Agent Provocateur is when Mick and Lou were dueling it out in where they wanted the band to be. Lou wanted more uptempo rockers and Mick was dabbling with the keyboards and was more focused on softer ballads. In fact Pete, it is worth noting on the album Inside Information Mick was very excited about the song I Don’t Want To Live Without You. When he introduced the song to Lou, Lou said he thought the song stunk. Lou actually said he purposely tried to sabotage the song when he sang it because he had so much disdain for it.
As debut albums go, Foreigner’s is right up there with some other classics like The Cars and Boston. After the first one it was downhill from there. Oh there we’re good songs, but the debut is flawless!
Makes you wonder how artists degrade over time in their careers. Look at many of them....I guarantee you their best work came from their first 2 or 3 albums
1970borntorun Most of the songs on this channel act as a time machine to transport us back to our youth where everything seemed right with the world. The power of music is a magical thing.
9 - Unusual Heat 8 - Can't Slow Down 7 - Mr. Moonlight 6 - Inside Information 5 - Agent Provocateur 4 - Head Games 3 - 4 2 - Double Vision 1 - Foreigner (1977) * I really like 2 of the new songs on "The Very Best Of...And Beyond" "Prisoner Of Love" and "Soul Doctor" * I've seen them live a few times. '85 was a great show.'95 I was standing in the front row and it was an outdoor show and they kicked ass. I remember my ears ringing for a couple days
Gary J Skadra yep for me Soul Doctor is he heaviest song they ever did ( Tooth and Nail, Stranger In My Own House & At War With The World come very close 😉 ) , personally they should’ve added those new songs from Hits and Beyond on the Mr Moonlight Album 👍🏻
Martin, it's called Hybrid Picking (use pick and fingers)! Like on AC/DC's "For Those About To Rock" and Van Halen's "Little Guitars" electric section.
Yep! There you go! I didn't know this kind of picking had a name. Martin mentioned a big AC/DC song, so I believe it was either "for Those" or "Shoot to Thrill" - you know that middle section is based on that.
Actually those are examples better defined as staccato using the fingers. Hybrid picking is better defined as playing a lead passage and using the pick as downstroke and usually alternating with the middle finger upstroke - usually a very fast lead passage. Sometimes it can be used in a slower melody with the pick and finger not alternating every single time, but it’s use is based on speed, not staccato notes. Prime examples of hybrid picking are the 2nd half of Eddie’s solo in Ice Cream Man and Jeff Carlisi’s outro solo in .38 Special’s So Caught Up In You as the song starts to fade. In the live version, you can clearly see Jeff hybrid picking with very fast alternating notes between pick and another finger.
When I looked over the entire Foreigner catalog, I've come to realize that my Top 9 Foreigner albums are actually in the order that they were released, with Foreigner being #1 and Can't Slow Down my #9.
Apparently it's one of Marty Friedmans (Megadeth) favourite solos. I did hear that he contacted Mick Jones to tell him. The song is also one of John Lydon's (Johnny Rotten) favourites surprisingly.
Love the Pardo/Popoff shows!!! The first 5 are masterpieces! Unusual Heat I like to think of a Mick Jones solo album, tho his solo album sounds nothing like it
Arguably top 5 best 4 album run in music by any band. Great idea for a list Pete. Bands with best 4 album runs. Could be first 4 or anywhere in releases. Bonus for first 4. Thumbs up to get him to do it.
My favorites are the first 3 too. Old school! I agree with you Pete... The first record is my favorite too. It's the album I grew up with as a kid in the 70's.
Funny, when they started talking about that album I said to myself that I really like it because it sounds a lot like my other fav band, Bad Company. Then Pete says the same thing :) Haha
Best Foreigner album - Long Hard Look - Lou Gramm, no just kidding (but a great album). My fave has always been Agent Provocateur. Tie between the first four albums and then Inside Information. Have not heard the other albums.
My top Foreigner albums: 1. Foreigner S/T ( Their Proggiest and Best album) 2. Double Vision ( Equally as Masterful as the first but heavier in spots) 3. Head Games ( A couple of weak tracks but still very strong release) 4. Foreigner 4. ( One of the best Mainstream Pop Hard Rock albums of all time but still a tad weaker than previous records) 5. Agent Provacateur ( Each release became weaker and weaker as by the trend here but still a good album ) 6. Mr Moonlight ( Underrated album a little darker release with a few mediocre tracks but still decent album) 7. Inside Information ( A weak album with a couple of hit songs on it so basically mostly filler) 8. Unusual Heat ( Same as Inside Information without the hits a couple of good tracks like a Hair Metal Bad Company sounds like a good comparison) 9. Cant Slow Down ( A grower of an album with a couple of good tracks but yes Its like Foreigner doing Foreigner Lite) I would say 1977-1983 was prime Foreigner and after that they lost it over time piece by piece.
What a GREAT show and thank you gentlemen. As a drummer Dennis Elliott inspired me greatly. So tough but you guys nailed it. My top Nine. 9- Can't slow down, BORING. 8- Unusual Heat, a few good songs. 7- Inside Information, Pete nailed it. Ditto comments. 6- Mr. Moonlight, some good tunes. 5- Agent Provocateur, Last Great record. 4- Head Games, so good and heavy. 3- Double Vision, can it get any better? 2- Yes Foreigner, simply one the greatest debuts ever. What a great top to bottom album. 1- FOUR, so heavy from top to bottom and maybe is was just that time of my life but I just think this was their best album. Thank you Martin and Pete, today is my wife's birthday and this is her third favorite band so again. THANK YOU.
