It was my pleasure yesterday to chat with affable, veteran, bass man Rick Wills, ahead of Foreigner’s future Civic Center Theater concert. Due to the Coronavirus concerts, the March show is postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date, TBD. Rick was on the road between Davenport, IA, and Milwaukee, WI, and on cell phone, so the audio quality is not perfect.
That said, Rick has great stories to tell of his amazing 50-year recording career. The 72-year-old bass man was making ears and heads turn in London in the mid 60’s when he, Willie Wilson and David Gilmour were picked to start a band. They were playing in Paris, France in 1966 when Gilmour got the call to join Pink Floyd.
Wills would eventually star with Spooky Tooth, Roxy Music and Leslie West before those bands disbanded. His story of how he got the call to audition for Foreigner is priceless. It was a connection with Foreigner founder Mick Jones that opened the door. Wills didn’t even mention in the interview that he did so with a borrowed bass guitar. Wills played on the first three Peter Frampton albums (co-wrote “Do You Feel”), filled in on Lynyrd Skynyrd and toured with Bad Company for a decade!
Foreigner’s playing the Civic Center eventually (TBD) on its “The Hits on Tour.” Hear the interview or by clicking on the SHOWS > PODCASTS buttons on the top toolbar on this page. Enjoy!
Doc Watson
