Winter Crash in Upstate NY Led to Birth of Rock Band Foreigner

A truck crash on the icy New York State Thruway near Albany changed music history. On Christmas Eve 1975, Lou Gramm's former band, Black Sheep's equipment truck flipped, crushing their instruments and gear.

"The mic stands had gone through the amplifiers, ripping the cloth material and destroying the speakers. The drums were slammed into by amplifiers, and the drums were not round anymore. They were oval," said Gramm to the Beyond the Vibe podcast.

This twist of fate pushed singer Gramm toward guitarist Mick Jones in 1976. Their work created chart-toppers like "Hot Blooded," "I Want to Know What Love Is," and "Juke Box Hero."

Before the wreck, Black Sheep had signed with Capitol Records and were opening for KISS. When Capitol wouldn't fund new gear, the group split. Jones then called Gramm to NYC, where they cut early versions of "Feels Like the First Time" and "Cold as Ice."

Next year marks five decades of Foreigner. Gramm, now 75, wants to mark the milestone with some shows. "I want to help fly the flag for the band, the original band, and the current band right now in these waning moments," he told Beyond the Vibe.

The group earned spots in both the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. Fans will soon hear more when their 1981 album, 4, gets a fresh release on September 12, also including Gramm's new song, demos, and live cuts.

Foreigner's current incarnation will soon play two New York shows: the Erie County Fair in Hamburg on August 7 and the Turning Stone Event Center in Verona on September 20. Hansen and Maldonado will share the stage, but Gramm is unlikely to make an appearance.