Foreigner is like Boston, I rank the albums in the same order they came out. and completely disregard "Unusual Heat". Something that Pete and Martin didn't mention is the Shadow King (1991) album (sometimes called The Lost Foreigner Album) that featured Lou Gramm and Bruce Turgon of Foreigner with Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard/Whitesnake/Dio) on lead Guitar. Very solid album but hard to find.
My favorite Foreigner albums in order: 1. Head Games 2. 4 3. Double Vision 4. Inside Information 5. Can't Slow Down 6. Foreigner 7. Unusual Heat 8. Agent Provocateur 9. Mr. Moonlight
Feels like the First Time, Waiting For a Girl Like You, and I Want to Know What Love Is songs that sound like Lou Graham was saving himself for marriage. No other band has had so many songs about losing virginity
Pete, if you see this comment, if don;t have it, check out their Classic Hits Live Album, there is a "loose" song on there you'd be pleased with I believe, "Love Maker" is the track, a cover tune.
Been looking forward to this, thanks to both Pete and Martin. One of my favourite bands, their first four albums are all favourites of mine. The others I find less consistent, but all have some enjoyable moments for me, just less than on the first 4 1 Foreigner 2 Four 3 Headgames 4 Double Vision 5 Inside Information 6 Unusual Heat 7 Agent Provocateur 8 Can't Slow Down 9 Mr Moonlight. Always found them a terrific live band, whenever I've seen them with whichever line up.
1. Double Vision 2. Foreigner 3. Head Games 4. 4 5. Unusual Heat 6. Agent Provocateur 7. Inside Information 8. Mr. Moonlight Never cared of "Can't Slow Down".
I love FOREIGNER, but strangely enough I seem to like the albums and songs nobody really loves. I really dig Mr. Moonlight, I thinks it’s probably their best. The softer stuff on their first three albums, and even some of those rockers, I hardly care for. A song I really can’t stand is Starrider. One of my favorites is Prisoner Of Love, from their Very Best And Beyond album. Too Late is a great one as well.
Mine would actually go right in order (although the top 3 are neck and neck and neck): 1) Foreigner (Debut) 2) Double Vision 3)Head Games 4) 4 5) Agent Provocateur This is a very nostalgic band for me... at the time they filled a particular niche in my listening world. All the ballads drove me away after AP.
70's foreigner is great!! To me what makes the first Foreigner the best and yes, better than Double Vision is that the songs that were not hits on the first album is stronger than the non hits on Double Vision. My ranking is this: 1) Foreigner 2) Double Vision 3) Head Games 4) 4
Can't really comment as I only have the 1st 4 Foreigner albums. They went a bit 'soft' and AOR with '4', and there they seemed to remain. I've just finished reading this month's Record Collector (UK magazine). For what it's worth, Martin's latest book, Anthem: Rush in the 70s get's a 5 outta 5 stars review. Make your books more readily avaible in the UK please Martin. Thanks
Thanks for doing this one Pete, another great show. Have you ever considered ranking the albums of Tygers of Pan Tang? I'm sure that would make an intereting show👍
I hated foreigner 4 and felt like wow this is the beginning of the end for rock - if that many people like this shit and Journey we are in trouble. Thank God Metallica, REM, the Cult and Alice In Chains and others came along to keep rock alive and changing.
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I disagree, with your guest with comparing the 8th Foreigner album members like the Kinks, ELO, Moody Blues..."Not knowing the band members!! Come on dude! Martin Popoff comes off as very insipid!
What Martin means is that these bands don't necessarily have a big 'star' in the band-they were never an image band, or a band that had outgoing characters like a Jagger, Richards, Halford, Ozzy, Steve Perry, etc...wasn't mean as slagging the band, but it was the type of band they were. It was all about the music.
Their first 3 is the best. Check out former Foreigner members Ed Gagliardi(bass)and Al Greenwood(keyboards)band SPYS. Both albums they done is awesome !!
Can't believe those guys made me listen to those old Foreigner albums ¡ I'm someone who only listen to whole albums, but with Foreigner I alwas have been a Juke Box Hero / Urgent kind of guy.
Isn't it strange for someone who hates pop music to rate Foreigner albums? "4" was one of the first albums I bought back when I was 10. I played it a lot, which wouldn't have been really necessary, as most of the songs were playing on the radio constantly all summer long. The album can't be too bad, because I still own it, and remember every single melody on it. My favourite song always was Girl On The Moon. The AC/DC song Popoff is looking for is called For Those About To Rock, I suppose.
My two cents: 1) Kelly Hansen used to sing at Hurricane (with Doug Aldrich), who really sounded like Foreigner going metal. 2) Lou Gramm's Ready or Not is much better than many Foreigner records 3) One of the major bands Joey Ramone hated 4) 1-4 2-Double Vision 3-Foreigner 4-Head Games 5-Agent Provocateur 6-Inside Information.
1- 4(Perfect AOR Album) 2- Foreigner 3- Double Vision 4- Head Games 5- Inside Information 6- Agent Provocateur 7- Mr. Moonlight 8- Can't Slow Down 9- Unusual Heat HM: Lou Gramm - Long Hard Look
I thought their first 4 albums were the band at their best, I thought their later albums were a hit and miss for me, to me their best songs after the 4 album are "I Want To Know What Love Is", "That Was Yesterday" and "Say You Will"
AT War WITH the WORLD 🌎/ is my favorite FOREIGNER song/ but to bring up great memories growing up / in 1988 there was the neighborhood bar that had a jukebox and me and my buddies packed a bundle of JACK $$$$ into selection 245 DIRTY WHITE BOY( 1979)- still after 41 years pumps me up 💯! Tremendous show PETE/ MARTIN!!
