Toto

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Great show last night!! 

First time seeing them at an outdoor venue so I was a bit worried about the sound but it was crystal clear. This is the third time seeing them with Joseph and he just sounds better and better, I mean he basically nails all the high vocal parts that Bobby struggled with.

I'm really diggin Shannon Forrest on drums, he's the closest drummer they ever had to Jeff.

I'm not sure if it was Shannons decision or the band but many of the songs had a bit lower tempo than usual or actually more closer to their original tempos and I loved that, it made the songs breath a bit more and brought more life to the songs live imo. I read some comments on the internet saying he dragged the tempo down but I didn't get that feeling at all, because as I said the tempo was slower from the beginning but he still very much played in the pocket.

Overall the band sounded great as usual and with lots of energy.

[Orbert]

Sounds like a good show.  I really don't like it when bands feel like they have to speed everything up when they play live because it's "more exciting" or "more rocking" or something.  Most of the time it just sounds rushed to me, and the songs have no room to breathe, so it's interesting that you made that same observation.

[BlobVanDam]

Some bands/songs really call for faster tempos, but Toto music isn't about the high energy, it's about that precise groove, so I think slower tempos serve them better.

[Orbert]

Exactly.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Sounds like a good show.  I really don't like it when bands feel like they have to speed everything up when they play live because it's "more exciting" or "more rocking" or something.  Most of the time it just sounds rushed to me, and the songs have no room to breathe, so it's interesting that you made that same observation.

Yea that's the feeling I got. What's interesting is that no song felt too slow or anything like that, instead it just made them more groovy. 99 was especially sweet, probably the best version i've heard by them.

[axeman90210]

Can someone recommend me a first Toto album to check out?

[King Postwhore]

Can someone recommend me a first Toto album to check out?

Hydra -- Older.

Falling In Between -- Newer.

[Kwyjibo]

I wouldn't recommend Hydra for a start, it's not that easy to get into imo.

I would start with either their debut (Toto) or with The Seventh One.

[BlobVanDam]

I'll second the choice of the debut.

[Polarbear]

Go with Toto IV or The Seventh One first!

After that, move on to Hydra and Isolation.

They don't really have a bad album in their discography, apart from Turn Back which is pretty mediocre..

[King Postwhore]

I wouldn't recommend Hydra for a start, it's not that easy to get into imo.

I would start with either their debut (Toto) or with The Seventh One.

I know Bill's taste though and he listens to a lot of Prog.  It's not that deep of a challenge.

[Kwyjibo]

It's okay, I just thought that Toto and The Seventh One (and IV maybe) capture the core sound of Toto better than Hydra. And apart from the covers album every Toto record is at least a good record.

[AngelBack]

I wouldn't recommend Hydra for a start, it's not that easy to get into imo.

I would start with either their debut (Toto) or with The Seventh One.

I know Bill's taste though and he listens to a lot of Prog.  It's not that deep of a challenge.

Hydra is stellar, White Sister may be my favorite song by anyone ever.

[King Postwhore]

It's okay, I just thought that Toto and The Seventh One (and IV maybe) capture the core sound of Toto better than Hydra. And apart from the covers album every Toto record is at least a good record.

The Seventh One is my second favorite Toto album.  I got to see them on that tour as well.

[LudwigVan]

Just start with the first S/T album and go from there in chronological order.

[Kwyjibo]

Just stumbled across this

Africa Metal Cover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH9FyLsfDzw 

I love this, great facial expressions and the girl is cute 

[kaos2900]

Wow, that guy was so annoying. I went to a concert and stood next to a guy who acted like that trying to impress chicks. I wanted to deck him.

[The Walrus]

I've been unlucky and haven't seen Toto this last tour or the one before that - the one and only time I've seen them was in 2013 and that was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Next to Stratovarius Toto is my favorite band ever. I can't freaking wait for the next album. 

[Kwyjibo]

We can't have enough Toto fans here, this thread is only active one or two times a year and that's a shame.

[The Walrus]

We can't have enough Toto fans here, this thread is only active one or two times a year and that's a shame.

I've always hated that Toto doesn't get the respect they deserve. So many amazing songs across all their albums, I think the only album I simply dislike is Fahrenheit. There are a couple others I'm not too warm on but don't think they're bad, and Toto IV is the best album of all time...

[LudwigVan]

We can't have enough Toto fans here, this thread is only active one or two times a year and that's a shame.

I've always hated that Toto doesn't get the respect they deserve. So many amazing songs across all their albums, I think the only album I simply dislike is Fahrenheit. There are a couple others I'm not too warm on but don't think they're bad, and Toto IV is the best album of all time...

Love Fahrenheit.  Maybe in my top 3 Toto albums.

[King Postwhore]

Hydra # 1 for me.  # 2 is The Seventh One.

[LudwigVan]

Hydra # 1 for me.  # 2 is The Seventh One.

Hmmm.  Mine might look like this:

1: Seventh One
3-way tie: Toto / IV / Fahrenheit

[TAC]

I've never heard a single Toto album in my life.

[King Postwhore]

I've never heard a single Toto album in my life.

I knew you were off in the head Tim.

Hydra # 1 for me.  # 2 is The Seventh One.

Hmmm.  Mine might look like this:

1: Seventh One
3-way tie: Toto / IV / Fahrenheit

The Seventh One is an album I never can get sick of.

[The Walrus]

My ranking changes all the time but at this moment, right now, it looks like this. The top 3 are all consistently at the top though I think.

