A shame, but it was time. One of the best (and heaviest) live bands I've ever seen, but it really wasn't Toto anymore due to all the problems lately. One of the most despised bands ever by critics-but critics suck anyway!
From MelodicRock.com:

Steve Lukather - The end of Toto

In several interviews and blogs Lukather made some (little) allusions to the end of Toto. The die heart fans got the message, BUT a lot of people didn’t got the clue and wouldn’t believe that Toto is over before they read it loud and clear from Steve Lukather himself. Here's Luke's announcement about the end of the Toto era.

Steve Lukather: "I would like to make a formal annoucement as I have been barraged by e-mails and speculations on various websites.

The fact is yes I have left Toto. There is no more Toto. I told the guys before the last leg of our tour.
We had some differences in how business was being done. The other fact is that I have been the only guy who was at the first rehearsal till the last gig a month or so ago. When Jeff died part of us all died with him. We pursued it and had some great times. Simon was a champ replacing Jeff at a most difficult time. Bobby was out of the band for 16 years and then came back and you know the other singer stories. Other than Bobby, Joe was the only guy that really fit with us cause he was a high school buddy as well. No offence to Bobby at all.

When Dave retired that was REAL hard for me cause we started the band together. Hell its 35 years if you count High School where the core all met. When Mike fell ill and had to leave that was it for me. If there isnt a Paich or at least one Porcaro how can we even call it Toto? It was bittersweet cause I finally got to tour with my dear friend and musical legend Leland Sklar whom I have known since I was 19 years old. We had some laughs and great times.

Honestly I have just had enough. This is NOT a break. It is over. I really cant go out and play Hold the Line with a straight face anymore. I was 19 when we cut the record. I am 50 now.

I have only the deepest respect for the guys that have been in and out of this band over the years. We had a great run and I owe an awful lot to the experience and the success we had. We hung in there hard despite being the most hated band in the world by most so called "rock critics". We took the punches and kept going. Our old label President Donnie Ienner ruined us in the USA by not releasing our records and not letting us out of our contract for over 10 YEARS! And that really set us back. Why? You have to ask the man himself cause we never knew why. He just didnt like our music or us personally I guess. We will never know.

The USA turned there backs on us and it was very hard for me to keep smiling thru it all. It just sort of festered inside me and I was hurting myself in the process and eventually I had to be honest with myself and I was not happy at all. The guys in the current line-up could not be more different individuals and the only real thing we had in common was music. This was NOT the high school band of brothers that we started in the 70's. We had a magic thing and the same sense of humour and the same views on life. Somehow that was lost. Its not the new guys fault. It is what it is.

I just cant do it anymore and at 50 years old I wanted to start over and give it one last try on my own. As the only original member that had NEVER ever left or missed even ONE gig or recording I figured I might as well do it myself now while I can still get out and do it and have a new record that just came out and a new band that is unreal and a tour booked that will take me thru the end of summer 2009 and beyond. The title of my record says it all. Ever Changing Times.

Today I confered with my soul brother and founding member David Paich on this matter. He wrote me back and he said "We are FREE"! I laughed out loud. I dont think he thought this was Toto anymore either. There are no bad feeling from me to the other guys at all. I wish them only the very very best and all the good things in life and I am sure we will run into each other here or there and it will be hugs and all, hope so anyway. So, there you have it. I hope you will come out to one of my shows and thank you for 31 years of friendship."

stevelukather.net, June 5th 2008

sad, but their last few records couldn't have sold well, it was so damn hard to find them.

renny

A few years ago, I was supposed to see Toto at an outdoor venue about 30 minutes north of me. The day of the show, I found out it was cancelled. I don't know if a reason was given, but I imagine it had to do with slow ticket sales.

Toto is one my favorite bands of all time and I own nearly everything put out by them. "Kingdom Of Desire" is still one of my favorite songs and albums of all time. I got to see them in Houston on their "Isolation" tour...the crowd was sparse, so much so that I got to move down near the floor and witness a great concert. I have followed Luke's solo career as well and I think he exited with class, unlike a lot of rock break ups. 30 years for a band that was blown off when not being bashed by critics ain't too shabby.

It's the same three songs that always get played. I have never heard anything else by them. Toto IV was the first CD I ever saw in my life.

One of the heaviest bands you've ever seen live?!?! Really? I bet they rocked out AFRICA. No loss.

One of the best bands ever. Their concerts were great also.
And honest: very true!

