Toto
From Infocentral
Toto (IPA pronunciation: Template:IPA) is an American rock/pop band which had their greatest commercial success in the 1980s. They are known for covering and often combining several music styles, such as pop, rock, funk, progressive rock, and jazz. The band has released 17 albums and has sold about 30 million records to date.Template:Fact
Band Members
Current
- Bobby Kimball - Vocals (1976–1984; 1999–Present)
- Steve Lukather - Guitars, Vocals, Occasional keyboards (1976–Present)
- David Paich - Keyboards and Vocals (1976–Present)
- Greg Phillinganes - Keyboards and Vocals (2005–Present)
- Simon Phillips - Drums and Percussion (1992–Present)
- Mike Porcaro - Bass (1982–Present)
Prior
- David Hungate - Bass, Guitar (1976–1982)
- Fergie Frederiksen - Vocals (1984–1985)
- Steve Porcaro - Keyboards and Vocals (1976–1987)*
- Joseph Williams - Vocals (1986–1989)*
- Jean-Michel Byron - Vocals (1989–1990)
- Jeff Porcaro - Drums and Percussion (1976–1992 (his death))
Tour Musicians
- Leland Sklar - Bass (filling in for Mike Porcaro 2007)
- Ricky Lawson - Drums (filling in for Simon Philips 2003)
- Jeff Babko - Keyboards (Filled in for David Paich 2000)
- Tony Spinner - Backup Guitar/Backup Vocals (1999–present)
- Buddy Hyatt - Backup Vocals/Percussion (1999)
- Jenny Douglas McRae - Backup Vocals (1990–1997)
- Donna McDaniels - Backup Vocals (1992–1994)
- Jackie McGhee - Backup Vocals (1990–1991)
- John James - Backup Vocals (1992–1997)
- Scott Page - Backup Vocals (1985)
- Warren Ham - Backup Vocals (1986–1988)
- Timothy B. Schmidt - Backup Vocals (1982)
- Tom Kelly - Backup Guitar/Backup Vocals (1979)
- Keith Landry - Backup Guitar/Backup Vocals (1980)
* Currently makes occasional guest appearances
Biography
Formation
Toto is a conglomeration of six of the most sought-after studio musicians of the 1970s. Prior to the band's formation in 1977, the members of Toto were regulars on albums by the likes of Steely Dan, Seals and Crofts, Boz Scaggs, Sonny and Cher, and many others, contributing to many of the most popular and critically acclaimed records of the 1970s. Keyboardist David Paich rose to fame after having co-written and produced Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees album. Having played on many sessions with drummer Jeff Porcaro, the two began to seriously discuss the possibility of forming their own band. They brought in bassist David Hungate, having played with him on the road with Boz. In addition, the duo asked guitarist Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro's brother Steve (keyboards), and vocalist Bobby Kimball to join the team. And in '77, production began on the band's first album.
Toto
Once all of the songs were written, the band came together in the studio to record the songs and in order to distinguish their own demo tapes from other bands in the studio, Jeff Porcaro wrote the word "Toto" on them, drawing inspiration after having recently viewed The Wizard of Oz. While that is the mythology that has built up around their name, the official Toto website says the name came from the Latin, meaning "everyone." After the completion of the first album, the band and record were both as of yet un-named. David Hungate, after viewing the name on the demo tapes, explained to the group that the word "Toto" in Latin translated to "all-encompassing". Since they believed that they could play on any record and play any type of music, the band adopted the name Toto as their own; thus, band and album were named. Toto hit the charts quickly, earning instant acclaim with "Hold the Line" ,"Georgy Porgy", and "I'll Supply The Love". The band was nominated for a Grammy for "Best New Artist," and for these six studio musicians, their careers were propelled into fast forward.
The Hydra and Turn Back Years
Despite the fact that the band were now focused on their own careers, the long list of studio accolades continued to grow. However, between sessions, the band recorded and released their second album Hydra in 1979. The album yielded the hit single "99", based off of George Lucas' cult film THX 1138. However, the album did not sell nearly as well as their first album. Following Hydra's release and in between their extensive studio work, Toto released Turn Back in 1981. However, Turn Back failed to earn the radio play or critical acclaim of either of the previous two records and ended up a commercial disappointment and no hit singles were produced from it. The song "Goodbye Elenore" was the only official single to be released worldwide from Turn Back. Due to the failure of Turn Back, no tour was planned either.