Double Vision was my choice for fave album of the year 1978. Probably one of my favorites of all time. Definitely top twenty. Perfect record. BTW, I absolutely love Starrider. Might be my favorite on the debut.
Just can’t do Foreigner sans Lou Gramm. 1.) 4 (Their most commercially successful, but I love that second side) 2.) Foreigner 3.) Head Games 4.) Double Vision 5.) Agent Provocateur 6.) Inside Information 7.) Mr. Moonlight
The thing he does on the guitar for "Urgent" is not hard. It sounds really cool, though. You sort of make it sound like a percussive instrument by pressing each time to the point of almost squeezing the notes out on your fretting hand. Your strumming hand doesn't do anything out of the ordinary. I don't know if it has a technical name. 1. Foreigner (almost a perfect album for me, love it, love it, love it!) 2. 4 ("Urgent" and "Waiting for a Girl Like You" are the reasons for the high ranking) 3. Double Vision 4. Head Games I don't like any of their other albums and would only say bad things about them to the point of sounding like a jerk...
Their first four (my top four) are pretty untouchable, in my opinion. My numbers 2, 3, & 4 could all flip around at any time. 9) Unusual Heat 8) Can't Slow Down (I've always liked Kelly Hansen.) 7) Mr. Moonlight 6) Agent Provocateur (Some good stuff, but some songs I never need to hear again, too.) 5) Inside Information (Not great, but I have some history with this album.) 4) Head Games 3) 4 2) Double Vision 1) Foreigner Thanks, Pete & Martin!
Right. It's interesting how much one's perspective can change with age. In 1991, being only 21, I was all about how slick and commercial "new" Bad Co was, but looking back, even the slicked up Heritage bands like Bad Co, Foreigner, etc are far superior to boring Grunge like Pearl Jam and Nirvana.
My favourite album is Double vision,always thought they knew how to appeal to a broader public than most rock bands without losing their credentials and as someone who likes keyboard orientated A.O.R/Melodic rock i think Break it up/A love in vain are just absolute class
I've only listened to their first 6 albums and here is how I rank the albums 1. 4 2. Double Vision *3. Foreigner *4. Head Games 5. Inside Information 6. Agent Provocateur *I do admit I have a hard time choosing which of these two albums I like better, Foreigner's debut album is a slightly better album because it has more of their best songs such as "Cold As Ice", "Starrider", "The Damage Is Done" and "At War With The World", Head Games seems to be a bit more consistent although it doesn't have quite as many top tier tunes despite me loving the title track, "Love On The Telephone" and "Seventeen".
For me, it's 1) Head Games 2) Foreigner 3) Double Vision....I really liked 4 when I was a teenager when it came out, but it hasn't stood the test of time for me.
4 was the first album I ever bought at 11 years old. Stood in KMart an hour debating that vs. Blizzard of Ozz but in the end Juke Box Hero was just too hot. It was good, but a week later I had BOO, which wasn’t just good, it was a game changer
Mr. Moonlight is my bottom... disappointing. Pete, Unusual Heat, I believe, is produced by Terry Thomas, who produced the Bad Company albums of the same era, which you mentioned. I think it's his stamp that makes them all sound that way. Lou Gramm said he had very little input on Agent Provocateur, and Inside Information, and was not as fond of that sound on those albums.
Hi Martin - I think in regards to the licks on Urgent or Tooth and Nail, you're thinking about For Those About to Rock... it's just a muted picking technique that allows the player to emphasize which parts of the notes or chords he/she wants to emphasize. The overall effect is that it sounds like the volume is coming in and out.
I can't get enough of Agent Provocateur so will put that first. I only know the first five albums so second will be 4. And Head Games third with the rest in rotation.
That sounds like my order. Inside Information is pretty good to.
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And when a so called "Music Journalist." says from the get go, "I hate Pop Music."...NARROW minded!! He uses ."Hate, Hated, I hate the Chorus., I HATE Power Ballads...." Dislikes R&B, Hall & Oates... P.J O'Rourke, Cameron Crowe, Ben Fong-Torres and Mark Lewisohn you are not!
Agreed,even metalhead guys would say they grew up with 70s/80s Pop and still love it. His Criticisms are very predictable as well, it usually follows the same pattern: - Albums released in the 70/early 80s: they are all great - Albums released between 1984-1991: They all suck, its all 'hair metal' (regardless of the actual music itself),its all bad Post 90s Albums: They don't matter, they dont even worth the time of your day. İf he' reviewing a classic Hard Rock/Classic Metal band, it usually follows this same path. its extremely predictable at this point.
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@@LuchaLibertaria You have to be open to all music genres! Even if you don't dig the style etc. .the more you know about music the better you are. Knowledge trumps closed mind and narrow views all the time! That word, insipid we use in Spanish all the time. He just comes across as a non flavored open minded critic.
@ Totally agree w you. You used 'insipid', I'd use ignorance. Last week he said he doesn't care what a 24 yr old thinks about Heavy Metal. You know what, A 24 yr olds voice matters as much as his, I thought what an ignorant thing to say to a young musician who might be watching that. I like listening to different styles of music as well, it gives you a more broader outlook.
