm’s Thoughts on Ronson’s Campaign
Gramm told Billboard that he’s happy about the way Ronson has tried to help Foreigner get inducted.
“I think he’s a pretty creative guy, and there hasn’t been anything too boisterous or outlandish,” Gramm said. “It’s telling the story the way he sees it, from his vantage point with his stepdad. It makes sense.”
Gramm Was “Surprised” by Foreigner’s Nomination
Gramm also revealed that before Foreigner was nominated for the Rock Hall honor this year, he “had given up” on the band ever being inducted.
“So [the nomination] was a big surprise to me, and I didn’t want to be too excited about it when I heard,” the 74-year-old singer admitted. “I didn’t want to be amped up or get my hopes up because of the way things have gone down in the past. I was, ‘OK, that’s good. Let’s see what happens. I hope we get in.’ I’m patiently waiting to see what happens.”
Where Foreigner Stands in the Rock Hall Fan Vote
Foreigner current sits in second place, behind Dave Matthews Band, in the Rock Hall’s fan vote for the top nominees. However, the fan ballot only counts for a very small percentage of the deciding votes. The voting for the 2024 inductees closes on April 26.
Gramm on Whether He’d Perform at the Rock Hall Ceremony
Gramm said that although he hasn’t been in touch with any of his ex-Foreigner bandmates lately, he is up for performing at the induction ceremony if the group is chosen. He reported that he was told that if Foreigner was inducted, the band would get to play two songs at the event.
The 2024 Rock Hall ceremony is scheduled to take place this fall in Cleveland.
Gramm’s 2024 Solo Tour Plans
Gramm recently announced that he will retire from touring at the end of 2024. Before then, though, he has a variety of concerts lined up. They include performances as part of Poison frontman Bret Michaels’ Parti-Gras 2.0 tour, and with his group Lou Gramm All Stars. Check out a full list of dates at LouGrammOfficial.com.
Tickets to Gramm’s concerts are available now via various outlets, including StubHub.
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