October 17, 2024 • 7 mins
10.16.24
After being eligible for 20 years(!), Foreigner is FINALLY getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! Lou Gramm talks about that 20-year wait and the incredible duet he has planned with one of Foreigner's greatest songs. Plus, who is Lou looking forward to meeting at the ceremony? It's not who you would expect! Finally, what's it like to shoot a game of pool with John Lennon? Let's just say John did not disappoint! It's an incredible story.
After being eligible for 20 years(!), Foreigner is FINALLY getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! Lou Gramm talks about that 20-year wait and the incredible duet he has planned with one of Foreigner's greatest songs. Plus, who is Lou looking forward to meeting at the ceremony? It's not who you would expect! Finally, what's it like to shoot a game of pool with John Lennon? Let's just say John did not disappoint! It's an incredible story.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, it is such a great pleasure to have with us,
a gentleman who is going to have to change all
of his business cards to say Rock and Roll Hall
of Famer.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Hello, lou Graham, Yes.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Hi, guys, how are you hey?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We're doing really good.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
This is stuck in gunner and it's such a pleasure
to hear from you and Foreigner getting their due. How
does the technical part of this work? How do you
find out that you're going into the hall?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
And what was.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
That announcement like when you heard it over the phone
or however you got it.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I heard it from Foreigner's manager, and we were all
a little stunned because we have been nominated a few
times over the years and hadn't been able to get in.
Twenty years after we were available for nominations, we finally
got in the hall. Wow, and it was a long
time coming, but it makes it all the sweeter.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
So, Louis, we've all heard these stories.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Is it true that somebody said something to somebody and
somebody didn't like it, and all of a sudden, Foreigner's
never getting in?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Is that true or kind of true?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yes, it's true. I can't get into the names and stuff,
but it was. It was something like that which shouldn't
should be above and beyond the ethics of the people
who are nominating and deciding whether it band gets into
the Hall of Fame or not. But it still goes on,
still goes on.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
Yeah, well, it's a it's a really bad look for
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, not for Foreigner.
I mean, you know, everybody that knows the body of
work with Foreigner and everything that spanned the seventies through
the nineties, two thousands of today, you know.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Foreigner's not in there. That's on the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
But you know, we were available for induction twenty years ago,
and it's been twenty years of not hearing anything about it,
And I think that in itself makes the credibility of
the Hall suspect.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Absolutely, We're speaking with Lou Graham, going to go into
the Rock Hall and a lot of friends you're going
to see in that room. Are you looking forward to
hanging out with any certain groups of people? I mean,
Ozzy is going in with you, Dave Matthews share who
are you looking forward to talking to?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
I think he's a very likable character, and uh, you know,
I'll be I'll like to spend a few a little
time with Pete Brampton and all the guys you know
that that are that are there, guys and girls that
are there that that are either hoping to get inducted
or are in the Hall already. You know, I just
(02:35):
want to be. I want to be a member of
that club.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
Well, you've been a rock and roll superstar and a
Hall of Famer now coming up. We're just regular radio DJ,
so we're fed much disinformation. We hear Ozzy's going to perform,
He's on the list. Do you have info on Ozzie performing?
And will Foreigner indeed get together and get up there
and play.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Well, I know that Sammy's going to be singing feels
like the first time. That's what I heard. And I
can't remember who else somebody is going to be maybe
Dy Schnyder is going to be singing hot Blooded.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
And Kelly Clarkson and I are doing I want to
know love this.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Oh get out of here? Yeah, how about that? That's
going to be a highlight of the show.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
It's going to be pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
I think you know, I.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Was looking you guys have sold over eighty million albums worldwide.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
But tell me, how did your life?
Speaker 1 (03:25):
How did the band's life change after fourg inn or
four hit?
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I could just sense so much more respect it, Jettison,
Are any doubts from that point on? I think performing
and recording albums was just a little bit different.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
Lou Graham on the phone was stuck and Gunner, I
tell you what your music transcends all of the decade,
and I'll tell you why it is sold. Late late seventies,
around nineteen eighty, I'm over at my dad's country club.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I'm like twenty years old whatever.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
I'm wearing a Double Vision T shirt and so you know,
I'm at the country club. All these guys are in
their golf shirts and their knicker socks and whatever they wear.
You know, these old drunk guys are you know, it's
the nineteen toll. We're sitting there in the bar and
they're like double Vision. These guys are all born in
nineteen twenty eight, and they got Dean Martin Atrax in
their car and they're like.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Double Vision, Who the hell is that?
