Foreigner is an iconic rock band that was formed in 1976 and went on to achieve huge mainstream success throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. One of the founding members and key songwriters of Foreigner was guitarist Mick Jones. So an important question for fans of the band is: Is Mick Jones still part of Foreigner today?
Quick Answer
The quick answer is no, Mick Jones is no longer a member of Foreigner. Mick Jones departed Foreigner in 1980 after some tensions with lead singer Lou Gramm. Jones has not been a part of the band’s lineup since then. However, Foreigner has continued to tour and record new music over the past 40+ years, primarily led by founding member Mick Jones’ replacement guitarist, Rick Wills.
Mick Jones’ Time in Foreigner
To fully understand Mick Jones’ history and relationship with Foreigner, let’s take a closer look at his time in the band:
- Jones formed Foreigner in 1976 along with Ian McDonald and recruited lead singer Lou Gramm shortly after.
- As guitarist and co-songwriter, Mick Jones was the driving creative force of Foreigner’s early success. He co-wrote all of their iconic hits including “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold As Ice,” and “Hot Blooded.”
- Foreigner’s first three albums, Foreigner (1977), Double Vision (1978), and Head Games (1979) were massively successful and reached multi-platinum sales.
- Tensions began emerging between Jones and Gramm around this time. Jones saw Gramm as more of a frontman while Gramm wanted to be seen as a co-leader of the band.
- These tensions came to a head during the recording of Foreigner’s 1981 album 4. Jones and Gramm fought over creative differences and hardly spoke to each other during recording sessions.
- Shortly after finishing the album, Mick Jones officially left Foreigner in 1980 at the age of 35. His departure was reportedly due to the ongoing conflicts with Lou Gramm.
So after the first 4-5 years and albums of Foreigner’s career, founding guitarist Mick Jones parted ways with the band primarily due to increasing clashes with Lou Gramm over the band’s creative direction and leadership.
Foreigner After Mick Jones
Although Mick Jones was no longer part of Foreigner, the band continued on with Lou Gramm at the helm:
- Guitarist Rick Wills was brought in to replace Mick Jones starting with the 1981 album 4. Jones did return briefly as a guest to play guitar on 4.
- Foreigner released Agent Provocateur in 1984 which included their massive comeback hit “I Want to Know What Love Is” and marked their return to multi-platinum success.
- Lou Gramm departed for a solo career in 1987 but returned for the band’s 1989 album Inside Information before leaving Foreigner again in 1990.
- Mick Jones was not involved with any of Foreigner’s activity throughout the 80s. The band continued touring and recording, though never reaching their late 70s/early 80s popularity.
- Lou Gramm and Mick Jones did reunite together for a one-time performance in 1992 during an Atlantic Records anniversary party.
- After some breakups and reunions over the 90s and 2000s, Foreigner settled on a lineup led by Mick Jones replacement Rick Wills, with Kelly Hansen as lead singer.
- This version of Foreigner, without Mick Jones, has remained active and touring consistently up through the present day.
While Foreigner went through various lineup and lead singer changes over the ensuing decades, the one constant was that founding member Mick Jones did not return. His rift with Lou Gramm led to his exit in 1980, and Foreigner carried on successfully without Jones’ involvement.
Where is Mick Jones Now?
So what has Mick Jones been up to in the 40+ years since he left Foreigner at the height of their popularity?
- After leaving Foreigner, Jones formed a new band called Spooky Tooth which released an album in 1984 but only lasted about a year.
- Much of his time and energy during the 80s went into recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. He achieved sobriety which he credits with saving his life.
- Jones produced albums for artists such as Bad Company in the late 80s and 90s.
- In recent decades he has focused on songwriting, producing, and guest appearances with various music artists.
- Jones released a solo album titled My Soul in 2015, his first new music in over 30 years.
- He continues to perform occasional shows, sometimes with fellow ex-Foreigner members such as Lou Gramm and Ian McDonald.
- Now in his mid-70s, Jones lives in New York and still stays musically active through writing, production, and special performances.
Though Mick Jones is no longer actively touring in a big band, he has found ways to stay creatively engaged with music into his later career. While not forgotten, his Foreigner days are firmly in the past after his departure from the band back in 1980.
Has Mick Jones Ever Reunited with Foreigner?
With Lou Gramm and Mick Jones both leaving Foreigner at various points, many fans have wondered if Foreigner’s original lineup has ever reunited for any special performances or tours. The answer is:
- Jones and Gramm have sporadically played together over the years, but never a full Foreigner reunion.
- As mentioned above, they reunited briefly for an Atlantic Records 40th anniversary event in 1988 to play “Juke Box Hero.”
- In 1993, Jones and Gramm got together again to perform Foreigner’s hit “I Want to Know What Love Is” at a Led Zeppelin tribute concert.
- The original members did play together when Foreigner was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013. However, this performance included Mick Jones’ replacement Rick Wills on guitar.
- For Foreigner’s 40th anniversary tour in 2017, Mick Jones appeared as a special guest at some shows along with Lou Gramm. But Jones did not participate throughout the full tour.
- So while Foreigner’s original lineup has briefly reunited here and there, they have never done a full fledged reunion tour or album.
Ultimately, it seems the rift between Mick Jones and Lou Gramm was too deep for any permanent Foreigner reunion. Their brief collaborations were special moments for fans, but were one-off occurrences rather than a true band reformation.
Will Mick Jones Ever Rejoin Foreigner?
With Mick Jones now in his mid-70s and Lou Gramm in his late 60s, is there any chance of Jones ever officially returning to Foreigner for any substantial activity?
- Jones has said in recent interviews he doesn’t see himself going back on big tours again, though he seems open to occasional special appearances.
- The singer and guitarist have mended fences to some degree in recent years, but both acknowledge their continued personality differences.
- In 2013, Jones said: “Really, you have to be able to have a sense of humour and laugh at yourself. I don’t know if we were ever really able to do that.”
- Lou Gramm expressed a similar sentiment about their rivalry making a true reunion difficult.
- The 40+ year gap also makes the context very different now than during Foreigner’s peak in the late 70s.
- So a substantial, full-time Mick Jones return to Foreigner seems very improbable at this stage.
Given the realities of age, health, and their still complicated personal dynamics, the prospects of Mick Jones rejoining Lou Gramm in Foreigner again as a permanent member appear remote. Fans will likely have to be content with their occasional guest appearances for now.
Conclusion
In summary, founding Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones departed the band back in 1980 after increasing tensions with singer Lou Gramm. This rift led Jones to leave at the height of the band’s popularity, though Foreigner went on successfully without him for many more decades. Despite some brief reunions over the years, Mick Jones has never returned to Foreigner permanently. At this late stage in their careers, a full-fledged reformation is unlikely. But Jones’ history and influence on Foreigner’s early classics ensures his legacy will always be remembered, even if he is no longer part of Foreigner’s current touring lineup.
