Bobby Kimball..

by **Bobby Van Halen** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:59 am

First of all i have to say im a huge Toto fan.I saw them in Sydney a few years ago and they were awesome.
Only one prob tho,Bobby Kimball,the guy sounds so rough that it isnt funny.I know people talk about having an off night but i have quite a few bootlegs off the f.i b tour and he sounds horrible.
That night in Sydney he wasnt crash hot and after hearing the auckland boot last night he sounds just as bad.
All i hear is praise about Kimball's voice but he sounds very rough especially on Pamela,and anything off isolation.
Hope this time around in sydney he sounds better.

by **brandonx76** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:30 am

I think it's hit and miss with Bobby. For example the Gampel boot from 2004, he sounded great, and it was very 'live' for tracks like 'Good for you'...There are some other show from that era, and his performance on 'Only the Children' was excellent too. But then I do hear the backing tracks for Africa...

Even back in the day with Toto in 82 - the show from 82 (Budokan), that was the first time I heard Toto with Bobby, (or any live recording). I was kind of 'turned off' at that point, and started to think 'wow, it really is difficult to find a good singer, and to keep him sounding good'. I think this band can attest to that difficulty.

Make no mistake, Bobby is an AMAZING singer. The reunion show in Paris around '98, you can tell everyone is blown away when Bobby comes out and sings. Above and beyond Joseph, at the time. Enjoy the Toto shows - it may be one of the last.

by **WalrusOct9** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:32 am

He's definitely hit or miss, that's for sure, but I think it's just his style of singing. He's a belter, not a smooth tenor like Perry or a pre-coked-out Joeseph Williams.

by **Andrew** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:39 am

Bobby and the band have been on the road 2 and a half years. Give them a break. This is the last leg of the never ending tour. Enjoy it while you still can.

And see you in Melbourne Friday!

by **WalrusOct9** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:10 pm

I don't think it's as much that...but he's 4 for 5 at shows I've been to. The only one I thought he was kind of having an off night was the Chicago show last summer. Milwaukee '06 and the two shows I saw in California (March of '05 and the Wiltern show in Sept. of '06) he sounded great.

His singing style really gives his vocals a unique flavor but it also makes it hard to control on a nightly basis, I feel. Even Bobby on a slightly off night is still better than most people.

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:20 pm

At one point, I think Bobby claimed to be actively searching to find his "mid-voice".
That says it all right there.
Walrus has it right, the guy is def. a belter.
He just gets up there nightly, and lets 'er rip.
Some songs suit his voice more than others, but he has comported himself nicely to many different eras overall, i think.

However, when and if Toto reappears, it may be time for some new blood.
What about JSS?

by **Andrew** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:23 pm

The_Noble_Cause wrote:
However, when and if Toto reappears, it may be time for some new blood.

IF and when...

It will be Luke on tour solo for the forseeable future.

Also - having Bobby have to reach to cover tunes sung by Fergie and Joseph is just plain cruel!!!!!!!

by **Bobby Van Halen** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:33 pm

No problem guys im just making a point.
I love the band and id rate them as probably the best musicians on the planet.
Im just saying id love to hear him sound great when i see them.
Ill be doing that tonight,and cant wait.
Hope everybody enjoys the enmore theatre gig,Sydney.

by **JohnH** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:32 pm

Bobby was brilliant and spot on in Vegas Labor Day weekend Sept 2006.

John

by **brandonx76** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:41 pm

The_Noble_Cause wrote:However, when and if Toto reappears, it may be time for some new blood.
What about JSS?

I think a side project would be cool..but don't think they'd call it Toto...

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:41 pm

Just got the live cd.
Pretty good setlist....but I was really hoping they'd drop the medley and play the full-length tunes for real.

by **brandonx76** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:44 pm

The_Noble_Cause wrote:Just got the live cd.
Pretty good setlist....but I was really hoping they'd drop the medley and play the full-length tunes for real.

I think they extended 'Cruel' a little bit, from previous acoustic versions... Good live album, overall. Looking forward to the DVD...whenever it gets released out here. (US)

by **Bobby Van Halen** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:19 am

I was knocking Bobby Kimball today,basically saying that ive never heard him sing well live.
Well...time to apologise i just came back from the sydney show and he blew me away.I have never ever seen him sing like that.Just awesome.Ill take back anything i said abt the man,the whole band tore sydney apart.
What a show...pls accept my apologies Mr Kimball.

by **Tomulator** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:23 am

Bobby Van Halen wrote:I was knocking Bobby Kimball today,basically saying that ive never heard him sing well live.
Well...time to apologise i just came back from the sydney show and he blew me away.I have never ever seen him sing like that.Just awesome.Ill take back anything i said abt the man,the whole band tore sydney apart.
What a show...pls accept my apologies Mr Kimball.

Yeah...well...don't let it happen again!

