The Band Toto Asia
Toto was expanding its 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 a market that would grow for toilets and bidet seats, in contrast to its "base" markets in Japan and China.
Dhaniram Toto recorded Toto words to ensure that the future generation could understand the words. However, many words were replaced with foreign ones, like dui from Bengali for verandah.
Origins
Toto's early history, which began in 1917, was a reflection of Japan's rapid economic expansion. In the first half of 1917, Toto produced products to meet the growing demand for modern, brand new urban housing. It used the first tunnel kiln in the country to produce ceramics continuously. It also pioneered automation for production control, which helps to increase efficiency and a more consistent production.
The company began expanding its operations overseas in the late 1980s to profit from new markets and sales opportunities. It established the Cera Trading Company, importing and distributing other manufacturers' products to complement its own line of plumbing fittings and sanitary earthenware. This strategy helped increase sales and expanded the firm's market share in the world.
In the 1990s Toto began to concentrate on research and development for water-related appliances. It also improved its system of distribution to better serve customers and boost profits. The company used the same just-in time approach in its supply chain management and sales program. This led to a higher level of customer satisfaction.
Toto continues to invent on the toilet technology. Its most recent toilet, for example is equipped with a strong tornado flush that is more environmentally friendly than conventional toilets. The company also uses recycled water in its manufacturing process and has a green purchasing policy. Toto also manufactures bathtubs, faucets, and hand dryers that have higher energy efficiency than conventional models.
relevant web site opened in 2015. It hosts exhibits on Toto’s seminal products, their evolution, the group companies (all of which are made of ceramics) as well as the history of plumbing, and products such as bath units. In a separate gallery you can see Toto products sold all over. The museum also has a bathroom that features a WASHLET toilet as well as other toilet-related innovations.
Before the formation of Toto members of the group performed sessions for a variety of musicians. Boz Scaggs album Silk Degrees featured keyboardist David Paich as well as guitarists Mike Porcaro & Steve Lukather and drummers Jeff Porcaro & Steve Lukather. They also played on records by Steely Dan, Seals and Crofts, and Sonny and Cher.
Discography
It is common for a group with a name like Asia to be a prog rock band however it's actually a relatively 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. But even though the band have a variety of musical backgrounds their biggest hit was in 1982 with Toto IV.
The album was a huge blockbuster, but it was not without its share of issues. The record companies put Toto under pressure to release a hit single or else they would pull the album. Luckily for Toto they did and they did it with the aid of the smash single "Africa."
Toto's musical mastery owes a lot to their prior experience, as the band members had been session musicians for artists like Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan, and Seals and Crofts before starting the group. Their distinctive sound has become the standard of 1980s music, and has inspired a lot of contemporary artists.
The album opens with a strong and pounding sound, with songs such as Running Out of Time and Unknown Soldier showcasing the bands ability to write fantastic AOR songs that slowly get their hooks into you. However, the album also includes some more mellow, jazzy tracks like The Little Things and Chinatown. And the album ends with Great Expectations, a song which combines folk and distorted AOR and should sound totally wrong, but is incredibly effective.
After Toto IV, the band's fortunes began to decline. David Hungate left the band to pursue a solo career, and the band was dominated by drummers. In 1984, Bobby Kimball left the band after drug charges. The band remained with Michael Porcaro, Steve Lukather and Michael Porcaro.
Despite the turbulence, Toto forged ahead and released Isolation that was not as successful as IV. However, the group had a successful chart-topping album in 1992 with Kingdom of Desire. The album marked the end of the original Toto lineup and was the first album featuring the new singer, Simon Phillips.
Tours
The band has performed for millions of people across the globe, and has sold-out shows across Europe, North America and Asia as well as Australia and New Zealand. The band has a huge collection of songs, and their catalog has been played more than one billion times on streaming services across the globe. The band's music has influenced many generations of fans.
Steve Lukather has forged a colorful, deep friendship with Joe Williams that is flourishing professionally around the globe. In 2018, the duo celebrated 40 Tours Around the Sun with a hugely successful global tour. The album with the same title ranked #5 on the Billboard 200. The latest tour of the band features their most popular hits, rarely performed live deep-cuts and a selection of songs that come from Lukather's and Williams individual catalogs.
TOTO has an NP Score of 20. This score measures the likelihood that customers will recommend the brand. Promoters are those who give a high score to the company and encourage others to utilize its products or services. Detractors are those who rate the company poorly and might even actively discourage people from using their services or products.
Join Toto for an unforgettable cultural experience in Asia. This highlights tour of the region the French once called Indochine provides luxurious accommodation, a day on a luxury cruise ship in Halong Bay, and an exploration of the mysterious temples of Angkor Wat. You'll also spend one night in the charming town of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage city that is a feast for the senses. This is a trip which you'll never want to skip!
Line-up
Turn Back, the band's third studio album is an ode to the classic sextet structure, and it was a more consistent, more powerful effort that had a more grittier edge. The more edgier sound of Turn Back was a reflection of the development of the group. Bobby Kimball's growing ability to play was evident in the vocal delivery of Joseph Williams, who had grown more confident and mature. David Paich's work was more refined, sharper and less cloying than on previous performances.
After touring to promote their album, the band recorded the band's Amsterdam live show which was released on Eagle Records as a 2-CD set titled Falling In Between. A new studio album followed just a few months later and the group embarked on a world-wide tour to promote it. In this time keyboardist Greg Phillinganes replaced Paich and bassist David Hungate quit the group to spend time with his family.
In 1998, Paich and Lukather started searching through old demo tapes and tapes to make an album that would feature songs that were never recorded before. It was completed as a double album titled Then and Now in 2001. It was the first album by the band without a single song titled "A". The album also contained a previously unreleased track called "Kari-Anne".
By 2003, Toto had begun to decline in popularity. The group's fourth album, Old Is New, was a commercial failure, and vocalist Williams was suffering from a severe case of laryngitis which hampered his singing. Hungate also returned to Nashville and Leland Sklar's drumming duties were replaced by Shem Von Schroeck.
Downes and the other members of Asia--Wetton, Palmer, and Howe--convened an event in England in early 2006 to discuss the possibility of reforming the group. This lineup, 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 featured an appearance by singer Michael McDonald and a backing vocalist named Mabvuto Carver.