@@LuchaLibertaria I think your statements here are incorrect-Martin has talked MANY times of latter period albums by acts such as Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Ted Nugent, Rush, and many others as being some of his favorites of those catalogs, and we are talking 90's & 2000s releases. Please check the facts before you make statements on people.
@ I despise rap and hip hop music...so I guess I'm closed minded too? This is a hard rock/heavy metal/prog channel, this is the music myself and my guests are into. If you are looking for bright shiny reviews of stuff that falls way outside those lines, I think you have come to the wrong place. I find it funny that with all the positive discussion that we did on Foreigner you are spending a lot of time and energy focusing on someone saying 'they don't like pop music'...the world doesn't have to like what you like. I'm sure there are styles of music you like that others don't.
First 4 will always be the best for me 1- Double Vision 2- Foreigner 3- Head Games 4-4 even thought Head Games really could be 2 or even 1. I base this on sentimental
While I've drifted away from Foreigner as I got older, I'll always have fond memories of the band. They were a big part of my early musical development and definitely part of my high school soundtrack ('78-'82). I wore the grooves out on their first few albums.
Man, one of my top favorite prog/hard/pop rock bands of all time. A lot of ramarkable hits, and other extraordinary ballads (or as you said, mellow songs). Reason why they sold over 50M albums all over the world. By the way, Lou Gramm is a brillant singer, but Mick Jones and even Kelly Hansen are great too. My 5 top favorite albums are: Foreigner (debut), Head Games, Double Vision, Foreigner 4, and Agent Provocateur.
I have always liked the "4" album cover. Simple but a great idea.
I love album covers like that and usually the are the covers of some good records.
Absolutely. Iconic cover.
Agent Provocateur is when Mick and Lou were dueling it out in where they wanted the band to be. Lou wanted more uptempo rockers and Mick was dabbling with the keyboards and was more focused on softer ballads. In fact Pete, it is worth noting on the album Inside Information Mick was very excited about the song I Don’t Want To Live Without You. When he introduced the song to Lou, Lou said he thought the song stunk. Lou actually said he purposely tried to sabotage the song when he sang it because he had so much disdain for it.
As debut albums go, Foreigner’s is right up there with some other classics like The Cars and Boston. After the first one it was downhill from there. Oh there we’re good songs, but the debut is flawless!
Agree - they quickly became one of those bands that was definitely “un-cool.” But revisiting the first album it is really really good.
Makes you wonder how artists degrade over time in their careers. Look at many of them....I guarantee you their best work came from their first 2 or 3 albums
Oh man, I know this comment was three years ago, but I think they made great records right into the mid eighties. Underrated pop song wizards.
Star rider...(Rider,RIDER!!!)
TAKE ME TO THE STARS...
Love that tasty jam🍻✌️
Great band but a tribute band now
Great show agree with Pete the debut is my number 1. “At War With World “ is a hidden gem very heavy awesome tune.
Wow! That excellent song takes me back to when I was a Teenager in the early '80s listening to KOME 98.5 FM in San Jose :)
1970borntorun Most of the songs on this channel act as a time machine to transport us back to our youth where everything seemed right with the world. The power of music is a magical thing.
I agree. I wish they would have made more like at war with the world, great song.
9 - Unusual Heat
8 - Can't Slow Down
7 - Mr. Moonlight
6 - Inside Information
5 - Agent Provocateur
4 - Head Games
3 - 4
2 - Double Vision
1 - Foreigner (1977)
* I really like 2 of the new songs on "The Very Best Of...And Beyond" "Prisoner Of Love" and "Soul Doctor"
* I've seen them live a few times. '85 was a great show.'95 I was standing in the front row and it was an outdoor show and they kicked ass. I remember my ears ringing for a couple days
Gary J Skadra yep for me Soul Doctor is he heaviest song they ever did ( Tooth and Nail, Stranger In My Own House & At War With The World come very close 😉 ) , personally they should’ve added those new songs from Hits and Beyond on the Mr Moonlight Album 👍🏻
I agree with your list
Martin, it's called Hybrid Picking (use pick and fingers)! Like on AC/DC's "For Those About To Rock" and Van Halen's "Little Guitars" electric section.
Yep! There you go! I didn't know this kind of picking had a name. Martin mentioned a big AC/DC song, so I believe it was either "for Those" or "Shoot to Thrill" - you know that middle section is based on that.
I Always Wondered How Eddie Van Halen got That Sound On " Little Guitars".. That Outro is so Cool!!
Actually those are examples better defined as staccato using the fingers. Hybrid picking is better defined as playing a lead passage and using the pick as downstroke and usually alternating with the middle finger upstroke - usually a very fast lead passage. Sometimes it can be used in a slower melody with the pick and finger not alternating every single time, but it’s use is based on speed, not staccato notes.
Prime examples of hybrid picking are the 2nd half of Eddie’s solo in Ice Cream Man and Jeff Carlisi’s outro solo in .38 Special’s So Caught Up In You as the song starts to fade. In the live version, you can clearly see Jeff hybrid picking with very fast alternating notes between pick and another finger.
Those first 4 lps were killer! Double Vision, Hot Blooded, Feels Like The First Time, Dirty White Boy, Woman In Black, and the list goes on and on.
I love the first three albums. Then members were kicked out and I lost interest.
