Before their show in Brooklyn at Barclays Arena, TOTO were given commemorative plaques to recognize an eyebrow-raising 40 million albums sold. The achievement is another feather in the cap of the veteran rock ensemble best known for their three top 5 hits Africa, Rosanna, and Hold The Line. Fans of the group know that they are accomplished session players who have played on a staggering number of records across genres. And when it came time to record their own albums, their material and musicianship drew artists like Miles Davis and Linda Ronstadt to join them. When I spoke backstage with guitarist Steve “Luke” Lukather and the rest of the guys, that fact came up in conversation.
TOTO 14 is the band’s first new album in 9 years (it debuted in the top 10 in 9 countries) and its material was featured in the concert which was part of a double bill with their heroes and friends prog-rockers Yes. The performances were dedicated to two wonderful bass players who both died this year – TOTO’s Mike Porcaro and Chris Squire of Yes.
