FOREIGNER’s Al Greenwood And The Sound Of ’70s Rock

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Ever wondered what Foreigner s biggest hit was Or why they were called Foreigner in the first place Maybe you d like to know if there are any original members left and what happened to their lead singer Did you see the band finally being inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame All of these questions and more answered this week as Foreigner co-founder Al Greenwood joins us for a chat Al is best known as the keyboardist of the iconic rock band Foreigner formed in 1976 alongside Mick Jones Lou Gramm Ian McDonald Ed Gagliardi and Dennis Elliott His classical training and experience in jazz and progressive rock were essential in crafting the band s sound which blended hard rock with sophisticated keyboard arrangements During his time with Foreigner Al contributed to the band s first three multi-platinum albums Foreigner 1977 Double Vision 1978 and Head Games 1979 He co-wrote several of the band s hit songs including the classic tracks Cold As Ice and Blue Morning Blue Day After parting ways with Foreigner in 1980 Al didn t step away from the music scene He went on to co-found the band Spys in 1981 a group known for their blend of rock pop and new wave influences With Spys Al continued to showcase his skills as a songwriter and keyboardist releasing two albums that received critical acclaim for their innovative sound Beyond his work with that band he became a sought-after session musician arranger and producer contributing to various artists across different genres Al s work in the music industry also expanded into composing for film and television where his versatility allowed him to create scores that resonated with a wide audience His legacy with Foreigner combined with his later projects has cemented his reputation as a pioneering figure in rock music particularly in integrating synthesizers into the genre Today he plays with the new Foreigner with singer Kelly Hansen out front He says they re an act to behold Al also tells us that the biggest thrill of his life has been the original band s induction into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame very recently and although it s long overdue he s incredibly proud to have finally been recognised for the contribution that Foreigner made to the rock sound of the 70s I hope you ll enjoy my chat with Al as he unravels much abut one of our best loved band s history Click here to visit this podcast episode