Toto is an American rock band that formed in 1977. The band is comprised of Steve Lukather, David Paich, Joseph Williams, John Pierce, Robert “Sput” Searight, Dominique “Xavier” Taplin, Warren Ham, and Jeff Schroeder. Toto’s music is influenced by a wide variety of influences, including the sounds of classic rock, blues, and jazz. The group’s albums are incredibly popular, and they have won numerous awards for their songs.
The name Tro-Tro originates from the Ga language word “TRO.” In those days, the vehicles charged three pence per trip. Now, though, the cost of a trip is often multiples of that, the name carries a nostalgic ring. The Ga word Toli, on the other hand, means “bold-faced lie”. It is more commonly used to describe a sarcastic and humorous take on an event.
While Porcaro was a key member of the band, his death in 1992 caused a split in the band. According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, the cause of his death was a heart attack caused by cocaine use. This resulting rift nearly brought Toto to disband, but the band was able to continue on. Because of this rift, Toto approached Los Angeles-based Englishman Simon Phillips to take over the lead vocals on their new album, Fahrenheit. The new singer also had a close connection to Lukather, having worked with him during a previous tour with Santana.
After playing the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1991, Toto released their eighth studio album, Kingdom of Desire. The album was produced by producer Bob Clearmountain and was released on Columbia Records in most of the world and on Clive Davis’s label Relativity Records in the United States. Toto’s success was attributed to the consistency of the quality of its products, which has led to a resurgence of interest in their products.
In addition to recording albums, Toto’s members also played session work for notable artists. The band’s second album, Through the Looking Glass, featured several covers of popular songs by Bob Marley, Steely Dan, and the Beatles. While the album was not a commercial success, it gave the band material for its 25th anniversary tour. The band released Live in Amsterdam in November 2012, which was recorded in the Netherlands. If you’re a fan of the band, the concert will be live-streamed.
After the death of Jeff Porcaro, Toto’s lead singer was fired and the band released a compilation album, Past to Present. The album included four new tracks and was released on Toto XX. The band’s lead singer was Jean-Michael Byron, a member of the British jazz group’s touring company. Despite the turmoil, Toto continued to tour until they finally found a new lead singer.