Toto IV
1982 marked the beginning of Toto's most successful era. After the frustration of Turn Back, the band would have to deliver above and beyond in order to continue. With Toto IV, the band struck back at critics and disenchanted fans alike, delivering one of the most commercially successful records of the 80s. Producing the smash-hits "Africa" and "Rosanna", Toto IV rocketed the band into instant international stardom. Toto IV was awarded 6 Grammy Awards, including "Record of the Year" for "Rosanna", "Album of the Year" for Toto IV, and "Producer of the Year" for the band. "Africa" topped the charts in February of '83 and was a constant presence on radios across the globe. Toto IV gained even more success with 3 other singles being released, "Make Believe", "I Won't Hold You Back", and "Waiting For Your Love".
Band departures, Fergie Frederiksen, and Isolation
Subsequent to the Toto IV release, bassist David Hungate retired from the band to spend more time with his family. Mike Porcaro replaced him on bass and appeared in all the music videos for Toto IV. After the Toto IV tour, lead singer Bobby Kimball was fired due to personal problems between him and the band. Fergie Frederiksen was brought in as the new lead singer, and the band recorded Isolation, released in November 1984. Although Bobby Kimball sang some portion of the record before leaving, the extent of his participation is unknown. David Paich says it was a third of the record, Steve Lukather says it was only 2 songs, and Bobby Kimball says it was most of the album. The truth is unknown. Although still a commercial success, Isolation still did not achieve the acclaim of Toto IV. The Isolation tour started and concluded in 1985.
Joseph Williams, Fahrenheit, and The Seventh One
At the close of the Isolation tour, Frederiksen left the band and was replaced by Joseph Williams, son of famous film composer John Williams. Williams wrote and recorded Fahrenheit, released in October 1986. Featuring the hit in "I'll Be Over You", Fahrenheit was a much softer release for Toto, featuring an instrumental piece performed with Miles Davis. After its release, the band left for another world tour. After the tour ended in 1987, Steve Porcaro left the band to pursue a career in film and television scoring and to make his own music.
Steve Porcaro was never replaced and Toto was now five members, with David Paich doing all keyboard work. In 1988, they released their next album The Seventh One. It featured two big hits, "Pamela", and "Stop Loving You" and became Toto's most popular release behind Toto IV. According to David Paich in an interview in August 2006, the record had strong sales and was supposed to be their comeback record, but their record label got a new president and all promotion was cut very suddenly. Even still, the tour for The Seventh One was hugely successful, opening the door for the band to tour in countries all over the world, many of which they had never visited.
Yet another lead singer and Past To Present
After the Seventh One tour, lead singer Joseph Williams was fired due to drug and vocal problems. In 1989, the band wanted to get back together with Bobby Kimball to record some new songs for a greatest hits album, but their record company wouldn't let it happen and instead made them hire Jean-Michel Byron. Byron and Toto recorded 4 new songs which were included on their greatest hits album Past To Present, released in 1990. Toto then went on a tour titled the "Planet Earth Tour". Shortly into the tour, it became clear that Byron was not a proper fit with Toto and he was subsequently asked to leave the band. Despite the fact that Toto recorded their first live video release, "Live In Paris" during this tour, there is very little footage of Byron on the video. Almost all of Byron's songs that he sung on the tour were cut from the video and the only songs he appears on are Rosanna and Hold The Line. Also, in the credits for the video, Byron is credited as a background singer and not an actual member of Toto.
The passing of Jeff Porcaro, Kingdom Of Desire, and Tambu
Once again without a lead vocalist, guitarist Steve Lukather stepped up to the microphone and became the new lead singer, and the band recorded Kingdom of Desire. Tragedy struck, however, just prior to the record's release when drummer Jeff Porcaro passed away. On August 5, 1992, Jeff suffered an allergic reaction due to a pesticide he was using in his garden. Facing the prospect of a tour without Jeff, Toto almost broke up. However, Jeff Porcaro's family asked the band to continue. Simon Phillips filled in as the new drummer, and they went on tour which they dedicated to Jeff's memory. In 1993, they released a live album called Absolutely Live.
At the close of the Tour, the band performed the Tribute to Jeff Porcaro Concert in Los Angeles. Featuring Toto as well as Don Henley, Eddie Van Halen, Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Boz Scaggs, James Newton Howard, and a special appearance by George Harrison, this show is remembered as one of Toto's most memorable performances. At the close of the tour, the band took a break to pursue individual projects as well as keep up their session schedules.
