FOREIGNER's JEFF PILSON Says He Will 'Probably' Continue Performing While Seated Until He Gets Surgery

August 4, 2023

Ever since legendary rockers FOREIGNER kicked off their farewell tour on July 6 in Alpharetta, Georgia, their bassist Jeff Pilson has been performing while seated on a stool as the result of a recent back injury. Asked in a new interview with Clint Switzer of On The Road To Rock what the experience has been like so far, Pilson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it is a challenge. What's probably the most difficult… I mean, yes, I'm in pain. It's generally not too bad a pain when I'm on stage, because I'm seated, but when I'm standing and walking, I'm in pain still. So that's a problem. But the challenge, really, has been psychological because I wanna rock so bad [laughs], and I have to sit there in a chair — which, thank God we've got a, an amazing band and I can just sit there and groove with Chris [Frazier], our drummer, and it's wonderful. But the performer in me is just dying because I wanna get out there and rock. And we've got this beautiful set going. We've got this great production and everything. I wanna be part of it so bad and I can't, so that's frustrating. But I also get this bird's eye view of the show and I see what's going on and I kind of don't miss me. [Laughs] So that's great. Lots of stuff going on. The show has been great. The audience has been fantastic. We do the acoustic portion of the show, which really excites me. So, as challenging as it's been because of the back — and it looks like I'm probably gonna be stuck like this until I get surgery — that's unfortunate, but at least I've got this great band to play with and these great shows to do, and when I'm up there, I'm having the time of my life. So that's what really counts."

FOREIGNER's farewell tour is currently scheduled to run through November 18 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, but is expected to continue into 2024. For the first leg of the U.S. Live Nation-produced tour, FOREIGNER is being joined by LOVERBOY.

Joining Pilson and Frazier in FOREIGNER's current lineup are founding guitarist Mick Jones, Kelly Hansen on vocals, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, Bruce Watson on guitar, and Luis Maldonado on guitar.

After singer Lou Gramm left FOREIGNER in 2003, Jones took some time off before regrouping a couple years later with an entirely new lineup, featuring Hansen and Pilson, among others.

In 2018, Gramm revealed that he was retiring from touring as a solo artist. The vocalist made the announcement just months after he participated in FOREIGNER's "Double Vision: Then And Now" concerts, which featured current and original members of the band, including Jones, drummer Dennis Elliott, keyboardist Al Greenwood, bassist Rick Wills and guitarist/saxophonist Ian McDonald.

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want To Know What Love Is".

Video courtesy of Klassic Live Rock & Roll Storm RWS YouTube channel

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