Category: Rock

1. Toto

   Posted on 7:02pm Saturday 14th Apr 2012

   

   The percussions on Toto’s “Africa” were my guide when composing and recording “Tierra del Fuego” and clearly influenced the feel of the track… so today allow me to pay homage to one of pop-rock’s all-time greatest bands.

   Style

   "Pop-rock" doesn't quite do them justice in fact.  Toto’s style has always been one of fusion. Their self-titled 1978 debut fused disco and prog-rock.  While the prog-rock influences remained dominant on the first 3 albums, a wide range of other styles have fused in and out of the Toto “sound” over the years, including many flavors of "world" music, jazz, funk, hard rock, California "FM" pop-rock, and ballads...

    The band further demonstrated its musical prowess and versatility by writing and producing the mostly-orchestral soundtrack to David Lynch’s 1984 “Dune”.

   If it’s impossible to pin Toto down to a specific musical style, there is however a definite Toto “sound” that emerges from its distinctive, sophisticated and melodic songwriting, vocals and playing techniques…

2. Foo Fighters

   Posted on 7:34pm Wednesday 15th Feb 2012

   Congratulations to the Foo Fighters for winning 5 Grammys last Sunday (Best Rock Performance; Long-form Music Video; Hard Rock/Metal Performance; Rock Song; and Rock Album)

   This is well deserved too – the Foos are in my opinion the greatest rock band currently in operation (not including KISS, which are in a category of their own!) and their latest album, 2011’s “Wasting Light”, an amazing record.

   

   Pictured, on the red carpet at the Grammy’s, 12 Feb 2012, from left to right: Nate Mendel (bass), Taylor Hawkins (drums), Dave Grohl (lead vocals, guitars), Chris Shiflett (lead guitar), Pat Smear (guitars)...

3. Foreigner

   Posted on 5:13pm Friday 10th Feb 2012

   

   Foreigner is one of the great rock bands of the late 70s and 80s, having sold upwards of 70 million albums worldwide and scored numerous hit singles – most notably ballads such as “Waiting for a Girl Like You” (1981) and “I Want to Know What Love Is” (1984).

   The band skillfully combines hard-hedged rockers with timeless ballads and always flawless production.  Their current record company describes their style as “melodic hard rock” but in fact they are not easily pinned down and have incorporated keyboards, saxophone and even church choirs with the more traditional guitar-bass-drum rock formation...