Jeff Pilson says that he doesn’t know if FOREIGNER can continue once founding guitarist Mick Jones has retired from performing with the band.
The only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, Jones suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012. Ever since, it is never announced whether he will be appearing with the band for specific shows — it just depends how he is feeling.
Asked in a new interview with SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” if he has ever spoken to Jones about whether he wants FOREIGNER to exist as a touring entity even after he decides to stop playing with the band, Pilson — who has played bass for FOREIGNER since 2004 — said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We’ve never talked specifics, and honestly, I don’t actually think [Mick] even thinks in terms of specifics, because I know his desire is to remain involved with the band until the end. The only thing, like I say, I’m aware of for sure is that he’d like to stay involved as long as possible, and he would like it if that was the end of the band when he leaves. Nobody’s been specific.”
Two years ago, Mick said that he didn’t know what FOREIGNER would do if he ever retired from the group. “We haven’t really made any definite plans, or a master plan, or whatever you call it,” he said. “As long as I feel good and I can play like I need to… We have a great band with the new guys, and I certainly think they would be capable of carrying it on. Who knows? At this point, I’m living in the present and not thinking about that too much. But in time, obviously, it’ll be something we have to talk about.”
After singer Lou Gramm left FOREIGNER in 2003, Jones took some time off before regrouping a couple years later with an entirely new lineup, featuring lead singer Kelly Hansen, Pilson, and multi-instrumentalist Thom Gimbel, among others.
In 2018, Gramm revealed that he was retiring from performing as a solo artist. The vocalist made the announcement just months after he participated in FOREIGNER‘s “Double Vision: Then And Now” concerts, which featured current and original members of the band, including Jones, drummer Dennis Elliott, keyboardist Al Greenwood, bassist Rick Wills and guitarist/saxophonist Ian McDonald.
Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER‘s biggest hits, including “Feels Like The First Time” and “Cold As Ice” from the band’s eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like “Hot Blooded” and “I Want To Know What Love Is”.
