Exclusive Interview: Toto's Steve Lukather on the Band Taking an Extended Break, a Second Book in the Works & Playing with Ringo Starr

Steve Lukather 

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Steve ("Luke") Lukather may be best known as a vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, producer, and founding member of the iconic band Toto, but that's just scratching the surface of what he is actually capable of. He started his career as a session musician and you'll find his work, spanning various genres, on more than 1,500 albums. Lukather has spent decades working alongside so many of the industry's best, but Toto is his main job, and cultivating the musical fruits of the bands' labor has been the centerpiece of his prolific career.

It was recently confirmed that Toto will be taking an indefinite break after their October 20th show at The Met in Philadelphia and I was lucky enough to catch up with Lukather for a chat about the band winding down, and what's next for him. Check it out below!

 Steve ("Luke") Lukather on life on the road:

"We work about five days a week and those days off cost money. Luckily I don't really need more than a day or two off once in a while. I'm out here working, it's not a vacation and I spend a lot of time in hotel rooms. They've turned into a bit of a sanctuary, to be honest with you. Especially since I'm running the business end of things too. I mean, there's a great team but I have to wake up and make all the decisions and take care of all the BS. That means that I've got to be up early and I've got to have some space to do things. I've got my guitar with me so I practice that and take care of the band business. I've got things to do and if not I can always watch films or peruse the internet or something.

I've been around the world so many times that going out to sightsee is almost laughable at this point! I've already done that so many times in the 44 years that I've been doing this, so I just kind of stay to myself. There's nothing normal about my life, but I've normalized it. I used to be a crazy party guy and so the days were spent recovering. Now I get up when I used to go to bed (laughing). I have to be sober, together and functioning to run a business on top of being an older guy on the road. I have to take care of myself now. I had my wild days and it was fun, I guess. They tell me that I had a great time (laughing), so I've got nothing left to prove in that arena. I'm really fine being an older guy out here and you have to learn to like hanging out with yourself, otherwise, you'll go mad (laughing).

It can be terribly depressing at times too. I've got little kids as well as grown kids, then my dog passed away and I was on the road when that happened. There are things that you just can't prepare for, but you've got to deal with them. I chose this job and the great thing is that the good parts are great and the things that suck, well they really suck and that makes it just like anyone else's life. My doctor has known me through every aspect of my career and I told him he should really come along and do everything that I do, eat what I eat, sleep when I sleep. Travel around with me for a month and then tell me your real thoughts on this job because in some ways it's tougher than people think."

Luke on being away from his family:

"It's very hard having little kids and being on the road, but it has always been that way. My father was in the television and movie business, so he would go on the road for six months at a time, long before cell phones, and I didn't love him any less. That gives me a little peace. My kids only know me this way, so if they only know me this way then there is nothing else to compare it to. When I come home I'm a dad and I do all the dad stuff, which I love doing."

Luke on working with his oldest son Trev:

"Ever since he could play guitar at all he has been working on my records with me. He has played songs for my solo record and he has played live with the band. He wrote Halestorm's first hit, so he has got a gold record, and he plays in this band What So Not that headlined Lollapalooza. Then he has his new band ZFG, with Mike Pocaro's kid on bass, There's a bidding war for that band, wait until you hear them! They opened for us all summer in Europe. He's my best friend so we always try and do as much as we can together. Right now it's his turn to be the artist. That's what he is focused on and I'm trying to help him with that."

Luke on Toto's music being categorized as 'yacht rock':

"The term yacht rock is kind of funny. All they did was put a label on a thing that we called, going to do session work, and we did that every day for fifteen years (laughing). They'd put a piece of paper with a bunch of cord symbols in front of us, count off the song, and then you better play something because that's what you got hired to do. All of those records have suddenly become a genre. We didn't write all that music but we did contribute to the arrangement and the performance of it. We gave a lot of ourselves. That was just the era and style of music back then, sure there's some cheesy shit in there but there's also cheesy stuff today.

They always want to put terminology on things. They can't just say, hey this is a cool band, instead it has to be called soft rock. I mean at what point did the music go from soft rock to hard rock, what is the criteria for that shift? Is the guitar louder or does it have a bigger drum sound?  Why do we need terminology? If you don't like something that's cool but in the end, an E-chord is still an E-chord. Everyone likes things in a nice tight little box and there it is, now we know what to call it (laughing). The fact of the matter is that regardless of what anyone calls it, none of us expected any of this music to last almost 45 years like it has."

Toto Official Promo Shot

Luke on Toto becoming an interesting part of pop culture:

"We were Family Guy characters the other night and how cool is that? It was absolutely hysterical, we were howling with laughter. "Africa" kind of went crazy for us these last few years, it has kind of leveled off now which is fine with me, but it was really great for our careers. Everyone always says 'Africa by Toto' which makes us part of the whole schtick and gives us free publicity (laughing). I love all of it and it's an honor for us to be a part of pop culture. You have to be able to laugh at yourself and realize that parodies and things are really an honor."

Luke on working with Ringo Starr's All-Star Band:

"The Beatles spent eight years putting together music that would not only last for 55 years, but it's still going strong! There's never going to be another Beatles and I'm just so grateful that I got a little teeny piece of that experience by getting to work with three out of four of those guys. I've been working with Ringo's band for going on eight years now and I'm very honored to do that. When I first signed up in 2012 I thought I'd be doing one summer and here I am still. We've become really great friends and I just love this guy, regardless of the fact that he's Ringo (Starr). I mean, he is 100 times cooler than you think he is, but to have him as my friend is great. I'd love him even if his name was Joe Smith because he's just the kind of guy that makes you think, 'I want that guy to be my friend' (laughing), and I cherish that. I'd do anything for him and Ringo's band is like my vacation gig (laughing)."

