The Band Toto Asia
Toto was expanding its production facilities abroad and operating in France, Germany, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the People's Republic of China. North America was seen as an area of growth for bidet and washlet toilet seats, as opposed its "base" markets in Japan and China.
Dhaniram Toto was documenting Toto words to ensure the next generation could comprehend the words. However, many words were replaced with foreign ones, such as dui from Bengali for verandah.
Origins
The early history of Toto which began in 1917, mirrored Japan's rapid economic growth. In the first half of its existence, the company made products to meet the demand for new, modern urban housing. To do this, it employed the first tunnel kiln in the country to produce ceramics in continuous flow. It also pioneered the use automation to control production, allowing for greater efficiency and consistency.
In the late 1980s, the company began expanding overseas to profit from sales and new markets. It launched the Cera Trading Company, importing and distributing other products from other manufacturers to complement its own range of sanitary earthenware and plumbing fittings. This strategy increased sales and expanded the market share of the company globally.
In the 1990s Toto began to concentrate on research and development for water-related appliances. It also improved its distribution system to better serve the needs of customers and to increase profits. The company adopted a just-in-time method of managing supply chains and applied the same methodology in its sales strategy. This resulted in a higher level of customer satisfaction.
Toto has continued to innovate with regard to toilet technology. Its latest toilet, for instance it has a strong tornado flush that is more environmentally green than traditional toilets. The company also uses recycled water in its production process and has a green procurement policy. Toto also produces faucets, bathtubs and hand dryers with higher energy efficiency than conventional models.
The company's first museum opened in 2015 and features exhibits about Toto's iconic products and their development, its group companies (all that deal with ceramics), historical background of plumbing and products like bath units and, in a separate gallery, Toto products sold around the world. The museum houses the bathroom equipped with a WASHLET and other toilet innovations.
Before forming Toto the members of the group performed sessions for many musicians. Boz Scaggs' album Silk Degrees featured keyboardist David Paich as well as guitarists Mike Porcaro & Steve Lukather as well as drummer Jeff Porcaro & Steve Lukather. They also played on records by Steely Don, Seals and Crofts and Sonny and Cher.
Discography
With a name like Asia you'd think that the group would be prog queens and kings however, it's actually a fairly straightforward rock group. The band began as four members and released two albums that were self-titled in 1979 and 1980's Armed to the Teeth. However, even though the group have a diverse musical background their biggest breakthrough came in 1982 with Toto IV.
The album was a huge blockbuster, but it was not without its problems. The record companies placed the band under pressure to release the top single or they would drop the album. Toto was able achieve this with the help from the smash hit "Africa."
Toto's musical mastery is the result of their prior experience. Before forming the group, members worked as session musicians for artists such as Boz Scaggs. Steely Dan and Seals and Crofts. Their sonic signature has become the norm for '80s pop, and has influenced many contemporary artists.
The album opens with a strong and pounding sound with songs like Running Out of Time and Unknown Soldier showcasing the bands ability to write fantastic AOR songs that slowly get their hooks into your mind. The album also features jazzier, slower tracks like The Little Things and Chinatown. The album concludes with Great Expectations. This song blends folk and distorted AOR, which should appear completely unnatural, but actually is very effective.
After Toto IV, the band's fortunes turned towards the negative. David Hungate left the band to focus on his solo career and the band had a variety of drummers. In 1984, Bobby Kimball left the group due to drug charges. The band continued to play with Michael Porcaro, Steve Lukather and Michael Porcaro.
Toto released Isolation despite the turbulence. It was not as popular as IV. However, the group had a successful chart-topping album in 1992, Kingdom of Desire. This album marked the end of Toto's lineup and the debut of Simon Phillips, a new singer.
Tours
The band has performed all over the world to a global crowd of millions, with sold-out shows across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia and New Zealand. The band has a wide collection of songs, and their catalog has been heard over one billion times on streaming services across the globe. The band's iconic music has influenced multiple generations of fans.
Steve Lukather and Joe Williams have developed a deep and vibrant friendship that flourishes professionally on a worldwide basis. In 2018 the duo celebrated their 40th anniversary of Tours Around the Sun with a hugely successful tour across the globe. The album with the same name was ranked #5 on Billboard 200. check out here includes their greatest hits, rarely performed live deep-cuts as well as some songs that come from Lukather's and Williams' individual catalogues.
TOTO has a customer satisfaction rating of 20 according to its Net Promoter Score which measures how likely its customers are to recommend the brand. Promoters are those who give a positive rating to the company and encourage others to use its products or services. Detractors are those who evaluate the company poorly and may even actively discourage others from using their products or services.
Join Toto to experience a unique cultural encounter in Asia. This highlights tour features luxurious accommodation, a cruise on an elegant cruise ship on Halong Bay and an exploration of Angkor Wat, a mystical temple that was once the home of the French called Indochine. Also, you'll spend a night in the charming town of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage city that will delight the senses. This is a trip that you won't wish to miss!
Line-up
The album's third, Turn Back, marked an reversion to the classic sextet style of the previous albums. It was a more powerful, consistent effort with a harder edge than Hydra. The edgier sound of Turn Back reflected the development of the group. Drummer Bobby Kimball's increased ability to play was evident in the vocal delivery of Joseph Williams, who had grown more confident and mature. Keyboardist David Paich's work also was sharper, more intricate and less cloying than earlier recordings.
After touring to promote their album, the band recorded an Amsterdam live concert which was released on Eagle Records as a 2-CD set entitled Falling In Between. The group released their new studio album a few months after and then embarked on a world tour promote it. In this time keyboardist Greg Phillinganes filled in for Paich, and bassist David Hungate left the group to spend more time with his family.
In 1998, Paich and Lukather started exploring old tapes and demos for a new album featuring songs that had never been recorded before. The album was released in 2001 as a duo album called Then and Now. It was the band's first album without one single track titled "A". The album also included a previously unreleased track called "Kari-Anne".
By 2003, Toto had begun to decline in popularity. The fourth album, Old Is New, was a commercial flop and singer Williams suffered from a bad laryngitis condition that limited his singing abilities. In addition, Hungate returned to Nashville, while drummer Leland Sklar was replaced by Shem von Schroeck.
Downes along with the other original members of Asia - Wetton, Palmer, and Howe--convened an event in England in the early part of 2006 to discuss the possibility of formally reforming the group. The lineup, which was minus Howe (who was busy with Yes at the time) was eventually referred to as Toto XIV and toured extensively.
In 2010, the band reunited for another reunion tour with a slightly different line-up, including guitarists Mike Porcaro and Steve Lukather, drummer John Pierce, bassist Shannon Forrest, and multi-instrumentalists Warren Ham and Dominique Taplin. The group also had a guest appearance by singer Michael McDonald, and a backing singer named Mabvuto Carpenter.