Nearly 5 months after Kelly Hansen introduced he was stepping down as lead singer of FOREIGNER, he carried out his ultimate two exhibits with the band this previous Friday (October 10) and Saturday (October 11) at Arduous Rock Dwell at Etess Area in Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey.
Throughout FOREIGNER‘s efficiency on the Might 20 season finale of NBC singing competitors “The Voice”, Hansen introduced his departure with a “passing of the torch” to the band’s guitarist Luis Maldonado.
Jeff Pilson, bassist and musical director for FOREIGNER, addressed Hansen’s exit throughout final night time’s live performance in Atlantic Metropolis, telling the group earlier than a efficiency of the basic FOREIGNER tune “I Need To Know What Love Is” (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “You  simply noticed, we’re very prepared for the longer term however very excited in regards to the future. However earlier than we do, earlier than we get there, let’s acknowledge tonight. This can be a huge night time for us, and in some ways it’s extremely particular for me personally as a result of I have been with this man for 20 years. And normally I discuss what a tremendous singer he’s, ‘trigger he’s. I discuss what an unbelievable performer he’s, as a result of he actually, actually, I feel, is one of many most interesting performers in rock. However what I might like to speak about proper now briefly is about what an important human being he’s.”
Pilson continued: “You guys understand how nice he sings and performs, however what you do not know is how humorous he’s, how a lot he performs my straight man once I prank all people, which I do as a lot as I can. You do not know in regards to the in jokes that we’ve all the time. I imply, this band has its personal language. And Kelly and I’ve 20 years of it. Many of the remainder of the band has near that. So we’re a brotherhood, we’re a household, and we’re a extremely fortunate household as a result of we have got Lou [Gramm, original FOREIGNER singer] and [original FOREIGNER keyboardist] Al [Greenwood] and [classic-era FOREIGNER bass player] Rick [Wills] and all people who oftentimes comes out and hangs with us and is a part of our household. However tonight we’re saying a really loving goodbye to somebody who has made such a distinction with this band, and he is been so essential in serving to take it to the place it is proper now. So please assist me — a really emotional me, a really emotional all of us — say, one final time, thanks to the person that I am about to introduce, Mr. Kelly Hansen.”
Kelly then stepped as much as the entrance of the stage and advised the viewers: “Thanks. Thanks very a lot. I simply wanna take a few minutes… And I needed to deliver my cellphone out with me so I might have a look at my notes. If I can, I might prefer to get all of the bandmembers up right here. I simply wanna do one group hug. Secondly, I simply wanna thank the crew. There are lots of individuals who, daily, drive lengthy hours in the course of the night time to get right here very early within the morning to arrange this gear, to arrange these lights to make us look and sound nearly as good as we presumably can. And I simply wanna take a second to thank all the crew, lots of whom have been with us a extremely very long time. And I thanks guys. After which, after that, I wanna thank the administration of this band.
“So if you’re in a band, you need a supervisor, or managers — Phil Carson and Stewart Younger are our managers — and also you need managers who push to get issues for you versus a man who does not push to get issues for you,” Hansen continued. “Phil Carson‘s over right here. He is English. And plenty of instances we have clashed as a result of he needs to do some loopy bullshit factor and I’ve to name him out and I’ve to say, ‘No, we will not do it.’ And he is nonetheless right here. This man is a fucking juggernaut and he is 80 years outdated and he is a motherfucker. Together with Merrie Hart and Stewart, they’ve simply carried out wonderful issues for this band over 20 years.
“Nonetheless on my record — you guys,” Kelly added, referring to the group. “If I might even string collectively the variety of instances that I’ve had experiences with followers — or I do not prefer to name you guys followers; I prefer to name you guys individuals who love music, respect music. My entire life, since I used to be 17, it has been nice individuals who come to exhibits. Thanks for that.
“I’ve a complete bunch of associates who assist me. I’ve many associates who’ve traveled an extended method to be right here tonight, and I wanna say thanks to all of them, as a result of when it comes right down to it, it is family and friends — it is family and friends, actually.
“And one last item: I wanna thank my spouse. [She] modified my life. I acquired married for the primary time at 59 years outdated.
“In order that’s my record,” Kelly concluded, whereas combating again tears. “And simply thanks, guys, for being right here. Thanks, guys. And I am talking collectively to not solely you guys who’re right here tonight, however whoever may be viewing this on the Web someday later. Thanks all for all your assist.
“I have been on this enterprise, I feel, about 48, 49 years. I put in my time. I spent 20 years with this implausible band singing a catalog of songs {that a} singer could not dream of. And thanks.”
Hansen advised Folks that he began desirous about leaving FOREIGNER throughout COVID when he spent greater than a 12 months at house, away from the touring life-style.
“I began to have the sense of being house,” he defined. “I began to say, ‘Wow, that is one thing I have not had in my life for a really very long time. I had this sense of what it is prefer to be house and in addition with a way of, I really feel I’ve some type of stability financially and in any other case, the place I might begin desirous about making a selection that is totally different than what I am doing. Though I like what I do, I have been on this enterprise almost 50 years, and I put in my time.”
He added: “I feel that Individuals, in a approach, have a piece ethic that claims, work until you die, and I believed to myself, I’ve traveled the world, I’ve seen a variety of locations, I’ve seen a variety of cultures and I’ve skilled how different individuals in different nations method dwelling and the fashion of dwelling. I stated to myself, I need to take pleasure in and stay my life. I’ve many different passions and pursuits.”
Looking forward to what his like post-FOREIGNER would possibly appear like, Hansen stated: “I actually am not troubled by dwelling a smaller life. I actually am not. I imply, I’ve lived, my entire life has been loud music and brilliant lights and a variety of shit and I spent a variety of my time making an attempt to keep away from fucking landmines, and I do not need to have to try this. I simply need to stay my life with my associates and my household and simply dig it.”
