Melodic maestro STEVE LUKATHER on the advantages of not being a shredder — and the wisdom behind releasing full-length works in the age of itty-bitty attention spans
STORY Andrew Daly PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Solca
As A MEMBER of Toto, Steve Lukather’s melodic solos and slick songwriting defined a generation of AOR-loving fans throughout the Eighties. If you can recall the sweet sounds of pop-leaning rock classics like “Hold the Line,” “I’ll Supply the Love,” “Africa” and “I Won’t Hold You Back,” then surely you’ve dug into Lukather’s inspired licks. Of course, a player as inspired as Lukather can’t be held down, as evidenced by his expansive career as a sideman with the likes of George Benson, Michael Bolton, Michael Jackson, Cher, Peter Criss, Ringo Starr, Elton John and about a million others (including one especially cool appearance with George Harrison in 1992).
So, yeah… it goes without saying that Lukather has impacted the masses unimaginably. Through big hits, endless songsmithery and immense restraint in an era perpetually defined by shred, the San Fernando Valley native has managed to unintentionally soundtrack the music zeitgeist.
“It’s funny… I can’t even remember half of the things I’ve recorded,” Lukather says. “I’ve been on so many sessions that I’m lucky if I can remember any of them. People ask me, ‘Steve, what’s your favorite solo of yours?’ or ‘Do you think any of them are underrated?’ I always have to tell them, ‘I can’t remember.’ I mean, I’ve got ones that I love, but I can never pick. It’s not for me to decide what’s best or most underrated, you know? I’ve always been one to try and write a good song and record a solo that people will remember. That’s always been way more important to me than shredding or competing.”
These days, due to a myriad of nasty legal dealings, Toto is no more. But that doesn’t mean Lukather is leaving behind the songs he helped create; quite the contrary. In addition to some of his most memorable solo cuts, Lukather happily plays many of Toto’s classics while on tour. And so, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that with his latest album, Bridges, Lukather is dialing back to the stylings that made him famous with his flagship band.
“This album came together
