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| The News: New Album | 02.21.03 |
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Foreigner's next studio album, the band's most-anticipated release ever, has had it's recording and release scheduled and re-scheduled many times since 1997. This has been due to several issues: mainly Lou Gramm's health problems, but also Lou's conflict with a contract signed with EMI in 1986, side projects by other members of the band, and Foreigner's lack of a US distribution label (although the band is still under BMG internationally). Information about the new album is very scarce, but here are some of the tidbits we have compiled over the years: The creative process for the album started in 1995 during the "Mr. Moonlight" world tour, and has continued since then. Melanie Whitefoot tell us: "... I was told that there is a ton of material in demo format, some recorded with vocals, others just pieces of music, that have been around since at least mid-1995. There have been various minor demo recordings and meetings between band members, with many of them writing with each other - for example: Lou and Mick, Lou and Bruce, Mick and Jeff, etc., etc. There are also pieces of music and demos done with pretty much all the various drummers they have had since 1992 - some songs with Mark, some with Ron, some with Brian. I don't know if there is anything recorded in a demo fashion with Denny at this point ...". Ron Wikso, band's drummer between 1995 and 1998, posts on his site: "... in 1996, we started off by recording five new tracks at The Studios At Linden Oaks, in Lou's home town of Rochester, NY. I don't know if there are plans to ever release those tracks but I think there is some pretty good stuff there and it would be a shame if the world never got to hear it ...". In April, 1997, Lou said about the album: "... I know for a fact that we're recording a new album over the course of this summer ...". And about a tour after the release: "... probably late fall or early next year ...". However, that same month and a day before the band was leaving for a Japanese tour, he was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor and later operated on. So, all recording and touring plans were canceled, and Lou has been recovering since then. In May 1997, Ron Wikso said: "... the only things that have been put together at this point are a few demos of some of the songs and they may or may not wind up on the album ... even if they do make it, they may be changed and not really recognizable from their current form ...". Melanie Whitefoot, posts on her site: "... 'Red Letter Day' is a new rocker song that has been recorded (at least in demo stage) and performed by Foreigner at two of their US Southeast shows in late 1998. 'Outside My Father's House' is the working title of another slower tempo song that has been written and recorded (again in demo stage). It is presumed that these songs might appear on a new CD, but nothing definitive is known at this time ...". In April 2001, Brian Tichy, band's drummer between 1998 and 2000, said: "... producer Marty Fredriksen had me redo the drum machine with real drums to a newly written Foreigner song he co-wrote ...". In May 2001, it was published by Andrew J. McNeice that keyboardist and songwriter Jim Peterik spent some time in New York City with Mick Jones, writting a song titled "Wires And Wood", and that "... schedules permitting, the duo would like to write more together, for a possible new Foreigner record next year ...". Melanie Whitefoot had the chance to ask Foreigner directly about the new album last year: "... I brought up the question about a new record a couple of times to the band last summer (2002) and I'm still getting the same general response of '... we hope to sit down, get everyone together and get it recorded. We have a wealth of material, but it's a matter of working out the time and the details to get it together and done ...' ...". In August 2002, Lou was talking about a spring 2003 release, but that seems unlikely now, considering that he is committed to other projects this year, including plans to play some solo dates independent of the band in the summer. |
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| The News: New Album | 02.21.03 |
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