This album was the beginning of a dynasty, that being the assured success of the supergroup Foreigner.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Foreigner
ALBUM: Foreigner
LABEL: Atlantic
SERIAL: SD 19109
YEAR: 1977
CD REISSUE: 1995, Atlantic, 82798-2, remastered
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Lou Gramm – vocals * Mick Jones – guitars * Ian McDonald – guitars, keyboards * Al Greenwood – keyboards * Ed Gagliardi – bass * Dennis Elliott – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Feels Like The First Time * 02 Cold As Ice * 03 Starrider * 04 Headknocker * 05 The Damage Is Done * 06 Long Long Way From Home * 07 Woman Oh Woman * 08 At War With The World * 09 Fool For You Anyway * 10 I Need You
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
This album was the beginning of a dynasty. That being the assured success of the supergroup Foreigner. The band are a combination of American and English personnel, located in the New York area. Lou Gramm (real name Grammatico) originally came from the upstate New York area, and had previously been with 70’s rockers Black Sheep.
Mick Jones was ex Spooky Tooth, McDonald and Elliott were previously with King Crimson, while local NY residents Greenwood and Gagliardi completed the lineup. Formed in 1976, the band spent some time rehearsing their material, most of which was written by Jones, before the debut album came out a year later.
The Songs
‘Feels Like The First Time’ was the initial breakthrough single, immediately recognisable with strong choruses, and great keyboard/guitar interplay. But the icing on the cake was Lou Gramm’s vocals. ‘Cold As Ice’ followed soon after. During 1977 the band were hot property because of it.
Other tracks of note include the very Alan Parsons sounding ‘Starrider’, the mid-paced balladry of ‘The Damage Is Done’, the hard driving ‘Long Long Way From Home’ and the anthem bound ‘I Need You’ at the tail of the album.
In Summary
The lineup shown above lasted for three albums only. Greenwood and Gagliardi later surfaced with New York AOR gods Spys, while the remainder of the band have continued on to mega success, in fact still going strong to this very day.
Video
Cold As Ice
Feels Like The First Time
Entire Album (Select Tracks)