When I looked over the entire Foreigner catalog, I've come to realize that my Top 9 Foreigner albums are actually in the order that they were released, with Foreigner being #1 and Can't Slow Down my #9.
The solo in "Hot Blooded is a landmark.
Apparently it's one of Marty Friedmans (Megadeth) favourite solos. I did hear that he contacted Mick Jones to tell him. The song is also one of John Lydon's (Johnny Rotten) favourites surprisingly.
Love the Pardo/Popoff shows!!! The first 5 are masterpieces! Unusual Heat I like to think of a Mick Jones solo album, tho his solo album sounds nothing like it
Arguably top 5 best 4 album run in music by any band. Great idea for a list Pete. Bands with best 4 album runs. Could be first 4 or anywhere in releases. Bonus for first 4. Thumbs up to get him to do it.
My favorites are the first 3 too. Old school! I agree with you Pete... The first record is my favorite too. It's the album I grew up with as a kid in the 70's.
Top 5 ...
5 ) Agent Provacateur
4 ) 4
3 ) Head Games
2 ) Double Vision
1 ) Foreigner
Why all the hate against Unsual Heat? It rocks really hard and Johnny is a killer singer
Funny, when they started talking about that album I said to myself that I really like it because it sounds a lot like my other fav band, Bad Company. Then Pete says the same thing :) Haha
Only Heaven Knows was a great track.
One of the besr
@@robert6907 My fav is Ready for the Rain
Not me. I think it's the best Foreigner record. And you're right, Johnny is awesome.
LOVE Martins description of POP music!!! Awesome!!
1. Self-titled
2. Double Vision
3. Everything else
Unusual Heat rocks, good sunset strip LA hard rock
Such a good album. It is waaay underrated. Kinda depends on what kind of foreigner people like.
Best Foreigner album - Long Hard Look - Lou Gramm, no just kidding (but a great album). My fave has always been Agent Provocateur. Tie between the first four albums and then Inside Information. Have not heard the other albums.
His first solo album “Ready Or Not” is also fantastic. I honestly listen to more of Lou’s solo career than Foreigner, though I love both.
My top Foreigner albums:
1. Foreigner S/T ( Their Proggiest and Best album)
2. Double Vision ( Equally as Masterful as the first but heavier in spots)
3. Head Games ( A couple of weak tracks but still very strong release)
4. Foreigner 4. ( One of the best Mainstream Pop Hard Rock albums of all time but still a tad weaker than previous records)
5. Agent Provacateur ( Each release became weaker and weaker as by the trend here but still a good album )
6. Mr Moonlight ( Underrated album a little darker release with a few mediocre tracks but still decent album)
7. Inside Information ( A weak album with a couple of hit songs on it so basically mostly filler)
8. Unusual Heat ( Same as Inside Information without the hits a couple of good tracks like a Hair Metal Bad Company sounds like a good comparison)
9. Cant Slow Down ( A grower of an album with a couple of good tracks but yes Its like Foreigner doing Foreigner Lite)
I would say 1977-1983 was prime Foreigner and after that they lost it over time piece by piece.
What a GREAT show and thank you gentlemen. As a drummer Dennis Elliott inspired me greatly. So tough but you guys nailed it.
My top Nine.
9- Can't slow down, BORING.
8- Unusual Heat, a few good songs.
7- Inside Information, Pete nailed it. Ditto comments.
6- Mr. Moonlight, some good tunes.
5- Agent Provocateur, Last Great record.
4- Head Games, so good and heavy.
3- Double Vision, can it get any better?
2- Yes Foreigner, simply one the greatest debuts ever. What a great top to bottom album.
1- FOUR, so heavy from top to bottom and maybe is was just that time of my life but I just think this was their best album.
Thank you Martin and Pete, today is my wife's birthday and this is her third favorite band so again. THANK YOU.
Exactly my ranking !!
What about lou gramm side project shadowking
good album.
No peronalities? How can you get a better frontman than lou gramm. Awsome stage persona and peronality
9 - Unusual Heat
8 - Can't Slow Down
7 - Mr. Moonlght
6 - Inside Information
5 - Agent Provacuter
4 - Head Games
3 - 4
2 - Double Vision
1 - Foreigner 1st lp
Foreigner is like Boston, I rank the albums in the same order they came out. and completely disregard "Unusual Heat". Something that Pete and Martin didn't mention is the Shadow King (1991) album (sometimes called The Lost Foreigner Album) that featured Lou Gramm and Bruce Turgon of Foreigner with Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard/Whitesnake/Dio) on lead Guitar. Very solid album but hard to find.
I agree with you about Shadow King but disagree about Unusual Heat.
Shadowking is a very fine album and it's a shame that Martin and Pete didn't give it a mention.
My favorite Foreigner albums in order:
1. Head Games
2. 4
3. Double Vision
4. Inside Information
5. Can't Slow Down
6. Foreigner
7. Unusual Heat
8. Agent Provocateur
9. Mr. Moonlight
Cheeeeaaaappp Triiiiiccck , ranking the albums.
1st.
Double vision.
