Band of the Week: Toto! - VGF

Koga · 05-16-2006, 06:05 AM

Toto

Genre: (Soft) Rock
Formed: 1976

Members:
Current line-up
Steve Lukather: guitars, vocals (1976-present)
David Paich: keyboards, vocals (1976-present)
Bobby Kimball: vocals (1976-1984, 1999-present)
Mike Porcaro: bass (1984-present)
Simon Phillips: drums and percussion (1992-present)
Gregg Phillinganes: keyboards, vocals (2004-present)

Past members
Jeff Porcaro: drums and percussion (1976-1992 (died of heart attack))
Steve Porcaro: keyboards and vocals (1976-1988)
David Hungate: bass (1976-1982)
Dennis ‘Fergie’ Frederkisen: vocals (1984)
Joseph Williams: vocals (1986-1988)
Jean-Michael Byron: vocals (1990)

Discography:
Toto (1978)
Hydra (1979)
Turn Back (1981)
Toto IV (1982)
Isolation (1984)
Fahrenheit (1986)
The Seventh One (1988)
Past to Present (1990)
Kingdom of Desire (1992)
Tambu (1995)
Mindfields (1999)
Through the Looking Glass (cover songs) (2002)
Falling In Between (2006)

Koga · 05-16-2006, 06:17 AM

There's one album that really got me into this band and that's the past to present album. It's a semi-compilation album with 4 new songs and their greatest hits so far. But it was mostly the greatest hits that I liked: songs like Hold The Line, Africa, Rosanna, Stop Loving You, Pamela, Georgy Porgy, 99 and I Won't Hold You Back.

Like with most band I liked I tried to download more of their songs. I liked quite a lot of them, but I also found that they had quite a few songs I didn't like that much. This is partly caused by the frequent personel changes (as you can see in the members section). From their 5th to their 8th album they were trying a variety of new singers, but only one was a succes. Composer John Williams' son Joseph, but he decided to move on.

Things got even worse when drummer Jeff Porcaro died unexpectedly in 1992. They thought about disbanding, but decided to go on and replace Jeff with British drummer Simon Philips. Bobby Kimball, the bands original lead singer returned to the band in 1999 after a 15 year absence. He originally left the band because of drug problems.

I saw the current line-up live last year and it was a great show, but it once more showed me that I don't like this band that much beyond their greatest hits. Still, there's plenty of songs I like from this band. I even bought one studio album not too long ago: their grammy award winning Toto IV (with Rossana and Africa among others), and I think it's great.

**Crazyswordsman** · 05-17-2006, 07:24 AM

I love Toto. "Hold the line" will always be a classic. -CSM

Mark Prior · 05-17-2006, 07:54 AM

these guys had more than one hit?

Koga · 05-17-2006, 10:11 AM

They've had three top 5 hits in the US with Hold The Line (#5), Rosanna (#2) and Africa (#1), and these three songs were chart toppers all over the world. They've had an additional 7 US top 40 singles.

***CaptHayfever*** · 05-17-2006, 04:48 PM

Toto. Good stuff. Well, at least the greatest hits is good; I haven't heard much else.
They had an intensely Nez-inspired sound, I would've marked 'em as country-rock.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

Koga · 05-18-2006, 03:15 AM

Nez-inspired?

I think they're overall stuff classifies as (classic) rock, but they have a lot more ballads than heavy stuff, which is why I put (soft) in brackets.

What songs would you say have a country-feel to them?

***CaptHayfever*** · 05-18-2006, 10:23 PM

It's been a while, I'll have to borrow the CD again and get back to you.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

Koga · 05-26-2006, 06:52 AM

I've been a little busy at the beginning of this week, so I will just leave this for another week, and update next Monday (or Sunday night).

05-16-2006, 06:05 AM	#1
Koga Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: The Netherlands Gender: Posts: 17,093 Thanks: 104 Thanked 176 Times in 118 Posts Points: 104,477.41 Bank: 17,752.41 Total Points: 122,229.82 Donate	Band of the Week: Toto! Toto Genre: (Soft) Rock Formed: 1976 Members: Current line-up Steve Lukather: guitars, vocals (1976-present) David Paich: keyboards, vocals (1976-present) Bobby Kimball: vocals (1976-1984, 1999-present) Mike Porcaro: bass (1984-present) Simon Phillips: drums and percussion (1992-present) Gregg Phillinganes: keyboards, vocals (2004-present) Past members Jeff Porcaro: drums and percussion (1976-1992 (died of heart attack)) Steve Porcaro: keyboards and vocals (1976-1988) David Hungate: bass (1976-1982) Dennis ‘Fergie’ Frederkisen: vocals (1984) Joseph Williams: vocals (1986-1988) Jean-Michael Byron: vocals (1990) Discography: Toto (1978) Hydra (1979) Turn Back (1981) Toto IV (1982) Isolation (1984) Fahrenheit (1986) The Seventh One (1988) Past to Present (1990) Kingdom of Desire (1992) Tambu (1995) Mindfields (1999) Through the Looking Glass (cover songs) (2002) Falling In Between (2006)

