In a recent chat with Ethan Dometrius, Jeff Pilson explained that Foreigner’s farewell tour started when singer Kelly Hansen wanted to stop because it’s getting harder for him to sing.
When asked how the band decided on their farewell tour, the bassist replied:
“Well, Kelly [Hansen, Foreigner singer] came to me a couple years ago and said he wanted to start winding down. And I said, ‘Yeah, I get that. I totally get that.’ So, then he discussed it with Mick [Jones, Foreigner guitarist and founder], of course, and kind of worked a plan out to go forward. So, yeah, I was in on it fairly early.”
Pilson Understands Hansen’s Concerns
Pilson respects Hansen’s wish:
“Like I say, it started with Kelly, mainly because he feels like it’s getting more difficult every year for him to sing this catalog of songs. I mean, these are rough songs to sing. And he does not wanna be the guy that goes up there and sucks — he won’t do that. That’s not in his blood, which I respect a lot. And so he said, ‘Look, I need to get out because I wanna go out before my voice does’ [laughs], and I get that. So that was kind of where that all started.”
Still, the rocker clarified that Foreigner isn’t disappearing:
“[Foreigner is] not going away. We’re not falling off the face of the earth. We’re just not gonna be doing the nine- and 10-month tours like we used to. But we’ll still be around, and you’ll still hear us.”
Hansen Is Grateful For Fans’ Support
In April, Hansen got emotional on stage during a Foreigner show. In a video shared by journalist Mitch Lafon on X, Hansen was seen crying because of the strong support from fans. He thanked them during his speech, saying:
“I just wanna say thank you guys for all the years. It’s so stupid because and I’ve said it before is that you come up on stage to sing these songs in order to do them the way that we need to do them you need to open up your heart and let the songs come to you. But what happens is that also love comes to you and sometimes it’s overwhelming so forgive me. I just had a moment there so sorry about that.”
Hansen has been singing with the band since 2005. Foreigner is currently performing in the United States and their farewell tour will continue in the fall of 2024. They have scheduled shows until November 9.
