the making of 4 by foreigner - featuring lou gramm

In celebration of the deluxe edition of Foreigner’s fourth album, 4, we take a detailed look at how it was made. After Mick Jones broke into the music industry as a session musician while playing in multiple bands, including Spooky Tooth, he envisioned starting a new project for the songs he was writing. He recruited musicians Ian McDonald, Dennis Elliott, Al Greenwood and Ed Gagliardi before turning his attention to finding the right lead singer for the band. After recalling meeting Lou Gramm when he was the singer of the Rochester, New York band Black Sheep, Jones asked Gramm to audition in New York City. Gramm was immediately hired and the lineup was complete. They signed a deal with Atlantic Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1977, which became a big success. Their second album, Double Vision, was released in 1978 and continued their run of hit singles. For their third album, Head Games, they clashed with producer Roy Thomas Baker and the album was not as successful as the first two. Rick Wills had taken over on bass at this point and after Head Games, they decided to let go of Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood to become a four-piece. They hired producer Mutt Lange and began recording at Electric Lady Studios. Foreigner 4 was eventually released in 1981. 

In this episode, Lou Gramm shares stories of growing up in Rochester, getting to see artists like Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, which went on to inspire his lyrics for “Jukebox Hero.” He describes this turning point moment for the band when they wanted to update their sound and image for the 1980s. By paring down to a four-piece and bringing in outside musicians like Thomas Dolby on synthesizers, they forged a new path forward for the band. With the help of producer Mutt Lange, they were able to focus on crafting a tight set of rock songs while exploring new sonic territory with songs like “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and “Urgent.” From long hours and late nights in the studio, to Mutt Lange’s perfectionist tendencies, to Thomas Dolby’s art rock approach, to Mick Jones falling in love with synthesizers, to spontaneously recruiting Junior Walker for a saxophone solo, to a mysterious muse in the studio while recording “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” to both Foreigner and Mutt Lange at the height of their powers, we’ll hear the stories of how the album came together.

Notes and transcript

Purchase Foreigner 4 Deluxe

Purchase Jukebox Hero: My Five Decades in Rock ‘n’ Roll by Lou Gramm

Listen: Apple - Spotify - Other

Episode Credits: 

Intro/Outro Music:

“Times Change, People Change” by Shan & Dannon

Episode produced, edited and mixed by Dan Nordheim

Additional mixing and mastering by Jeremy Whitwam