Top 5 Foreigner songs in order:
1. Hot Blooded
2. Cold As Ice
3. Break It Up
4. Double Vision
5. Do What You Like
Feels like the First Time, Waiting For a Girl Like You, and I Want to Know What Love Is songs that sound like Lou Graham was saving himself for marriage. No other band has had so many songs about losing virginity
Mr Moonlight is a really st ong album. Great vocal,great guitar, great playing all over
9. Can't Slow Down (2009)
8. Unusual Heat (1991)
7. Agent Provocateur (1984)
6. Inside Information (1987)
5. Mr. Moonlight (1994)
4. Head Games (1979)
3. Double Vision (1978)
2. 4 (1981)
1. Foreigner (1977)
My 5 favorites
5. Argent Provocateur
4. 4
3. Head Games
2. Double Vision
1. Foreigner
Pete, if you see this comment, if don;t have it, check out their Classic Hits Live Album, there is a "loose" song on there you'd be pleased with I believe, "Love Maker" is the track, a cover tune.
Been looking forward to this, thanks to both Pete and Martin. One of my favourite bands, their first four albums are all favourites of mine. The others I find less consistent, but all have some enjoyable moments for me, just less than on the first 4
1 Foreigner
2 Four
3 Headgames
4 Double Vision
5 Inside Information
6 Unusual Heat
7 Agent Provocateur
8 Can't Slow Down
9 Mr Moonlight.
Always found them a terrific live band, whenever I've seen them with whichever line up.
How about a video on great musicians in stinker bands.
1. Double Vision
2. Foreigner
3. Head Games
4. 4
5. Unusual Heat
6. Agent Provocateur
7. Inside Information
8. Mr. Moonlight
Never cared of "Can't Slow Down".
Just do my top 5 since these are the ones I own:
1. 4
2. Double Vision
3. Foreigner
4. Head Games
5. Agent Provocateur
Exactly my top five
I love FOREIGNER, but strangely enough I seem to like the albums and songs nobody really loves. I really dig Mr. Moonlight, I thinks it’s probably their best. The softer stuff on their first three albums, and even some of those rockers, I hardly care for. A song I really can’t stand is Starrider. One of my favorites is Prisoner Of Love, from their Very Best And Beyond album. Too Late is a great one as well.
FINALLY!!! Here are my rankings:
1. Head Games (1979)
2. Self Titled Debut (1977)
3. Double Visions (1978)
4. 4 (1981)
5. Agent Provocateur (1984)
6. Inside Information (1987)
7. Mr. Moonlight (1994)
8. Unusual Heat (1991)
9. Can't Slow Down (2009)
Double vision was the description of my teenage years!!!!
Mine would actually go right in order (although the top 3 are neck and neck and neck):
1) Foreigner (Debut)
2) Double Vision
3)Head Games
4) 4
5) Agent Provocateur
This is a very nostalgic band for me... at the time they filled a particular niche in my listening world. All the ballads drove me away after AP.
70's foreigner is great!! To me what makes the first Foreigner the best and yes, better than Double Vision is that the songs that were not hits on the first album is stronger than the non hits on Double Vision. My ranking is this:
1) Foreigner
2) Double Vision
3) Head Games
4) 4
I hope Mr. Moonlight did well…such an underrated album!
Thank you for ranking the studio albums: Foreigner (w/Martin Popoff)🎤🎸🎵🥁
08. Inside Information
07. Shadow King
06. Agent Provocateur
05. Mr. Moonlight
04. Double Vision
03. Foreigner
02. 4
01. Head Games
Can't really comment as I only have the 1st 4 Foreigner albums. They went a bit 'soft' and AOR with '4', and there they seemed to remain. I've just finished reading this month's Record Collector (UK magazine). For what it's worth, Martin's latest book, Anthem: Rush in the 70s get's a 5 outta 5 stars review. Make your books more readily avaible in the UK please Martin. Thanks
Martin's visual history of Blue Oyster Cult gets a 6 out of 5
Thanks for doing this one Pete, another great show. Have you ever considered ranking the albums of Tygers of Pan Tang? I'm sure that would make an intereting show👍
Mick and Lou in the R&R Songwriters HOF.
yes..
they belong
"Can't Slow Down" is an amazing and brillant album. One of their best !
Totally agree…that may be a perfect album…no filler whatsoever!
On the title track to Inside Information I hear more of a Phil Collins influence than a Michael Jackson influence.
I hated foreigner 4 and felt like wow this is the beginning of the end for rock - if that many people like this shit and Journey we are in trouble. Thank God Metallica, REM, the Cult and Alice In Chains and others came along to keep rock alive and changing.
I disagree, with your guest with comparing the 8th Foreigner album members like the Kinks, ELO, Moody Blues..."Not knowing the band members!! Come on dude! Martin Popoff comes off as very insipid!
What Martin means is that these bands don't necessarily have a big 'star' in the band-they were never an image band, or a band that had outgoing characters like a Jagger, Richards, Halford, Ozzy, Steve Perry, etc...wasn't mean as slagging the band, but it was the type of band they were. It was all about the music.
Does Foreigner still call itself "Foreigner" when they're playing in their own country?
Their first 3 is the best. Check out former Foreigner members Ed Gagliardi(bass)and Al Greenwood(keyboards)band SPYS. Both albums they done is awesome !!
Don’t like that cover on the first album….thats crazy
First Foreigner album is their best and an all time classic.
Lets not 4get that Thomas Dolby ( she blinded me with science ) did all keyboards & textures on Foreigner 4...
Is it the same Thomas Dolby who played with Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come?
@@johnappleton8133 don't know actually but it's the same Thomas Dolby from England who had the big new wave hit she blinded me with science
their first 6 albums are pretty much neck and neck for me. 4 was pure AOR, agent and inside were more mature sounding. the debut was incredible.
