The long-awaited new solo album from legendary vocalist Lou Gramm, best known as the iconic voice of Foreigner, has been released. Arriving in March 2026,the album presents ten original songs written by Lou alongside former Black Sheep bandmate Bruce Turgon, capturing the classic AOR sound that has defined Lou’s career while delivering a powerful sense of rediscovery and completion.
Lou says: “My new album ‘Released’ is a collection of unreleased songs that were recorded in the 1980s during the production of my 3 previous solo albums. These are powerful, heartfelt songs with a great vintage sound taken right from my old multitrack tapes. This new album was a long time coming, and it’s a real nostalgia trip. When I pulled these songs out of the vault, I knew I had to finish them for my fans around the world, so they can experience what I did when I first heard them after all these years. It means a lot to me to finally see this album released, to be taken back in time when I hear this music again, to remember working with all these great musicians, and to feel that my catalog is now complete.”
Produced by Lou Gramm himself, Released features appearances from an outstanding cast of musicians, including Tony Franklin on bass for “Long Gone” and Vivian Campbell on guitar for the opening track “Young Love”, alongside long-time collaborators such as Lou’s brother Ben Gramm on drums. The result is a collection that feels both timeless and deeply personal, rooted in the era that made Lou one of rock’s most recognisable voices.
Mark Dean recently had the opportunity to sit down with Lou himself to discuss the solo album, his musical legacy, and a look ahead to what comes next.
Antihero: Your new solo album has just been released, featuring songs written and recorded quite a while ago. Obviously, you held these back, but what has prompted their release at this particular point in time?
Lou Gramm: We had a number of songs, and we went with the ones that were closest to being finished. I have no complaints about that. But as the years went on, I listened again to the ones that weren’t quite finished and didn’t make the album, and they were strong songs. So I took it upon myself to finish them. Maybe they needed a third verse or a lead guitar part. Over the last five years we completed a whole album’s worth of that material.
Antihero: So is the Lou Gramm musical archive now fully exhausted, or can we expect to hear more songs?
Lou Gramm: Oh, I think there are at least five or six songs left.
Antihero: Good. Any plans for those?
Lou Gramm: Nothing planned yet. Right now, I’m focused on getting these songs out to the public and playing them live this summer.
Antihero: Regarding playing live, will that mainly be focused on the States, or are you planning to head over to the UK or Europe?
Lou Gramm: I’d like to. There’s nothing in the works yet, but we’ve only got the next two months booked. There’s a long way to go before the end of the year. I’ve been telling my booking agent that we’d like to go to the UK and a few other places in Europe.
Antihero: Obviously, it’s been quite a long time since you’ve been over this part of the world.
Lou Gramm: Yes, that’s true. I think 1990 or maybe 1992.
Antihero: A long time ago. Going back to the album release, what was it like hearing those tracks again? Did it trigger memories of how the songs originally came together? It must have brought back some emotions revisiting those early recordings.
Lou Gramm: When I went back to the Ready Or Not sessions, that album had been finished for quite a while, but I listened again to the tracks that didn’t make the album. It wasn’t because they weren’t good enough. We simply had a deadline and released the songs that were finished. I have no complaints about that—they’re all good songs. But the ones that didn’t make it were unfinished because we ran out of time. When I revisited them, I realized there were some really awesome songs there.
Antihero: When writing for a solo album, do you approach songwriting differently compared to writing for a band?
Lou Gramm: Actually, I think I write the songs mainly for myself. I had a friend who worked with me for many years, co-writing most of my songs. His name is Bruce Turgon. He played with me in Black Sheep and later played in Foreigner for four or five years. We worked on almost all of these songs together. When I went back to revisit them, he wasn’t involved anymore, so I took what we had written, finished the last verse, added a guitar solo, and mixed and mastered the tracks. And they were ready to go. I’m telling you, it’s very good stuff.
Antihero: I noticed a few special guests on the album, including Vivian Campbell. Did you stay in touch with Viv after Shadow King?
Lou Gramm: I really don’t know. He’s so busy that I’m sure he doesn’t have much time to stay in touch.
Antihero: Let’s talk about your unique vocal style. You’ve often spoken about emotional honesty in your vocal delivery. How did working on the album so many years after it was recorded reshape your relationship with those performances?
