Foreigner Share Previously Unreleased “Turning Back The Time” To Celebrate Rock Hall Induction
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Karsten Staiger
The trans-Atlantic classic rock crew Foreigner sold about one bajillion records in the ’80s and ’90s without getting much critical respect. This year, however, Foreigner are being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame — possibly thanks to a splashy for-your-consideration campaign from Mark Ronson, stepson of longtime Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones. Now, Foreigner are celebrating that induction by announcing a brand-new greatest-hits collection and sharing a new song written by the band’s classic-era co-leaders, Jones and singer Lou Gramm, as well as producer Marti Frederiksen.
The forthcoming Foreigner collection Turning Back The Time draws from the band’s first six albums, all of which went platinum or better. It’s got all the big hits that you’d expect, and it ends with the previously unreleased title track. “Turning Back The Time” is the first new Foreigner song in eight years. It’s a fond reminisce about discovering rock ‘n’ roll and about the band’s early years of stardom.
“Turning Back The Time” started off as a collaboration between Lou Gramm and Mick Jones. Gramm left Foreigner in 2003. Jones is still in the band, but he hasn’t been performing lately, as he’s been suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Recently, Jones revisited the song, reworking it with Marti Frederiksen. Jones and Gramm recorded the song’s demo together in 1996, and Gramm’s vocals come from that original demo. Jones tells Billboard:
There are a number of songs that Lou Gramm and I wrote together that have never seen the light of day. “Turning Back The Time” was co-written with Marti Frederiksen. Marti and I recently revisited and reworked the song. Because of the time that had passed, we were able to go back to it with a fresh perspective. The sentiment of the song spoke to us now more than ever, and with the upcoming Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction we thought it an ideal time to let the world hear it.
Hear it below.
The Turning Back The Time collection is out 10/4.