Modern Classics

Steve "Luke" Lukather will tell you, unpretentiously, how hard he and his band Toto have worked the past 41 years. In fact, the founding member, manager and guitarist will tell you anything you could want to know about the band and the history they've witnessed -- without much prompting -- and you can just sit back and listen.

"It's my interesting, weird little life," Lukather says by phone just a few hours away in Kansas City on Toto's 40th anniversary tour. "Nothing will stop this band. We've lost two brothers, people get sick, [they're] gone, and they come back. I think I'm the only guy that's been standing there from day one that's never missed anything. But something keeps us coming back, you know? And right now we're experiencing a big resurgence in popularity, and people are checking us out -- this Weezer thing has gone crazy, and that's been fun."

For those who have somehow missed the surprise breakout hit of the summer airwaves, Lukather is referencing Weezer's cover release of Toto's most famous song "Africa" a few months ago. Prompted by the urging of a "15-year-old girl who kept bugging the Weezer guys to play this song because she heard it on a TV show. She didn't know who we were," Lukather says, the whole thing has blown up into pure silliness but, at the same time, is great for business for everyone. Weezer's cover has shot the '90s alternative rockers up the charts, and Toto's response with a release of Weezer's "Hash Pipe" has landed them on alternative radio in return.

"I swear to God, it makes me laugh because I thought it would be like a deep cut album track. Most of us did," Lukather recalls. "But it was a fun record to make in terms of how we made it old school, all these weird loops. ... I mean, there was no such thing as world music back then. It was just something we did -- created from the dust for laughs but [also], 'Let's see if we can do it.' And we [had] four 24-track tape machines filled with stuff trying to mix that; it was quite a huge undertaking in 1981. So we were just kids messing about in the studio, never thinking in a billion years that the song would be what it's turned into."

To this day, Lukather admits he's not sure what it is about the song that made it blow it up the way it did in the early '80s -- or again in 2018. Maybe it's the kitchiness of it, or the fantasy lyrics or the catchy melody. Either way, though he's thankful to be on this weird ride, Lukather says he's glad it's getting people to shows so they can remember Toto is more than just a song.

"Not to mention all the records we played on, that sets us apart from anybody remotely close to whatever genre we're supposed to be in, which I've always found amusing," he shares. "I like to underline the fact that we are a '70s band. It does make a difference. It was pre-MTV and pre-all that where you had to be a pretty boy to make records.

"And then the machines got involved," he continues. "We were there at the start of all that. We knew Roger Linn really well -- the guy who invented the drum machine. We saw it turn on for the first time. Our keyboard player...worked with the guys to invent the piece of gear that links the drum machine to the synthesizer, which was the birth of synth pop. I mean, there's a lot of stuff we were involved in that we don't get any credit for. All the 'Thriller' stuff, that was us. We were the [house] band. I mean, wherever you look, one of us is there. Particularly 20 years ago, but 40 years ago for sure, we were on every f***ing record that came out of LA. It's just been an interesting ride. There's not anybody can say we haven't paid our dues."

And paying his dues is exactly what got Lukather hooked up with Ringo Starr -- founder of Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band and one of the two Beatles still living. Since 1989, Starr has been bringing together some of the most talented musicians in the game to all play on stage together, and Lukather returns for his seventh year with the group just days after wrapping the first leg of Toto's tour.

"I had worked with Paul McCartney on a project, and George Harrison was a friend of mine ... and [then Ringo and I] met and we hit it off, and we've been really, really great friends," Lukather says. "I mean, he lives eight minutes from my house; we hang out all the time. I adore the man. It's like a vacation. You can't say no to Ringo. And it's a great band, great guys, and he treats us like kings. Dream gig. And he's the coolest guy on planet Earth. He's still as funny as he was in 'A Hard Day's Night,' wise, and he's in better shape than most 40-year-old people. He's an anomaly. It's classic Ringo. It's the best."

For once, everyone's timing seems to be just right, Lukather muses. The Toto/Weezer story is one of those moments people will remember when looking back on 2018, Lukather assures. And it happened just in time for Toto's 40th anniversary tour -- where the band is seeing 110 percent sell-outs -- as well as coinciding with the release of Lukather's memoir "The Gospel According to Luke" in September.

"There is a lot of truth to hard work does pay off. Even if we think it's not going to, eventually it will. It's a lesson in life."

NAN What's Up on 08/26/2018