Foreigner backtrack on retirement despite farewell tour: “The band is incredibly excited”
The bassist for rock band Foreigner has revealed that their current farewell tour is no longer a farewell tour, as the band switches frontman and finds a renewed zeal for making music together.
In 2022, the band announced their retirement. On May 21st, on NBC’s The Voice, Kelly Hanson announced his imminent exit despite their ongoing tour; he would see the existing shows out, then spend the rest of his time with family. Wasting no time, he named his replacement Luis Maldonado, the group’s current guitarist.
Now, the band have found a renewed enthusiasm to continue their beloved project. Speaking to Billboard, bassist Jeff Pilson commented, “There’s just a lot of forward movement, and the band is incredibly excited.”
Turning then to Maldonado’s unexpected shift into front man position, Pilson said, “Luis really had no intention of this. He was trying to talk Kelly into staying. And when it became clear Kelly really wants to live a life now…Luis just stepped up and, oh my God, that voice came through.”
In 2005, Hansen took over as Foreigner’s singer, after classic frontman Lou Gramm stepped away in 2003. In 2024, Foreigner received their first nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and were inducted later in the year.
Gramm has also been supportive of their decision to continue indefinitely. He has made several guest appearances at recent shows. Pilson elaborated, “Making this change, with Luis, with Mick and Lou’s endorsement and having the whole organisation working more together, has been such a positive thing.”
The continuation could mean more shows, or it could mean new work to add to their already impressive discography. Pilson revealed to Billboard that he has been sifting through additional unreleased and in-progress recordings. He also hopes some brand-new material will be recorded.
“It’s creating a unified front,” Pilson added confidently. “We’re able to integrate everything, not only with Lou but everything about Foreigner, into the present.”
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