TOTO

[profusion]

But the contrast is the point. Actually, I don't know if Kimball could sing that low.

Yeah, I get that about the contrast. The verses always felt weak because of the vocals, though, and I've felt that way since the song was a hit single and in constant rotation on MTV.

Toto loses me completely during their soft rock moments. I like "Hold the Line" and the rockier moments on the first two albums, but both those albums drag whenever they veer into Elton John territory. Also, their funk just isn't nearly funky enough for me. They sound exactly like jaded L.A. session guys whenever they try to do that.

kimball, to me, is an epitomy of oversinging. it doesn't take long for him to plainly get on my effin' nerves.

I'm into classic soul singing, so Kimball seems pretty restrained by comparison.

[iguana]

Same here (although I only saw him live once). Seems some prog fans don't mind a lot of notes from an instrumentalist, but singers aren't allowed.

noteworthy progressive musicians also know when to stop and when to understate. smothering everything with superfluous vocalising and torrents of notes doesn't make you prog, let alone progressive.

[JKL2000]

I always thought Toto was a pretty annoying name (I always figured it was taken from the dog in The Wizard of Oz, which just seemed pretty doofy to me). But it's quite possible that with any other name they might not have done as well as they did.

[nosebone]

I never warmed up to Toto's sound, but always admired Luke's guitar playing and some of their songwriting.

But, FWIW, I saw Toto a few years ago in a very small ( 200 seats) theater in Ridgefield Ct., and they played like it was Giants stadium in front of 40,000 screaming fans.

Awesome show, I have much respect for these guys.

[Sean]

Even their debut had some arena rock stuff. In fact, I'd say they had that 80s sound even on their debut back in the 70s and are fore-fathers of it. The prog was negligible at best with them, but the area riff rock was in strong abundance.

[No Pride]

I never warmed up to Toto's sound, but always admired Luke's guitar playing and some of their songwriting.

But, FWIW, I saw Toto a few years ago in a very small ( 200 seats) theater in Ridgefield Ct., and they played like it was Giants stadium in front of 40,000 screaming fans.

Awesome show, I have much respect for these guys.

That pretty much mirrors my sentiment. I saw them live about 7 years ago and they're top notch pros; great players and the vocals were spot on. Luke is an excellent rock guitar player with enough jazz smarts to keep me interested and Simon Phillips is one of my favorite drummers. But their music is intentionally commercial rock/pop for the most part and there's only a handful of tunes that I consider to be really good. And their lyrics are generally pretty atrocious.

[highaltitude]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqNESZVRdck

This days, when 90's starting, this band was the "Nec Non Plus Ultra" of PopRock music. Steve Lukather, the guitar player is so amazing, you cant imagine this that time....few have arrived to do so...

The band, not the fictional dog.

Is Toto any good? I only know one or two of their mega hits. What are their three best songs? I'll check em' out on YouTube (or you can post them here for my listening pleasure or displeasure).

They were mentioned on one of the Yes threads, and I just thought I'd ask.

[luvyesmusic]

Bobby Kimball is one cool dude and quite the entertainer. He's also got a ton of energy. He wears one of those ionic type bracelets and swears by it. I had the pleasure of meeting him with Billy Sherwood and company when they did the YOSO tour. I had picked up a buddy of mine who flew in from England to catch a few shows. After the show, my friend, myself, Bobby and Tony Kaye hung out at the bar across the street for a couple of hours. Bobby at one point was dancing with a young lady who worked there, singing Roseanna acapella. I thought it was very cool. I also think she was born after the song came out and had no idea that the guy she was dancing with was an iconic rock-singer.

[JIF]

[devoidzer0]

Was reading a Toto feature in a back issue of Prog magazine (before the release of XIV), and it seems the band has an over-inflated sense of their prog status. David Paitch was asked about Styx and Kansas and said those bands are more pop-oriented Toto has ever been. Toto more prog than Kansas? You've got to be kidding me. I honestly think Styx is more prog than Toto, and they are prog-lite on a good day. Maybe I just haven't heard the right Toto tracks (admittedly I haven't had a chance to read this whole thread, and many of the YouTube links are now broken). Any suggestions for songs showcasing their prog side? I like the radio hits but I haven't heard a single Toto song I would consider close to prog.

[Scott Bails]

Check out "Falling in Between" - especially the Live in Poland version. Also, "Dave's Gone Skiing" or "Great Expectations."

[Rick Robson]

I recently acknowledged that almost the entire band made a remarkable collaboration on the first Greg Lake solo effort in '81, but even so would never expect any experienced musician/composer to do such sorts of comparisons or pigeonholing considerations, like "their music is more pop-oriented (or less 'prog') than mine'.
Anyways that Lake's album is worth checking out, and always liked some music by Toto.

[devoidzer0]

Check out "Falling in Between" - especially the Live in Poland version. Also, "Dave's Gone Skiing" or "Great Expectations."

Thanks, will check them out.

[pb2015]

Was reading a Toto feature in a back issue of Prog magazine (before the release of XIV), and it seems the band has an over-inflated sense of their prog status. David Paitch was asked about Styx and Kansas and said those bands are more pop-oriented Toto has ever been. Toto more prog than Kansas? You've got to be kidding me. I honestly think Styx is more prog than Toto, and they are prog-lite on a good day. Maybe I just haven't heard the right Toto tracks (admittedly I haven't had a chance to read this whole thread, and many of the YouTube links are now broken). Any suggestions for songs showcasing their prog side? I like the radio hits but I haven't heard a single Toto song I would consider close to prog.

I remember from early MTV that "I'll Supply The Love" from the first album has a pretty cool instrumental bit at the end if you can sit through the song.

[Scott Bails]

I remember from early MTV that "I'll Supply The Love" from the first album has a pretty cool instrumental bit at the end if you can sit through the song.

And, if you can't sit through that, there's "Child's Anthem," a cool instrumental from the same album.

[bob_32_116]

I honestly think Styx is more prog than Toto, and they are prog-lite on a good day.

I tend to agree. Having said that, I would much rather listen to Toto than to Styx. Styx, as you say, are prog-lite; Toto are not at all prog, unless there are some proggy tracks that I haven't heard, but they are an above-average rock band, and that's how they should be appreciated. I do not listen to Toto expecting "Supper's Ready".

[devoidzer0]

I tend to agree. Having said that, I would much rather listen to Toto than to Styx. Styx, as you say, are prog-lite; Toto are not at all prog, unless there are some proggy tracks that I haven't heard, but they are an above-average rock band, and that's how they should be appreciated. I do not listen to Toto expecting "Supper's Ready".

That would be fine with me if they were presented that way, I just find it puzzling why they are featured in a prog-themed magazine spinning them as a prog band.

[Rick Robson]

And, if you can't sit through that, there's "Child's Anthem," a cool instrumental from the same album.

Its guitar bit performed live in Amsterdam for the band's 25th Anniversary in 2003 is rather more beautiful and vividly played. And I'd say the same about the following instrumental excerpt of "I'll Supply the Love" , on that Medley.

[pb2015]

For the heck of it I listened to part of the album Isolation on Spotify a while back. The first song has a Tony Banks-style instrumental bridge - unfortunately it only lasts 20 seconds (starting at 1:30).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1gcqzxHPHg