Luke on Toto winding down, at least for the foreseeable future:

"Toto has been my job and I've spent my whole life cultivating this. Toto has had its best year in terms of live performance and live revenue. Musically, including ticket sales and reviews and all of that, things are fantastic. Sadly, some stuff going on behind the scenes has kind of crippled us so we have to step off and see what happens next at the end of this tour. We are at the end of our 40th-year cycle, it's now actually 43 years of togetherness (laughing) and so we do need to go away for a while there's no question about that. For how long is the thing because there is definitely some darkness behind the scenes.

There is litigation from hateful people that want to tear us apart for no particular reason other than finding personal joy in doing so. None of it makes sense to anyone who is actually in the band. It's kind of insidious and messed up but it is how it is. Sometimes you're forced to do things at the time that don't really make sense but then, in the end, they really do work out for the best. It's just time for me to get out there and do some other stuff.  Out of the dust and ethers, something happens. I don't know what that is right now but I do know that change is good. Music is in my DNA and I've spent my whole life making it so I know that I can play whatever I decide that I want to play."

Luke on what's next for him:

"I am doing book number two! The first one was successful, which is surprising to me (laughing), but okay. I can't put my life into just those first 300 pages, I have a billion stories so now I can get more into the session thing and more into the goings-on behind the scenes. It's going to take me a few years to do it, just like the last one did and I've got a documentary in play too. There will never be a Toto story per se because there's a person that'll stop that. Actually, there are a couple of people now that'll stop it from happening.

So I'll write a second book, write a solo record, I'm going back out with Ringo, I've got other tours to do and I want to stay home and just be a dad. I want to watch my little kids grow up a bit, I'm hardly out of work (laughing), I haven't been out of work since I started so I'm very fortunate, but there is a price to it all. So, for now, I'll just get to stay home a little bit more and that will be really, really cool for me. This is a great time to step back because it's the end of a cycle. We never thought we would get to forty years, are you kidding me? We're going out with a bang though! Every night there's nothing but good vibes on stage, the reviews are great, the revenue is good and the audiences are loving it. We have just decided to go out there and kick ass."

Steve Lukather & Joseph Williams

Luke on the future of Toto:

"There have been eight versions of Toto, eight from the beginning lineup right up to today. People come, people go and we reconfigure. I'm the only guy that has been there for every one of them. Will there be a 9.0 version? I don't know, not the way it is now. It breaks my heart and I can't predict the future, but I'll tell you that in Philadelphia, it's the last time that you'll see this incarnation of the band."

(Sidenote- a 9.0 version of Toto does indeed exist and has been successfully touring the world.)

Currently Booming: Blondie - 'One Way Or Another' on American Bandstand

Exclusive Interview: The Doobie Brothers' Patrick Simmons Talks RRHOF, Vegas Residency & New Music in the Works

(Photo: Andrew Macpherson)

We are flashing back to some of the best of the best content here at DailyBOOM.

ICYMI

When I was growing up in the late seventies The Doobie Brothers were truly a staple in my house. My dad was WAY into classic rock and for two hours each night (like it or not), I was given the kind of musical education that will truly last for my entire lifetime. The older I get, the more I realize just how much I love songs like "Long Train Running" or "China Grove" and it's not just because the bands' four Grammy's and 48 million records sold tell me that I should. I genuinely appreciate the intricacies of their work.

Based on their fanbase that numbers in the millions, it's clear that I'm not alone. The band wrapped up a summer tour with Santana only to announce that their first-ever Las Vegas residency will begin in early 2020. As if that isn't exciting enough the true shining moment of 2019 for The Doobie Brothers likely comes in the form of their first-ever nomination into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 

I recently caught up with founding member/multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Patrick Simmons, to chat about all the exciting news and some new music to come from The Doobies. Check it out below!

(Photo: Tyler Habrecht)

Patrick Simmons on The Doobie Brothers finally being nominated for The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:  

"It feels great and everyone, including myself, is really pleased about it. You don't really think about it all the time because it's something that's out of your control, but when something like this comes along we really appreciate it. It's just a nomination so it doesn't mean that we're there yet, but at least we're on the path and that's pretty special. It's kind of a big deal (laughing), I think. 

If we were to make it in then the guys who founded the band, and the second configuration of the band that included Michael McDonald, I think all of those guys would be recognized. I would hope that as many of those guys that could, would choose to show up and have a go at playing because it would really be fun for everybody."

Patrick's thoughts on touring now:

"We did the tour with Steely Dan last year and then this summer we toured with Carlos Santana. I love shows where we're the headliner and so on, but I enjoyed the heck out of playing those shows with Carlos this year. We would jam with him almost every night. We would do "She's Not There" or something like that and just had a great time playing with him. 

When when we go off on our own we're just The Doobie Brothers in Concert and then two-thirds of the audience are the hardcore fans that have had the records and know the songs. That's when you can have those light-up moments when you can look out and see the audience with a surprised look on their faces and hear a spattering of applause when they know the songs. Those are such fulfilling moments for me personally

I love the medium-sized halls that have between 3000-5000 seats. Old theaters often sound really good. We recently played the Orpheum Theatre in Omaha, Nebraska and it was just so great. Such a fantastic theater and an incredible audience. I like the towns that don't always have big concerts coming through because it's a little more special when someone like The Doobie Brothers does play there. Those kinds of venues usually sound great and the audiences are enthusiastic and they're coming out just to see you. We have a great house engineer too that makes us sound really good onstage. You can feel the energy and it's as exciting and fun for us as it is for the audience." 

