Steve Lukather and The Players Club / Mascot Label Group have presented the second reveal in front of the release of his new studio album titled BRIDGES. The song was written by Luke, Joseph Williams and David Paich. Lukather performed guitars, bass, and the lead vocal, with Williams contributing keys, background vocals and percussion. David Paich contributes keyboards while Shannon Forrest appears on drums. To screen the official video, click here: https://youtu.be/Qt6_rF9Eay8. The lyric video for the lead reveal, “When I See You Again,” can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/3sKdUNhq_sc.
Luke shares, “I am so happy and grateful for the reaction to the new music. Here is another song that is a co-write with Joe, Paich and I. Hope you like it.”
His ninth solo album, Bridges, could not be more accurately titled. Luke shares, “I see it as a bridge between my solo music and ToTo Music. The fact that Joseph Williams, David Paich and I wrote most of the record, and the fact I invited many of the old ToTo gang to come and play, co-writers like Randy Goodrum and Stan Lynch brings all this together. It also proves that most of my old pals and I are still great friends, and I wanted to do a record ‘in the style of,’ as ToTo will never record another studio album. This is as close as we will get.” He continues, “We still love writing and creating and recording together, and we will no doubt continue to work with each other on our respective solo works. It’s complicated, and at the age I am now, I do NOT wish to do anything complicated.”
Bridges presents deep roots and branches from ToTo’s family tree. Past and present members contribute on both the writing and performance side. Joseph Williams has writing credits on six of the songs, while David Paich does on four. Williams performs on all recordings contributing background vocals, synths, percussion or keys pending on the track, while Paich plays keyboards on five. Drummer Simon Phillips performed on “Far From Over,” “Not My Kind Of People,” “When I See You Again,” and “Burning Bridges.” While Shannon Forrest returned to play on “Someone,” “All Forevers Must End,” “Take My Love” and “I’ll Never Know.” Both old friend and former member Lee Sklar and Gov’t Mule bassist Jorgen Carlsson perform bass on a couple of tracks, while Luke himself performs on several others. On “Far From Over,” Trev Lukather performs guitars, bass, background vocals, and synths. Current ToTo keyboardist Steve Maggiora co-wrote “Take My Love” and performs all keys alongside singing background vocals on that track. Luke shares, “Some people think cause someone has left the band or moved on to their own thing that we stopped being friends or stopped wanting to work together. I think this proves that is not the case, and I wanted to make music with my old friends, alongside having a laugh or two. It was a lot of fun and it also has a sound that is familiar.”
When it comes to David Paich and Joseph Williams, the three remain close to this day. Paich remains the musical director of ToTo although he no longer travels appearing at every show. Williams and Lukather are the Dogs of Oz, helming the career of the band in to the future. As Luke shares, “I have been working with both these guys since I was a kid. I revere their talent, and wanted to take pressure off myself. Joe produced the record so I could just be an artist. Paich is the guy that not only taught me how to make records, but he was the one that encouraged my songwriting in ToTo, and really pushed me in every musical sense. And, I love these guys and it is so easy. We all like the same stuff and have worked together for most of our lives. It was like going back to summer camp with my best pals!” He continues, “Joe is a remarkable Producer and songwriter as is Dave so…I was able to relax and enjoy the process. Hence it may have a ‘familiar’ sound or style when this is all mixed together. Not intentionally…it’s just what happens when we create together.”
ABOUT STEVE LUKATHER
Over the course of five decades Steve Lukather has placed an indelible stamp on pop culture. Alongside his tenure as the only member of ToTo to never take a hiatus from the band, he has performed on thousands of albums as a session musician. Amongst these musical contributions are some of the most successful, influential and enduring records of all-time including Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Additionally, he released a memoir titled The Gospel According To Luke which was a global best-seller. He continues to be ToTo’s band leader, a member of Ringo’s All-Starr Band, and a solo artist.
ToTo has enjoyed a celebrated global resurgence over the last decade. Through 2022-2023, the band will perform in front of close to a million fans. Their repertoire has 3 BILLION+ streams at Spotify alone, with “Africa” counting for one billion plays on its own. Album sales exceed 40 MILLION copies. ToTo is one of the few 70’s bands that have endured the changing trends and styles, and 45 years in to a career enjoy a multi-generational fan base and still selling out shows around the world. ToTo was inducted in to the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009. For more information on Steve Lukather visit http://www.stevelukather.com/.
LUK FOR SOMEONE
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