In 1995, Toto regrouped and recorded Tambu. Quite a departure from Toto's polished, almost over-produced sound of the 80s, Tambu was a very organic release and featured the hit, "I Will Remember" which received a lot of radio play. Toto toured again and the Tambu tour proved to be another successful tour for them. The tour concluded in 1996.
Toto's 20th Anniversary, Bobby Kimball's return, and Mindfields
In 1997, David Paich and Steve Lukather started to go through a bunch of old tapes and demos for an album release of unreleased songs to celebrate the band's 20th Anniversary. In 1998, they released Toto XX. The album featured unreleased songs from all eras and the single, "Goin Home" was released. Toto went on a small promotion tour and brought back Bobby Kimball, Steve Porcaro, and Joseph Williams to play with them on the shows. After the Toto XX tour, Bobby Kimball rejoined the band as lead singer after 15 years. The band released Mindfields in early 1999 and went on the Reunion Tour. Later that year, a live album entitled Livefields was released. The tour continued into 2000.
Toto's 25th Anniversary
In 2002, in celebration of Toto's 25th Anniversary, the band released Through the Looking Glass, which paid tribute to the band's musical influences. Although the album was not a commercial success, it was a fitting nod to the band's heroes and gave them the release they needed to propel the 25th Anniversary Tour. After the tour, Toto released a live album and DVD of the show entitled Live in Amsterdam.
David Paich's retirement
Beginning in 2003, David Paich took a leave of absence from touring in order to spend time with a sick family member. Veteran keyboardist Greg Phillinganes jumped in to fill in for Paich for the bulk of the tour, and eventually, he was asked to permanently join the band. Subsequent to Phillinganes' joining, Paich retired permanently from touring. Paich's involvement with Toto is far from over, however; he records and produces on all of Toto's releases, writes arrangements for the touring band, and sometimes still plays at shows closer to his home in LA.
Falling In Between
In early 2006, Toto released Falling In Between, their first album of new material since 1999. With very positive reviews from critics and fans alike, Toto release the successful single, "Bottom of Your Soul", which hit #1 on many single charts in Europe. Since the record's release, Toto has embarked on an extensive world-wide tour. They have recently begun the second leg of the Falling In Between Tour, with Leland Sklar filling in temporarily for Mike Porcaro on bass. A DVD was recorded in late March 2007 and is planned to be released around Sep/Oct.
Trivia
- Steve Lukather is the only member to have been on every tour (and to have never missed a gig).
- Although Bobby Kimball was the band's lead vocalist, he only sang 3 songs on the album Hydra. The reason for this is unknown.
- The band's name may have elicited a few giggles when they first toured Japan in 1979–1980. TOTO is the name of Japan's largest toilet manufacturer, makers of the high-tech Washlet. Also, despite their popularity in Africa (largely due to their song of the same name), in Nigeria, the band's name in many languages is the same as a slang term for the vagina.
- In 2003, at the urging of jokester Steve Lukather, the Official Web Site posted a fake story that keyboardist David Paich was taking a break from touring to undertake a sex-change operation. The story was picked up by the media all over the world, without a single phone call or e-mail being sent to confirm the story.
- In 2003, Toto headlined the big festival "Night Of The Proms" for three months straight and was the seventh biggest act during that year.
- It was once believed that Toto's name came about because of a (false) rumor that Bobby Kimball's real last name was Toteaux. This rumor was in fact only a joke made by former bassist David Hungate.
- One of the singers heard in the song I'll Be Over You is Michael McDonald.
- One of the singers heard in the song Stop Loving You is Jon Anderson of Yes.
- Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles sings background vocals on "I Won't Hold You Back."
- Linda Ronstadt sings background vocals on "Stay Away."
- In the video for "Rosanna", a young Patrick Swayze can be seen as one of the dancers in the background.
- Paula Abdul appears as a dancer in the video for "Till The End."
- "Rosanna" was written in honor of Steve Porcaro's ex-girlfriend, actress Rosanna Arquette.
- Following the release of the 1988 album, The Seventh One, a Danish journalist was so disgusted with the album that he wrote in his review that you could swap the first couple of letters in the band's name in order to form "Otto", the name of a rhinoceros in a famous Danish children's book. Subsequently, the journalist encouraged these imaginary rhinoceros to stomp on his copy of the album.
