"Lowdown"

A lot of songs are pretty important to me. Still, there are some that just rise to the top when it comes to memories or special moments in my life. The very first time my husband and I went to Hawaii a few friends were with us too. One of them was Christa (see post from yesterday). The first time you visit Hawaii, you experience magic. The place is so special, it is hard to describe. You just must go there. So this was a very special trip when we were very young and very poor. We had to save pretty hard to be able to do it and we had so much fun. One night we wandered into a bar and there was a big band with horns and the whole bit and dancing. A cover of Boz Scagg's amazing "Lowdown" came on and the place just came alive. It felt so cosmopolitan to be dancing in paradise as a 24 year old. I've loved Boz Scaggs ever since.

Comments

[Bkallday]

A trip to Hawaii, “poor”??? Lol

Good song though, agreed. 😁

[Metalboy!]

Great song! ... One of my all time faves! ...

AND one of my favorite album covers!

BUT ...

Maybe you should think about changing the name of this site to “Bring Back R&B!”, Allyson!

Not that I don’t mind or that it’s cool you always post whatever you want but it’s become fairly obvious you have more or less decided to take a vacation from Glam / Metallic type topics, haha!!

Anyway, enjoy your vacation and keep on Rockin’ that boat!

[Basileus]

This should read as Lowdown by Boz Scaggs and Toto. Co-written by David Paich, who would go on to become Toto’s main songwriter; the greats, Jeff Porcaro and David Hungate, on drum and bass respectively

[Metalboy!]

Then this is the best song David Paich has ever written because TOTO is absolute SHITE!

[Him]

Come on, Metalboy! Toto are shite? Are you wee lad from Cockney corner, bloody knackered from the daily grind in the coal mine? Or are you just being a cheeky lad? What next? Are you going to be Gobsmacked that Sully Erma isn't taller?

Toto is not ----. Far from it. As others have already noted, they were packed with great players. Just listen to Porcaro's drum outro on "Africa" on Live at Montreux 1991. Better yet, listen to how well they do that entire song . . . live, no sweetener and all! And you can't suggest that the other Porcaro, or Paich, are schlubs either. And Lukather? Yes, you can comment on his increasingly bizarre hairdo. But his guitar playing? Nah. Nope. Nyet. I'll even give the touring bass player, Shem von Schroeck, a nod for the best "Three Stooges Villain" name I have ever heard!

It pains me that Weezer had to reintroduce them to a younger audience. But I call it a win no less. Better still, they did a nice turn on "Hash Pipe."

Toto were never fully AOR and never fully Yacht Rock. They rocked in between easy categories and scored some hits along the way.

True, they are far from Glam (ditto Scaggs). But I would prefer to listen to either of those two over Basting Alexander any day. A preference, to be sure. But I am glad that Allyson digs into her memory jar every now and again. It keeps the site interesting.

Metalboy!, you aren't in Kansas anymore. So let Toto guide you!!!

[Basileus]

Saying Lowdown is the best song Paich ever wrote is not much of an insult as it’s such a great song. He also co-wrote Lido Shuffle and wrote Toto’s biggest hits, Africa, Rosanna, and Hold the Line, all of which are stone cold classics.

[fletch]

Off topic for Him:

I saw David Lee Roth open for KISS the other night. He was in great form, voice was strong and he put on a fantastic show. The reviews on social media have been exceptional. My buddy was there, too. He is a HUGE KISS fan. He's never seen Dave in concert and often rags on me for my fanboy status. During intermission at the bar, he remarked, "Dave kicked ass. I didn't know how great he was. I'm impressed".

Enjoy the show in Vegas.

[Gary]

@Him I'm literally crying over the 3 stooges comment. 👍😂😂

@fletch Agreed. Even when his voice isn't there, (and lets face it, it's a roll of the dice on any given night anymore) Dave is THE consummate front man/ringmaster/party host on the planet. You WILL smile, rock out, and get your money's worth at any show he's involved. His solo videos from back in the 80's make me laugh to this day. Guy has charisma with a capital "K" Lol

[Bob]

the producers of the movie "Saturday Night Fever" wanted to use "Lowdown" in the movie, and put it on the soundtrack. Scaggs' manager at the time said no. Can you imagine?

[Metalboy!]

Bahaha!!!, HIM!

I won’t give TOTO not even ONE song, but I will give them the iconic guitar into to “Hold The Line”, one of the greatest AOR song intros of all time!

Maybe someone like Rock Sugar (Are they even still around? Crime how Ulrich shut them down - NO sense of humor!) could do a Metal Mash-Up with some other catchy AOR track, fully Metalized and voilà, something you could actually listen to all the way through without 😬!

Or someone clever could pull an “Unfinished Symphony” (Verve) maneuver and use that as a base for a new track. I’m surprised a Rap act hasn’t used it yet (maybe they have!).

Look, I have as many guilty pleasure AOR faves as the next person but these guys are Maximus Cheezimus! Just can’t go there with you, OR Allyson on this one!

Oh, and I take it back, they do have one good song you mentioned ... their cover of Weezer’s “Hash Pipe”! And Weezer’s punched-up version of “”Africa” is a hilarious “p*sstake”! (To borrow another phrase from the Cockney).

So don’t let me stop you guys as you herald some AOR! After all, these clowns practically invented it! Oh, and I’m not done yet ... got another an acronym for you ... LCD (Lowest Common Denominator) and not the good kind like Poison and all that stuff.

p.s. Bonus! Lukather! No question, the man’s a monster on guitar — see (or rather, hear) “Hold The Line” or his work on one CD I have vaulted away (one of the few I have left), the name of which I can’t remember, with a killer version of Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” where he plays all the guitars. I know, I know, he played on “Thriller”, but I’m talkin’ Rock and Roll here. Of course, it’s never to late, goofball hair and all, for him to put out a KILLER Hard Rock solo album ... I’d be all ears. One parting thought: Great playing does not make great music alone. You need songwriting, and NOT schlock like this tripe (there I go again!). Sleaze maybe, but not Schlock! Unless it’s Sleaze! Oh, yeah, SLEAZE! Where am I? Oh yeah, that’s right ... BBG!🤘

[Him]

Thanks for the brief, Fletch. I know DLR had a very, very bad first night out in Vegas. But he regrouped and came back swinging . . . and scatting, and kicking, and whatever the hell else he wanted to do! It's his world. We just live in it. I am very much looking forward to seeing his final night in Vegas in March. As I said previously, this will likely be my last chance to see the Diamond (in the rough or otherwise). Am I a bit leery of all the backing vocal sweetening going on? Yeah, sure (but he is in good company with KISS . . . I wonder if they exchange tapes?). But it is him singing/talking/non-sequituring . . . good or bad, depending on your preference. Would be great to finally meet Ace as well. But he is AWOL as of late.

Glad to give you the giggles, Gary. I pick my spots. Occasionally they land. And you have done your fair share in getting me to do spit-takes!

I agree to disagree, Metalboy! You know I love you. And you know that I know you can take a bit of ribbing every now and again. Your response was classic Metalboy! Another part of why I love this place. We can bash about on occasion. But we come back to loving music, in all of its forms. And we defend our spots, but almost always in good fun and with good hearts.