:wink:

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:21 am

Bobby Van Halen wrote:I was knocking Bobby Kimball today,basically saying that ive never heard him sing well live.
Well...time to apologise i just came back from the sydney show and he blew me away.I have never ever seen him sing like that.Just awesome.Ill take back anything i said abt the man,the whole band tore sydney apart.
What a show...pls accept my apologies Mr Kimball.

Even when he sucks, he has tremendous whirlwind power.
Bobby sings from the far-reaching trenches of the solar plexus..u can almost feel the rafters quake. Just a force of nature...unreal.

by **Kenny** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:27 am

I saw 'em in Perth, Western Australia and Bobby was pretty ordinary to be honest. His voice just kind of grated a bit, but he did seem a bit tired. They interacted with the crowd really well though, and seemed genuinely pleased to be there which was nice.

I was glad to be there that's for sure - to be only 10-15 metres from a legends like Lukather and Simon Phillips was very cool, to say the least.

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:24 pm

More Bobby brilliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOEaHsyF ... re=related

Anyone know Bobby's thoughts on Luke putting the band to pasture?
This man belongs on the stage.
Maybe he can go back to touring overseas under the name Mr. Toto again.

by **ProgRocker53** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:45 pm

Bobby Kimball + Steve Lukather was/is an amazing combo... up there with Steve Perry + Neal Schon and Brad Delp + Tom Scholz, for great singer/guitarist combos, in my book.

by **WalrusOct9** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:07 pm

The_Noble_Cause wrote:More Bobby brilliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOEaHsyF ... re=related

Anyone know Bobby's thoughts on Luke putting the band to pasture?
This man belongs on the stage.
Maybe he can go back to touring overseas under the name Mr. Toto again.

I'd be curious too, from all the band members, since this seems to be Luke's decision. Really, it's his band now, so he does have the final say in the band's plans (at least as a touring entity) but i'd be curious as to the rest of the band's reaction and future plans. Simon has his studio and session work, but I'd be curious what Greg, Bobby, and especially Mike P's future plans are.

by **hydraturnback** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:41 pm

The_Noble_Cause wrote:More Bobby brilliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOEaHsyF ... re=related

Anyone know Bobby's thoughts on Luke putting the band to pasture?
This man belongs on the stage.
Maybe he can go back to touring overseas under the name Mr. Toto again.

..And just how cool was Greg's solo on that - Sounds like it was straight from the "stevie wonder" book... Fantastic...

by **hydraturnback** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:43 pm

WalrusOct9 wrote:
The_Noble_Cause wrote:More Bobby brilliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOEaHsyF ... re=related

Anyone know Bobby's thoughts on Luke putting the band to pasture?
This man belongs on the stage.
Maybe he can go back to touring overseas under the name Mr. Toto again.

I'd be curious too, from all the band members, since this seems to be Luke's decision. Really, it's his band now, so he does have the final say in the band's plans (at least as a touring entity) but i'd be curious as to the rest of the band's reaction and future plans. Simon has his studio and session work, but I'd be curious what Greg, Bobby, and especially Mike P's future plans are.

Yeah, good point.
I think that Bobby has a solo cd to come, and Simon has some workshops in the pipeline - but maybe (and unfortunately) Toto just need a rest for a while - Just hope it isnt for good. I would hate to think that FIB was the LAST album.

by **ProgRocker53** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:30 am

hydraturnback wrote:
WalrusOct9 wrote:
The_Noble_Cause wrote:More Bobby brilliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOEaHsyF ... re=related

Anyone know Bobby's thoughts on Luke putting the band to pasture?
This man belongs on the stage.
Maybe he can go back to touring overseas under the name Mr. Toto again.

I'd be curious too, from all the band members, since this seems to be Luke's decision. Really, it's his band now, so he does have the final say in the band's plans (at least as a touring entity) but i'd be curious as to the rest of the band's reaction and future plans. Simon has his studio and session work, but I'd be curious what Greg, Bobby, and especially Mike P's future plans are.

Yeah, good point.
I think that Bobby has a solo cd to come, and Simon has some workshops in the pipeline - but maybe (and unfortunately) Toto just need a rest for a while - Just hope it isnt for good. I would hate to think that FIB was the LAST album.

I'd hate that too... but even if FIB ends up being the last album, what a swan song it is! I feel it's Toto's best overall record, and what better way to go out than on top? Flawless work.

by **brandonx76** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:20 am

The_Noble_Cause wrote:More Bobby brilliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOEaHsyF ... re=related

Anyone know Bobby's thoughts on Luke putting the band to pasture?
This man belongs on the stage.
Maybe he can go back to touring overseas under the name Mr. Toto again.

Good Youtube find...any ideas on the entire set list from this show? (or that was broadcast on TV?)

by **r@y** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:14 am

hydraturnback wrote:
WalrusOct9 wrote:
The_Noble_Cause wrote:More Bobby brilliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOEaHsyF ... re=related

Anyone know Bobby's thoughts on Luke putting the band to pasture?
This man belongs on the stage.
Maybe he can go back to touring overseas under the name Mr. Toto again.