(Photo: Tyler Habrecht)

Patrick on discovering how to make some old songs feel brand new again:

"This year we did this thing at The Beacon Theater where we played "Toulouse Street" and "The Captain and Me" both front to back, all the songs and we ended up having a wonderful time. We had never played some of those songs in a live setting before and we realized how well they really translated. We had never tried them before because, in our own minds, they weren't the right songs to play live for our concerts. So this was something new that we discovered, not only do these songs really work, but they're fun to play too (laughing). 

We did a little tinkering with the arrangements to bring those songs forward a little bit and I think that those additions really brought the songs to another level. That was something that took us all by surprise and it brought us to a point where we had this interesting material that we had never considered using before. That made things more fun for everyone in the band. We've always included songs that were not hits in our setlists, but to be able to find material that we have never performed before ever, and have it work was a lot of fun. We threw these songs into the set and they really worked as far as the audience responding and so it's nice to have some old songs that feel new again.

We've only done a few of these shows so far, one in New York and another in San Francisco,  but they have been such fulfilling moments for myself and the rest of the band too. It's just so fun to challenge ourselves. Normally you start a show at one level and you move in an upward level of momentum until you get to your biggest hits and most popular songs. When you do an album all the way through the energy goes up and down and it's a little bewildering at first (laughing). The first show seemed a little weird but by the next one, we understood that the energy in this kind of setting flows more like if you're at home listening to a record. 

We also really take the time to tell some of the good stories behind these songs to help pull the audience in a little more too."

Patrick on new Doobie Brothers music:

"About six months ago or so, when we were all together, we went into the studio with some new stuff just to get our feet a little wet with some of the ideas that we had. Then we kind of sat on that material for a little while and our next task was to find a producer to work with. We wanted someone that could help us with perspective because it's always good to have that view from somebody outside of the band. We searched around and finally spoke to a guy named John Shanks and he has been working with us on some songs. We actually have some stuff in the can that we've recorded and pretty much finished, so we're talking about putting that out sometime next year. We're still in the early stages of figuring out how we're going to market it and what we're going to do with it. That's where we're at right now. I think we've got good songs and good performances so we just have to figure out where we're going with it. 

I know those of us that are writers are always working on something. Whether or not we'll end up using it for something, in those moments we have no idea, but in the back of our minds, there's always the thought that if The Doobie Brothers do some releases then this might be good for that. If not then they'll be good for something that we're doing individually on our own. Half of it is the fantasy of what might happen with the song (laughing), that's part of what being creative is all about. First, you have to imagine the music and then you have to imagine what you can do with it. I think it really enriches your life to have some creativity going on all the time. Since I discovered that I can write a song, it has been something that I've tried to do every day for all of my life. There's always something going on inside your head and every experience that you have, you reflect on it and figure out how you can use it creatively." 

Patrick on The Doobie Brothers first Las Vegas residency, beginning in 2020: 

"It was an opportunity that just presented itself. Obviously, it's kind of getting to be a 'thing' in Las Vegas. The business folks that run those entertainment centers where people just go to get away and play are always looking for something to get people in. They've been doing residencies with Aerosmith, Santana, Cher, Foreigner... there have just been countless artists doing it. In the past it was Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Wayne Newton (laughing) and so it's just a cool thing that we never really thought about doing ourselves. 

When it was offered we realized it's a great gig for an artist because you don't have to play and then travel to the next gig. The crew isn't packing up the gear every night and loading it just to unload it somewhere else the next day. Then there's the lighting and sound, just so many complicated components, so this is a real gift to any artist to be able to come in and play for a couple of weeks. As a touring professional band, it's lucrative and while we don't do it just for the money, we do have to get paid."

Patrick on what he hopes that people walk away with after seeing the band play live:

"I don't know if we are at the top of our game, but I do know that we have a really great band. Everyone is dedicated to doing the very best that we can. We work hard to make those three-part harmonies really tight and that's a huge part of the band. We are hard rocking and can get as heavy metal as anybody (laughing) because we like to play all kinds of music. That may be the oddest thing about the band, the fact that we're all over the map with what we play. There's country, some jazz-tinged stuff, we play super hard, loud stuff, we play straight-ahead blues. There are also ballads and some stuff that we think is really pretty (laughing) and delicate. 

We enjoy the challenge that comes with trying to inject different sounds and styles into our concert every night. We care about different musical forms and that's something that we really want people to understand after listening to the band play live."

(Photo: Kelly A. Swift)

Keep up to date on everything that The Doobie Brothers have going on by bookmarking their official site. Check out their tour dates here and grab some of the bands' merch too!

 

Exclusive Interview: The Doobie Brothers Tom Johnston Talks Touring with Steely Dan and New Music to Come

(Photo: Andrew Macpherson)

We are flashing back to some of the best of the best content here at DailyBOOM.

ICYMI

When I was growing up in the late seventies The Doobie Brothers were truly a staple in my house. My dad was WAY into classic rock and for two hours each night (like it or not), I was given the kind of musical education that will truly last for my entire lifetime. The older I get, the more I realize just how much I love songs like "Long Train Running" or "China Grove" and it's not just because the bands' four Grammy's and 48 million records sold tell me that I should. I genuinely appreciate the intricacies of their work.

