Uploaded April 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Andy Rawll spoke to Toto lead vocalist (and subsequently to keyboardist Steve Porcaro) about the band's forthcoming European tour, in particular the latest touring line-up of the band and the inclusion of a number of songs that hadn't been previously performed on their most recent visits to the UK (2018 and 2015).
You can also hear about Joe's reflections on his parallel career as an award-winning TV underscore composer and his pivotal role in voicing the role of Simba in the triumphant animated feature 'The Lion King'. He also speaks about how he developed and still maintains his unique upper voice as well as revealing his outstanding wish-list of collaborators.
The link to the subsequent conversation with Steve appears below (and also listed on this same YouTube channel).
Following the sold-out success of a limited edition and career-spanning box-set (9x includes two new discs. Firstly, the five-track 'Live in Tokyo 1980' EP, which includes 'Runaway' a popular live song that never made it to the studio. Secondly, 'Old is New', a ten-track collection of previously unreleased songs. This includes incomplete song ideas resurrected from Toto's archives and finally brought to fruition, in addition to a number of newly recorded tracks.
Although three of the songs (Alone, Spanish Sea and Struck by Lightning) already appeared on last year's latest greatest hits compilation '40 trips around the sun' and the other songs derive from multiple eras, 'Old is New' has a surprising cohesion as an album, with the great mix of complementary styles that has always epitomised the best Toto releases.
'The Devil's Tower' and 'Fearful heart' in particular will delight fans of their early albums, but it's Williams' 'Chelsea' that's the stand-out track. West Coast-based Williams spent long periods of his youth in West London and retains a huge fondness for London and vivid memories that inspired the lyrics as well as the uplifting harmonies and infectious groove of the song.
In the interview, Joseph revealed that following the conclusion of this latest round of touring with Toto he plans to release his first solo album almost a decade and that the engaging pop-rock of 'Chelsea' is a good indication of the type of songs that he is considering.
To listen to this interview again: youtube.com/watch?v=Y1J7GpCI258
To listen to the following interview with Steve Porcaro: youtube.com/watch?v=bYb4xrdbbGs
SOURCES:
totoofficial.com/2019/04/toto-to-release-cd-box-set-all-in
totoofficial.com/2018/11/toto-limited-edition-box-set-all-in-out-today
INTERVIEW TIMELINE
00:00 - opening
00:16 - always a pleasure, I grew up there
01:00 - what will be different in this year's show, compared to last year
changes in the set and make-up of the touring line-up, with David Paich replaced by Dominique "Xavier" Talpin.
01:45 - 'All in' box set released last year, includes a new CD 'Old is new' including tracks that may be played like 'Devil's tower' which has already been used as the opening track of the recent Asian dates. Five tracks from the old days were completed
02:45 - One of the new tracks is called 'Chelsea'. I grew up near Fulham Road and Hollywood road.
03:16 - Refurbished tracks are four-way credited. Some songs were almost finished (like Paich's 'Oh why')
04:15 - Some fans might not have seen the band in recent years or at all and maybe not with Joseph. Joined in 1986-89; 1998; 2008-2009 and then 2001
05:05 - does the band now feel like home, as there's been no solo releases from Joseph since 2011
05:15 - active solo project, planned for 2020 release; The new track 'Chelsea' is closest to the new solo material
06:07 - Snuffy Walden
06:28 - Not done TV stuff in quite a while
07:01 - Boom time
07:48 - Secret of maintaining his voice. When he came back in 2010 he went to a vocal teacher/coach
09:24 - Upper register voice and influence of Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
10:23 - Darkness as support
11:01 - Weezer bromance - Hashpipe cover.
11:27 - Reflections on singing on Lion King soundtrack
12:34 - Future collaborations, Elton perhaps ?
