Anna NeonThe Legend of Toto
May 14th 2008 23:57
With their swag of classics like Hold the Line, Rosanna and the ubiquitous Africa, Toto have become synonymous with slick, well-produced pop rock from a time when image and visual trickery was less important than how you sounded on FM radio.
As they approach their 30th anniversary tour, the band join the ranks of a select few – the Stones and U2 spring to mind – who have been together and touring for all that time.
“We’ve all being playing our instruments since we were single digits,” says founding member Steve Lukather over the phone from LA. “I first picked up a guitar when I was eight, listening to the Beatles.”
The band honed their craft as respected session players on a number of projects in the early 70s before forming Toto, the ultimate musos’ band, later that decade. Once described by Eddie Van Halen as “collectively the best musicians on the planet”, throughout their careers the guys have continued to ‘ghost’ on some of the most famous records in rock history, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and collaborated with contemporaries like Don Henley, Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan and George Harrison.
They’ve also hung out with some famous starlets, like Rosanna Arquette, after whom the Grammy-winning hit single is named, though the band has claimed in the past that the song itself is not about her. “She’s never really forgiven us for that,” says Steve.
There aren’t many people in the known universe who haven’t been exposed to the ridiculously radio-friendly hit single Africa, with its driving tribal beat and infectious falsetto chorus which can prove so disastrous when attempted at drunken karaoke nights. The song has been on high rotation on most classic hits stations around the world since it first topped the charts in 1983.
“Africa has been extremely good to us,” says Steve. “It has allowed me to live a comfortable life.” But can he still listen to it? “I couldn’t put the record on at home, but when we’re up on stage and we have the audience singing along, I certainly get into the spirit,” he says.
Toto finally got to the continent that provided them with the inspiration for their most famous song in 1997, playing to a delirious South African audience who went crazy when the song started. “It was awesome. We went on safari and saw some sights – we loved it,” says Steve. “We’ve toured a lot of places that other bands don’t go to. Seeing the world is one of the great perks of being in a successful band.” So it was the song itself that took them to Africa in the end.
A lot of time has elapsed since their well-produced hey-day, and the band has continued to make music which, while not as instantly accessible as their most famous hits, is satisfying to them. The most recent album has been described as a return to prog-rock, with some darker lyrical themes.
“We’re older now, with families, and there’s more to write about than fast cars and girls, you know? Turn on the TV and there’s not a whole lot of good news out there. It’s a world problem, not just an American one, but it’s about the word ‘freedom’ being distorted. I want to save the world, not destroy it.”
As one of the original members of a band that has always been known for its hands-on approach in the studio and a tight, technically faultless sound and production, Steve has little time for manufactured pop. “There are a lot of assumptions made about the 12-20 demographic, that they want to hear that stuff. And the same goes for the over 50s and what they want to hear. I mean, we’re over 50 and we still rock really hard. You get these pop superstars that can’t even sing Happy Birthday, you know? Go figure.”
So what does he think of American Idol and other reality TV shows? “Well, these kids are on a TV show and it makes them a star for five minutes and then, in most cases, it’s over. Sure, they can sing the material given to them, but that doesn’t make them artists. It’s like the tortoise and the hare, you know. We had to struggle to get to where we are, but we’ve been around a long time now.”
“Music is my passion, my life. Something keeps drawing me back,” says Steve.
As they approach their 30th anniversary tour, the band join the ranks of a select few – the Stones and U2 spring to mind – who have been together and touring for all that time.
“We’ve all being playing our instruments since we were single digits,” says founding member Steve Lukather over the phone from LA. “I first picked up a guitar when I was eight, listening to the Beatles.”
The band honed their craft as respected session players on a number of projects in the early 70s before forming Toto, the ultimate musos’ band, later that decade. Once described by Eddie Van Halen as “collectively the best musicians on the planet”, throughout their careers the guys have continued to ‘ghost’ on some of the most famous records in rock history, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and collaborated with contemporaries like Don Henley, Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan and George Harrison.
They’ve also hung out with some famous starlets, like Rosanna Arquette, after whom the Grammy-winning hit single is named, though the band has claimed in the past that the song itself is not about her. “She’s never really forgiven us for that,” says Steve.
There aren’t many people in the known universe who haven’t been exposed to the ridiculously radio-friendly hit single Africa, with its driving tribal beat and infectious falsetto chorus which can prove so disastrous when attempted at drunken karaoke nights. The song has been on high rotation on most classic hits stations around the world since it first topped the charts in 1983.
“Africa has been extremely good to us,” says Steve. “It has allowed me to live a comfortable life.” But can he still listen to it? “I couldn’t put the record on at home, but when we’re up on stage and we have the audience singing along, I certainly get into the spirit,” he says.
Toto finally got to the continent that provided them with the inspiration for their most famous song in 1997, playing to a delirious South African audience who went crazy when the song started. “It was awesome. We went on safari and saw some sights – we loved it,” says Steve. “We’ve toured a lot of places that other bands don’t go to. Seeing the world is one of the great perks of being in a successful band.” So it was the song itself that took them to Africa in the end.
A lot of time has elapsed since their well-produced hey-day, and the band has continued to make music which, while not as instantly accessible as their most famous hits, is satisfying to them. The most recent album has been described as a return to prog-rock, with some darker lyrical themes.
“We’re older now, with families, and there’s more to write about than fast cars and girls, you know? Turn on the TV and there’s not a whole lot of good news out there. It’s a world problem, not just an American one, but it’s about the word ‘freedom’ being distorted. I want to save the world, not destroy it.”
As one of the original members of a band that has always been known for its hands-on approach in the studio and a tight, technically faultless sound and production, Steve has little time for manufactured pop. “There are a lot of assumptions made about the 12-20 demographic, that they want to hear that stuff. And the same goes for the over 50s and what they want to hear. I mean, we’re over 50 and we still rock really hard. You get these pop superstars that can’t even sing Happy Birthday, you know? Go figure.”
So what does he think of American Idol and other reality TV shows? “Well, these kids are on a TV show and it makes them a star for five minutes and then, in most cases, it’s over. Sure, they can sing the material given to them, but that doesn’t make them artists. It’s like the tortoise and the hare, you know. We had to struggle to get to where we are, but we’ve been around a long time now.”
“Music is my passion, my life. Something keeps drawing me back,” says Steve.
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Comment by jon
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Phantasmelodia
Aside from Africa, I looked into Toto upon hearing a sample from I Won't Hold You Back in a song I love.
I second, Jon. Great review.