Steve Lukather Interview: Toto’s Legacy, Touring in 2024, and Playing Pine Knob Again

It's always fun to sit down with the legendary Steve Lukather—guitar god, songwriter, and the soul of one of the most underrated yet enduring bands in rock history. With Toto returning to Pine Knob on August 11th alongside Men at Work and Christopher Cross, I couldn’t wait to talk about the music, the memories, and what keeps this band moving forward.

"I’m doing great, man," Lukather said with the kind of warm, no-nonsense energy you’d expect. When I asked if he was ready for the August 11th show, he lit up. "Ticket sales are great and we're thrilled to play the venue. Pine Knob's always had a special place in my heart."

When did Toto first play Pine Knob?
"That was the first venue I ever played when I was 19 years old touring with Boz Scaggs in 1977. It was the first shed I ever played—and it was a great night."

Do you ever get overwhelmed by the emotional weight of performing?
"Oh yeah, man. One of the heaviest was when we played the Hollywood Bowl last year in LA, my hometown. The Jeff Beck family gave me one of Jeff’s guitars to play—the traveling guitar. I’ve worked with Jeff, toured and recorded, and we were friends. I played that guitar when he was alive. To stand there at the Bowl, where Hendrix played, the Beatles played, and now I’m standing there—it was overwhelming. I made a stupid mistake on stage because I was overcome with emotion. That moment, after all these years, it felt like coming full circle."

We talked about the recent Ozzy Osbourne tribute show and those unforgettable emotional live music moments. Lukather said, "When Ozzy was singing 'Mom, I’m Coming Home,' I don’t know how the band kept it together. I couldn’t."

What did Tony Iommi say about Toto?
"He actually said something nice recently—told people to check out Toto beyond the hits. That meant the world to me, man. I’ve always loved Sabbath. We all did."

Lukather laughed when we talked about some of Toto’s wildest musical arrangements: "'I’ll Supply the Love'—that song is chaos in the best way. It turns into a Star Wars theme with a disco beat." He chuckled, "Star Wars wasn’t even out when we recorded that. We were just having fun—a little spaced out, semi-mushroom moment."

On studio albums, Lukather beams with pride. "We always loved the big productions—like Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Dark Side of the Moon, Sgt. Pepper, Genesis, Yes. We wanted to make records that felt like that."

Why did critics misunderstand Toto in the beginning?
"People hated us at first because we were so diverse. Different singers. Different styles. They made up this story that we were created in a boardroom. Nah—we were a high school band. I met the Piccaros and David Paich early. We were just a bunch of guys who wanted to play and actually pulled it off."

He reflected on long-time collaborators like Greg Phillinganes. "He’s family. I met him in '77 when he was with Stevie Wonder. He was in the band in the early 2000s, did a few albums, and he’s back now. He really holds down David Paich’s piano parts."

Lukather’s humility is grounded. "I'm not Mr. Toto—I’m just trying to keep the music alive with the best musicians I can find. Everybody gets along, and things are going great."

And then we got to the tour—Christopher Cross, Men at Work, and Toto on one stage. "This whole thing was my idea," Lukather said. "Let’s take advantage of this genre—but I don’t want to name it. I don’t want that word tattooed on me for life. In 20 years, they’ll have another name for it."

Is Christopher Cross a good guitarist?
"Absolutely. People don’t know that. He played on most of his early solo stuff. I played some of the hits on his second album and the Arthur theme. We’ve been friends a long time."

He laughed about Colin Hay from Men at Work when I told him how my kids found their music "My kids found him through that episode of 'Scrubs' where he walks around singing 'Overkill'—and then they went down the rabbit hole. That 'Cargo' album is amazing." Steve responded: "Colin and I were in Ringo’s band together, so putting this tour together was just like, let’s go out with friends. Everybody’s got hits. Everybody sounds great live. And we all like each other. It’s not Battle of the Egos."

When I mentioned I’d be there at Pine Knob with my family, Lukather smiled through the mic. "Well, come back and say hi, man."

And that’s what it’s all about—music that spans generations, played by real musicians who respect the craft and each other. I’ll be there August 11th, on the lawn at Pine Knob, soaking it all in.

Final question: What are you listening to right now?
"Nothing. I’m on an ear break. I do this for a living. I’ve already practiced today. But I do like to put on some early Miles Davis—Kind of Blue, that era. Stuff you turn down low for a vibe. You can always learn something from the geniuses."

August 11. Pine Knob. This is going to be one of those full-circle nights. Don’t miss it.