In a recent conversation with Matt Pinfield on New & Approved, Steve Lukather discussed Toto’s musical identity, saying that while the band isn’t heavy metal, it’s more than what many people think.
He explained his idea for upcoming tours, “I said, ‘Hey I got an idea. Why don’t the three of us go on the road as a summer shed package and see? Let’s put that out there and see what’s going on in the sheds or the arenas that we’re doing.’ And the overwhelming response was, ‘Yes, you guys got to do this’ and the two-day sale is pretty impressive. So, this idea is going to fly. It’s a fresh concept.”
Lukather also shared details about the tour lineup, “I mean us, we’re headlining, and then it flip-flops between Men at Work and Christopher [Cross] depending on what market it is and however they work that out. That’s Live Nation, not me. And we’re all great friends, so that vibe. It’s a fresh package.”
Reflecting on changes in the touring scene, he added, “I mean most of the summers, the usual suspects in various combinations go on the road. Now some of these bands have retired and this whole thing, Jimmy Buffett’s gone. God bless him. He’s the sweetest guy ever.”
He emphasized the band’s role in the summer concert scene, “There’s a spot for a summertime groove. That’s not… We’re not a heavy metal band and we’re not as p*ssy as people think. They don’t know. They just judge us on the singles they’ve heard. With the exception of ‘Hold the Line,’ they’re gonna go, ‘These guys don’t rock.’ ‘Yeah man, you’re gonna be surprised’ but the package is fresh.”
Lukather continued, “It’s like, okay, take advantage of the silliness. Then the movie that came out on HBO is pretty funny. We’re all in it and we kind of cartoon on the whole thing because come on man. Look at this face. You think I don’t laugh in the morning and I go, ‘Oh you’re still alive dude’ [laughs].”
He had previously shared his frustration about how Toto was categorized. On The Jay Jay French Connection podcast, he reflected on their hit ‘Hold the Line,’ which he considered a strong start for the band. While they aimed to be seen as a rock band, Lukather felt the focus on ballads made the band seem softer than they actually were.
