Toto is an American rock group established in 1977 in Los Angeles. The band’s present line up features David Paich, Steve Lukather, and Joseph Williams, and also includes touring musicians, John Pierce, Robert Cream, Dominique “Xavier” Taplin and Warren Ham. The group has achieved moderate success both in the United States and abroad, including several hits in the UK. Although the group has achieved commercial success, many Toto fans still maintain their admiration for the band’s original song, “Haitian Divorce.”
In 1980, toto appeared in a British film version of The Tin Man, playing the role of the Tin Man, with Henry Travers. Though the film failed to achieve the success which it was meant to, Toto gained notice in the British press, as well as Hollywood, due to the lead role. The Tin Man first became famous through the musical selections “Irene Maraire” and “White Christmas.” Although the songs did not receive popular acclaim in the United States, they were covered by other artists, including Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin. “Irene Maraire” eventually reached number seven on the British singles chart, which marked its peak popularity.
After several successful singles, Toto hit the ground running with “Waltz for Isobel,” which went straight to number one in the United States. “Isobel” was followed by “Haitian Divorce” and “Irene Maraire” in the UK. The subsequent books revolved around the story of the wizard and his adventures, which took Toto to many European countries.
“Waltz for Isobel” featured the first meeting of the Lovegrove family, which would become the basis for much of Toto’s story later in his career. It was also the first time that a real wizard appeared on the cover of a record. “Irene Maraire” was followed by “Irene Maraire Again,” “Irene” (also featuring Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), and “Irene” (with Flea). When Flea left the band, Flea replaced him on “Irene.” During the album’s second cycle, the song “Reelin’ in the Years” featured Flea on lead vocals, an experience which inspired the group to record the acoustic-based “Reelin’ in the Years” series.
Following “Reelin’ in the Years,” Toto released “Iberian Nocturne,” “Mystery Train,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” Babe,” which raised his popularity with both fans and critics. “Babe” was Toto’s last great album, and it featured most of the band members from the ’70s. “Babe” was a single which nearly every artist has recorded, and it remains their most popular. “Iberian Nocturne” became a double album, featuring the title track and “Hips Don’t Lie.” “Iberian Nocturne” features contributions from Mario da Silva Pinto, Mario Lanza, and Carlos Santana.
After leaving Toto, Barry wrote and sang songs for other artists, including Mick Jagger, who hired him to play guitar in the Dream Team with him. Barry wrote and sang lead for The Rolling Stones. He also had a lengthy stint playing bass for Emerson, Lake and Palmer. He has since worked with numerous other musicians, including David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and finally, Chris Martin. Barry lives in London, and currently runs a catering company.