Now really, would I say something like that if it wasn't true? I used to write for a Metal magazine and I kind of know what's heavy and isn't. I'm no expert, but having seeing Toto live 3 times to your zero I'm more qualified than you are. Your brilliant wit aside, yes, they are one of the heaviest bands I've seen live and Steve Lukather is one of the best guitar players anywhere. Every musician in Toto is the best. Simon Phillips (who used to play with such easy listening acts as Judas Priest, MSG and Jeff Beck) is in my opinion one of the Top 5 drummers.
I will admit, your side-splitting humor ("Africa"-truly an original choice to make fun of) was genius. Be proud. Somewhere, you'll be opening for such talents as Paul Rodriguez and Carrot Top.
Listen to something like "Kingdom Of Desire" or "Gypsy Train" or especially the title track of their last album "Falling In Between". This is stuff that borders on Metal at times and is absolutley Hard Rock. Toto, due to their name and their "Soft Rock" hits were pigeon-holed by the American public. People like you hear 2 songs and judge them without ever hearing the whole catalogue and certainly without seeing them live.
It's why Lukather didn't want to carry on-being unfairly judged due to the name and ignorance. Oh well. Enjoy cranking up the Bread and Englebert Humperdinck my friend!

Agree they are heavy live!

Saw them on their first tour, although I
never was a big fan, I loved the Hydra album.
It ROCKED!!

Simon Phillips might be good...but for me Toto died with the death of Jeff Porcaro.

I started reading your post but got bored. Touchy touchy. Never liked Toto. My opinion was they sucked. And although you got all pissy, you know nothing of my musical tastes.
I bless the rains down in Africa is a hot rockin song...as is Rosanna and of course I Won't Hold You Back. Rock on dickhead.

Bye, sugar.

I know I'm quite sad about this news. I think I've got about 13 Toto CD's, and I'm still missing several of the early discs and a few live albums. I started with Toto IV and The Seventh One because of the radio/video hits, but I wanted more and kept buying new releases from the band. I wasn't sure about some of the harder-edged stuff (usually not my style), but the musicality is certainly there. Even after losing Jeff, Toto remained a powerful force. I could always count on a solid effort from them, though I never understood why their record label chose not to promote them in the U.S. when they were international superstars on the other side of the world. Puzzling to me and frustrating to them, I'm sure. I despised every review that had to mention them being a band made up of studio musicians. After 30+ years, that shouldn't matter anymore unless it's just a shorthanded (ignorant) way to put down a great (misunderstood?) band. Ditto summing up their career by three overplayed Adult Contemporary singles. These guys are individually some of the most creative musicians in the business, and together they created some wonderful music. Thanks to Luke Daddy (Steve Lukather) for hangin' in there as long as he did. I appreciate it very much!

Wow-genius at work. I think I will simply sum this up-he mocked Toto for being wimps and has a quote from The Flirts.
R.I.P.
Midnight Wind

I've never been a fan of Toto but I've only really heard what was on the radio or MTV. This talk of them being a heavy live band has me interested though. Is there any footage of them that could be pointed to? What I've found on You Tube is definitely more hard rocking than anything I remember but not particularly "heavy".

Yikes! Er....I love Toto too! I didn't know they were still together, but now I'm sure sorry to hear they broke up!

(wiping sweaty brow)

It always amazes me when someone puts his 2 cents in on a band where they clearly hate them to begin with. Why comment? Just move on, and let it go. Why crap on someone elses tastes in music, or anything else for that matter. There's bands that I see people here mention that I dont care for, but I would never dream of making fun of thier taste in music.

Anyway, it's a shame Toto never got the respect that they deserved. It's just unfortunate they got pigeonholed as Invisible Pedestrian stated. I'd lost track of them long ago, and hadnt heard anything from them since "The Seventh One". Last year though I did finally get "Through the Looking Glass", and love it. Thier version of "Burn Down the Mission" is great, and thats no small feat coming from a big EJ fan like myself.

This is really sad news. Toto have always been a favourite of mine. They came out to Australia more than ten years ago, and I've always regretted not having gone to see them (I was sick....but I still should have gone).

Lukather's solo stuff is great. That album he did with Eddie Van Halen was brilliant, especially the song Fall Into Velvet. I thiink it came out in the early 90's.

I just hope he keeps making new music. At least he quit for the right reasons, though. Nobody could say he didn't do his best to keep Toto going.

I'm one of the 'green' Toto fans that only knows a few hits, but after reading this am going to explore a bit further. A friend (that's very into Toto) and I got tix to see Jethro Tull (the band of which I have pretty much everything they've ever done) at Red Rocks later this summer, and we just found out Steve Lukather will be opening the show. My friend of course was very jazzed, and I am definately intrigued.

Thank you for that most deserved ban, Linda. That was just one (dis)missive too many.
Thanks also for updating the thread over in new releases about Lukather's latest CD, "Ever Changing Times," quietly slipping out in the US last week. I had been holding off, thinking it would get here eventually, so I will definitely order now.

Seems a lot of people do like Toto and care. Also seems like some people are curious too. If anyone can check out the live clip of "Jake To The Bone" from the pro-shot Tokyo show from 1999 you'll shit yourselves! It's a jazz fusion/hard rock orgasm of the best kind (really, it is).