Lou Gramm: After listening to the songs a number of times, I certainly remembered why I sang what I sang and what I wrote. When it came time to finish the remaining parts, I didn’t want to suddenly change my voice into something else. I wanted to keep the same timbre as the original recording. That wasn’t difficult. I just needed to add a final verse, a couple of harmonies, and eventually a lead guitar part.
Antihero: How do you keep your voice in such good shape? Age affects everyone, myself included. Do you do specific exercises or training to maintain the quality people know you for?
Lou Gramm: No alcohol, no drugs. And I have a specific routine about half an hour before I go on stage. It’s not taxing. It starts very low and gradually builds up through the middle range, and then I move into the higher part of the exercise. Once that’s done, I’m ready to go on stage.
Antihero: When you think back to the height of Foreigner’s success, is there a moment that you now realize shaped you as an artist more than you understood at the time?
Lou Gramm: I would say Foreigner 4.
Antihero: Great album. It still sounds fantastic and really holds up. Do you still enjoy performing songs like Jukebox Hero or Urgent, even after singing them thousands of times?
Lou Gramm: Yeah, I still enjoy them. When I hear the rhythm section and the guitars come in, it feels brand new.
Antihero: Do you hear any musical DNA on this album that later surfaced in Foreigner’s bigger songs?
Lou Gramm: It’s possible, but the songs that ended up in Foreigner aren’t the same pieces I would use on these songs.
Antihero: Do you write differently when creating outside of Foreigner?
Lou Gramm: I think I just have a broad spectrum creatively. When I’m not working with Mick—like on these songs—I open up the creative walls and let the energy flow. You end up doing things a little differently, sometimes a little oddly, and you think, “That sounds great.” My songs probably don’t have the same strict parameters as a Foreigner song.
Antihero: What’s it like hearing one of your songs unexpectedly in everyday life—say in a supermarket or on the radio?
Lou Gramm: I feel great pride, especially if I’m in a grocery store and it comes over the PA system. I have to pull off to the side of the aisle—I’m grooving right along with it.
Antihero: You’ve been the voice behind so many songs that became part of people’s lives.
Lou Gramm: Yes, that’s true.
Antihero: Even after all your success, do you still have hopes and dreams as an artist?
Lou Gramm: I do. I’m very proud of this solo album coming out soon. I’ve been proud of all my solo albums, and of course, everything I did with Foreigner and Shadow King. I still really enjoy creating and recording. I’m not as keen on touring as I was when I was younger—it can be physically and mentally taxing—but when I get on stage, it feels like I’ve been waiting my whole life to do it.
Antihero: I saw that you’ll be performing with Foreigner on the Rock Legends Cruise. Is that something you’re looking forward to?
Lou Gramm: Yes, it is. That’s coming up soon.
Antihero: A cruise must be a more relaxed environment than a full tour. Will you rehearse beforehand, and will you be doing a full set?
Lou Gramm: Yeah. We’ll get to the city where the boat departs two days early, rehearse the set, and get everything in order. Once we’re on the boat, we’ll have a long soundcheck before the first show.
Antihero: You’ve lived through huge changes in the music industry. Do you think being a musician in 2026 is easier or harder?
Lou Gramm: I think it’s better now. Radio allows a lot more freedom and eccentricity in songwriting, as long as it’s not vulgar. Program directors seem more open to different ideas. I don’t remember it being like that when Foreigner first came out. The industry has opened up creatively.
Antihero: Artists also seem to have more control now, rather than being tied to record companies.
Lou Gramm: Yes, and I think that’s a good thing.
Antihero: To close, you’ve done countless interviews over the years. If the roles were reversed, who would you like to interview?
Lou Gramm: The Beatles for sure. And Humble Pie, Free, and Traffic. Those were the bands I grew up listening to, and they inspired me to start writing.
Antihero: What about newer artists? Are there any you enjoy listening to?
Lou Gramm: Oh, yes, there are quite a few. Bruno Mars. Daughtry.
Antihero: I actually saw them last night with Alter Bridge. Very good.
Lou Gramm: Very good artists who have really blossomed in the past five years.
Antihero: Lou, I think that covers everything. Good luck with the album, and hopefully we’ll see you in the UK and Europe before the end of the year.
Lou Gramm: I would love that. That’s the plan for the second half of the year.
Antihero: Thank you very much for your time.
The post Lou Gramm on Rediscovery, Legacy, and the Joy of the Stage – Interview appeared first on Antihero Magazine.
