Michael Jackson's "Thriller" - It was Toto Album...

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by gener8tr, Feb 7, 2014.

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  1. fallbreaks

    fallbreaks Forum Resident

    It seems like their reputation might benefit from a 'Toto Family' set (2 discs?) with all of Toto's top 30 hits, plus the other hits they had something to do with, whether writing, arranging or playing. The recently Bloomfield box has an instrumental versions of Like a Rolling Stone and Tombstone Blues to illustrate his contributions. Maybe they could get instrumentals of some of the Thriller material or something.

    On a separate note, I've always thought it would be cool to do a 'Byrds Family' box set, where it starts with the Byrds (or Beefeaters or the Jet Set) but includes Gene Clark's solo stuff, some Flying Burrito Bros, some CSN/Y...

    Maybe they should do something like that but for Toto.
     
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  2. PH416156

    PH416156 Alea Iacta Est

    Location:
    Europe
    I'll throw a simplistic reason. Their main singer, Mr. Kimball, was not exactly a poster boy.
    Once we were watching TV, and while the "Africa" video was being aired, one of my friends told that she knew the song but unaware about this "Toto" band. Back to the video, watching David Paich she said "looks like a fat Gerard Butler". Ok, women usually like Gerard Butler...but watching the close up of Kimball singing "♫♪it's gonna take a lot to take me awaaaay from youuuu ♪" she instantly said that he was one of the ugliest guy ever to appear on a music video; the other ladies agreed. We're talking about a bunch of girls in their 20s and early 30s.
    I schooled'em a bit about Toto and their talent, explaining they played on many successful albums (even Thriller) and that the guys actually can play and sing without studio trickery.
    Still.. "yeah, but they're ugly":shrug:
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2014
    mozz, robertawillisjr, Purple and 2 others like this.
  3. Well, this is the thing. Did they get their names edited out of the album credits? No. Did the acts they played with deny their involvement if asked who played on their albums? No. He just seems pissy that no one is thinking along the lines of, like, "Hey, remember that smash album Thriller by Michael Jackson...and Toto!!" Or "That George Benson with Toto album was really smooth!" Combined with a dash of Billy Joel-style lusting for "rock credibility" and it makes for a most unbecoming package. Geez, get a grip baby. Chill out in one of your mansions with some pharmaceutical grade. Enjoy your yacht.

    Drop the dye job though. It ain't foolin' anyone. :)
     
  4. robertawillisjr

    robertawillisjr Music Lover

    Location:
    Hampton, VA
    I didn't and I bought the album. But then (for some unknown reason) I wasn't a big fan of Toto. Good music but I never bought their albums.
     
  5. Sandinista

    Sandinista Forum Resident

    Yes and I would go further....

    If, and I realize this is a big IF, they had a bit of Donald Fagen or Walter Becker in any of the main songwriters, Toto would be a far more interesting band and held in greater esteem. Conversely, if Steely Dan records were populated with by the numbers, cliched lyrics they would be viewed as a great sounding but pedestrian band, imo. But they had a dark, sarcastic, ironic, intellectual what have you, edge to a lot of their songs which, to my ears, gives them far for staying power.
     
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  6. theMess

    theMess Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent, UK
    Unfortunately I think that you are probably right. Image has become more important than talent.
     
  7. ymenard

    ymenard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    On a somehow related note, Joseph Williams has done a lot of soundtrack uncredited works too for his father. Most of the source cues or pop stuff in John's films were done by him. The Fury (Hold You), Space Camp, Return of the Jedi (Ewok Celebration, Lapti Nek), The Phantom Menace (Augie's Great Municipal Band), Attack of the Clones (Chase Through Coruscant, Dexter's Diner) Artificial Intelligence (techno music), The Accidental Tourist, Jaws 2, etc...

    John wrote and orchestrated, but the midi programming and session playing was done by him. Perhaps they included other Toto musicians in those sessions.
     
