Toto
 

I can't seem to find a Toto thread so i'm starting one. Toto is my favourite band and my top 3 toto albums is:

Fahrenheit
Tambu
The seventh one

I think their last album "falling in between" has some good quality.
i've read that you can see them live. You can see them in Sweden in august i think.


Very good band and i also think that they are very good at doing ballads.
It would be interesting to know your opinion about the band, what is your favorite song for instance. Mine is "africa".

Toto are without doubt one of my favourite all time bands, AOR gave us a whole load of very accomplished and brilliant bands amongst a bunch of mediocre acts, BUT Toto were the best. They ticked all the right boxes from the word go, they had outstanding musicians, fantastic song writers, songs that sat in your head, the right mix between commercial and non-commercial material, heavy and soft material and always fantastic vocalists.

The only thing that surprises me about your above post, is the choice of your favourite 3 Toto albums. The Seventh One is a very good album but Faranheit was poor and Tambu just a good listen. The Toto classics are very much the first 5 albums as those define the band.

I could go on talking about how outsanding and brilliant this band is for page after page, but I don't want to bore people:laughing:

Toto fan myself. And I'd have to agree with Unknown Soldier regarding the first five albums, they are some favorites of mine also.

I agree with you. A fantastic band. Maybe i should have written that they are my favourite albums "right now". Of course Toto and Toto IV has a place among the top three if you ask me.

What is your opinion about Hydra? Is it progg?

Top 5 would be:

1).Isolation
2).Toto
3).Toto IV
4).Hydra
5).Turn Back

Also I'd actually say The Seventh One is a better album than Turn Back just.

Hydra is often regarded as their proggy album, but its not really. Toto were never really into extensive noodling and always sought to pack a punch into their extended instrumentals, the pomp rock label describes Hydra better than prog ever could.

Three of the gems off Hydra.


TOTO - Hydra (Remastered) - YouTube


St. George And The Dragon - YouTube


Mama - YouTube

Which album should I start with US?
I've only heard singles from them, such as Hold the Line and Africa, and have been interested in hearing more.

I would go in order of their release, it tells the best story:

Toto 1978
Hydra 1979
Turn Back 1980
Toto IV 1982
Isolation 1984

Only explore the later stuff if you like these. Bobby Kimball was vocalist on the first four with Fergie Fredrickson coming in as vocalist just for Isolation. Isolation sounds like its by a different band at times, but is just so good, its actually a contender for one of my all time favourite personal albums. Also besides the lead vocalists Steve Lukather and David Paich were also great vocalists that sung on a number of tracks, also Steve Pocaro sings on a couple of songs on the albums I've listed above.

By the way, has anybody here seen them live? And if, are they good live?

I know that they will release a Live-dvd from their tour 2012.

and do they have any good live album?
And another thing. What's their top 3 ballads? Would be interesting to read your opinions about that.

1: Africa
2: Anna
3: Lea

And by the way, i think that Mushanga is very good, what's your opinion about Mushanga that's on the album "The seventh one"?

I've seen them live 3 times, in 1988, 1990 and 2007 and they were good on all occasions and very professional. The best live album is Live in Amsterdam and recommended, it should be fairly easy to get hold of.

Ballads:
1. I Won't Hold You Back
2. 99
3. Africa

* I actually think "Angela" is the best ballad, but is it really a ballad with its heavy guitar and drum section so probably no, that's why I left it out.

Mushanga is a great song and Joseph Williams was a great vocalist in the Toto tradition, I wasn't too keen on him as a writer though or with some of the ideas he brought to the band. "Home of the Brave" is the song though that rules on that album, Steve Lukather's guitar solo's on that song are legendary.

i really like this line in "Africa"

"as sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti"

i'm just a sucker for pompous clumsy lines