Despite the enthusiasm at the induction ceremony, the foreign camp lamented the absence of founder Mick Jones, who battles Parkinson’s disease. “We wish he was here, but we understand why he’s not here,” said longtime bassist Rick Wells. “He’s very ill right now and he would be here if he could, but he doesn’t want people to see him like he is now. That’s not Mick. That’s not his way. But he knows we’re thinking of him and we put all All the love goes to him, original lead singer Lou Grams added, “We represent him. “
Members of the band’s current lineup feel the same way. “To me, it’s very tragic,” said Jeff Pilson, Foreigner’s bassist since 2007. We want to make sure that what we’re doing is actually the right thing. I wanted to do this for him because I love him dearly, I love his legacy, I love everything about him, so I wanted to make sure he was happy. That’s what we’re doing and yeah, (Jones’ absence) does motivate us.
Two of Jones’ children – actress daughter Annabelle and son Christopher – were in attendance at the event on Saturday, while other children were at home with their dad watching the live stream on Disney+. “It’s sad that he can’t be here, but it’s great to be watching on TV with our brother Alexander and our two sisters Charlotte and Samantha,” Christopher said. “They had balloons and everything. They were having a big party.
The pair called the all-star performance “exciting,” while Annabelle added, “I think it means the world to him. It’s a very unique honor and recognition that means a lot to us. We’re proud of He’s very proud, but it’s a real shame that he can’t be here.
Meanwhile, Gramm wasn’t too supportive of original drummer Dennis Elliott’s last-minute decision to skip the ceremony due to what he called “totally unacceptable” conditions – including, according to sources, band members’ wives not being allowed Join them on the small red carpet inside the arena. “He emailed us very angry and said he and his wife weren’t going to be there, and that was it,” Gramm noted. “He was really angry about something, we didn’t know what it was, but he wouldn’t come. You would think there would be unity within the band, but not Dennis.
