Longtime Foreigner bassist Jeff Pilson offered an interesting observation about his band: people know the songs but not the band name.
Pilson, who's been in Foreigner since 2004 but is perhaps best know for his time in Dokken and Dio, told Audio Ink Radio that the band collectively doesn't mind its relative rocker anonymity.
"Foreigner was really never much of an image band," Pilson said. "You could talk to people on the street, and you may find a lot of people that don't really know the name Foreigner, but you won't find anybody that hasn't heard of 'Cold as Ice' or 'Hot Blooded' and stuff like that."
You can still turn on the radio and hear any number of Foreigner songs. Pilson says that's what his bandmates are most proud of.
"The songs and the music are more famous than the band, which is amazing, because it gives us the ability to do this long-term touring and bringing it out there," he continued. "it's just an amazing collection of songs that Foreigner has. It's amazing — it really is. I mean, 16 Top 30 songs. How many bands can say that? It's really special."
The only continuing band member from Foreigner's hitmaking days is guitarist Mick Jones. Pilson credited Jones with having "a very open-eyed attitude about everything," from the band's business to its creative side.
"It's good for you as a writer, it's good for you as a musicians and as a producer. Any time I can be with Mick, I value, because he's just such a brilliant, wonderful dude and such an amazing songwriter," the bassist added.
Pilson's latest project, The End Machine, features him back alongside his old Dokken bandmate George Lynch, with Warrant's Robert Mason and Lynch Mob's Steve Brown. The band's album, Phase2, arrives April 9.
Watch the full conversation with Audio Ink below.
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