Toto (album)
Encyclopedia
Toto is the first studio album by the American
band
Toto
. It was released in 1978 and includes the hit singles "Hold the Line
", "I'll Supply the Love
" and "Georgy Porgy
", all three of which made it into the top 50 in the USA. "Hold the Line" spent six weeks in the Top 10, and reached number 14 in the UK as well. Although not initially very well received by critics, the band quickly gained a following, and the album gained a reputation for its characteristic sound, mixing soft pop with both synth and hard rock elements. The band would venture deeper into hard rock territory on their next album.
found Toto's attempt to transition from career session players to a band in their own right a failure, calling David Paich's songs "excuses for back-to-back instrumental solos" and saying that none of the four lead vocalists are better than passable.
In a retrospective review, Allmusic argued that the album received a strongly negative critical reaction only because critics felt threatened by Toto's demonstrated ability to create outstanding songs in any genre, which was a contradiction to popular critical assumptions about genre delineations and inspiration's supremacy over craft. They commented on the irony of the critics' reaction, in that it was this ability that made the album so well-liked by listeners of the time.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
. It was released in 1978 and includes the hit singles "Hold the Line
Hold the Line
Hold the Line is a song written by David Paich and recorded by the American rock group Toto. The song was the band's first single, and was featured on their debut eponymous album...
", "I'll Supply the Love
I'll Supply the Love
I'll Supply the Love was written by David Paich and sung by Bobby Kimball, released in the debut album Toto. It was released in February 1979 and peaked at #45 on the Billboard Hot 100 where it spent 9 weeks on the chart....
" and "Georgy Porgy
Georgy Porgy (song)
For other uses, see Georgy Porgy"Georgy Porgy" is a song written by David Paich, released on Toto's self-titled debut album in 1978. It was released as a single and charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as on both the R&B and the Dance charts.The lead vocals are performed by guitarist Steve...
", all three of which made it into the top 50 in the USA. "Hold the Line" spent six weeks in the Top 10, and reached number 14 in the UK as well. Although not initially very well received by critics, the band quickly gained a following, and the album gained a reputation for its characteristic sound, mixing soft pop with both synth and hard rock elements. The band would venture deeper into hard rock territory on their next album.
Reception
Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
found Toto's attempt to transition from career session players to a band in their own right a failure, calling David Paich's songs "excuses for back-to-back instrumental solos" and saying that none of the four lead vocalists are better than passable.
In a retrospective review, Allmusic argued that the album received a strongly negative critical reaction only because critics felt threatened by Toto's demonstrated ability to create outstanding songs in any genre, which was a contradiction to popular critical assumptions about genre delineations and inspiration's supremacy over craft. They commented on the irony of the critics' reaction, in that it was this ability that made the album so well-liked by listeners of the time.
Track listing
Singles
- "Hold the Line" / "Takin' It Back"
- "I'll Supply the LoveI'll Supply the LoveI'll Supply the Love was written by David Paich and sung by Bobby Kimball, released in the debut album Toto. It was released in February 1979 and peaked at #45 on the Billboard Hot 100 where it spent 9 weeks on the chart....
" / "You Are the Flower" - "Georgy PorgyGeorgy Porgy (song)For other uses, see Georgy Porgy"Georgy Porgy" is a song written by David Paich, released on Toto's self-titled debut album in 1978. It was released as a single and charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as on both the R&B and the Dance charts.The lead vocals are performed by guitarist Steve...
" / "Child's Anthem" - "Rockmaker" / "Child's Anthem" (released in Holland)
Toto
- Bobby KimballBobby KimballRobert Troy "Bobby" Kimball is an American singer, best known as the longtime frontman of the rock band Toto.- Early life:...
: lead and backing vocals - Steve LukatherSteve LukatherSteve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
: guitars, lead and backing vocals - David PaichDavid PaichDavid Frank Paich is a session musician, keyboard player, recording producer, arranger, vocalist and main composer of the Los Angeles-based rock/pop band Toto. David is the son of the late jazz composer, musician, and arranger Marty Paich...
: keyboards, lead and backing vocals - Steve PorcaroSteve PorcaroSteven Maxwell "Steve" Porcaro is an American keyboardist and composer, who was an original member of the rock/pop band Toto....
: keyboards, lead vocals - David HungateDavid HungateDavid Hungate is a bass player noted as a member of Los Angeles pop-rock band Toto from 1977-1982. Boz Scaggs's Silk Degrees album of 1976 included Hungate and several other future members of Toto...
: bass - Jeff PorcaroJeff PorcaroJeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
: drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Lenny CastroLenny CastroLenny Castro is an American freelancing percussionist in the studio recording industry in the Los Angeles area.-Early life:Castro is a percussionist of Puerto Rican descent and was born and raised in New York City. His father, Hector Castro, played the keyboard in a Latin style and gave his son...
: percussion - Jim HornJim HornJim Horn is an American saxophonist and woodwind player. He was born in Los Angeles, and after replacing saxophonist Steve Douglas in 1959, he toured with member Duane Eddy for five years, playing sax and flute on the road, and in the recording studio...
: saxophone, wind instruments - Chuck FindleyChuck FindleyChuck Findley is an American session musician. Most widely-known as a trumpet player, he also plays other brass instruments such as flugelhorn and trombone...
: horns - Roger Linn: synthesizers
- Marty PaichMarty PaichMartin Louis "Marty" Paich was an American pianist, composer, arranger, producer, music director and conductor....
: string arrangements - Sid Sharp: string arrangements
- Cheryl LynnCheryl LynnLynda Cheryl Smith , known better by her professional name Cheryl Lynn, is a female African-American disco, R&B and soul singer known best for her 1978 disco song, "Got to Be Real".-Early career:...
: backing vocals on "Georgy Porgy"
Production
- Arranged & Produced by Toto
- Tom Knox: engineer, mixing
- Dan Latham: engineer
- Gabe Veltri: engineer
- Ron Hitchcock: mastering