TOTO, the band from Los Angeles/California, plays as encore of their current setlist "Purple Rain" in a fantastic version.
Heard and seen in Mainz/Germany on July 7.
They are touring in Europe through summer 2004 with guest keyboarder Greg Philinganes (played with Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, etc.), who replaces TOTO founding member David Paich on the first leg of the tour due to personal reasons.
Playing "Purple Rain" as 2nd encore after "Hold the Line", Greg's on vocals and Steve Lukather plays an incredible guitar solo.
The audience appreciates this classic and timeless song very much and thanks with an extremely enthusiastic applause.

mcweissbier said:

Aww please!
Toto's not a band, they're an industry.
These guys have no feelings, they only know how to play perfect.
They better leave 'real' music alone, or write a decent tune themselves. Yuk!

LookUp2C said:

I actually like Toto and think they're a good band. Don't know how I feel about a version of Purple Rain by them, but they've certainly got their merit as a band that did write their own tunes.

I thought this thread was going to be about a pooch, like that recording of "Jingle Bells" by the barking dogs!

step 1

step 2

step 3

Da horror.

That must me a ultimate slap in the face...

I like TOTO. Always liked them as a kid. I think it's cool that TOTO is doing the song. Nothing wrong with showing their audience that Prince is someone that they admire. I would imagine that they do a good job playing it. They're good musicians and Steve Lukather smokes on the guitar. I would like 2 hear his solo on it. TOTO is not the first band to do "Purple Rain". David Gilmore of Pink Floyd has performed it live several times as has Eric Clapton performed it once that I know of. It's only natural that other rock bands would want 2 play it. It's a great song 2 perform live. And it's a great "rock" song with a great "rock" solo. People should'nt be surprised.

"I don't give a fuck if you boo, just as long as you boo in key."

Jimi Hendrix

Supernova said:

"Now clap yer hands, and sing with us y'all: PURPLE RAAAAAIIIIN, PURPLE RAAAAAIIIIIN!!!!"

What, no georgie porgie, no Africa, no Rossanna??? Might as well be playing STYX.

I`m so glad i didn`t hear this.

Nice discussion

You can't reduce TOTO to their 3 biggest Hits (Hold the Line, Rosanna, Africa), they had their commercial highlight with "IV" in 1982 and worldwide success until the mid 80s. Nowadays they are a hard working rock band out of the commercial focus who had similar problems with their record company (SONY/Columbia) as Prince had in the past with WARNER.

So just a little bit more respect to the musicians even if you don't like their music in general.
Purple Rain wasn't played in the typical TOTO style but just as outstanding rock song with an incredible guitar solo by Steve Lukather. Prince would have aprreciated it. And the audience was blown away, sang every single word and waved the hands like it's used to be at a Prince show.

LookUp2C said:

i like Toto a lot always have but who in the hell is their lead singer now? they have gone threw many!

Mazerati said:

It's again the original lead singer Bobby Kimball (re-joined in 1997)!

mcweissbier said:

Well, nobody said that over here.
But infact, you CAN. Those 3 songs are the only 'quality' popsongs they wrote in over 20 years. I had most of their albums, but I gave 'm all away.

I respect them as studio musicians, like I said they're perfect players.
But they do not touch my heart, or emotions. Brrrrr. Cold.

Aww, look at Steve Lukather, even more fat than George Lucas, does he sound like he looks now? I hope not!
Even back in the days, it was Eddie van Halen who made 'Beat it' an interesting track to listen to, and not the Lukather guitarparts.

This is obviously only my point of view, so....
[This message was edited Fri Jul 9 4:16:01 2004 by LookUp2C]

LookUp2C said:

Obviously your point of view!
It shouldn't get a discussion about TOTO, but some further notes from my point of view.

Sad enough that you gave away your TOTO albums, though you do not make the impression to really know the band, even to have seen them performing live on stage. Maybe you didn't had enough time to listen to the other brilliant songs they wrote. O.K. your decision, but please do not judge over the rest of their work.

Concerning "Beat it", I'm not sure but afaik Eddie played the solo and Lukather the rest of the guitar parts, so the intro of "Beat it" should have been Lukather's guitar which is recognized by everyone.

Just some poor remarks about Lukather's shape, it's a shame to reduce a musician to his look, and let me say something: he is not fat, but that doesn't matter.

mcweissbier said:

Hi, mcweissbier, no offence. Although I'm not a toto-fan, I was clearly poking fun at them.
But I CAN judge over their work, since I told you that I had all of their albums, and yes I know all their great songs, not only the hits, and all that. True, I haven't seen them live.
I'm sure they can pull it all off, live, they sure can play.

And yes I know that Lukather played alll the guitarparts on Beat It, I only wanted to say that what Van Halen did in 30 seconds is much more interesting than listening to Lukather the whole album. IMHO.

You have artists, and people who make their money in the music industry.
That's a big difference.
Prince is obviously an artist, while Toto's musicians are perfect playing businessman.
Of course that's my opinion, but it's something most music critics agree on. No really.

For example: A critical guide to the best recordings on Compact Disc says about Toto:



I can only agree.
When you look at Steve Lukather you see a man with too much money and obviously too much time on his hands.
He may not be fat, but he sure ain't good looking!



Tastes do differ.
I understand that people love Toto.They know how to play, and wrote a couple of classics.
I was interested in them, Toto IV excited me reasonably in the beginning, but they didn't keep up. Later I got into more 'genuine' music, more soul, feelings, you know.
So, that's the story.
I didn't want to offend you, since you clearly are a fan.
Hey, I gotta tell you: I DO love Weissbier!
Ta!

LookUp2C said:

To this day I still dig "Georgy Porgy," but your view of them as a band is one that's held by many people. And for some reason I always found Jeff Porcaro's (RIP) drumming a lot more interesting on his studio work, like his work with Boz Scaggs and Steely Dan, as oppposed to Toto's. I guess one of the main reasons I like "Georgy Porgy" is because of Cheryl Lynn's role on that song, but I digress....I simply cannot fathom them playing an emotional song like "Purple Rain." But to me...they're not as cold as, say....Rush.


`
[This message was edited Fri Jul 9 13:21:53 2004 by Supernova]

Supernova said:

Rush. Bwwwrrrrr. C-c-c-co-o-ol-d! Clap-clap-clapper. (my teeth)

I know Greg Philinganes. He's married to one of my best friends. He's a good musician. I'm glad they cover Prince-only cuz Prince is the best

@LookUp2C

Serious discussion now! Compliment!

Not all the critics know what they are writing, they copy and copy and copy.
So the picture of e.g. TOTO hasn't changed in the public for 20 years due to these critics, but actually they don't make their money in musik industry, as I mentioned before, they are artists who have fun to do their own stuff inspite of doing what the record company wants them to do (similarity to Prince?).
Concerning money, I can tell you that TOTO, although Lukather, is not swimming in money, they have to play a lot of gigs per year to get the money and freedom to recording an album they want to, e.g. "Through the looking Glass" a cover album of their favorite songs/artists, which only sells among the fans and not the masses.

What I want to say is not to believe everything what so-called critics are writing, make your own decision and do not judge a person by it's outer appearance.

You drink "Weissbier" in Holland?
Great!

mcweissbier said:

Yes I do, it's the only beer I like, err...love.
So every now and then.

(Totally Off Topic Ltd.)

Btw, I'd really like to hear Toto's version of Purple Rain. (not that I think that I'm gonna like it, just curious )

CHeers McWeissbier!