I like Agent Provocateur the best,followed by Head Games and Four are my favorites
Can't believe those guys made me listen to those old Foreigner albums ¡ I'm someone who only listen to whole albums, but with Foreigner I alwas have been a Juke Box Hero / Urgent kind of guy.
Isn't it strange for someone who hates pop music to rate Foreigner albums? "4" was one of the first albums I bought back when I was 10. I played it a lot, which wouldn't have been really necessary, as most of the songs were playing on the radio constantly all summer long. The album can't be too bad, because I still own it, and remember every single melody on it. My favourite song always was Girl On The Moon. The AC/DC song Popoff is looking for is called For Those About To Rock, I suppose.
My two cents:
1) Kelly Hansen used to sing at Hurricane (with Doug Aldrich), who really sounded like Foreigner going metal.
2) Lou Gramm's Ready or Not is much better than many Foreigner records
3) One of the major bands Joey Ramone hated
4) 1-4 2-Double Vision 3-Foreigner 4-Head Games 5-Agent Provocateur 6-Inside Information.
Mpampis Kalogiannis and I hate everything related to Joey Ramone 🤢
1- 4(Perfect AOR Album)
2- Foreigner
3- Double Vision
4- Head Games
5- Inside Information
6- Agent Provocateur
7- Mr. Moonlight
8- Can't Slow Down
9- Unusual Heat
HM: Lou Gramm - Long Hard Look
I'd put 4 3rd. I have a hard time picking between Foreigner and Double Vision for first. 4 is the most radio friendly, I'd agree with that.
Lucha what doues AOR stand for?
@@whatchatalkinboutwillis9894 Album Oriented Rock
I thought their first 4 albums were the band at their best, I thought their later albums were a hit and miss for me, to me their best songs after the 4 album are "I Want To Know What Love Is", "That Was Yesterday" and "Say You Will"
Best lp Foreigner never did was Long Hard Look by Lou Gramm.
Best album Foreigner never did is Shadow King check it out
@@Johnsrocknvinyl77 Nice one, i bought it when it came out but for me personally LHL beats it...just.
Shadow King was a really good album.
AT War WITH the WORLD 🌎/ is my favorite FOREIGNER song/ but to bring up great memories growing up / in 1988 there was the neighborhood bar that had a jukebox and me and my buddies packed a bundle of JACK $$$$ into selection 245 DIRTY WHITE BOY( 1979)- still after 41 years pumps me up 💯! Tremendous show PETE/ MARTIN!!
6. Inside information
5. Agent Provocateur
4. 4
3. Head Games
2. Foreigner
1. Double Vision
Double Vision was my choice for fave album of the year 1978. Probably one of my favorites of all time. Definitely top twenty. Perfect record. BTW, I absolutely love Starrider. Might be my favorite on the debut.
Just can’t do Foreigner sans Lou Gramm.
1.) 4 (Their most commercially successful, but I love that second side)
2.) Foreigner
3.) Head Games
4.) Double Vision
5.) Agent Provocateur
6.) Inside Information
7.) Mr. Moonlight
1. 4
2. Head Games
3. Foreigner
4. Double Vision
5. Agent Provocateur
6. Inside Information
HEAD GAMES Hard Rock Masterpiece
The thing he does on the guitar for "Urgent" is not hard. It sounds really cool, though. You sort of make it sound like a percussive instrument by pressing each time to the point of almost squeezing the notes out on your fretting hand. Your strumming hand doesn't do anything out of the ordinary. I don't know if it has a technical name.
1. Foreigner (almost a perfect album for me, love it, love it, love it!)
2. 4 ("Urgent" and "Waiting for a Girl Like You" are the reasons for the high ranking)
3. Double Vision
4. Head Games
I don't like any of their other albums and would only say bad things about them to the point of sounding like a jerk...
Their first four (my top four) are pretty untouchable, in my opinion. My numbers 2, 3, & 4 could all flip around at any time.
9) Unusual Heat
8) Can't Slow Down (I've always liked Kelly Hansen.)
7) Mr. Moonlight
6) Agent Provocateur (Some good stuff, but some songs I never need to hear again, too.)
5) Inside Information (Not great, but I have some history with this album.)
4) Head Games
3) 4
2) Double Vision
1) Foreigner
Thanks, Pete & Martin!
1. HeadGames 2. Foreigner 3. Double Vision 4. 4 5. Agent Provocateur 6. Inside Information 7. Mr. Moonlight 8. Unusual Heat 9. Can’t Slow Down
I have always liked Foreigner, and I agree, I think they took a lot from Bad Company. Like from the beginning. Not a bad thing in my book.
Right. It's interesting how much one's perspective can change with age. In 1991, being only 21, I was all about how slick and commercial "new" Bad Co was, but looking back, even the slicked up Heritage bands like Bad Co, Foreigner, etc are far superior to boring Grunge like Pearl Jam and Nirvana.
My favourite album is Double vision,always thought they knew how to appeal to a broader public than most rock bands without losing their credentials and as someone who likes keyboard orientated A.O.R/Melodic rock i think Break it up/A love in vain are just absolute class
AC/ CD "for those about to rock"...is that the song you're thinking of?