 The Doobie Brothers are spending their summer on the road co-headling a tour with Steely Dan, a combination that sounds like nothing short of perfection to me. While their styles are technically different, they compliment each other fantastically. Somewhere between tour stops in Utah and Colorado, Tom Johnston, founding member/lead vocalist/guitarist, gave me a few minutes of his time to discuss life on the road and new music to come from The Doobies.

(Photo: Andrew Macpherson)

Cate Meighan: I know that you've been out on tour with Steely Dan for a while now. How is that going?

Tom Johnston:  We've been out on the road for about a month and a half now and we've got another month and a half to go. The crowds have been great and I'm happy to see that they're embracing a wide spectrum show like this. There's quite a difference in our musical styles, but somehow they seem to really compliment each other and I think it's great. We've played with Steely Dan as recently as last year, but this is the first actual tour that we've done with them in many moons (laughing). We played with them back in the 70's and now Donald (Fagen) has got something really great going on with a very large group of exceptional players and they put on a great show. The crowds have been very into it and vocal- dancing around having a great time and so it has been a lot of fun interacting with the crowd.

CM: It seems to be a great summer in general for rock tours and the fans are truly excited about the shows coming to venues near them.

TJ: I think besides being a great escape mechanism, the idea is always for people to just come out and have a great time. Forget about your troubles for a little while and just immerse yourself in the music. In this case, they know songs from both bands so it's not like their going to a show where they won't know a portion of the music. They're already familiar with it and it's already a bit of a comfort zone for them. We're very fortunate to still be on the road and doing this after so many years.

CM: Are you seeing a variety of different generations at your shows now?

TJ: We generally see people at our shows ranging from their 30's to their 60's, but we're also seeing some kids who are big fans of both bands and really into the music. That's gratifying when you realize that you've reached that many people with your music and that it means something to them. It's nice when they decide to take the time out of their busy lives to come and see a show. I think it's great when people go back and check out music from the past and the ability is definitely there, most notably by downloading it. That has become the go-to way for most people to listen to music and it has changed the way that music, be it old or new, is presented to the public.

CM: Everything changes and evolves over time so how has life on the road changed for you over the years?

TJ: In the 70's we flew, I mean early on we were in a Winnebago (laughing), but then we flew. Quite frankly that was great and I loved it. Nowadays it's all buses and it has been since we reformed back in 1989. That's basically how most people tour unless of course, you're in the top echelon because then you've got a private jet. We're not there just yet so we're on a tour bus like most everybody else.
We play an hour and a half every night and then Steely Dan comes out and I think that they play for about two hours. After that, we all head to our buses and hit the road for the next town. It's not nearly as glamorous as people often think (laughing).

CM: It's not all glamorous, so what keeps you out there on the road?

TJ: It's the playing for sure. I'll always love playing the most and then interacting with the crowd. The best moment of the night for me is always when the crowd starts responding. When they're singing the songs and they know the words. To me, that interaction is what it's all about and it makes all of the traveling worthwhile.

We're very fortunate to be able to do this because there is a demand for this show. People want to see the bands that are out on this tour and so it's a joy to get out there and play every night. I guess people look at it as a job, but we really don't see it that way because it's more of a privilege to get paid for doing what you love.

(Photo: Kelly A. Swift)

CM: I know that the band has been working on new music. Is there an update on the status of the next project?

TJ: It's really in progress and I have no idea when it's going to come out. We started working on some things last year and we've also been writing on our own. One song is semi-recorded for demo purposes. I'm not anxious to get off this tour, but when I get home I am looking forward to going back and working on the new stuff. I think it's imperative that we put out new material.

Technology has really changed how we do things too. In the old days, you had yourself and a guitar. You came up with chord changes and lyrics. Nowadays with the software that exists you can have your own studio in your house. You can lay down the track- play the drums, you can play the bass,  the keyboards. Then you can also play guitar right into the computer and you can sing into the computer as well. Back then, you would grab maybe a drummer to work with and take a song as far as you could. Then you would bring it to the studio with a producer and the whole band so that everybody could come up with parts. The producer would come up with ideas and the song would come to fruition that way. Now with all of the technology, you can walk in with a complete idea of what you have in mind. It doesn't mean that it won't get changed, but you're able to present a much more detailed version of what you're trying to do and I absolutely love it.

(Photo: Kelly A. Swift)

You still have to start with a good idea though. You need chord changes and an idea of where you want the song to go. That part of it is still the same.

The writing process is a bit different for me now though because I used to write alone. Now I'm realizing that to do it with other people that have ideas when you're stuck, is a real blessing. It moves the process along and they may have some really great ideas that I would never have thought of, so it's great. Sometimes when you're writing alone you find yourself running into a wall, for whatever reason,  that you just can't break through. Then when you get with someone else they'll break that wall right down for you which is fantastic. I'm looking forward to getting as many songs written as possible and then choosing what songs to use and getting them out. I think it's imperative for a band to keep moving forward. It doesn't matter how long you've been doing this, you still need to stay as fresh as you can. I think if you rest on your laurels you're giving up something, so moving forward helps to make it all valid for me.

CM: How far in advance do The Doobie Brothers plan their next career moves?

TJ: Well planning a few months ahead happens, like now we know that we'll be out on the road this summer with Steely Dan. Then in the fall, we have another tour and in the interim, we know that we're going to be working on new stuff. We're busy all the time, doing different things in different places but I can't imagine ever planning a whole year in advance. Life kind of handles itself sometimes and you just have to go with it.

