Johnny Foreigner are an indie rock trio from Birmingham, England, consisting of guitarist/lead vocalist Alexei Berrow, drummer Junior Elvis Washington Laidley and bassist Kelly Southern. They are currently releasing music on Best Before Records, which is part of the artist management and nightclub concern Mama Group/ChannelFly Group.

Johnny Foreigner play at venues up and down the UK, and made their live US debut on November 30 2007, supporting Delaware's Spinto Band and Cardiff-based indie pop band Los Campesinos! at the Bowery Ballroom.

Before the band formed, Berrow and Southern both played in different outfits, Panda Love Unit and Twist respectively.

The “prototype” Johnny Foreigner formed as “a country band with pretensions” (according to Alexei) with Kelly’s predecessor Daniel Boyle on bass in December 2005. Boyle left Johnny Foreigner to attend university, and now plays in London-based band Gentle friendly. Prior to his leaving the original Johnny Foreigner line-up released We Left You Sleeping And Gone Now, a self-produced, 11-track album recorded in 2005 in a hand-made edition of 40 copies. Liz [possibly Hamblin], Rob [surname unknown] and Seb [Lenton] (of Distophia) are also credited on the album.

The band's first single, "Sometimes In The Bullring/Camp Kelly Calm", was recorded on Laundrette Recording Company and issued in October 2006; 300 copies were made and sold. The second single, released May 21, 2007, was a split with fellow Birmingham act Sunset Cinema Club and featured the track "Yes! You Talk Too Fast", as well as a cover of Sunset Cinema Club's "Ninki. vs Dingle", whilst SCC covered Johnny Foreigner's "Candles".

After signing to Best Before Records in 2007, the band issued the EP Arcs Across The City on November 26 of that year. The EP was rated 10/10 by popular online music magazine Drowned In Sound. They released their third single, "Our Bipolar Friends/The Houseparty Scene Is Killing You" on March 10 2008 on, which nearly sold out of its initial issue of 1,000 copies before it was even released.

The fourth single by the band, "Eyes Wide Terrified", was released on the 18th May 2008, in the run up to the album release. Their next single will be "Lea Room/DJ's Get Doubts", to be released in the UK on 12 January 2009.

On June 2, 2008, Johnny Foreigner released their debut album, Waited Up 'Til It Was Light. It was recorded in Hoboken, New Jersey with producer Machine, whose previous credits include work with notable contemporary hard rock acts as well as King Crimson. The album is available through online retailers in North America and in traditional stores through Nettwerk.[1]

In addition to the commercially available releases, Johnny Foreigner packaged up 15 demos in July 2007 and made them available for free download under the title I Like You Mostly Late At Never.

On 9 February 2009, Alexei appeared before Birmingham Magistrates for non-payment of Council Tax dating back three years.

On 30 March, while on tour supporting Hundred Reasons, Alexei announced at a gig that the band had finished recording their second album and that it would be coming out later this year. Later confirmed to be September/October 2009

Singles:

• Sometimes In The Bullring/Camp Kelly Calm - Laundrette Recording Company (2007)
• Yes! You Talk Too Fast/Ninki vs. Dingle (split 7" w/Sunset Cinema Club) - Laundrette Recording Company (2007)
• Our Bipolar Friends/The Houseparty Scene Is Killing You - Best Before Records (2008)
• Eyes Wide Terrified - Best Before Records (2008)
• Salt, Peppa and Spinderella - Best Before Records (2008)
• DJ's Get Doubts/Lea Room - Best Before Records (2009)
• Feels Like Summer - Best Before Records (2009)
• Criminals - Best Before Records (2009)

EPs:

• Arcs Across the City - Best Before Records (2007)
• Feels Like Summer - Best Before Records (2009)

Albums:

• Waited Up 'Til It Was Light - Best Before Records/Nettwerk (North America) (2008)
• Grace and the Bigger Picture - Best Before Records (2009)

• Johnny Foreigner at The Indie Music Database
• Johnny Foreigner interview at Daily Music Guide
• Johnny Foreigner Official Band Website
• Hear Johnny Foreigner on the Low Slung Podcast