Toto: The band plays on with hits and misses

Hera Diani , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"We're the original hip hop band," joked Steve Lukather, the guitarist/vocalist of the band Toto, at a media conference here recently.

He referred to a number of rap and techno artists such as Li'l Kim, Ja Rule and Robert Sanchez, who, the band claimed, have sampled Toto's songs and made them their own.

"That's a compliment, although they don't say it's from Toto," Lukather asserted.

The band was not really thinking whether it is true that Indonesian bands here do a similar thing, the question asked in the first place.

Lukather insisted, however, that Toto is a rock band, and fans have to blame record companies for power ballads like Lea, Pamela and I'll Be Over You, for the company "wanted softer, more pop and more accessible sound".

Confirming its AOR (Adult Oriented Rock) stature in its third performance ever in this country, Toto played a list of songs that were heavy on rock guitar riff and pounding drum beats.

Despite the aforementioned ballads that won the hearts of many fans here, the band instead elected to perform more rocking numbers that are not as popular. Before some 4,000 spectators here, they belted out tracks like Child Anthem, I Supply the Love, Gift with a Golden Gun and Home of the Brave.

Not that the band was unaware of the audience's demand for their seminal hits. I'll Be Over You was played, so were Africa, Stop Loving You, and Rosanna, at which point Lukather asked the men in the audience to do the "nymph frame".

But the hits were overshadowed by the wish of aging fans to rock the stage of the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan Sports Complex, Central Jakarta.

Some of the audience complained later about the lack of hits, but improvisation and solo instrument turns actually prevented the concert from being sterile and typical.

Although 57-year-old Bobby Kimball's voice often missed the high notes on the night, the rest of the band showed prowess and virtuosity that has endured over time.

Toto celebrated its 27th anniversary this year, and their concert here marked the comeback of Lukather and Kimball, who rejoined David Paich (keyboards), Mike Porcaro (bass) and Simon Phillips (drums).

"We've known each other since we were kids. We like each other very much. We've been through more s**t than anyone could imagine," Paich said about the band's longevity.

The s**t includes internal struggles and transitions that arose throughout their reign in the pop rock limelight.

Named after a Himalayan tribe, Toto was formed in Los Angeles by high school buddies Paich, Lukather, Kimball, brothers Steve (keyboards) and Jeff Porcaro, and David Hungate (bass).

They lurched into action in 1978, as the debut self-titled album sold two million copies, thanks to the Top 10 single Hold the Line.

The band influenced conventional pop music by blending disco with traditional rock 'n' roll rhythms, and became some of the youngest and most industrious session musicians in the industry.

Hydra from 1979 went gold, while Turn Back (1981) sold moderately. But multiplatinum Toto IV (1982) menaced Grammy Awards and charts worldwide, thanks to hits Africa and Rosanna -- the latter was written for actress Rosanna Arquette, a one-time girlfriend of Lukather. She dumped him.

Cementing the post-Arquette luckless streak, the band began a long list of lineup changes as Kimball and Hungate were out in 1984, and replaced by Mike Porcaro and singer Dennis Frederiksen.

But the band played on: As a backing band on USA For Africa's We Are the World and on the soundtrack of David Lynch's 1984's Dune, although they flopped on several subsequent albums (1984's Isolation, 1986's Fahrenheit and 1988's The Seventh Sign).

They continued with brief hit sets Past to Present 1977-1990 (1990) and Kingdom of Desire in 1992, which included the percussion work of Jeff Porcaro, who died later that year.

His allegedly cocaine-related death was ludicrously reported as an allergic reaction to garden pesticides.

Tambu was released in 1995, followed by another hit compilation album in 1997, and Through the Looking Glass in 2002. The latter is a tribute album where Toto paid homage to their musical influences, from Bob Marley to Bob Dylan.

Right now, the band said they were content and happy, coming full circle with the comeback of Lukather and Kimball.

They are now writing a new album which hopefully will be released next year.

"Writing has come to a new level. We're generating a new sound," Kimball said.

The band does not have any ambition of repeating its past glory, nor are they ornery aging musicians who reminisce about the good ol' days and blast contemporary musicians.

"We're not pop stars. We're just musicians, we play music very well, and we still practice every day," Paich said.