(Photo: Andrew Macpherson)

Keep up to date on everything that The Doobie Brothers have going on by bookmarking their official site. Check out their tour dates here and grab some of the bands' merch too!

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Exclusive Interview: Dennis DeYoung on His Official Two-Part Farewell to Recording

Dennis DeYoung Promo Shot

Since Covid-19 has slowed down the industry we are flashing back to some of the best of the best content here at DailyBOOM.

ICYMI

I can still remember being a little kid sitting in my dad's big green armchair, his headphones on my head, listening to Paradise Theater, Styx's most popular album still, so many decades later. I was ten and knew precious little about anything that this world had to offer, but I knew who Dennis DeYoung was. Now, nearly forty years later, he is on the edge of releasing the first part of his farewell to recording, 26 East: Vol. 1. and his voice is as pure and textured as ever.

I had a chance to chat with Dennis this week and he clued me in to his mindset while constructing this new project, which includes a little help from Jim Peterik (Ides of March, formerly of Survivor) and Julian Lennon. Check it out below.

Dennis DeYoung Promo Shot

Dennis on working with old friend Jim Peterik on 26 East, Vol. 1:

"He likes to think he encouraged me but I think he just nagged me like a mother. “Den, Den, you’ve gotta make music.” I said, “Jim, no I don’t. There’s no rule.” (laughing) We are the perfect yin and yang. He’s the positivity and I’m all cynicism so it worked out nicely. Our two personalities worked perfectly together. I heard a song and he was trying to convince me to do it. He wrote this song called, Run For The Roses, that he had finished when he returned from Milan. He said, “Okay, let’s see if we can finish it.” So we did that and we finished eight others without hardly even trying so that was a great start. It was a great partnership. During the process, about 18 songs were written. A little more than half were written together and the others I had written myself. It was a catalyst to get me to do it."

DeYoung & Peterik- Photo Cred: Kristie Schram

Dennis on writing East of Midnight:

"When we sat down it was a ‘you show me yours and I’ll show you mine.’ We started that way rather than starting with one which can be tough. He (Peterik) had written that three years earlier and called it Late Night Radio and I thought musically I could turn that into a Styx song, I know what the ingredients are. So we sat down and rejiggered it. I made it more personal about my experience in the southside. From my perspective, he set the idea down and I just added what I needed to signify it. Every time I hear it, it just makes me smile. To all those fans out there who liked that thing out there in 1977 and ‘78 well there it is! It sounds fresh to me."

Dennis on his writing process in general:

"Well, most of the things I’ve had success with were done by myself. When writing with someone, the process that turns out to be the most successful, I think, is when we both have an idea that someone is stuck on or needs more investigation it’s like, okay where will that go? What would you do to that and vice versa? That’s the process that I have found has been the most successful. For instance, Tommy (Shaw) had chords and the verses to a song called Lights we did in ‘79 and same thing with Mademoiselle when he first joined the band, he had the verses and I wrote the choruses. I’m very competent in writing hooky things that people tend to recall so the hook on Lights and the hook on Mademoiselle was mine. So that’s it. If you’re stuck for a hook or stuck for words, you just piece it together like a jigsaw puzzle. Then you hope when it’s done it doesn’t sound just pieced together. It’s got to sound like it was written all at the same time by one person. That’s the point.

That’s why groups are so important. All that Styx music would not have been the same if those people weren’t in that room playing off of each other and really competing! That’s the best for the competition as a whole, that’s the best scenario for any group. Competition for the good of the whole instead of just one is good for the group."

Dennis on working with Julian Lennon:

"This was my last album and the thing is from the beginning, I knew there was no rating that mattered anymore. East of Midnight begins the record and To The Good Old Days ends it, with all that’s in between that is kind of the tissue that connects it. I loved The Beatles on Ed Sullivan in 1964 and I did it in a completely Beatles style. Some people might consider a rip-off, but I went right at it. In the beginning, when Paul and John sang together you really couldn’t tell much difference and then they harmonized. To me, the harmony was the whole thing. When you saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan what struck me most of anything was the joy and the action of the group, not the vocal harmony but the harmony of the guys on stage. They seemed so filled with joy. What they were doing was also brand new.

I was looking for somebody to sing that part on that song and I thought, well maybe Julian. Then I composed an email and at the last minute, I thought that I shouldn’t send this to him because it’s not his story. It’s my story about what The Beatles meant to me and the world and it’s too diddly. I realized that if I wanted to do a song with Jules, I wanted it to be ours. So I went to the piano and imagined what we would sound like and I wrote the song specifically for our voices. Then I sent it to him. Oh, and I didn’t know him, I had never met him.

He responded, which shocked me ‘cause I didn’t expect it. He said he’d be honored to do it, so we met in Brooklyn and I really wanted him to just sing it like he would sing it because the lyrics really touched him. The opening line is, “It’s so hard to say goodbye. Promise not to cry.” When he sang those lines by himself, wow. So I brought it home and I matched him. I sat in my room and thought that this has to be the kind of harmony that the lads from Liverpool did or dare I say The Everly Brothers because that’s the pattern we want. People love The Everly Brothers. So, I just sang and I finished it. I pulled all the stops on this thing. Then I figured that this has got to be us. Not them. This is about Jules talent and my talent because I was a fan of Jules since ‘84 and his album Valotte. So I got my own Beatle, (laughing). Quite frankly, when we were standing in the control room, not even the studio, we just started singing together and I thought, man this is going to be good. If ever there was a time that we needed to have a song like that, it might be right now."

