Legendary rock band FOREIGNER is inspiring first-time voters and fans to head to the polls with an election-inspired version of hit song “Feels Like The First Time”, which dropped today on the band’s social media channels. Filmed in partnership with HeadCount, a non-partisan organization that uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy, FOREIGNER‘s Kelly Hansen, Jeff Pilson and Bruce Watson recorded the video from ballot boxes across Los Angeles. HeadCount‘s mission is to inform and empower through importance of voting through music and culture into real action.
FOREIGNER‘s last album, “Can’t Slow Down”, was the only full-length collection of new songs to have been released by the band since Hansen took over vocals after original singer Lou Gramm left the band for good in 2002. The album entered the Billboard Top 30, driven by the radio singles “In Pieces” and “When It Comes To Love”. The band also has released a series of live albums and compilations, including 2016’s “In Concert: Unplugged” and 2017’s “40”.
Hansen told The Rockpit that the process of making “Can’t Slow Down” was “incredibly exhausting” and “a lot of hard work.” He added: “It took up any empty time that we had and our energy, and it took huge amounts of money to complete that record. And the day that it was released, people were trading it for free on the Internet. That’s really disappointing, when you know how much time and effort you put into something.
“I would never say never, but from having had that experience, I think people who aren’t musicians or trying to make a living as an artist will understand that it’s just become the norm now — you don’t pay for anything you just get it for free,” he continued. “Or, even if you subscribe to a music service, the amount of cash that goes to the artist for a download or a stream is absolutely inconsequential. It means absolutely nothing to anybody. I’ll give you an example. I had a large piece of a song, and I got a statement for my royalties, and it streamed 42,000 times, and I got 42 cents. That’s indicative of the times.”
FOREIGNER‘s current lineup is rounded out by Mick Jones (guitar), Tom Gimbel (rhythm guitar, sax, vocals), Michael Bluestein (keyboards) and Chris Frazier (drums).
