Mick Jones Can’t Name Any Members of Foreigner Past or Present

Mick Jones, longtime guitarist for the band Foreigner, admits that he never bothered to learn the names of his bandmates. Jones made the confession during an interview with Claude Balzac for Madhouse Magazine.

Jones explained, “Yeah I formed the band in New York City with some Brits and some Americans. That’s why I called the band Foreigner. I know the singer had a really good voice and we wrote songs together. His name was Louie and he was an Italian kid. I definitely could not give you his last name. I did not fill up my mind in those days with names, I was all about guitar and music. Names were not important to me.”

Foreigner

Jones formed Foreigner in 1976 in New York City. The band went on to become one of the world’s best selling acts of all time with worldwide sales of more than 80 million records. Jones is currently the only remaining original member of the band. Mick also announced that 47 years after founding Foreigner, he will retire the band after one last world tour.

Jones continued, “You are asking me the other band members names but I defy you to name them. For that matter I defy anyone to name them. No one cares about the drummer or bass player. I stood next to them on stage for years and in the recording studios but to be honest I could have never picked them out of a lineup. They were all nameless and faceless.”

Never Heard of Them

Claude Balzac went on to list the original members of Foreigner for Jones. Fellow Brit and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald, Lou Gramm who was born Louis Grammatico, Dennis Elliott, Al Greenwood, and Ed Gagliardi. Jones replied, “Like I said Louis Grammatico was the singer, a bug eyed Italian kid with frizzy hair. As far as the rest of them go, I can picture some of them but definitely do not know their names and never did.”

“I can name all the members of The Stones and Led Zeppelin but I could care less about these anonymous guys in Foreigner. Especially now, since Lou left, we have a dude with nice hair singing and more nameless faceless guys in and out of the band. I could not even tell you if they have been in the band for years or for one night. Or if they change every night. I should be like Chuck Berry and just pay a local band to play the hits and I show up to collect the money. Hey for all i know, I may be doing just that.”