FOREIGNER's JEFF PILSON Teases Previously Unreleased Song From 'Head Games' Sessions: 'We Found Somebody Very Perfect To Put A Guitar Solo On' It

In a recent interview with Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern, FOREIGNER bassist and musical director Jeff Pilson offered an update on FOREIGNER founding guitarist's health. More than a decade ago, Jones was also diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Despite the challenges, he continued to tour with FOREIGNER, finding joy in performing for fans around the world. Three years ago, the progression of the disease made it impossible for him to take the stage — a profound loss for someone whose life has been dedicated to music.

Pilson said about Jones (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " He's good. It's just not practical for him to play live anymore. Parkinson's is a pretty debilitating physical disease, neurologically speaking. So he's in great spirits. He's got his family around him — his kids whom he adores, grandchildren he adores. So, headspace-wise, he's in a good place. I mean, of course he's disappointed he can't play. That's what he did all his life. So it's been a hard transition for him. But he is really excited about the band. I mean, the fact that he and [original FOREIGNER singer] Lou [Gramm] both now are so excited about our new singer Luis [Maldonado] and just excited for all the future possibilities. The fact that we're doing songs in Spanish now. There's so many things about the band that really excite him. It feels like a new lease on life for him as well, as well as for us. So, he's still very much there. He's still very much our leader and founder. So, yeah, he's in as good a spirit as you could imagine being if you were de debilitated from playing."

After the interviewers noted that FOREIGNER fans and Mick's bandmates have all rallied around the guitarist and offered their support, Pilson said: "He feels the love, trust me. And again, like I say, for us, especially now that Lou has become more involved of late — I mean, he did a few songs with us when we did the FOREIGNER '4' album in its entirety, which was a great show. And having Lou being more involved has been so wonderful.

"We've found some unfinished tracks from some of the earlier records," Jeff revealed. "You should have seen my face when I started finding some of this stuff. It was, like, 'Wow.' … We did one [song] that we released when we came out with a re-release of FOREIGNER '4' a few months back. And we're gonna be doing the same with the 'Head Games' album at some point soon. So, there's unreleased tracks. Lou is really excited about that, for them seeing the light of day. We've got some real good special surprises coming."

Pilson added: "Mick, from the minute he heard Luis's voice singing FOREIGNER songs, he's been real excited and he's only gotten more excited over time as he sees videos, as he sees Luis developing as a frontman. He's really excited. So knowing that the founder guys are really enthused about the band couldn't give us a better sense of direction than we do have. So, yeah, we're very thankful. And it just feels like everything is firing on all cylinders."

Asked to elaborate on some of the unfinished FOREIGNER songs from some of the earlier records which were recently unearthed, Jeff said that he wasn't ready yet to discuss it. But he did tease one of the tracks, saying: "We have a special guest that I just spoke to yesterday who said yes, it's okay to use his name, but I don't wanna do it yet. I wanna wait till it's announced.

"There's a song that was unreleased that never got a guitar solo on it, from the 'Head Games' record, and we found somebody very perfect to put a guitar solo on," Pilson explained. "I'm gonna wait until there's an announcement, but it's a friend of Mick's. So, that's partly how it all came about. But it's really exciting. But yeah, there's some cool stuff coming, let me put it that way."

A newly finished FOREIGNER song, "Fool If You Love Him", featuring Gramm on vocals and written by Jones and Gramm during the sessions for the "4" album, was included on extensive super deluxe editions of the 1981 smash multi-platinum LP, which was released last September.

"Fool If You Love Him" was initially left unfinished and shelved during the "4" recording at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Decades later, Gramm returned to the mic, writing a new verse and recording fresh vocals to bring the song back to life. Now, for the first time ever, fans can hear the finished version of a track that almost never was.

In 2024, FOREIGNER released "Turning Back The Time", an archived 1996 track featuring Gramm on vocals, as part of a new compilation of the same name.

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".

FOREIGNER replaced Gramm with Kelly Hansen in 2005. Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some other health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012.

At some of FOREIGNER's recent shows, Gramm guested on some of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame group's biggest hits. Gramm shared the stage with Maldonado, who replaced Hansen on lead vocals last October.