Artist: Foreigner
Venue: Nokia Theatre Times Sq. (New York, NY)
Opener: n/a
Date: 10/20/2009
Label: Rhino Entertainment
It’s pretty funny but when I think back upon all of the shows that I have attended over the course of my life it seems that not once did I ever catch the band Foreigner when they were first reaching their zenith. I was primarily surprised about this based on my loving so many of the bands tunes and how could this not be the case when popular radio during the late seventies, eighties and even some of the nineties always found their classics in regular rotation. Back in the day it was not uncommon to find the deejays playing the radio listening public a “block” of Foreigner greats or a particular album side and believe me, no one was complaining about it. The band while formed in 1976 has changed quite a few members and only finds founding guitarist/songwriter Mick Jones in place as he continues to lead the charge of the bands music with fresh talent. In 2009 Foreigner consists of Jones of course and now Kelly Hansen (vocals), Jeff Pilson (bass), Thom Gimbel (guitar), Brian Tichy (drums) and Michael Bluestein (keyboards). Many of the followers of the eighties Hard Rock and Metal remember Pilson from Dokken and Hansen from Hurricane. These stalwarts of Hair Metal would be joined by drummer Brian Tichy (who I remember from working with Billy Idol and Derek Sherinian most recently) and Thom Gimbel and Michael Bluestein who handle second guitar and keyboards respectively. Clearly the classic material of Foreigner would be in excellent hands with these musicians.
Continue reading Foreigner @ Nokia Theatre Times Square (10/20/2009) →
Artist: Foreigner
Title: “Can’t Slow Down”
Label: Rhino Entertainment
Release Date: 9/29/2009
Genre: Hard Rock
Rating: 4/5
Foreigner is one of the great ones when it comes to powerful and memorable radio friendly Rock music and their sound comes from a time when the term was not as insulting as it can be today. Let’s face it, in today’s music scene, “radio friendly” is often stuff that will bore you to tears. In their original heyday, the bands fans were able to find Foreigner music played as part of the regular rotation on any of the numerous Rock radio stations that held dominance on the dial. As a result of this initial grip, the bands music has become a respected part of music history and it is well deserved. If you are like me, there has to be at least five tunes by the band that you love to hear and can probably sing a chorus and a couple of verses from. Over the years the lineup has changed and now features only Mick Jones as the original founding member and he is joined by a talented bunch of musicians that feature Jeff Pilson on bass (formerly of Dokken), Kelly Hansen on vocals (formerly of Hurricane), Tom Gimbel, Brian Tichy and Michael Bluestein who round it out on guitars, drums and keyboards. Together they follow a tradition that seemed to be started by Journey last year as they deliver new music that also features a second CD of remixed classics and a live DVD that features a concert and bonus features. With so many parts to absorb I dissected them one by one and offer comments on each.
Continue reading “Can’t Slow Down” by Foreigner →
Artist: The Clash
Title: “Live At Shea Stadium”
Label: Sony BMG/Legacy Recordings
Release Date: 10/7/2008
Genre: Punk Rock
Rating: 4/5
Recorded during the bands opening slot for The Who back in 1982, the recording actually also captures The Clash on the closure of their own US Tour and “Live At Shea Stadium” is a fantastic way to experience just what this band was all about on the concert stage. The album’s set list is a an incredible amount of hits from across the bands catalog for while they were supporting the album “Combat Rock” for this tour they had the good sense to not focus entirely on this release. It kicks your ass right from the beginning with “London Calling” and with the band being together for several years by the time this show happened finds them to be a very tight unit which is commendable. The album serves several different needs and the first is for a solid live recording from The Clash based on the amazing soundboard quality of the audio that while clean does allow for some proper crowd noise to not seem contrived. All of the instruments are mixed at what sounds to be an equal volume and no one overpowers anyone else nor is anyone left out in the production. The second need is for a collective of hits performed in concert and while there are always going to be some staple favorites that fans will complain are left out we must realize that this is the full set of material that was performed at this show and that is so much better than finding only half of them being presented.
Continue reading “Live At Shea Stadium” by The Clash →
Artist: Foreigner
Title: “No End In Sight: The Very Best of Foreigner”
Label: Rhino Entertainment
Release Date: 7/15/2008
Genre: Hard Rock
Rating: 4/5
Rock music fans around the world will be jumping out of their seats when they get their hands on the new double CD collection “No End In Sight: The Very Best Of Foreigner”. The main reason for such levels of jubilance is based on its being a collection of tunes that will really bring back the memory of the bands glorious rise to Arena Rock legendry and their long term dominance over the radio airwaves of the time. Growing up as a music fan during the bands heyday I can safely say that there wasn’t a radio station to be found that wasn’t playing a Foreigner track of some kind during regular broadcast times (of course I am speaking outside of your talk, sports and foreign language stations). The interesting thing about this was that it was during a time when the tunes played were actually DJ preferences and audience demand as opposed to the station manager following what advertisers directed him to play and having the listeners like it eventually after being spoon fed the track time and time again. To me, this “old school” approach makes the band hold a lot more relevance and value when it comes to looking back on their history in a collection such as this. Foreigner was formed by Mick Jones and fronted for many years by Lou Gramm and together the pair were an unstoppable partnership of Hard Rock power. The sound of Foreigner was big in every sense of the word and from the moment you put in the first CD you will find yourself rocking along until it ends and of course its then you realize that you have one more full CD length to travel as the collection brings you up to the latest activity in the bands book.
Continue reading “No End In Sight: The Very Best of Foreigner” by Foreigner →
![“Alive And Rockin’” [DVD] by Foreigner](https://www.piercingmetal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/DVD-Foreigner-Alive-And-Rockin-e1424535692723.jpg)
Artist: Foreigner
Title: “Alive And Rockin’”
Label: Eagle Vision
Release Date: 10/16/2007
Genre: Hard Rock
Rating: 4/5
It might amaze you to realize this but the band Foreigner has been around for a little over thirty years now and despite numerous lineup changes since their inception they are still rocking hard as is made evident by this DVD filmed during the 2006 “Bang Your Head” festival in Berlingen, Germany. I admit that I never expected to find the band on the same stage as that of Anvil, Helloween and Stratovarius but here they were and as a result there is a lot of great music to enjoy during their set. The Foreigner of 2006 is far from being the band of early historical record outside of journeyman performer and founder Mick Jones, but he has assembled a lineup that is high on talent and experience when it comes down to the business at hand and each member does justice to the music that many of us grew up on or had discovered as they searched through their parents record collections. Kelly Hansen, formerly of Hurricane, is in place of Lou Gramm on vocals and if you have never heard him before you are in for a treat since he has some of the best pipes to this day. He hits all the highs and even outdoes his predecessor in terms of Rock & Roll stage presence when it comes right down to it. Hey, you don’t front an 80’s Metal band and just stand there after all. On bass we have Jeff Pilson, former of Dokken and even a part of Dio’s lineup at one time so you just know that this part of the rhythm section is in good hands. The thunder on the drums is care of none other than the legendary John Bonham’s own son Jason who over the years has really been doing his father’s memory proud by accomplishments and building a stand out reputation of his own as a classy and powerful drummer. The band is rounded out by Jeff Jacobs (keyboards) and Tom Gimbel (saxophone, guitar, and flute) and together they are all able to give Foreigner the big sound that their tunes require in the live sense.
Continue reading “Alive And Rockin’” [DVD] by Foreigner →
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