A new Japanese rock band called Toto is going to be making their U.S. debut this year. This will be their first concert in the United States, and Toto has already made a name for themselves as one of the most exciting new bands on the island. The band’s long songwriting and versatile performances have earned them the admiration of many Asian-American musicians. They have gone from playing small clubs to arenas all over Japan to playing with big bands such as Sonic Youth, Black Sabbath, and finally to the stage where they are now gaining popularity in the United States. It’s a dream come true for fans who have always wanted to see Toto.
Since their first appearance on “American television” in the late seventies, Toto has established itself as one of the most popular musical groups ever. Their music, which is primarily acoustic, is instantly recognizable and has influenced artists such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and even The Rolling Stones. Many musicians have tried to copy their unique sound, but only a few have been able to do so successfully. Toto’s subsequent albums have cemented their place in the hearts of millions of listeners.
The first album “Horie Kae” was released in 1984 and is considered to be the band’s first masterpiece. The album features a traditional Japanese song telling the tale of a beautiful young girl who befriends a boy who is sent away to live with a family of monks. The boy becomes a monk himself and trains to be a great Buddhist monk. After several years in training, he is sent back to Tokyo to continue his training. In the story, the boy falls in love with the beautiful girl from the previous generation, Dorothy.
Following several singles such as “Horie Kae” and “Reiko,” “Bokusei” was the last single released by TOTO. Although it did not receive nearly as much attention as the other albums, the song was one of the more popular with fans. It’s about the same time as “Reiko” where TOTO started to use several well-known Japanese animation characters to sing. In the song, TOTO gives us a look at how Bokusen (fishers) became a symbol of Japan and how he took up his resolve to save the world.
The most popular aspect of TOTO is probably the choreography of their choreographer, Noriaki Atsushi. He has also choreographed many videos for different artists, but TOTO’s music videos have some of the most elaborate choreography. During an episode, for example, the main dancer, supervised by Atsushi, performs a series of complex and difficult jumps. Another element used in the song, which is like in many of TOTO’s videos, is the use of an unusual musical instrument. For this song, TOTO chose a guitar-like instrument that looks a lot like a violin.
Most of TOTO’s characters are portrayed with a wide range of emotions. They’re sometimes happy, sad, angry, or even funny. When they show their true emotions in the characters’ lyrics, it creates an atmosphere that is similar to what TOTO feels like while performing. That’s why, according to a press release from the group, “we are not trying to express ourselves but instead to present a side of ourselves we want to show.” According to the band itself, “We do not write lyrics from the heart but rather play with our minds and bring out the best out of each of the many characters that appear in our songs.”