We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably did not know about Foreigner, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about the iconic rock band that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: Gramm Rejoined Due to a Fluke. After Gramm had left the group to pursue his solo career, he ended up meeting up with Mick Jones in West Hollywood. They ended up being sequestered together, thanks to a city curfew, and they resolved any ill will. It was after that that Gramm rejoined the group.
Number Seven: Their “Comeback” Album Was a Total Failure. In 1994, Foreigner released Mr. Moonlight in Japan, which was meant to be a comeback album. Though they did have a single on it that broke the Top 100, the album, as a whole, fared very poorly.
Number Six: Gramm Struggled With a Brain Tumor. Gramm had surgery to remove a brain tumor in 1997. However, several medications he was prescribed after the surgery ended up causing him to gain weight and even affected his vocal chords.
Number Five: Gramm and Jones Were Not Great Communicators. Gramm left the group again in 2003, and Jones attributed his leaving to a lack of communication between the two. He said, “I think we really tried hard to save it, but it got to the point when we both realized that to go on would be detrimental for both of us.”
Number Four: Jones Is the Only Original Member Left in Foreigner. In 2004, Jones had to make a completely new Foreigner lineup. He recruited Jeff Jacobs, Thom Gimbel, Jeff Pilson, Jason Bonham, and Chaz West.
Number Three: They Released an Album Exclusively Through Wal-Mart. In 2009, Foreigner released Can’t Slow Down, and it was released only in Wal-Mart.
Number Two: Jones and Gramm Have Been Inducted Into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2013, Jones and Gramm were honored by being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Number One: They Recently Opened for Kid Rock. Though Jones continues to suffer from health problems, they still perform, and in the summer of 2015, they even opened for Kid Rock.