Lou Gramm’s rise to superstardom as the lead singer of Foreigner is not unlike that of so many of his peers — inspired by the British Invasion, worked in a lot of bands and paid his dues before getting that big break. Coming from humble, working-class roots in Rochester, NY, drumming and singing in local bands (with friends and family), recounting days of seeing the Rolling Stones live and hearing other bands through backstage doors (reminiscent of a lyric from one of his most popular songs), then joining Foreigner — Lou Gramm tells a fantastic American rock and roll story in his candid new autobiography Juke Box Hero: My Five Decades In Rock ‘n’ Roll.
This is an easy and quick book to get through as Gramm and co-author Scott Pitoniak (newspaper columnist and author of 16 books) take us through the singer’s journey, which begins with a harrowing section describing Gramm’s brain tumor diagnosis. That story in itself is really something! We then move onto the singer’s formative years in Rochester, making music with his brothers, playing drums and getting his first break with his band Black Sheep (which included an opening slot on a KISS tour).
Joining Foreigner, the singer recounts, was a dream come true; throughout the book, in fact, Gramm repeatedly says how grateful he is for the accolades and opportunities he’s experienced as the singer of Foreigner. In general, he maintains a cordial air about just everyone in his life except his former band mate, Mick Jones. The guitarist still tours and records with a different lineup of Foreigner, much to Gramm’s dismay, who also bemoans the fact that Jones’ own recent health issues have resulted in him missing shows and using a stand-in, meaning a version of Foreigner without any original members. Despite Gramm’s frustrations with Jones, it seems as there’s still a great deal of unfinished business between the two as both men will reunite when they’re inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame on June 13, 2013 in New York City.
We get a good look into what happened to Gramm at the tail end of Foreigner, putting his solo albums together and his honest account of kicking addiction and finding his spiritual path. Since leaving Foreigner, supposedly for good in 2002, he has led a low-key existence, recording several Christian Rock albums. But, as he notes, he isn’t blind to the continued love for his music, acknowledging the use of Foreigner songs in the play and film Rock of Ages, as well as on shows like American Idol.
Along with three marriages and four children, Gramm’s personal life is filled with a passion for muscle cars, baseball, his family and his roots in Rochester. Reading Juke Box Hero: My Five Decades In Rock ‘n’ Roll, you’re not going to run across a lot of sensationalistic filler or run-ins with other big celebrities (although Gramm does recall a game of pool he played with John Lennon at a recording studio). What you get are the humble musings from a man whose voice is embedded in some of rock’s greatest songs, yet he’s vulnerable to the folly and curveballs of humanity each one of us face.
Reading Juke Box Hero: My Five Decades In Rock ‘n’ Roll, you’ll learn the ins and outs of big time rock and roll of the 70s and 80s, lots about Lou Gramm himself (his actual last name for instance), and get a good feel for American suburbia back in the not-so-distant past when guys could come out of regular, everyday towns and become juke box heroes.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr. & Shawn Perry