05-16-2006, 06:17 AM	#2
Koga Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: The Netherlands Gender: Posts: 17,093 Thanks: 104 Thanked 176 Times in 118 Posts Points: 104,477.41 Bank: 17,752.41 Total Points: 122,229.82 Donate	There's one album that really got me into this band and that's the past to present album. It's a semi-compilation album with 4 new songs and their greatest hits so far. But it was mostly the greatest hits that I liked: songs like Hold The Line, Africa, Rosanna, Stop Loving You, Pamela, Georgy Porgy, 99 and I Won't Hold You Back. Like with most band I liked I tried to download more of their songs. I liked quite a lot of them, but I also found that they had quite a few songs I didn't like that much. This is partly caused by the frequent personel changes (as you can see in the members section). From their 5th to their 8th album they were trying a variety of new singers, but only one was a succes. Composer John Williams' son Joseph, but he decided to move on. Things got even worse when drummer Jeff Porcaro died unexpectedly in 1992. They thought about disbanding, but decided to go on and replace Jeff with British drummer Simon Philips. Bobby Kimball, the bands original lead singer returned to the band in 1999 after a 15 year absence. He originally left the band because of drug problems. I saw the current line-up live last year and it was a great show, but it once more showed me that I don't like this band that much beyond their greatest hits. Still, there's plenty of songs I like from this band. I even bought one studio album not too long ago: their grammy award winning Toto IV (with Rossana and Africa among others), and I think it's great.

05-17-2006, 07:24 AM	#3
Crazyswordsman RPG Mod Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Booyaville (yeah!) Gender: Posts: 7,991 Thanks: 538 Thanked 374 Times in 257 Posts Points: 127,351.93 Bank: 26,695.24 Total Points: 154,047.16 Donate	I love Toto. "Hold the line" will always be a classic. -CSM

05-17-2006, 07:54 AM	#4
Mark Prior Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Gender: Posts: 305 Thanks: 21 Thanked 22 Times in 17 Posts Points: 6,254.56 Bank: 828.59 Total Points: 7,083.15 Donate	these guys had more than one hit?

05-17-2006, 10:11 AM	#5
Koga Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: The Netherlands Gender: Posts: 17,093 Thanks: 104 Thanked 176 Times in 118 Posts Points: 104,477.41 Bank: 17,752.41 Total Points: 122,229.82 Donate	They've had three top 5 hits in the US with Hold The Line (#5), Rosanna (#2) and Africa (#1), and these three songs were chart toppers all over the world. They've had an additional 7 US top 40 singles.

05-17-2006, 04:48 PM	#6
*CaptHayfever* Smash Supermod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 19,297 Thanks: 161 Thanked 740 Times in 479 Posts Points: 105,892.07 Bank: 942.27 Total Points: 106,834.35 Donate	Toto. Good stuff. Well, at least the greatest hits is good; I haven't heard much else. They had an intensely Nez-inspired sound, I would've marked 'em as country-rock. And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

05-18-2006, 03:15 AM	#7
Koga Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: The Netherlands Gender: Posts: 17,093 Thanks: 104 Thanked 176 Times in 118 Posts Points: 104,477.41 Bank: 17,752.41 Total Points: 122,229.82 Donate	Nez-inspired? I think they're overall stuff classifies as (classic) rock, but they have a lot more ballads than heavy stuff, which is why I put (soft) in brackets. What songs would you say have a country-feel to them?

05-18-2006, 10:23 PM	#8
*CaptHayfever* Smash Supermod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 19,297 Thanks: 161 Thanked 740 Times in 479 Posts Points: 105,892.07 Bank: 942.27 Total Points: 106,834.35 Donate	It's been a while, I'll have to borrow the CD again and get back to you. And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

05-26-2006, 06:52 AM	#9
Koga Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: The Netherlands Gender: Posts: 17,093 Thanks: 104 Thanked 176 Times in 118 Posts Points: 104,477.41 Bank: 17,752.41 Total Points: 122,229.82 Donate	I've been a little busy at the beginning of this week, so I will just leave this for another week, and update next Monday (or Sunday night).