References in Other Media
- "Africa" has been sampled and otherwise included in multiple recordings, television programs, games and advertising campaigns.
- American rapper MC Lyte used a sample from the track "Georgy Porgy" in her own song "Poor Georgie".
- American rappers Shade Sheist, Nate Dogg & Kurupt used a sample from the track "Waiting For Your Love " in their song "Where I Wanna Be".
- American R&B artist Eric Benét remade the song "Georgy Porgy" on his 1999 album A Day In The Life.
- DJ Roger Sanchez used a sample from the track "I Won't Hold You Back" in his own song "Another Chance".
- American Rapper Ja Rule used the Africa sample in his song 'Murder Reigns'.
- Young American popstar JoJo also used the Africa sample in her song 'Anything'.
- Three of Toto's songs appeared in games in the Grand Theft Auto series: "Hold The Line" was in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the Classic Rock radio station K-DST, "Africa" was in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the radio station "Emotion 98.3", and "Make Believe" was in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories on the radio station "Emotion 98.3".
- The song "Rosanna" was featured in a 2002 episode of the NBC sitcom Will & Grace. The character Grace Adler was dating a now-incarcerated high-school friend who replaced "Rosanna" with "Grace Adler" and sung the song to her.
- The band received a semi-random reference in the South Park episode "Gnomes." When the mayor needed a "Band that everybody likes" to perform on the day of the Prop 10 vote, she decides after one suggestion to go with Toto. Later, when they do perform, only one member of the audience in fact cheers them.
- Within the story of Frank Zappa's 1979 concept album Joe's Garage, Joe's girlfriend, Mary, leaves him in order to sleep with the roadies of a band called "Toad-O," a band whose name is possibly a reference to Toto.
- The song "Hold the Line" is featured in the 2006 movie Click and in the 1996 movie Mr. Wrong.
- The band was parodied on a couple episodes of the internet series Yacht Rock. One episode is a spoof on how "Rosanna" was written. Another episode spoofs recording a song with Michael Jackson.
- "Africa" was featured in the American TV series Scrubs for its 100th episode, My Way Home. While JD had previously alluded to his like of the band, in this episode the band were used as part of a running Wizard of Oz joke in the episode.
- "Rosanna" was mentioned in another episode of Scrubs (season 4, episode 13: 'My Ocardial Infraction') when Elliot is trying to solve the crossword puzzle question "Four letters, band that sang "Rosanna...". JD immediatly replies: "TOTO! T-O-T-O! Toto".
- The song "Africa" appears in 2 American Dad episodes. Firstly in "Bullocks to Stan", then in the 1st episode of the 2nd season "Camp Refoogee".
- The song "I'll Be Over You" has been covered by Whitney Houston for her untitled 2007 album release.
- The song "Africa" was used during Miss Universe 1995 when going to commercial breaks. That year the pageant was held in Windhoek, Namibia and was won by Chelsi Smith, Miss USA.
- In the animated series "American Dad" lead character Stan Smith can be heard humming, singing along to Africa in a laundy shop
- Beavis and Butt-Head coined the word "Scroto" as a play on their name and the word "scrotum".
Discography
Studio albums
- 1978 Toto US #9, UK #37 (RIAA: Platinum)
- 1979 Hydra US #37 (RIAA: Gold)
- 1981 Turn Back US #41
- 1982 Toto IV US #4, UK #4 (RIAA: 2x Platinum)
- 1984 Isolation (RIAA: Gold)
- 1986 Fahrenheit US #40, UK #99 (RIAA: Gold)
- 1988 The Seventh One US #64
- 1992 Kingdom of Desire
- 1995 Tambu
- 1998 Toto XX (previously unreleased tracks)
- 1999 Mindfields
- 2002 Through the Looking Glass (cover songs)
- 2006 Falling In Between
Compilations, live albums, & soundtracks
- 1984 Dune US #168 (original motion picture soundtrack, remastered and re-released in 1997 and 2001)
- 1990 Past to Present 1977-1990 US #153 ('best of' compilation with 4 new tracks)
- 1993 Absolutely Live
- 1995 Best ballads , published in Germany and Austria
- 1999 Livefields
- 2003 Live in Amsterdam
Singles
See also
- Best selling music artists - World's top selling music artists chart.
References
External links
- Toto official website
- Complete guide to Toto's bio, disco, and news
- Toto biography
- The VERTIGO-Joseph Williams website
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