Dennis on 26 East, Vol. 1 & 2 being his final farewell:

"I try to explain it this way. I frame some notes and put them on chords and then I stick words on the notes. Then I attempt to tell you my point of view regarding my life and what I see around me hoping that you will find yourself in my story. That’s it. When you do that right, you’d be surprised how many people relate because when people listen to music, they think it is their story. I think I’ve done what I needed to do. I’ve completed the circle with this record. I've come full circle.

Dennis DeYoung- Promo Shot

I believe that I don't have the ambition to do it again because I sing it, I write it, I mix it, and I produce it. You know, I’m not a kid. When you’re young, you have this ambition that you must pay attention to. Then, after you’ve had some success, and you were looking for success, you think that success will change you fundamentally. It will not. It will not change you and when you realize that, life becomes more in focus and in perspective. For me, after this, I’ve said what I need to say. I thought I’d said what I needed to say before this record (laughing). I’m 73. It’s time for me to say thank you very much to everyone who has given me this incredible life and then that’s it. The thing on the album says it best, A.D. 2020. If you know anything about Styx music, if you’re really a Styx fan, you might tear up." 

Dennis on what comes next for him:

"I think Law & Order reruns with pizza (laughing). I have a musical that is supposed to open at the Skylight Theater in Milwaukee in September. I can be content working on that for the rest of my life, just working on and being a part of productions across the country. I tour a lot, I still do. I don’t know what that holds for the future anymore."

26 East: Vol. 1 is out on April 10th and you can preorder it now from Frontiers Music Srl

right here!

Daily Boom 70's Throwback: Evelyn Champagne King- 'Shame'

"Shame, ooh
My mother says you're playing a game
And what you do to me is a
Shame
Ooh, gonna love you just the same
Mama just don't understand
Wrapped in your arms
Is where I want to be
I want to be, want to be
Wrapped in your arms
That's my high, my high
I can't get enough, ooh baby
Enough of that magic touch
Love is in my heart
Tearing the rules apart
So, why should I be ashamed"

I make absolutely no apologies for my to-this-day love of disco. The very first 45's that I bought with my own money were Chic's "Le Freak" and Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell"- and I still love them both. I also love how when a classic disco song comes on now and everyone floods the dance floor. The appeal is still there. Evelyn Champagne King's "Shame" is a perfect example of this phenomenon. It's just a great song with a great beat and when you throw in a bit of a cautionary lyrical tale, well you've struck 40 years worth of musical gold. 

Click play below and I dare you to try and stay still. You can't do it either, can you?

Currently Booming: Yvonne Elliman on American Bandstand - 'If I Can't Have You' (1977)

Currently Booming: NEW Steely Dan: Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live (Listen)

Daily Boom 70's Throwback: Anita Ward - 'Ring My Bell'

The night is young and full of possibilities

Well come on and let yourself be free

My love for you, so long I've been savin'

Tonight was made for me and you

Technically, "Ring My Bell" actually was released in the summer of 1979 but I'm going to sneak it in here anyway. It sold millions of copies and made sure that Anita Ward would be forever remembered as one of disco's biggest stars. It may be one of the most suggestive songs to come out of the decade but believe it or not it was actually written for a young teen to sing. Yep, "Ring My Bell" was originally supposed to be about a teen girl getting a phone call! Once it was given to Ward the lyrics were tweaked to really sex it up.

"Ring My Bell" stands out because I was totally a disco kid and it was a 45 that I HAD to have. Like, I was 8-years-old and I walked into the record store with my dad and plunked down my own money to buy it. I can still see dad telling my mom about my selection and her freaking out. Dad just laughed and reminded her that I had absolutely no idea what the song was really about and that I bought it for the music. True story but to this day every time that I hear "Ring My Bell" I still can see dad standing there justifying me buying it.

Exclusive Interview: Foreigner's Tom Gimbel Talks the 'Juke Box Heroes Tour' and More

Photo: Cate Meighan

Since Covid-19 is preventing any new gigs DailyBOOM is flashing back to some of our favorites from previous years, plus some interviews that are oldies but goodies! Enjoy this flashback!

ICYMI

Chances are that if you're a rock fan you already know who multi-instrumentalist Tom Gimbel is. He started playing the drums as a young child and eventually that early rhythmic base turned him into the musical virtuoso that he is today. After touring with Aerosmith for several years beginning in the late '80s, Tom joined Foreigner back in 1995 and has loved every minute of it. The band puts his talents to great use and in any given show you'll see him moving effortlessly between guitar, keys and of course that magical saxophone.

Foreigner kicked off their Juke Box Heroes Tour with Whitesnake and Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening earlier this month and I was fortunate to steal a few minutes of Tom's time before the Jones Beach, NY show. What ensued was a conversation over coffee and blueberry muffins (although miles apart) that was sprinkled with serious laughter. The only thing more entertaining than Tom's playing might just be his personality. He is clearly the guy that makes friends with everyone in the room- but only if he wants to.

(Photo provided by Tom Gimbel )

Cate Meighan: So, you're one week into the Juke Box Heroes Tour, how is it going so far?
.
Tom Gimbel: The shows have been beyond our wildest dreams. It's so good and we're having such a great time. We're with two other bands, Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening and Whitesnake.   Jason Bonham was in Foreigner as our drummer for about three years and we just toured with his band last year so they're a ton of fun and we've known the Whitesnake guys forever.  It's like being in rock n' roll band camp on the road, like a little fraternity (laughing). It's just a fun summer tour with really spectacular staging and wonderful weather so far. Mick Jones is on top of his game, Kelly Hansen (lead vocalist) is singing as well as ever and everyone else sounds great so we're having the time of our lives.

