The Band Toto Asia
Toto was expanding production facilities abroad, and doing business in France and Germany, Indonesia, Korea and 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 of the words were being replaced with foreign ones, like dui from Bengali for verandah.
Origins
Incorporated in 1917, Toto's early years were a mirror of Japan's economic growth. In the beginning, Toto produced products to meet the demands for modern, contemporary urban housing. It had the first tunnel kiln in the nation to continuously produce ceramics. It also pioneered the use of automation to control production, allowing for greater efficiency and consistency.
The company began expanding internationally in the late 1980s in order to benefit from new markets and sales opportunities. The company established the Cera Trading Company to import and sell other products of other manufacturers in order to complement its own line of sanitary earthenwares as well as plumbing fittings. This strategy increased sales and expanded the company's market share in the world.
In the 1990s, Toto had shifted its emphasis on research and development for water-related household appliances. It also improved its distribution system to better serve its customers and increase profit. The company adopted a just-in-time method of managing supply chains and applied the same approach in its sales strategy. This led to a higher level customer satisfaction.
Toto continued to innovate toilet technology. Its latest toilet has a powerful, environmentally-friendly tornado flush. Toto also makes use of recycled water in its manufacturing process and has a green procurement policy. Toto also manufactures faucets, bathtubs and hand dryers with higher energy efficiency than typical models.
The first Toto museum opened in the year 2015. It features exhibits on the most iconic products of Toto and their evolution, the group companies (all of which are made of ceramics) and the history of plumbing, and even bath units. In another gallery, visitors will find Toto products sold all over. The museum also includes a bathroom with the WASHLET toilet, as well as other toilet-related innovations.
Before the formation of Toto the band, members of the band did sessions for a variety of musicians. Boz Scaggs album Silk Degrees featured keyboardist David Paich and guitarists Mike Porcaro & Steve Lukather as well as drummers Jeff Porcaro & Steve Lukather. They also performed on albums by Steely Don, Seals and Crofts and Sonny and Cher.
Discography
With a name as evocative as Asia you'd think that the group would be prog kings and queens however, it's actually a fairly simple rock band. The band began as four members and released two albums that were self-titled in 1979 and 1980's Armed to the Teeth. Although the band have a variety of musical backgrounds their biggest hit came in 1982 with Toto IV.
The album was a huge blockbuster, but it was not without its difficulties. The record companies placed Toto under pressure to deliver a hit single or they would rescind them. Luckily for Toto they did, with the help of the smash hit single "Africa."
Toto's musical mastery is the result of their prior experience. Before forming the group, the band members were session musicians for artists like Boz Scaggs. Steely Dan and Seals and Crofts. Their sonic signature has become the norm for '80s pop, influencing many modern artists.
The album begins with a hefty dose of hard rock, with songs such as Running Out of Time and Unknown Soldier showcasing the bands ability to write great AOR songs that slowly build their hooks into your mind. The album also includes some jazzier, slower tracks like The Little Things and Chinatown. The album concludes with Great Expectations. This song is a mix of folk and the distorted AOR, which should seem like a complete blunder, but works extremely well.
After Toto IV, the band's fortunes began to decline. David Hungate left the band to focus on his solo career, and the band had several drummers. In 1984, Bobby Kimball left the band following drug-related charges. The band continued with Michael Porcaro, Steve Lukather and Michael Porcaro.
Despite the chaos, Toto forged ahead and released Isolation, which was not as successful as IV. However, the group had a successful chart-topping album in 1992, Kingdom of Desire. This album marked the end of the original Toto lineup and was also the first to feature a new singer, Simon Phillips.
Tours
The band has entertained millions of people across the globe, and has sold out shows in Europe, North America and Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand. The band has a wide collection of songs, and their catalog has been played over a billion times via streaming services all over the world. The band's iconic music has influenced multiple generations of fans.
Steve Lukather has forged a vibrant, intimate friendship with Joe Williams that is flourishing professionally all over the world. In 2018 the duo celebrated 40 Tours Around the Sun with a wildly successful tour across the globe. The album of the same name debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200. The band's latest tour includes their greatest hits rare live deep-cuts and a selection of songs that come from Lukather's and Williams' individual catalogues.
TOTO has an NP Score of 20. This score measures the likelihood that customers will recommend the brand. Promoters are those who give a good score to the company and encourage others to use its products and services. Detractors are those who rate the company negatively and actively discourage others from making use of its products or services.
Join Toto for a unique cultural experience in Asia. This highlights tour features luxurious accommodation, a cruise on a deluxe junk on Halong Bay and an exploration of Angkor Wat, a mystical temple that was once the home of the French called Indochine. It also includes one night in the charming city of Luang Prabang. This UNESCO World Heritage City is a feast for the senses. This is a trip you don't want to miss!
Line-up
The band's third album, Turn Back, marked a return to the classic sextet style of previous albums. It was a stronger, more consistent effort with an edge that was stronger than Hydra. Its edgier sound reflected the maturation of the group and included drummer Bobby Kimball's improved ability on the drums and a more mature, confident vocal delivery from singer Joseph Williams. homepage was sharper, more intricate and less cloying than earlier performances.
After touring to promote their album, the band recorded an Amsterdam live performance that was released by Eagle Records as a 2-CD set titled Falling In Between. The group released a new studio album just a few months after and embarked on a world tour support the album. 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 demo tapes and tapes to make a new record featuring songs that were never recorded before. The album was released in 2001 as a double album titled Then and Now. It was the first album by the band without the single track "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 vocalist Williams was suffering from a severe laryngitis condition which hampered his singing. Hungate also returned to Nashville and Leland Sklar's drumming duties were replaced by Shem Von Schroeck.
Downes, Wetton Palmer and Howe, the founding members of Asia The original Asia members met in England early in 2006 to discuss the possibility that the group could be revived. The lineup, with the exception of Howe who was busy with Yes at the time, was renamed Toto XIV. They 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 band also featured the appearance of singer Michael McDonald, and a backing singer named Mabvuto Carpenter.