Foreigner contest

The Marysville Globe-The Arlington Times, in conjunction with Foreigner’s publicity agent, John Lappen of Las Vegas, and the Tulalip Casino-Resort, are offering readers the chance to get free meet-and-greet tickets to the otherwise sold-out show.

For a chance to win, email your name and favorite Foreigner song to: spowell@marysvilleglobe.com.

A CD will be given away to other lucky winners.

The deadline to enter is Wednesday, July 6, by noon. Only one entry per person, please.

Foreigner song ‘I Can’t Give Up’ epitomizes band’s busy touring schedule

By Steve Powell

spowell@marysvilleglobe.com

TULALIP – Bassist Jeff Pilson of Foreigner says, “I Can’t Give Up,” would have been a “monster hit in the ’80s, when people actually bought albums.”

That song also could be a mantra for the band itself, as it will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year.

Pilson, 57, will perform with the group July 8 at the Tulalip Resort Casino.

The band just returned from a tour in Europe. Up to 50,000 people saw them at festivals in both London and Paris.

“What more could you ask for? That’s when rock music really shines,” Pilson said.

Performing live is their bread and butter.

“We epitomize the slogan, ‘Strike while the iron’s hot.’ And our manager has no problem torturing us,” he joked.

Early start on bass

Pilson started playing bass when he was 13. He used to sing around the school yard, and was asked to be in a band that needed a bass player. He had a newspaper route, so he used his money to buy a bass and taught himself to play. “It became my phallus,” he said, adding his idols were Paul McCartney and Chris Squire.

His family moved to Longview, where he played in a number of bands. “How could you not?” he said.

He got good grades and his “parents were very cool,” along with his first- and second-period homeroom teacher.

“He let me sit in the back row and sleep” because his band would keep him up until 2 a.m. performing.

After graduation in 1976, Pilson went to the University of Washington. That was his progressive rock era, when he played with a fairly well-known Seattle band “Christmas.” He later performed with the “Merrymakers,” which played at Everett Landing.

In the 1980s he was “Dokken.” He co-wrote many of their songs. He doesn’t write songs for Foreigner, so he still does projects on the side.

“I want to make sure the bread doesn’t get stale,” he said, adding it’s hard because Foreigner is on the road so much.

Pilson also is mostly self-taught playing guitar, cello and keyboards. His musical ability helped get him a part in the 2001 movie “Rock Star,” with Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston. He was in Wahlberg’s band “Steel Dragon.”

“They wanted it to be real so they asked the musicians for input,” he said.

Pilson, who joined Foreigner in 2004, said it can be hard playing the same classic rock songs all the time. They are working on a new album for their 40th year. And he really enjoyed working on the album “Can’t Slow Down” in 2009 and the acoustic album in 2011.

“It’s a chance to show how strong a song is,” he said of playing acoustically. “It’s like putting on a fresh coat of paint.”

He said they perform one acoustic song every show. But at the end of the year they are planning an acoustic tour.

‘Follow your heart”

Pilson said it is hard to make it in music nowadays.

“It’s not like it once was,” he said. “You’re not going to be rich and famous.”

He said you have to find your niche.

“You gotta be really creative,” he said. “You have to take risks and outdo what’s around you.”

He recommended artists get their music out on the internet and social media.

“Follow your heart. And do music for the love of it,” Pilson said.

3-packet review

It feels like the first time listening to Foreigner when you hear acoustic versions of their songs.

It can be hard to tell just how good they are with all of the distortion associated with rock-n-roll.

But in the purest form of the songs, their talent is unmistakeable.

In “Acoustique, The Classics Unplugged,” the harmonies in the love song, “Fool For You Anyway,” are perfection. It is so good acoustically, that’s the only way they should perform that song. “The Flame Still Burns” also shines in that format, along with “Say You Will.”

Surprisingly, three rocker songs that you wouldn’t think would work well acoustically do just that. The bass and saxophone make “Cold As Ice” a hot song, while the vocals in “Double Vision” and “Starrider” make those tunes also memorable.

As a bonus track, Foreigner performs the Elvis classic “That’s All Right.”

While the acoustic is by far my favorite, the three-piece packet also includes a live DVD performed in Chicago, along with new digital recordings of their greatest hits.

Some songs are on all three, so you can pick which version you like best. Those include: “Juke Box Hero,” “Feels Like the First Time” and “Waiting for a Girl Like You.”

“Blue Morning, Blue Day” is only on the live version. And “Hot Blooded,” “Urgent” and “Head Games” are on all but the acoustic version.

The live DVD is fun. Fans singing along is picked up well; the music is very clear for a live format.

The only new song in the package is “Save Me.”

–Steve Powell