CM: What defines a great show for you?

TG:  I think it's when the band is really clicking together. There's honestly never a bad night for us. We have good nights and then we have great nights. A lot of times it's the sound on stage like if you get on a cement floor the sound can be harsh and brittle. The way the room is designed and the energy of the crowd, everything contributes. When the sound is good and we're all grooving because the audience is into it, those are the ingredients for a great night.

CM: When you were younger did you ever see your career unfolding the way that it has?

TG: When you're young you have all these dreams of fame and fortune. I was never so interested in fame, but fortune? Well, that was interesting (laughing). I really hoped and believed that if I worked super hard and had a little bit of luck, good things would happen and that's really still my feeling. I work hard and hope for the best, and the good things have been pretty consistent.

When you're young and you just want to be a musician, you really don't think about what you'll be doing this many years later. Or if you do you think you'll be a billionaire, retired by the pool, racing horses or something (laughing). In actuality, the world has changed and real-life rolled in and that important music kind of became free. The world changes and you just adapt to things. The CD business kind of crumbled and people are acquiring music in different ways so you have to think of other ways to create income. That's why you see guys starting their own tequila company, coffee line or hot sauce.

(Photo Credit: Karsten Steiger)

The emphasis is also now on live music and that really fits the bill for me because it's my favorite thing. I love to play with the audience and have good interaction. When I watch my favorite bands I go to YouTube so that I can watch them play live. I still love the albums and want to have both, but when it comes to The Beatles, Al Green or Marvin Gaye I want to watch them play live, that's my thing. I never got to see The Who play live but I can watch their concerts from 1972. You know it's nice to just go back in time and visit with them and see how they gelled right there onstage.

CM: What is it that keeps you out there performing after all these years?

TG: It's the music for sure. I love playing rock guitar with a drummer, that's my favorite thing to do and then I love singing on top of that. Playing the saxophone and just being able to wail away on "Urgent" is about as much fun as you can have. This is what we all are looking for and it's what you work towards as a musician, so when the summers come around touring is just what we do.

(Photo provided by Tom Gimbel )

CM: What do you do to keep that musical spark lit for yourself?

TG: I'm always working on little projects. They recently did something with the wireless units and so we can't use the same frequencies that were once used for the microphone that is on the saxophone. That meant we had to get all new wireless stuff and that meant that we can no longer use the mic that I like, so we're shopping for microphones and I've had to try other ones. When it finally sounded good again I was so happy. I'm always looking for a magical reed for my tenor sax because it can make a drastic difference the way that the sound just jumps out of the saxophone big as a house.

There's always something to keep me inspired. I'll be looking at guitars online and then I find the same thing on eBay and think 'oh, I've gotta buy that quick before somebody else gets it". There should be a parental safety measure that stops you from being able to buy things after midnight. (laughing). I have storage space filled with things I thought I might need. It's okay though because it keeps me out of trouble.

CM: You're not a planner are you?

TG: I definitely go with the flow. I've never been a planner, I'm like one step at a time, no wait, two toes at a time (laughing). I'm really a linear person so I do things one step at a time in a sequence. It has worked for me and I like who I am now. I think we get more comfortable with ourselves as the years go by. When you're young you're always trying to prove something to somebody. Growing into your own skin is the best benefit of getting older.

CM: You've mentioned a few times how much things have changed over the years and with that change comes an onslaught of not so positive things, what is something that kind of eats away at you?

TG: I think it's a travesty that music programs are being taken away in the schools. Music was not only the best part of school for me but it probably kept me in school. Music was my motivator and I think a lot of kids might find themselves in that same situation, with music being the one thing that they like. It keeps kids out of trouble. We often bring choirs from local high schools on stage to sing with us. We tell people to talk to their board of education or school administrators to see if they can somehow help because these programs are being just stripped away. These kids haven't done anything wrong but they're being punished and losing something they need. It's really sad for the kids and we need to work together to save the music and other creative programs.

CM: You've got so many good things going on is there anything missing from your life at this point?

TG: Mostly these days I'm looking for my keys (laughing) because they're gone! Seriously, my keys, my phone, sunglasses that I can't find because they're still on my head (laughing).

CM: What would you like to say to the fans that have supported you for so long?

TG:  I want to thank the fans for coming out and rocking with us and we'll continue to do this for as long as they want us to. We're so grateful. The stuff that Mick Jones has written with Lou Gramm has just held up so well that it's really timeless. I get a huge charge out of playing music with other musicians, but when you add the audience in then the element of excitement is palpable. I think the audience is the secret ingredient that connects it all and really makes it work. People sing and dance, stomp and swear, whatever. It's all an outlet and that's what a rock concert is supposed to be, it's therapeutic. Where else do you get to yell and scream in public- it's like primal scream therapy only cheaper (laughing) and you go home feeling so much better!

(Foreigner Promo Shot)

Head over to Foreigner's official site to check out Juke Box Heroes Tour dates, band merch and more!

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Billy Preston & Syreeta Wright- 'With You I'm Born Again'

Foreigner- Double Vision: Then & Now Reunion Show Review (Atlantic City)

Double Vision Then & Now- Foreigner Reunion
(All Photos- Cate Meighan)

Since Covid-19 is preventing any new gigs DailyBOOM is flashing back to some of our favorites from previous years. Enjoy this flashback!