13:04 - Close
#toto #40toursaroundthesun #40yearsaroundthesun #oldisnew
Footnote: The following Toto albums are not referenced in the Sony-issued box set, as these were released via other record labels: Through the looking glass (CMC); Falling In Between (Frontiers); XIV (Frontiers)
Andy Rawll spoke to Toto lead vocalist (and subsequently to keyboardist Steve Porcaro) about the band's forthcoming European tour, in particular the latest touring line-up of the band and the inclusion of a number of songs that hadn't been previously performed on their most recent visits to the UK (2018 and 2015).
You can also hear about Joe's reflections on his parallel career as an award-winning TV underscore composer and his pivotal role in voicing the role of Simba in the triumphant animated feature 'The Lion King'. He also speaks about how he developed and still maintains his unique upper voice as well as revealing his outstanding wish-list of collaborators.
The link to the subsequent conversation with Steve appears below (and also listed on this same YouTube channel).
Following the sold-out success of a limited edition and career-spanning box-set (9x includes two new discs. Firstly, the five-track 'Live in Tokyo 1980' EP, which includes 'Runaway' a popular live song that never made it to the studio. Secondly, 'Old is New', a ten-track collection of previously unreleased songs. This includes incomplete song ideas resurrected from Toto's archives and finally brought to fruition, in addition to a number of newly recorded tracks.
Although three of the songs (Alone, Spanish Sea and Struck by Lightning) already appeared on last year's latest greatest hits compilation '40 trips around the sun' and the other songs derive from multiple eras, 'Old is New' has a surprising cohesion as an album, with the great mix of complementary styles that has always epitomised the best Toto releases.
'The Devil's Tower' and 'Fearful heart' in particular will delight fans of their early albums, but it's Williams' 'Chelsea' that's the stand-out track. West Coast-based Williams spent long periods of his youth in West London and retains a huge fondness for London and vivid memories that inspired the lyrics as well as the uplifting harmonies and infectious groove of the song.
In the interview, Joseph revealed that following the conclusion of this latest round of touring with Toto he plans to release his first solo album almost a decade and that the engaging pop-rock of 'Chelsea' is a good indication of the type of songs that he is considering.
To listen to this interview again: youtube.com/watch?v=Y1J7GpCI258
To listen to the following interview with Steve Porcaro: youtube.com/watch?v=bYb4xrdbbGs
SOURCES:
totoofficial.com/2019/04/toto-to-release-cd-box-set-all-in
totoofficial.com/2018/11/toto-limited-edition-box-set-all-in-out-today
INTERVIEW TIMELINE
00:00 - opening
00:16 - always a pleasure, I grew up there
01:00 - what will be different in this year's show, compared to last year
changes in the set and make-up of the touring line-up, with David Paich replaced by Dominique "Xavier" Talpin.
01:45 - 'All in' box set released last year, includes a new CD 'Old is new' including tracks that may be played like 'Devil's tower' which has already been used as the opening track of the recent Asian dates. Five tracks from the old days were completed
02:45 - One of the new tracks is called 'Chelsea'. I grew up near Fulham Road and Hollywood road.
03:16 - Refurbished tracks are four-way credited. Some songs were almost finished (like Paich's 'Oh why')
04:15 - Some fans might not have seen the band in recent years or at all and maybe not with Joseph. Joined in 1986-89; 1998; 2008-2009 and then 2001
05:05 - does the band now feel like home, as there's been no solo releases from Joseph since 2011
05:15 - active solo project, planned for 2020 release; The new track 'Chelsea' is closest to the new solo material
06:07 - Snuffy Walden
06:28 - Not done TV stuff in quite a while
07:01 - Boom time
07:48 - Secret of maintaining his voice. When he came back in 2010 he went to a vocal teacher/coach
09:24 - Upper register voice and influence of Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
10:23 - Darkness as support
11:01 - Weezer bromance - Hashpipe cover.
11:27 - Reflections on singing on Lion King soundtrack
12:34 - Future collaborations, Elton perhaps ?
13:04 - Close
#toto #40toursaroundthesun #40yearsaroundthesun #oldisnew
Footnote: The following Toto albums are not referenced in the Sony-issued box set, as these were released via other record labels: Through the looking glass (CMC); Falling In Between (Frontiers); XIV (Frontiers)