This previous Might, Kelly advised Terrie Carr of WDHA-FM 105.5 FM about his choice to retire from FOREIGNER: “Properly, let me simply be clear — for me, it is gonna cease. I am doing all of the exhibits by means of the top of the summer season, after which our rhythm guitar participant [Luis Maldonado], who’s very proficient man, nice singer, nice musician, he is been within the band virtually 5 years, he’ll be the brand new lead vocalist of the band. So I am stepping away. I am passing the mic. So this will likely be my final 12 months because the lead singer of the band, however I am gonna do all of the exhibits by means of the summer season.”
Requested by Carr when he knew that “that is gonna be it for me”, Hansen stated: “Properly, I introduced the concept of me lastly letting go to [FOREIGNER‘s founding guitarist] Mick Jones in 2022. So we talked about it, and he was very supportive. He did not need me to depart. And we have carried out so many nice issues collectively. However I felt like [since] I have been on this enterprise virtually 50 years, I have been within the band 20 years and I am singing a catalog of songs that each singer could not even dream of getting. Nevertheless it’s a really demanding catalog of songs, and it does not get simpler. I imply, the tune demand by no means modifications, however as you age, you alter. And I do not wanna be on the market doing these songs lower than the perfect I can or that the songs deserve. So what we determined to do was once we began type of placing issues in movement, it made all of the sense on this planet to go contained in the band to a man who’s been with the band virtually 5 years, who’s a tremendous vocalist, and have him be the singer. And it simply all made sense to do it that approach. After which we have been speaking about how we have been gonna make this transition, and ‘The Voice’ known as us they usually stated, ‘We would like you to play on our finale present.’ And I had the concept. I known as my supervisor, I stated, ‘Why do not we do the handoff stay on ‘The Voice’?’ And he thought that was an important thought, and ‘The Voice’ simply thought that was an important thought. And in order that’s how we made it occur. It was actually serendipitous.”
Requested how he thinks it should really feel for him to play his ultimate FOREIGNER live performance, Kelly stated: “I do not even wanna give it some thought, as a result of I do know the entire tour’s gonna be emotionally up and down. It is gonna be a blast and I do know there’s gonna be some surprises and it is gonna be actually enjoyable.
“Once you play a present, at the very least for me, so as to talk the music and the songs and the lyrics, you need to open your self up emotionally to get that out,” he defined. “However what that does is that additionally opens it for stuff to come back in, and so that you’re very uncooked, and that implies that any emotion you’re feeling will likely be proper on high, simply effervescent proper on the highest. So hopefully I can maintain it collectively and do it.”
Kelly additionally talked about his future plans, together with a potential continuation of a number of the philanthropic work that he has carried out with FOREIGNER. He stated: “I haven’t got any concrete plans for proper now. Very first thing I am gonna do is I am gonna take a break. After which I am trying ahead to the place the wind takes me. There are a variety of potentialities. I imply, the band has been working with Shriners [Hospitals For Children] and the Grammy Basis for 15 years, bringing choirs on stage throughout ‘I Need To Know What Love Is’, which I’ve actually cherished. And I feel we get the higher finish of the deal as a result of they raised recognition in regards to the lack of funding for varsity music applications, and we get to see the appears to be like on their faces after they’re on stage, possibly for the primary time in entrance of hundreds of individuals. And it is actually wonderful to see that. So I hope possibly that can occur for me ultimately. However like I stated, for proper now, no concrete plans.”
When Hansen introduced his departure from FOREIGNER on Might 20, he stated in a press release: “Being the voice of FOREIGNER has been one of many biggest honors of my life. However it is time to go the mic. Luis has the voice, the vitality and the soul to hold these songs into the longer term. I could not be prouder at hand this off to him.”
Jones stated that “in 1976, my purpose was to assemble the best group of musicians I might discover” and “Outcomes have proven that it labored!” He added that “about thirty years later, Jason Bonham inspired me to do it once more and create a brand-new FOREIGNER, and the magic was nonetheless there,” explaining that “I used to be particularly lucky within the selection of lead singer.”
Within the assertion, Jones known as Hansen “among the best” frontmen in music and stated he “breathed new life into our songs” over a 20-year span. “His boundless vitality and flawless expertise has helped us climb the mountain and arrange the chance for FOREIGNER vocalist and guitarist Luis Maldonado to deliver us house,” Jones stated. “I want Kelly nice happiness in his subsequent endeavors after our summer season tour, and I look ahead to welcoming Luis to his new place.”
Earlier than Luis joined FOREIGNER, he was finest often called the guitarist for TRAIN and for his work with Lisa Marie Presley. He now steps into the highlight as FOREIGNER‘s new lead singer. Maldonado brings a wealthy mix of vocal energy, stage charisma, and musical versatility that makes him a pure match to steer the subsequent chapter of the band’s journey.
“This music has been a part of my life for so long as I can keep in mind,” stated Maldonado. “I am able to honor FOREIGNER‘s legacy and convey my coronary heart to each efficiency.”
Hansen joined FOREIGNER in 2005 and performed a vital position in revitalizing the band’s stay presence. His highly effective vocals and magnetic stage presence helped introduce FOREIGNER‘s timeless hits to a brand new era of followers throughout the globe.
FOREIGNER changed unique singer Lou Gramm with Hansen. Jones, the one remaining unique member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some well being points starting in 2011, finally leading to coronary heart surgical procedure in 2012. In February 2024, Jones revealed on social media that he was battling Parkinson’s illness, which defined his absence from FOREIGNER‘s stay exhibits since 2022.