Foreigner’s Drummer Isn’t Snubbing the Rock Hall for Wife-Guy Reasons

Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images

To be clear, the most memorable Rock & Roll Hall of Fame red-carpet moment came from a Blackpool goth, but this could’ve been a close second if the hot-blooded rumor turned out to be true. Foreigner co-founder and drummer Dennis Elliott won’t be in attendance at the band’s induction ceremony on Saturday night, joining fellow member Mick Jones in avoiding the Cleveland metropolitan area for the celebration. (Jones will not be present due to his health struggles with Parkinson’s disease.) However, Elliott is refuting a Billboard report that his rationale was due to his wife not being allowed to walk the red carpet with the band; the drummer told Vulture it’s untrue. Instead, Elliott wrote a message on social media that put blame on the organization for the planned induction segment, which will feature Foreigner lovers Demi Lovato, Sammy Hagar, and Kelly Clarkson. “Don’t look too hard, we will not be there,” he explained. “We were finally given the schedule last night, and it is not to our satisfaction. So we are staying home. We have been asking for this for weeks, and they have waited until the very last minute to send it knowing we were all packed and going to bed. Totally unacceptable to us.” He added for his friends and fans, “hope you have a good time.”

Elliott didn’t specify which parts of the Rock Hall’s Foreigner induction he deemed cold as ice. The original-member trio of Al Greenwood, Lou Gramm, and Rick Wills will be attending the ceremony to represent the band instead, and they’re expected to give speeches and perform a medley of songs after accepting the honor. We’re eagerly anticipating the Kellyoke.