Speaker 5 (04:19):
So they're over at the house one day and I
get the Double Vision cassette out and they love.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
The they love the they love the whole album.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
One of the guys, I'm serious, the guys like you know,
probably one hundred years old.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
He lived today. He took my CD or my actually
my cassette home with him. Everybody loved him.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
So even all the way back to twenty eight they
were getting and they loved the double vision concept.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
That's unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
Yeah, yeah, my band of a musician as well. I
don't want to put myself in the same category with you,
but I've done some shows around. We used to do
some shows with Petro. You still involved with the hanging
out with the guys and doing some shows with them
or is that?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
How's that going?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
I haven't been. We keep in touch randomly. They're great guys.
It was so much fun recording with them and stuff.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Aren't those the best guys you When you're gonna be
on tour or in a band with somebody, you want
to be around people that are great, that are happy,
that are great people to be around.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
They're the best people you ever meet in your life.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
It's so easy for someone else who's on a downer
to bring you down.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Oh absolutely, Hey, well a band.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
I'd do it to Dave every day.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
A band that would be Gunner, thank you. A band.
A band is like.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
A band is like a family, for sure will get
you out of here on this.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Always like to ask artists, do you still have.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Your vinyl collection from when you were a kid or
an album that is really special to you?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I still have my Beatle albums.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Oh what was that like when you went to the
record store and got the New Beatles release?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
I wish I could have lived through that.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
It was awesome. You had to get there early because
they sold out really quick. I ever tell you. But
when Black Sheet, my band before went to New York
to record its first album on Capitol Records, Uh, you
know studios have two or three studios within the building.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Do you know who was night right next to Black
Sheep recording?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Who?
Speaker 3 (06:09):
John Lennon?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Oh dude, did you get to talk to him?
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Was?
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You know? They have a break room with a with
a foostball table and a pool table and some refreshments
in there. I had just got finished singing a couple
of songs and I needed a break. I walked into
that room and John Lennon was shooting pool by himself,
and he looks up at me and he says, want
to shoot a game. I didn't have a second to think,
(06:34):
because but I did think, you know, I thought to myself,
you know, you're not very good. You're going to embarrass yourself.
But I said, sure, John, you know so I shot
so far above my talent level and it was fun
and we talked about you know, he asked me what
I was doing here. I told him my band's recording
(06:54):
its second album, and he told me he's working with
who was that that he produced the album with all
the old rock and roll hits on it, Bill.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Spector, Phil Spector was there, all right.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, that was that was his producer. So so he
was telling me about that, and I would go outside
of the door where he was put my head up
against it, and I could hear him. I could hear
him singing from from outside in, you know, and that
was that was so awesome, and that whole pool game
thing couldn't have played out any better. I got to
meet my hero.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
What a memory.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
And Lou Graham, thank you for all the great rock memories,
the great shows, and the music. Enjoy your Hall of
Fame induction, well deserved.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Thank you guys so much.
Well, it is such a great pleasure to have with us,
a gentleman who is going to have to change all
of his business cards to say Rock and Roll Hall
of Famer.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Hello, lou Graham, Yes.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Hi, guys, how are you hey?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We're doing really good.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
This is stuck in gunner and it's such a pleasure
to hear from you and Foreigner getting their due. How
does the technical part of this work? How do you
find out that you're going into the hall?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
And what was.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
That announcement like when you heard it over the phone
or however you got it.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I heard it from Foreigner's manager, and we were all
a little stunned because we have been nominated a few
times over the years and hadn't been able to get in.
Twenty years after we were available for nominations, we finally
got in the hall. Wow, and it was a long
time coming, but it makes it all the sweeter.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
So, Louis, we've all heard these stories.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Is it true that somebody said something to somebody and
somebody didn't like it, and all of a sudden, Foreigner's
never getting in?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Is that true or kind of true?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yes, it's true. I can't get into the names and stuff,
but it was. It was something like that which shouldn't
should be above and beyond the ethics of the people
who are nominating and deciding whether it band gets into
the Hall of Fame or not. But it still goes on,
still goes on.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
Yeah, well, it's a it's a really bad look for
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, not for Foreigner.
I mean, you know, everybody that knows the body of
work with Foreigner and everything that spanned the seventies through
the nineties, two thousands of today, you know.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Foreigner's not in there. That's on the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
But you know, we were available for induction twenty years ago,
and it's been twenty years of not hearing anything about it,
And I think that in itself makes the credibility of
the Hall suspect.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Absolutely, We're speaking with Lou Graham, going to go into
the Rock Hall and a lot of friends you're going
to see in that room. Are you looking forward to
hanging out with any certain groups of people? I mean,
Ozzy is going in with you, Dave Matthews share who
are you looking forward to talking to?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
I think he's a very likable character, and uh, you know,
I'll be I'll like to spend a few a little
time with Pete Brampton and all the guys you know
that that are that are there, guys and girls that
are there that that are either hoping to get inducted
or are in the Hall already. You know, I just
(02:35):
want to be. I want to be a member of
that club.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
Well, you've been a rock and roll superstar and a
Hall of Famer now coming up. We're just regular radio DJ,
so we're fed much disinformation. We hear Ozzy's going to perform,
He's on the list. Do you have info on Ozzie performing?
