Kelly Hansen has been fronting the legendary rock band Foreigner since 2005 after former vocalist Johnny Edwards briefly bridged the gap following the departure of original lead singer Lou Gramm. Hansen’s voice has led Foreigner for nearly 20 years. He has honored Gramm’s legacy while making the role uniquely his own.
Foreigner is best known for its smash hits “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold as Ice,” “Juke Box Hero,” and “I Want to Know What Love Is,” among many others. The group will be inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame at a ceremony in Cleveland on October 19.
Foreigner is now hitting the road with Styx for a summer-long amphitheater tour. Hansen, checking in from overseas, says he is excited for the upcoming trek.
“It’s really great,” he said. “And as I see into the not-too-distant future how I might not be doing that kind of thing as much, it’s that much sweeter to know that I’m going to be doing these sheds in the summer. I mean, it’s a quintessential rock and roll experience for sure.“
Between Styx and Foreigner, the upcoming show at Blossom Music Center on June 12 will make for one helluva singalong for every fan attending. Hit, after hit, after hit!
“I know that there’s going to be just a gigantic amount of hits on stage every night, which is something you don’t see that often. So I’m looking forward to that and to being on the road, hanging out, and being backstage with a good vibe,” Hansen said. “We know these guys [Styx], and everybody’s a pro, and they get it, and there are no egos, and it’s all cool. I look forward to having that kind of experience.”
Foreigner not only has two handfuls of hits, but they also have some deep cuts and fan favorites that will (hopefully) make their way on the setlist. As for Hansen’s take on the rich catalog of songs and what he personally loves to perform each night:
“I don’t have any favorites because that kind of insinuates that maybe another song is less than, and I don’t feel that way,” he explained. “I enjoy each song for what it is.”
Being a rockstar is presumably a great life. It’s also a grueling one. Travel, playing the same songs night in and night out, summer heat, and obligations outside of performing a set can easily take a toll on any touring musician. Yet, Hansen is tasked with putting on a killer show each and every night. It doesn’t matter if he’s tired or having a bad day; he still must put on a kick-ass set every single time he strolls out on the stage. He was asked how he keeps his passion flowing for each and every gig.
“There’s the obvious knowledge that I’m really fortunate to be able to do what I do, along with people that I really like doing it with, and being around a great band,” he answered. “We get along. We share the same sense of humor, and that’s really great. But the overriding thing is my feeling of responsibility to deliver a really great show. I know that these audiences come from, in some cases, a long way off, and they spend a lot of their time and their hard-earned money to have an experience at a gig. I feel very strongly that I need to make that valuable for them, and I want them to have a good time, and I want to have a good time. And if we all have a great time together, then the experience was what it was supposed to be, what I hoped it would be, and to move people and have people have fun and have an escape. And I feel that that’s a big responsibility.”
Following in the footsteps of fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Elton John and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foreigner is doing a multi-year ‘farewell’ tour before scaling back operations.
“Let me be very clear. I have always said multiple times that this would be a two-year farewell tour because we couldn’t get everywhere in one year. In fact, we haven’t even gone to any other places in the world. But the reality is, we’re not disappearing off the face of the earth, but we’re not going to be touring nine months a year anymore,” Hansen explained. “I’m done with that. I don’t need that in my life to make me tick. There are other things that I enjoy and want to experience while I still can. Although there are probably going to be Foreigner shows, but not in any way the scope that we’ve been doing for the last 20 years, that’s where we are. So I’m not ruling out that we’re going to do some shows, but I know for sure that there are many places that we played in the last two years that we may never see again.”
Foreigner aren’t putting on a spectacle of writing a contract prohibiting them from playing shows (like the idiots in Mötley Crüe, who had no intention of staying dormant). They aren’t doing a fake farewell tour. Hansen explains that the decision to no longer do lengthy tours is out of respect for Foreigner’s legacy and a tip of the hat to the fans.
“I don’t want to present these songs less than the standard that the songs or the audience deserve,” he said. “And these songs are getting harder to sing every year. These are hard songs to sing for someone in their prime in their 20s or 30s, and I’m just turned 63, and I don’t want to go out there and suck. And we all know that there are bands out there that shouldn’t be who are really giving the middle finger to their fans who supported them for decades. And I don’t want to be part of that. I want to have a little bit of grace. I want to go out when we’re on top and we’re sounding really great. That’s how I want to live my life.”
As a Cleveland-based outline, home to the Rock and Roll Hal of Fame and host of the upcoming 2024 induction ceremony, I would be remiss not to ask Hansen about his thoughts about Foreigner being selected as an inductee this year.
Of important note, Hansen was not selected to be inducted with the band by the incredibly arbitrary committee discretion despite fronting the band for over 19 years. Nonetheless, he has carried the torch and represented Foreigner and was asked if being part of a Hall of Fame-worthy group still gives him pride.
“There’s a lot of things in life that are important to me and I’ll be okay. I want to be here to support, in any way that I can, all these guys that are being inducted and honoring them for the work that they’ve done,” he answered. “I know that I play a part in the history and the legacy of the band, and that’s important to me. I know that I don’t need someone else to tell me that, so that’s fine. But I’m glad to see that these guys are finally getting the notice, and I think that they really want it. I guess it depends on what area you’re from and how important you think an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is. And I think for these guys, it’s one of those things that’s kind of the cherry on top of the cake of a great career for these guys, and I really feel that they deserve it. I know that there are problems with the choices and the process, and I understand that, and I get that, and it doesn’t make any difference what I think, or anything I think is not going to change that process. So I’m just happy to be there and be involved and be able to be a part of it. That’s what it’s about for me.”
Most acts elect to play two or three songs during the induction ceremony. Will Foreigner take advantage of the opportunity? Will Hansen be part of the performance?
“Well, even if I did know that, I wouldn’t be able to tell you.”
Fair enough!
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