Concerts | Toto will give a concert in Finland again, even though he announced his breakup five years ago – in the background of a lawsuit

American Toto, who belongs to the legendary section of rock music, is touring again and will also arrive in Finland on his tour. The band will perform at Espoo’s Metro-arena on February 28 and at Tampere’s Nokia-arena on March 2.

Toto has been able to continue his activities through many difficulties. For example, in the fall of 2019, the band’s guitarist Steve Lukather said the band would break up at the end of their 40th anniversary tour. In addition to Lukather, the band also included two other original members, i.e. keyboard players Steve Porcaro and David Paich as well as a longtime singer Joseph Williams.

Termination decision was involved in a lawsuit that crippled the band’s activities. The original drummer at the time Jeff Porcaron widow Susan Porcaro Goings sued the band, claiming that Toto had failed to pay Porcaro’s estate royalties from the use of Toto’s name.

Toto, owned by Lukather and Paich, had to pay the Porcaro family one million dollars in damages, The Ultimate Classic Rock Website has told. At the same time, Jeff Porcaro’s brother Steve, who until then was still a member of the band, broke up.

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Of the old Toto musicians, only guitarist Steve Lukather and singer Joseph Williams are present.

Back then too Steve Lukather still did not consider it impossible that the operation would continue at some point with a new line-up. So, already the following year, he told about the plans for a new world tour with a new line-up, in which only Lukather himself and the singer Joseph Williams are among the old Toto characters.

The duo refers to themselves as The Dogz of Oz, which is also the name of the tour coming to Finland. The name is a reference The Wonderland of Oz -book series and movie, whose main character Dorothy’s dog is named Toto.

David Paich is also still an official member of the band, but for health reasons no longer participates in the tours.

All of these the recent twists and turns reflect the multi-stage history of the band, which has been active for more than 40 years, with numerous crew changes.

Founded in 1977, Toto made their biggest hits Africa and Rosanna’s In the early 1980s. At the same time, its members worked hard as studio musicians in Los Angeles. Toto’s musicians can be widely heard, for example Michael Jackson’s Thrilleron the album.

In winter Toto arrives on the European leg of his world tour without a single Porcaro – in addition to drummer Jeff Porcaro, also the band’s bass player Mike Porcaro is dead – and without David Paich.

“Joseph Williams and I are the only ones who are not retired and still healthy enough to tour,” Lukather said in 2020 to the Innerviews website. At that time, he also told about the name The Dogz of Oz, which Williams and Lukather use for their band, along with the classic name Toto.

“David [Paich] and I paid a lot of money for our share in Toto’s name. Why shouldn’t I get some return on my investment?”

Still, Williams and Lukather initially intended to use just the name The Dogz of Oz, but the promoters resisted and demanded that they use Toto as a name as well.

“I know some people say Lukather is a bastard for using Toto’s name in any way,” Lukather said.

“What should I do? Stop calling because some others are retired or dead?”

Ticket sales for the Espoo Metro Arena gig start at Ticketmaster and for the Nokia Arena gig at Lippupiste on Friday 13 September. at 11:00 a.m.