Taking Sides: Foreigner or Air Supply?

Hie thee hence, Di, for a bio and picture of Air Supply.

Foreigner, meanwhile, no matter how middle-of-the-road they may seem, were more of the genuine article as a "rock band." Moreover, nine tenths of Air Supply's catalogue consists of ballads, whereas Foreigner's ballads ("I've Been Waiting,""I Wanna Know What Love Is", etc.) were fewer and further between. A fairer comparison might be to, say, REO Speedwagon, Journey or Bad Company.

alex in nyc

I guess it would come down to "if someone put a gun to yer head ..." In which case I'd pick Air Supply (and kindly beg my assailant for either earplugs or insulin for the saccharine OD to ensue), if only because Foreigner pretty much epitomizes Seventies stadium buttrock. That, and Lou Gramm = Eddie Vedder avant la lettre.

Given the anti-rockist stance of many on ILM, I suspect others would make similar choices (though for their own reasons).

Foreigner's good songs: "Cold As Ice", "Dirty White Boy", "Urgent", "I Want To Know What Love Is", "Hot Blooded"

We have a winner !

Foreigner's good songs: what Patrick said, plus "Waiting for A Girl Like You," "That Was Yesterday," "Say You Will," "Double Vision," maybe "Head Games."

We have a winner!

Ye gods, isn't this whole rock t-shirt trend passe yet? I admit Missy looked pretty cool in the Motorhead get-up, but other than that...

LOVERBOY!

Canada comes through! Again!

Search: "Turn Me Loose" (disco-metal !), "Queen Of Broken Hearts", maybe "Lovin' Every Minute Of It" (written by Shania Twain's husband !) as well.

Two words for you, sir: GLASS TIGER.

(Loverboy, Glass Tiger, Rush, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams -- Canada's got a lot to answer for ... and Neil Young and Plasticman can't absolve all of that dreck ...)

Don't ask me, y'all Americans are the ones buying the dreck and ignoring the good stuff ! ;)

Search: "Sentimental Street", "Goodbye", "The Secret Of My Success".

Back on the topic at hand, have to say I've always dug the track "Long, Long Way from Home" off Foreigner's first album. Sue me.

Too much Iced Coffee today.

I have been obsessed with air supply recently! I never liked them before but something about the arrangements fascinates me suddenly. It started with hearing 'Making Love Out Of Nothing At All' on the radio (the same song as 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart'! written by the same guy! wtf?) and then when I looked them up I remembered songs like 'All Out Of Love' and 'Even The Nights Are Better' (which I always remember hearing in the movie theatre in the 80s before the previews started). I don't think this has anything to do with rock and roll, it's just the bombast and arrangement that's got me, and that's normally not something I'm really seeking out in music.

"Making Love" was a Jim Steinman job, so there's a reason for that.

John, meanwhile, is walking through the park and reminiscing.

He heard ONNNNNEEEE GEEEETTTAAAAAARRRR!!!!! just blew him away
He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day
Bought a beat up six string in a secondhand store
Didn't know how to play it, but he knew for sure

That one guitar, felt good in his hands
Didn't take long, to understand
Just one guitar, slung way down low
Was one way ticket, only one way to go

So he started rockin'
Ain't never gonna stop
Gotta keep on rockin'
Someday he's gonna make it to the top

And be a JUKE BOX HERO, got stars in his eyes
He's a JUKE BOX HERO
He took one guitar, JUKE BOX HERO, stars in his eyes
JUKE BOX HERO, he'll come alive tonight

In a town without a name, in a heavy downpour
Thought he passed his own shadow, by the backstage door
Like a trip through the past, to that day in the rain
And that ONE GEETAR! made his whole life change

Now he needs to keep rockin'
He just can't stop
Gotta keep on rockin'
That boy has got to stay on top

And be a JUKE BOX HERO, got stars in his eyes
He's a JUKE BOX HERO, got stars in his eyes
Yeah, JUKE BOX HERO, got stars in his eyes
With that one guitar he'll come alive
Come alive tonight

Yeah, he's gotta keep rockin'
He just can't stop
Gotta keep on rockin'
That boy has got to stay on top

And be a JUKE BOX HERO, got stars in his eyes
He's a JUKE BOX HERO, got stars in his eyes
Just one guitar, put stars in his eyes
He's just a JUKE BOX HERO, aah aah aah
JUKE BOX HERO, JUKE BOX HERO, he's got stars in his eyes
Stars in his eyes

Air Supply was more about femininity , Foreigner more about Rock n Roll pussy. You can't really compare them.
-- Mike Hanley (pennyson...), June 8th, 2001.

haha, these guys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HejVjzhKTY

"rock and roll pussy" -- STILL a classic comment.