When Mick Jones, Ian McDonald, and Lou Gramm first teamed up in New York City back in 1976 to form Foreigner, I'm pretty sure that they never would have imagined still sharing a stage some 40+ years later. Serious health issues, growing pains, lineup changes, and internal strife have all played a part in the bands' evolution and temporary disintegration, but the music has always been much more powerful than all of those things combined. Foreigner's catalog is an overabundance of riches for any musician fortunate enough to be able to do it any sort of justice and no one understands this better than the band's original lineup. Seeing Mick Jones (lead guitar), Lou Gramm (vocals), Ian McDonald (guitar/sax), Dennis Elliott (drums), Rick Wills (bass) and Al Greenwood (keyboard) reunite for a select few shows this year has been a rare gift for classic rock fans young and old alike.

The Hard Rock in Atlantic City was one of only four shows slated for this year's Double Vision: Then & Now reunion and it really was a perfect balance of the original Foreigner members, with the current lineup. The first part of the show featured the latter with Kelly Hansen absolutely showing off his vocal range on hits like "Cold As Ice" and "Head Games" before pulling the sold-out crowd in with his intensity on "Waiting for a Girl Like You" and "That Was Yesterday". 

Kelly Hansen

Kelly Hansen

While Hansen is more than holding his own on vocals, the rest of the current lineup is an incredibly skilled group of musicians, all with decades of success before even venturing to set foot on a Foreigner stage. Bruce Watson was tapped to step in for Mick Jones during a medical emergency years ago and never left. He has earned his spot by being versatile enough to either play lead guitar his way or to accentuate the magic that Jones weaves as his right-hand man. 

Bruce Watson & Tom Gimbel

Bruce Watson & Jeff Pilson

Jeff Pilson (interview here) spent years 'breaking the chains' with Dokken before joining Foreigner and he is an animal onstage. One minute he is literally headbanging right in front of you and the next he is already at the opposite end of the stage rocking out. His bass playing is a standout, even on the ballads and he often can be found working as the band's music director to make sure that their shows are seamless. 

Jeff Pilson

Jeff Pilson

Tom Gimbel (interview here or here)  is one of, if not the most versatile musician currently touring. In any given song he might be playing rhythm guitar ("Head Games", "Juke Box Hero"), keyboard ("Cold As Ice", "Waiting For A Girl Like You"), or flute ("Starrider"). But his biggest moment is when he cracks out his saxophone to make "Urgent" the memorable piece that it is. 

Tom Gimbel

Tom Gimbel

Speaking of keyboards, Michael Bluestein is quite an entertainer. He plays great and even from the back of the stage he always catches my eye with the way he pumps up and toys with the audience. It's so often mentioned that the drums are the foundation of any band and that certainly holds true for Foreigner. Chris Frazier has been the man behind the kit for the last seven years and he is the driving force that pushes this great band through songs like "Juke Box Hero". 

Mick Jones

Once the current lineup finished their set in Atlantic City, Mick took to the stage to introduce the rest of the original members and you could tell that this was an audience raised on Foreigner. I was one of those kids back in the 70's spinning my dad's vinyl, so to see and hear the guys who actually played on those original recordings was pretty amazing. Less than a minute into "Feels Like the First Time" and it was obvious that this stage full of 70ish-year-old men could still rock. 

Mick Jones

As long as Mick is breathing he will play like a guitar god and seeing him interact with Lou onstage felt like rare stolen moments that only a select few concert goers in this day and age will get to experience. Lou's vocals seem to be about the best that they've been in years and the Hard Rock audience's energy soared. 

Lou Gramm & Rick Wills

I got the feeling while watching Rick Wills on bass and Dennis Elliott on drums that they both could still be playing regularly with Foreigner if they chose to. They both helped the band barrel through "Blue Morning Blue Day" and "Long Long Way From Home" with such conviction that I really wanted to see what else they can still do. 

Rick Wills

Rick Wills & Ian McDonald

Multi-instrumentalists always intrigue me because they just have so much going on.  Ian McDonald is meticulous in getting himself together before playing and it made me so happy to see him have a bit of a sax solo complete with a bit of his own theatrical flair. 

Ian McDonald

The split setlist for the Double Vision: Then & Now shows is actually pretty perfect because it allows each generation to play to their strongest abilities. There was no better way to wrap up such a rare evening than by bringing all twelve musicians back onstage to perform "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Hot Blooded". 

Foreigner already has a pile of dates booked for 2019 and rumor has it that some of those may turn into reunion shows as well. This fan can only hope that it's a rumor that turns into confirmed fact!

Double Vision: Then & Now Setlist

Current Lineup:

Cold As Ice

Head Games

Waiting For A Girl Like You

That Was Yesterday

Headknocker

Urgent

Juke Box Hero

Original Lineup:

Feels Like the First Time

Double Vision

Blue Morning Blue Day

Long Long Way From Home

Dirty White Boy

Both Lineups:

I Want To Know What Love Is

Hot Blooded

Lou Gramm

Ian McDonald

Jeff Pilson

Tom Gimbel & Bruce Watson

Bruce Watson & Tom Gimbel

Jeff Pilson

Tom Gimbel & Kelly Hansen

Bruce Watson & Tom Gimbel

Jeff Pilson

Bruce Watson, Tom Gimbel & Kelly Hansen