And will Foreigner indeed get together and get up there
and play.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Well, I know that Sammy's going to be singing feels
like the first time. That's what I heard. And I
can't remember who else somebody is going to be maybe
Dy Schnyder is going to be singing hot Blooded.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
And Kelly Clarkson and I are doing I want to
know love this.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Oh get out of here? Yeah, how about that? That's
going to be a highlight of the show.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
It's going to be pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
I think you know, I.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Was looking you guys have sold over eighty million albums worldwide.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
But tell me, how did your life?
Speaker 1 (03:25):
How did the band's life change after fourg inn or
four hit?
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I could just sense so much more respect it, Jettison,
Are any doubts from that point on? I think performing
and recording albums was just a little bit different.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
Lou Graham on the phone was stuck and Gunner, I
tell you what your music transcends all of the decade,
and I'll tell you why it is sold. Late late seventies,
around nineteen eighty, I'm over at my dad's country club.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I'm like twenty years old whatever.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
I'm wearing a Double Vision T shirt and so you know,
I'm at the country club. All these guys are in
their golf shirts and their knicker socks and whatever they wear.
You know, these old drunk guys are you know, it's
the nineteen toll. We're sitting there in the bar and
they're like double Vision. These guys are all born in
nineteen twenty eight, and they got Dean Martin Atrax in
their car and they're like.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Double Vision, Who the hell is that?
Speaker 5 (04:19):
So they're over at the house one day and I
get the Double Vision cassette out and they love.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
The they love the they love the whole album.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
One of the guys, I'm serious, the guys like you know,
probably one hundred years old.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
He lived today. He took my CD or my actually
my cassette home with him. Everybody loved him.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
So even all the way back to twenty eight they
were getting and they loved the double vision concept.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
That's unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
Yeah, yeah, my band of a musician as well. I
don't want to put myself in the same category with you,
but I've done some shows around. We used to do
some shows with Petro. You still involved with the hanging
out with the guys and doing some shows with them
or is that?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
How's that going?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
I haven't been. We keep in touch randomly. They're great guys.
It was so much fun recording with them and stuff.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Aren't those the best guys you When you're gonna be
on tour or in a band with somebody, you want
to be around people that are great, that are happy,
that are great people to be around.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
They're the best people you ever meet in your life.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
It's so easy for someone else who's on a downer
to bring you down.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Oh absolutely, Hey, well a band.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
I'd do it to Dave every day.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
A band that would be Gunner, thank you. A band.
A band is like.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
A band is like a family, for sure will get
you out of here on this.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Always like to ask artists, do you still have.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Your vinyl collection from when you were a kid or
an album that is really special to you?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I still have my Beatle albums.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Oh what was that like when you went to the
record store and got the New Beatles release?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
I wish I could have lived through that.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
It was awesome. You had to get there early because
they sold out really quick. I ever tell you. But
when Black Sheet, my band before went to New York
to record its first album on Capitol Records, Uh, you
know studios have two or three studios within the building.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Do you know who was night right next to Black
Sheep recording?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Who?
Speaker 3 (06:09):
John Lennon?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Oh dude, did you get to talk to him?
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Was?
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You know? They have a break room with a with
a foostball table and a pool table and some refreshments
in there. I had just got finished singing a couple
of songs and I needed a break. I walked into
that room and John Lennon was shooting pool by himself,
and he looks up at me and he says, want
to shoot a game. I didn't have a second to think,
(06:34):
because but I did think, you know, I thought to myself,
you know, you're not very good. You're going to embarrass yourself.
But I said, sure, John, you know so I shot
so far above my talent level and it was fun
and we talked about you know, he asked me what
I was doing here. I told him my band's recording
(06:54):
its second album, and he told me he's working with
who was that that he produced the album with all
the old rock and roll hits on it, Bill.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Spector, Phil Spector was there, all right.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, that was that was his producer. So so he
was telling me about that, and I would go outside
of the door where he was put my head up
against it, and I could hear him. I could hear
him singing from from outside in, you know, and that
was that was so awesome, and that whole pool game
thing couldn't have played out any better. I got to
meet my hero.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
What a memory.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
And Lou Graham, thank you for all the great rock memories,
the great shows, and the music. Enjoy your Hall of
Fame induction, well deserved.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Thank you guys so much.
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