About this episode

Lou Gramm discusses the making of Foreigner's fourth album, sharing personal stories and insights into the band's history.

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…

People in this episode

Guest: Lou Gramm

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Foreigner, Atlantic Records, Electric Lady Studios

Books & works: Jukebox Hero, Double Vision, Head Games, Foreigner 4

More episodes of Life of the Record

• The Making of UNDERWATER MOONLIGHT by The Soft Boys - featuring Robyn Hitchcock · March 18, 2026 · 1h 21m
• The Making of FUR AND GOLD by Bat for Lashes - featuring Natasha Khan and David Kosten · February 13, 2026 · 1h 45m
• The Making of Z by My Morning Jacket - featuring Jim James · January 22, 2026 · 1h 38m
• The Making of "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues - featuring Steve Lillywhite, Jem Finer and James Fearnley · December 15, 2025 · 1h 13m
• The Making of PSYCHOCANDY by The Jesus and Mary Chain - featuring Jim Reid and William Reid · November 14, 2025 · 1h 45m
• The Making of TRAMP by Sharon Van Etten - featuring Sharon Van Etten and Aaron Dessner · October 21, 2025 · 1h 37m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Life of the Record podcast page.