Kelly Hansen finds a home with Foreigner

[Don]

By Paul Freeman
For The Daily News



For more than 30 years, vocalist Kelly Hansen chased rock stardom. He finally grabbed it six years ago, when he landed the plum assignment of singing lead for the iconic band Foreigner.
He came close once before. In 1985, answering a want ad, Kelly Hansen became the lead singer for hard-rocking Hurricane. With three well-reviewed albums and several Top 20 videos, the band seemed primed for a mainstream breakthrough.
"We knew we were good," Hansen said of Hurricane. "We had a lot of encouragement. We got a lot of response from fans. We were really poised to do well. But then, right around '91, grunge music came in and obliterated the metal scene, which was where we were coming from. I had to take a back seat and not do very much singing, for the next several years."
The Hawthorne native did a lot of studio work, producing and engineering. Occasionally, performing opportunities popped up, and Hansen sang with Slash's Snakepit, Don Dokken and Poison's C.C. DeVille.
"After Hurricane, after the grunge thing happened, I was working a lot harder for a lot less return in the mid-'90s, as I think a lot of people were. You start to say to yourself, 'Wait a minute, earlier in my career, everything used to just come to me. I never had to actually pursue things.' Joining Foreigner was a result of me being dissatisfied with where I was in my career. I'd heard of a couple of other gigs that had happened and I hadn't even gotten called


"So I felt like I needed to start being more proactive about how I was going about things. I happened to read an article online about a charity event that Mick Jones (Foreigner's founding lead guitarist) had done with some of the guys from Foreigner. That sounded really interesting to me. So I got in touch with their management. Deciding to be proactive led to that connection and eventually to me being in the band."
Joining Foreigner in 2005, Hansen realized he had big rock 'n' roll shoes to fill -- those of the band's original vocalist, Lou Gramm.

"Lou had a great, emotive delivery. I knew that I was taking the place of someone who had made a huge contribution to rock music. But I had the confidence of Mick Jones and the support of the rest of the guys. At some point, you've just got to pull up your pants and go, 'OK, I'm going to try this.' If you fail, you fail. But at least you can say you tried. Fortunately, I was up to the task."
The task was breathing new life into hits Foreigner had been churning out since 1976, including "Cold As Ice," "Hot Blooded," "Juke Box Hero" and "I Want To Know What Love Is."
"When I go to concerts, I always want to listen to the music the way I learned to love it on the radio. I've been to far too many concerts where people decide that, because they're bored or want to show how good they are, they don't play anything that's even close to the originals.' And that bums me out.

"These songs are so popular, because they were great songs with great melodies. And, if I try to do too much more than that, then it's just me messing up something that was really good. I sing them on stage as they were recorded. That's just the way I work, philosophically. Not everybody does."

The current edition of Foreigner is keeping fans, old and new, quite happy. A staple of classic rock radio, the band has a new PBS special airing. Their hits have been featured in recent TV series, movies and video games. Foreigner has been successfully partnered with NASCAR for numerous events. Their Foreigner's music also graces the Broadway hit, "Rock of Ages," soon to be adapted to film.
A new three-disc CD/DVD package,"Feels Like The First Time," (Razor & Tie Records) allowed them to re-record the hits and to also whip up acoustic versions of the classics.
Hansen said, "We were surprised by the great response to acoustic versions. We had a chance to record a lot of this at the same studio where Foreigner did their original demos back in early '76. It was very cool. It brought good vibes to the recording process."
Making music is the only thing Hansen has ever wanted to do.

"I've had a lot of ups and downs and many years of struggle in this business. I've definitely paid my dues. But I think it was all great experience for me, coming into Foreigner. I knew what it was going to take from me. I knew what was going to be required. You can't just get that from walking off the street, joining a band like this."
Foreigner is currently touring with Journey and Night Ranger. They play Shoreline Amphitheatre on Saturday.

"There's a lot of hits going out every night, which is really awesome for the fans. It's awesome for us. We're having a great time. We're having sold-out shows. It's a hot ticket. And it's really gratifying to see that after all these years.
"Being on the road as much as we are is challenging, not only physically, but emotionally. That translates into my having very cathartic experiences and emotional releases of energy on stage, which I can only account for by the fact that you're on the road, you're exhausted and you're giving of yourself. It's a lot of work. And there's a lot of isolation, as far as being away from your family and things like that. It's an incredible thing to be able to do. I'm fortunate to be able to do it. But it does cost. Hopefully it balances out -- what you get out of it is worth what you're putting into it."

And what is Hansen, 50, getting out of his Foreigner experience? "The connection with the audience, the continued or rising popularity of the group. The acceptance of new releases. Forging a stronger bond with the people that you play with. All that stuff."

[Don]

Just got a Ticketmaster e-mail this morning announcing Foreigner Acoustiqe Tour at Taft Theatre in Cincy in January. Not sure of other dates. Sounds interesting.

If Mick doesn't get straightened out, that might not happen.

[Babyblue]

Would love to see Kelly, and the guys do a show close to where i live. Can't wit to get my cd/dvd.WOOOHOOOO

[Rick]

Just got a Ticketmaster e-mail this morning announcing Foreigner Acoustiqe Tour at Taft Theatre in Cincy in January. Not sure of other dates. Sounds interesting.

If Mick doesn't get straightened out, that might not happen.

What the hell's wrong with the dude anyway, anyone know?

This is all I could find about it.

The rocker's management and agent have not commented on what ails him, but insist he is 'recovering well and we expect him to be back with us soon.'

[Babyblue]

Was at Wally World & got my cd/dvd this morning.Love it

[AR]

I saw Kelly live in 1987 with Hurricane.

[Babyblue]

I saw Kelly live in 1987 with Hurricane.

I bet they were super. I really want to see this band never got to see them with Lou.

[AR]

I saw Kelly live in 1987 with Hurricane.

I bet they were super. I really want to see this band never got to see them with Lou.

They opened for Saxon (who I saw for the first time in 24 years this weekend). Very good. All ages show. Wasn't even of drinking age then.

[Gin and Tonic Sky]

I thought Kelly was really fantastic with Foreigner when I saw them this summer.

[conversationpc]

I saw Kelly live in 1987 with Hurricane.

They toured with Stryper, too, back in the day, if I remember correctly.