Yep, and the middle part on "Shoot To Thrill", also on "I Put the Finger on You"
@@angusiha "Sink the Pink" has a little of that in it also
You know that makes sense. When he was mentioning this in the vid I was thinkin of possible songs and that didn’t come to mind
Tantrumgasm, That was the one that came to mind for me
I've only listened to their first 6 albums and here is how I rank the albums
1. 4
2. Double Vision
*3. Foreigner
*4. Head Games
5. Inside Information
6. Agent Provocateur
*I do admit I have a hard time choosing which of these two albums I like better, Foreigner's debut album is a slightly better album because it has more of their best songs such as "Cold As Ice", "Starrider", "The Damage Is Done" and "At War With The World", Head Games seems to be a bit more consistent although it doesn't have quite as many top tier tunes despite me loving the title track, "Love On The Telephone" and "Seventeen".
The first album is their best complete album, every song is good. Mick Jones is underrated, he is a good singer too.
Yeah, his singing is great! Loved him also in Big Audio Dynamite.
Why would Mick Jones need outside songwriters?
For me, it's 1) Head Games 2) Foreigner 3) Double Vision....I really liked 4 when I was a teenager when it came out, but it hasn't stood the test of time for me.
Foreigner is a great band. I have to go with Foreigner 4 as the best. It's got all the hard edge of the early Foreigner with a modern feel.
Head games my favorite album
4 was the first album I ever bought at 11 years old. Stood in KMart an hour debating that vs. Blizzard of Ozz but in the end Juke Box Hero was just too hot. It was good, but a week later I had BOO, which wasn’t just good, it was a game changer
Mr. Moonlight is my bottom... disappointing. Pete, Unusual Heat, I believe, is produced by Terry Thomas, who produced the Bad Company albums of the same era, which you mentioned. I think it's his stamp that makes them all sound that way. Lou Gramm said he had very little input on Agent Provocateur, and Inside Information, and was not as fond of that sound on those albums.
The only thing with 4 cover is that it is so well known. You look at the 4 without even looking at the band name and you know it right away.
"Head Games" and UFO's "Force it" are two of my favorite album covers.
I love Inside Information!
Hi Martin - I think in regards to the licks on Urgent or Tooth and Nail, you're thinking about For Those About to Rock... it's just a muted picking technique that allows the player to emphasize which parts of the notes or chords he/she wants to emphasize. The overall effect is that it sounds like the volume is coming in and out.
Fantastic group. Fantastic evaluation.
I can't get enough of Agent Provocateur so will put that first. I only know the first five albums so second will be 4. And Head Games third with the rest in rotation.
That sounds like my order. Inside Information is pretty good to.
And when a so called "Music Journalist." says from the get go, "I hate Pop Music."...NARROW minded!! He uses ."Hate, Hated, I hate the Chorus., I HATE Power Ballads...." Dislikes R&B, Hall & Oates... P.J O'Rourke, Cameron Crowe, Ben Fong-Torres and Mark Lewisohn you are not!
Agreed,even metalhead guys would say they grew up with 70s/80s Pop and still love it. His Criticisms are very predictable as well, it usually follows the same pattern:
- Albums released in the 70/early 80s: they are all great
- Albums released between 1984-1991: They all suck, its all 'hair metal' (regardless of the actual music itself),its all bad
Post 90s Albums: They don't matter, they dont even worth the time of your day.
İf he' reviewing a classic Hard Rock/Classic Metal band, it usually follows this same path. its extremely predictable at this point.
@@LuchaLibertaria You have to be open to all music genres! Even if you don't dig the style etc. .the more you know about music the better you are. Knowledge trumps closed mind and narrow views all the time! That word, insipid we use in Spanish all the time. He just comes across as a non flavored open minded critic.
@ Totally agree w you. You used 'insipid', I'd use ignorance. Last week he said he doesn't care what a 24 yr old thinks about Heavy Metal. You know what, A 24 yr olds voice matters as much as his, I thought what an ignorant thing to say to a young musician who might be watching that. I like listening to different styles of music as well, it gives you a more broader outlook.
@@LuchaLibertaria I think your statements here are incorrect-Martin has talked MANY times of latter period albums by acts such as Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Ted Nugent, Rush, and many others as being some of his favorites of those catalogs, and we are talking 90's & 2000s releases. Please check the facts before you make statements on people.
@ I despise rap and hip hop music...so I guess I'm closed minded too? This is a hard rock/heavy metal/prog channel, this is the music myself and my guests are into. If you are looking for bright shiny reviews of stuff that falls way outside those lines, I think you have come to the wrong place. I find it funny that with all the positive discussion that we did on Foreigner you are spending a lot of time and energy focusing on someone saying 'they don't like pop music'...the world doesn't have to like what you like. I'm sure there are styles of music you like that others don't.
First 4 will always be the best for me 1- Double Vision 2- Foreigner 3- Head Games 4-4 even thought Head Games really could be 2 or even 1. I base this on sentimental
1. Double Vision 2. Foreigner. 3. 4 4. Head Games 5 Agent Provocateur 6. Inside Information
While I've drifted away from Foreigner as I got older, I'll always have fond memories of the band. They were a big part of my early musical development and definitely part of my high school soundtrack ('78-'82). I wore the grooves out on their first few albums.
Like with Valen the first year albums are classic a part of my youth.
Man, one of my top favorite prog/hard/pop rock bands of all time. A lot of ramarkable hits, and other extraordinary ballads (or as you said, mellow songs). Reason why they sold over 50M albums all over the world. By the way, Lou Gramm is a brillant singer, but Mick Jones and even Kelly Hansen are great too. My 5 top favorite albums are: Foreigner (debut), Head Games, Double Vision, Foreigner 4, and Agent Provocateur.