In a June 2008 interview, Alun Williams talked with Steve Lukather about his life, his career, his new solo album and, at the top of the list, the end of the band he founded when he was in high school, Toto
Steve Lukather:
Well, you know, I've turned 50, I have a new baby, I've left my old band, so it's a new lease on life. Sometimes people are afraid of change. I'm not afraid of change. The old band was good to me, and we had a good run at it, you know what I mean?

But when it ceases to be the people who actually started the band – I'm the only one left – it's lost its little magical thing that it used to have when we were in high school. It's like when you stay too long at the party. I didn't want to go down in flames, I'd rather go out on a real high. We had a successful tour, the album [Falling In Between] did really well, and we're all still friends. We all grew up together. Our bond is stronger than just being a corporation that makes money. I think everybody felt like it was time. I just felt like it was my time to go out on my own. I've had a career outside the other band anyway, so now it's time to really throw it down.

About.com Classic Rock:
So the title of your new album, Ever Changing Times is quite appropriate. I really like the album, by the way.

Steve Lukather:
It's like a rash. It grows on you [laughs]. I just wrote a bunch of songs that I liked. Randy Goodrum [who co-wrote several of the songs on the album] is the one who brought the deal to me.

He said, "Man, you need to do a real record, with vocals and songs and not just 20 minute guitar jams" [laughs]. It was really fun doing it. We just did it like old school meets new school. It was really a joy to make. There's so much diversity on it. I think it's somewhat cohesive, but I like a lot of different things. My live set is really diverse. It's nice not to have to go out and play the obligatory songs. It's all very fresh to me. If I was going to go out and do [Toto's] songs, I might as well have kept the band together.

About.com Classic Rock:
You just know that when you listen to the album, there are places where it's going to sound like Toto. I mean, there's no way around it.

Steve Lukather:
I'm the singer, guitar player, writer and co-producer of Toto's records so there may be some of that, but this record is a big production. It's an extensive sounding record with a lot going on, but I like that. Live, it's a lot rawer. Records are like painting: you paint, put some colors in, sit back and look at it. Live is like driving a Ferrari in a race. You get one shot at it and you're driving as fast as you can. It's a different mentality altogether.

About.com Classic Rock:
There are some hints of Steely Dan in there, too.

Steve Lukather:
Oh yeah, absolutely. I dedicated it to Donald [Fagen] and Walter [Becker] on the record. I love their music, and I hope they'll smile when they hear it. There's a lot of influences on there. Like, one of the songs I did with my son (Trevor] is like Pink Floyd meets Metallica.

About.com Classic Rock:
Yeah, it kind of creeps up on you and then it's right in your face. What inspired that track?

Steve Lukather:
You can tell the part my son wrote [laughs] and that's him playing it, too, and that just makes it even more fun. I was about to start the record and Trev goes, "Dad, let me write a tune with you" and I said, "Come up with some riffs, let me hear what you’ve got" and he came up with that and I said, "That's awesome. That's a killer riff." Then we wrote the bridge together and it just all came together. He's just an amazing up-and-coming musician. Mark my words, in a couple of years you’ll be talking to him, not me.

About.com Classic Rock:
I've never understood why Toto used to be treated so badly in the music press, even while fans were buying 30-million Toto albums.

Steve Lukather:
I'm getting the best reviews I've ever had in my career for the new record. Usually, with each Toto review that came out I'd say, "How bad is it gonna hurt this time?" The press has been less than kind to my old organization. How can it be negative to play with Paul McCartney and Miles Davis and have my own band? I'm old school ... the school where you had to play really well in order to make it in the music business. If you were a great player, you had a shot at a career. Nowadays it's like having a cake that's all frosting and no cake. Where's the meat and potatoes? I played for 12 years before I got near a recording studio. Now, if you can play a barre chord you're in the studio and the [software used to mix the recording] fixes it all if you suck. And then you have a two-year career and what do you do with the rest of your life?

Luke says his proudest achievements are his children.

Steve Lukather:
My son has his own band. They're opening for us on some of our dates. My son's been playing since he was a little kid and he still works at it every day. When the time comes for him to get his shot, he's going to be ready. In spite of my crazy life, all of my children really turned out great. They're really good people and I'm really proud of them. Definitely my finest work.

And when all is said and done, he's clearly comfortable in his own skin.

Steve Lukather:
I'm 50 years old but I certainly don't act like it and I don't feel like it. I have a really happy life and my life's work is my passion. Even at its worst I've still got the best job in the world. They pay me to play guitar and go see the world. And that doesn't suck.

Lukather has tour dates booked through the next two years. He'll be performing songs from his new album, some from his previous solo albums, and some that he has written that were hits for other artists.

Interview by Alun Williams, June 2008
Album release date: July 2, 2008