Awesome:
1. Toto IV
2. Mindfields
3. Hydra
4. XIV
5. Toto

Really good:
6. Tambu
7. The Seventh One
8. Kingdom of Desire
9. Falling In Between

Not so keen on:
10. Isolation
11. Turn Back
12. Fahrenheit

[Kwyjibo]

Ranking the records is incredibly hard, at the momemt mine would probably look like this (although this could change any day):

1a Kingdom Of Desire
1b The Seventh One
3   Toto
4   Falling In Between
5   Isolation
6   Mindfields
7   Toto IV
8   Toto XIV
9   Hydra
10 Turn Back
11 Fahrenheit
12 Tambu
13 Through The Looking Glass

Shows the strength of their discography that a killer album like Toto IV is only middle tier for me.

[LudwigVan]

I've never heard a single Toto album in my life.

It's okay, I forgive your transgressions.   

[The Walrus]

Ranking the records is incredibly hard, at the momemt mine would probably look like this (although this could change any day):

1a Kingdom Of Desire
1b The Seventh One
3   Toto
4   Falling In Between
5   Isolation
6   Mindfields
7   Toto IV
8   Toto XIV
9   Hydra
10 Turn Back
11 Fahrenheit
12 Tambu
13 Through The Looking Glass

Shows the strength of their discography that a killer album like Toto IV is only middle tier for me.

I love talking about this band with people because look at how different this list is from mine! So many different opinions on all their albums. Fascinating stuff. Since you ranked Through The Looking Glass, where would you put XX, the album with all the unreleased material and B-sides etc.? I like a lot of the songs on it but I'd probably put it right under Falling In Between in my list.

[Kwyjibo]

XX is a cool record but because of it's nature of leftovers and live recordings it doesn't flow like a "proper" record. Some cool songs on there, some not that good but interesting.

If I would rank it, it would be more on the bottom half of the list, somewhere around Tambu. But it's still a worthwhile listen.

[The Walrus]

Bump. So, yesterday I found an original pressing of Isolation on CD at my preferred local record store. Snatched it up, because Toto. So, I'm going through the album again and I decide to watch the Stranger In Town music video. At 1:15 in the music video, the guy they show is actually Brad Dourif, who plays Grima Wormtongue in the Lord of the Rings films. Thanks, YouTube comments! 

[Orbert]

Haven't seen it, but I appreciate Brad Dourif.  Dark weirdass dude excels at playing dark weirdass characters.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

TOTO “40 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN”
TO BE RELEASED ON FEBRUARY 9TH
Remastered Greatest Hits Collection Featuring Three Brand New Tracks To Be Released On Legacy Recordings
40 Trips Around The Sun World Tour Begins In Europe On February 11, 2018
Los Angeles, CA --- TOTO is pleased to announce a February 9th worldwide release date on Legacy Recordings (a division of Sony Music) for their brand new Greatest Hits package titled 40 Trips Around The Sun. The 17 track album features three previously unreleased recordings: “Spanish Sea” “Alone” and “Struck By Lightning” alongside newly remastered classic tracks worked on by Elliot Scheiner & Gavin Lurssen and his team. The core Toto members, Steve Lukather, David Paich, Steve Porcaro, Joseph Williams re-entered the studio earlier this year to work on this release.
While going through the Sony vaults, the band uncovered several unfinished tracks that featured both Jeff and Mike Porcaro, one of which is now “Spanish Sea.” “This track is originally from the Isolation sessions,” Steve Lukather commented. “It’s one that didn't make it and we had to re-write it including creating a new chorus. Thanks to modern tech we were able to play once again with not only our 20 something selves but with our dear brothers Jeff and Mike Porcaro reminding us just how deep their groove was. Bittersweet... Many stories, laughs and a few tears on this one. It’s classic Toto with an excellent solo and I kept my old 1985 melody solo Dave wanted me to do... Old meets new but since legendary pal Al Schmitt cut the tracks and Bob Clearmountain mixed...it sounds like it was done 2 weeks ago not 30 + years ago!”
All fans who pre-order the album beginning today will receive “Alone” as an instant grat track. “Alone is a brand new song,” Lukather remarked. “This one was written with just the four of us really writing together and no one else in the room with us. We wanted to start with an ‘up’ song in terms of groove for the album. The lyric is darker but we are older guys now ands have lived life. The good, bad and ugly... we have lived it all and in the end we are all alone anyway. Proud of this piece and it just sort of organically happened.” Fans can pre-order the album here: https://lnk.to/toto_GH
Listen to "Alone" here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlFU8fPGezk
The third new track on 40 Trips Around The Sun: “Struck By Lightning” began with David Paich. “I had the opening riff in my head for months,” Paich said. “Joe and the guys helped flesh this one out. I love the heavy arrangement and Luke’s solo on it is an all time great!”
Beginning on February 11th in Helsinki, the band will begin the first leg of their worldwide 40 Trips Around The Sun tour in support of their 40th anniversary. 36 shows in Europe have been announced to date. The tour will be the band’s most extensive run in years and is expected to hit the U.S. later in 2018. More shows will be announced shortly.
TOTO – 40 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN TRACK LISTING
Alone
Spanish Sea
I'll Supply The Love
I'll Be Over You
Stranger In Town
99
Struck By Lightning
Pamela
Afraid Of Love
I Won't Hold You Back
Jake To The Bone
Stop Loving You
Lea
Hold The Line
George Porgy
Rosanna
Africa

Greatest hits....again. 3 new songs is nice but feels a bit cheap to not do a whole new album. Oh well, looking forward to the tour anyway.

[Polarbear]

New song "Alone" is up on Spotify!

Love it! Shame that we are not getting a whole album, but i'm excited to see them in February regardless!

[The Walrus]

I don't feel like skimming through every compilation released thus far but it's a little disappointing to get *another* greatest hits compilation with pretty much the same old same old. That said, new Toto is good Toto and I'll buy it, but to be honest I was expecting a whole new album.