Mark Ronson’s campaign to get Foreigner inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has gotten a NSFW thumbs-up from a very famous fan, Sir Paul McCartney.
Videos by American Songwriter
Producer/songwriter Ronson, whose stepfather is Foreigner’s Mick Jones, recently launched the initiative by enlisting a variety of well-known rock stars to send him videos of them sharing how much Foreigner impacted their own musical journeys. During a February 27 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Ronson revealed that the Beatles legend also had sent him a video clip, but admitted he was a little apprehensive to post it.
Ronson, who’s friends with McCartney and produced some tracks from his 2013 album New, told Fallon, “[H]e sent me this video back that is, like, his endorsement of Foreigner, but it’s … he’s cursing [in] it.”
He continued, “There’s some stuff that you’ve never seen Paul McCartney do before, so I figured I’d show it to you and I’d show it to [the audience], and if you think it’s kosher, then we’ll post it.”
Fallon then asked Ronson if McCartney was OK with him showing the clip, and Ronson responded, “Yeah,” before the host introduced the video.
What Paul McCartney Said in the Video
In the clip, McCartney is sitting in a car, and he looks into the camera and says, “Foreigner, not in the Hall of Fame? What the f—? Aah!” The expletive was bleeped out.
Reaction to McCartney’s Message
The crowd clapped wildly at McCartney’s message, and Ronson then said, “That’s why I’m showing it, because I’ve never seen Paul McCartney curse. I mean, he’s a knight. You know, he’s Sir Paul McCartney.”
Ronson then noted, “I mean, listen, my mother’s from Liverpool. I have a lot of family and friends … Like, Liverpudlians can get colorful with their language and stuff, but I don’t want to be the first person to ever post a video of Paul McCartney … dropping an F-bomb. Do you think we should?”
With the audience overwhelmingly sharing their support, Fallon commented, “We have to do it for Foreigner. Let’s get ’em in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I can’t believe [McCartney] did that for you. He’s so cool.”
Foreigner Also Posted Paul McCartney’s Video Message
Foreigner posted an unedited version of McCartney’s message on its social media pages, along with a note that reads, “A man of many words… @paulmccartney. All of your votes matter!”
Ronson’s Star-Studded Video Supporting Foreigner’s Rock Hall Bid
As previously reported, Ronson posted a message on his social media sites last week making the case for Foreigner to be inducted into the Rock Hall. The post also featured video comments from Dave Grohl, Slash, Chad Smith, Josh Homme, and Jack Black all sharing their love for the band.
More About Mick Jones and Foreigner
Although Foreigner has been eligible for the Rock Hall honor for more than 25, the group was nominated for the first time ever this year. The 79-year-old Jones, who recently revealed that he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, was married to Ronson’s mother, Ann Dexter-Jones, from 1983 to 2007, then remarried her in 2017.
Although Jones is the only original Foreigner member that’s still part of the group, his health issues have forced to stop playing live with the band. Foreigner currently is in second place in the Rock Hall’s online poll for the favorite 2024 nominee. Ozzy Osbourne is in first place, while Foreigner is ahead of Peter Frampton (No. 3), Dave Matthews Band (No. 4), Cher (No. 5), and the 10 other nominees.
As part of the induction selection process, fans can vote online through April 26 at vote.rockhall.com or in person at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame museum in Cleveland. Voting is limited to seven picks at a time, once daily. Once voting is closed, the top five artists selected by the public will make up a “fans’ ballot” that will be tallied along with the other ballots to determine the 2024 Inductees.