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  8. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    Lots of fat guys with mustaches/beards having hits in the mid 70's to early 80's, then MTV came along.
     
    Burning Tires and Mechanical Man like this.
  9. TheLazenby

    TheLazenby Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    Pittsburgh
    Can I just point out that Toto's original demo of "Human Nature" is crap?

    Seriously. You would NEVER know it would become a classic. Something about grade school bullies.
     
  10. driverdrummer

    driverdrummer Forum Resident

    Location:
    Irmo, SC
    I really miss the Toto sound on the radio. The last songs I remember with the Toto magic on the radio were Madonna-Cherish and Go West-Faithful.
     
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  11. maui_musicman

    maui_musicman Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Kihei, Hi USA
    I see it a bit differently. Why shouldn't he and his band be credited for all their work? It's not like they are lying about doing the playing, so why not expect some credit for their contributions? I'm sure it's more than frustrating for him to look around and see "artists" that can't write music, can't read music and can't play an instrument get superstar status
    yet his contributions to legendary albums goes largely unmentioned.
     
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  12. theMess

    theMess Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent, UK
    Exactly, and especially when those 'artists' get hits by illegally sampling his music without even crediting him.
     
  13. Alcoholic

    Alcoholic Forum Resident

    Location:
    U.S.A.
    How much more credit do they need?
    toto.jpg
     
  14. Raf

    Raf Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    "WE were Michael Jackson." — Steve Lukather
     
  15. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    I never said that Luke and the rest of TOTO should not be recognized for what they've played on, but for him to always go on endlessly that they have somehow been overlooked is plain old silly. If he is THAT worried about it, why doesn't he pay to have one of those great little documentaries made, like "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown" or "The Wrecking Crew", which tells all about the fine folks that played on hundreds of important records and who were also unknown to 95% of the world, before those movies were made?
     
  16. Purple

    Purple Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Toto is and has always been a faceless band. They lacked charisma, image, attitude. When the hits dried up, so did their fans. Drug abuse and band turmoil (and probably poor management) didn't help.
     
  17. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    Not to take away from Steve Lukather's talent, but I never once thought "that's Steve Lukather" when I heard Thriller (or any other LP he's played on). But I knew immediately it was Eddie Van Halen (and not even someone else trying to sound like him) on the Beat It solo.
     
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  18. C6H12O6

    C6H12O6 Senior Member

    Location:
    My lab
    "Human Nature" sucks, the best part about "Beat It" was Eddie Van Halen and the other two great cuts ("Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Something") didn't feature Toto, so no, wouldn't call this album a great Toto achievement.
     
  19. PaulKTF

    PaulKTF Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I always liked Human Nature.

    In fact, the only song on the album I don't really like a lot is "The Lady In My Life", come to think of it. It sounds like an unfinished demo.
     
    bru87tr likes this.
  20. Oliver

    Oliver Bourbon Infused

    Screw Toto-Thriller is really a Vincent Price album!
     
  21. PaulKTF

    PaulKTF Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I bet he really did the guitar solo in Beat It!
     
    BigManRestless likes this.
  22. All Rights

    All Rights Senior Member

    Heard at 5:38: "we told Jann Wenner to go f _ _ _ himself"

    heh, heh, priceless.:righton:
     
    mrob0000 and ModernDayWarrior like this.
  23. This is the other thing. Lukather and the other Totos may be stellar musicians but they have zero personality or musical character. They're born session musicians. Lukather grouses about versatility not being seen as a virtue - well, it is, but it's not a virtue that's going to get you recognized beyond the confines of the biz when you've made a habit of being a sideman.
     
  24. PaulKTF

    PaulKTF Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Just being able to say "I played on Thriller" should be good enough for anyone, shouldn't it? I mean, really...
     
    Dudley Morris likes this.
  25. Slokes

    Slokes Cruel But Fair

    Location:
    Greenwich, CT USA
    How much more credit do they want than this?

     
    groovelocked, JMAC, MMM and 4 others like this.
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