Tasha’s TOTO Trivia
I, like many other TOTO fans, was sad to hear that the band in its current form will cease to exist after October 20th. Band guitarist Steve Lukather says the stress of traveling, health issues, and legal issues led to the decision.
I get it, but I don't like it. TOTO is one of the bands listed in my " life soundtrack". You know. The music that holds the memories. "Hold the Line" was released in October of 1978...my first year of junior high. It was hell for me, but TOTO's music offered an escape. They had so many awesome tunes. Make Believe, I'll Be Over You, Pamela, I Won't Hold You Back, Africa, 99...
Then there was Rosanna. Man. Sooooooo many memories and stories with this one. I was in 9th grade when it was released in April of 1982. I'd had braces for what seemed a lifetime and I was about to have them taken off. I also had my first boyfriend, Pokey... and I had a love for anything with music notes on it and my white cat, Blueyes.
The late Jeff Porcaro was a master on drums. Honestly, all the guys in TOTO were awesome. They were session musicians and they either played on, appeared on, or wrote songs for a large number of musicians in the 70's. Put it like this. The two guys comprising Steely Dan were such perfectionist that they didn't even have a band. But they did have TOTO play on their albums. Several of the guys played on Michael Jackson's Thriller album. On the song "Beat it", Steve Lukather played Bass and Lead Guitar (of course Edddie Van Halen played the solo), Steve Porcaro played the synthesizer, and Jeff Porcaro played drums.
Back to Jeff and those drums. Call me a music geek, but I love watching the video tutorials that band guys often release. Jeff released this one explaining how he came up with the drum sound for Rosanna...and which bands he stole the idea from...;)
I remember listening to Rosanna in my bedroom one afternoon when I heard my dog, Tramp, bark. I looked outside and didn't see anything. Later, I heard the song again, and this time I wasn't in my room...yet I heard a dog bark. It baffled me for years until a few years ago when I tweeted to TOTO guitarist Steve Lukather, asking him what the heck it was. He responded, laughing, saying it was the lead singer "singing". lol I still don't know what the heck it was, but if you want to listen for yourself, check the video below at the 3:38 mark. Just after he says "Now she's gone"...you will hear a "wooo wooo wooo" in the background, that to me, sounds like a freaking dog. lol
Now, about that video. The blond chick is none other than actress,dancer, and singer Cynthia Rhodes. After her appearance in the Rosanna video, she landed a role in the John Travolta movie "Staying Alive". Next, she would appear in "Flashdance" and one of my all-time favs, "Runaway" with Tom Selleck and Gene Simmons (yes, KISS dude).
Later, she sang in the band "Animotion" on the song "Room to Move".
She was also in the Richard Marx video for "Don't Mean Nothing" and they later married.
Then there was the biggie..."Dirty Dancing".
Cool factoid: Guess who else was in the Rosanna video dancing with Cynthia....anyone, anyone? Yes. Patrick Swayze. Small world.:)
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