I'd be curious too, from all the band members, since this seems to be Luke's decision. Really, it's his band now, so he does have the final say in the band's plans (at least as a touring entity) but i'd be curious as to the rest of the band's reaction and future plans. Simon has his studio and session work, but I'd be curious what Greg, Bobby, and especially Mike P's future plans are.

Yeah, good point.
I think that Bobby has a solo cd to come, and Simon has some workshops in the pipeline - but maybe (and unfortunately) Toto just need a rest for a while - Just hope it isnt for good. I would hate to think that FIB was the LAST album.

Maybe it was also getting a little difficult for Luke seeing that only he and Bobby are still left from the original incarnation of Toto...

I mean, Greg, Lee, Si and Tony are great cats...but maybe without Dave and lately, Mike, kinda changed Luke's perspective on the whole thing....

I think this 'break' that they're taking in the summer will really be an extended one...I'm not so sure they're gonna come back as Toto....just my .02

Ray

by **weatherman90** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:03 pm

I saw Bobby last summer, and he was phenomenal. I was on the floor and he came down a set of stairs to sing Hold the Line right in front of me - it was an experience I'll never forget.

The guy works hard to keep his voice up, as Luke always says.

by **weatherman90** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:06 pm

Andrew wrote:
The_Noble_Cause wrote:
However, when and if Toto reappears, it may be time for some new blood.

IF and when...

It will be Luke on tour solo for the forseeable future.

Also - having Bobby have to reach to cover tunes sung by Fergie and Joseph is just plain cruel!!!!!!!

It's such a cruel world, Andrew! :lol:

He does his best on them, though, you have to hand it to him. Fergie is just about impossible - he really had a great voice.

by **DracIsBack** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:26 pm

weatherman90 wrote: Fergie is just about impossible - he really had a great voice.

He did, but not consistently. Honestly, for years and years, I considered ISOLATION to have some of the best singing I had ever heard in my life. Then I read the stories about how it was painstaking to create the album due to Fergie being nervous and out of tune. Likewise, he was ok in concert but not as awesome as the record sounded and he kept losing his voice.

I actually was at the show in Minneapolis last year where he sang with them again. It was cool for me being a huge ISOLATION fan. He did fairly well. His voice still has quite the range and he only struggled a bit on the really high stuff. (ie. "Angel Don't Cry" with that "still shivering from the coldness of your letter" part). It was cool to see.

As for Bobby, I find him hit and miss as well. I've been in shows where he sounds absolutely spectacular on some songs and hoarse on others. I don't mind the covers in some cases though: I totally dug his PAMELA on Falling In Between Live.

I do hope that the rumours aren't true and that Toto returns next year: that Mikey has a healed hand, that David comes out of retirement and that Joseph and Fergie join the boys as was hinted at before.

by **Tomulator** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:39 pm

DracIsBack wrote:
weatherman90 wrote: Fergie is just about impossible - he really had a great voice.

He did, but not consistently. Honestly, for years and years, I considered ISOLATION to have some of the best singing I had ever heard in my life. Then I read the stories about how it was painstaking to create the album due to Fergie being nervous and out of tune. Likewise, he was ok in concert but not as awesome as the record sounded and he kept losing his voice.

I actually was at the show in Minneapolis last year where he sang with them again. It was cool for me being a huge ISOLATION fan. He did fairly well. His voice still has quite the range and he only struggled a bit on the really high stuff. (ie. "Angel Don't Cry" with that "still shivering from the coldness of your letter" part). It was cool to see.

As for Bobby, I find him hit and miss as well. I've been in shows where he sounds absolutely spectacular on some songs and hoarse on others. I don't mind the covers in some cases though: I totally dug his PAMELA on Falling In Between Live.

I do hope that the rumours aren't true and that Toto returns next year: that Mikey has a healed hand, that David comes out of retirement and that Joseph and Fergie join the boys as was hinted at before.

I wouldn't count on it...from everything I've read and heard Luke say...this is it. At least for a LONG while.

by **WalrusOct9** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:05 am

I think they could come back in '09...you gotta think about how burned out the guys must be having been on tour for two years plugging the same record. It happens quite a bit where at the end of a really long tour a band will say "okay, we're taking a break for the forseable future" but then a year down the line after they've done their own thing and rested for a bit, they're ready to get back into it.

I don't think Luke or anyone else wants to explicitly close the lid on Toto, I just think no one wants to think about having to make any future plans after a tour like that, which is totally understandable.

by **ProgRocker53** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:28 pm

While it would suck for Toto to retire from touring, here's to hoping they'd at least keep recording together.... I love my Toto CDs, play them to death, and would be thrilled if they could put out an incredible follow-up to the sterling FiB record.

MR

Bobby Kimball..

Bobby Kimball..

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