Bobby Kimball Sings Africa

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:41 am

It's not telling tales out of school to say that, from Mindfields on, much of Bobby's concert vocals on “Africa” were canned.
As recently as his mini-tour thru the orient, he was only doing the Paich parts and the "bless the rains" bit at the end (with a member of Arnel Pineda's Zoo band helping out).
Considering that he sang the rest of the set in earnest, with ZERO fakery, year after year, most fans cut him some slack and simply assumed Africa was out of reach for the 62 year old.
Now, whether through some modern miracle of node-shaving science or sheer determination of will, he's back singing it for real.
He still falls victim to lapses of Joplin-esque screeching, but hey, that's his bag.
Not sure who's doing the Paich parts here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Nt3PE_SYXA

by **TotoFan77** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 5:36 am

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by **BlackWall** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:37 am

but they still used canned vox on other songs, right? On some of those songs it sounds like a choir is taking over during the chorus.. I really wish they wouldn't have done that. Obviously, Bobby can still do it, he's doing it now. I'd rather hear the imperfection and have it be real.

by **TotoFan77** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:18 am

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by **Ehwmatt** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:17 am

TotoFan77 wrote:Oh definitely, they used canned vocals for the chorus for Caught In The Balance and Bottom Of Your Soul. They also used auto tune on alot of the songs on the live dvd. I agree, I definitely prefer the imperfection and have it be real than use canned vocals and auto tune. I always prefer the real thing.

I mean the harmonies on the tunes in question are MASSIVE, but still... if they put it on the record, there's gotta be some way they can reproduce it close enough live. Tony and Bobby can get pretty high and it's not like Luke and Greg can't sing. Even if they have to drop one of the harmonies down an octave...

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:14 am

TotoFan77 wrote:It is important to note though, that Toto stopped using canned vocals for "Africa" starting in 2007. On the FIB live dvd, Greg was simply singing Bobby's part instead.

Thanks for the correction.
Whoever is doing the high chorus on FIB Live, it has that auto-tuned Optimus Prime quality goin on...
I figured it was the vocal from the "IV" album, but you're right.

by **TotoFan77** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:03 am

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by **Ehwmatt** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:18 am

TotoFan77 wrote:Yeah, the autotune is horrendous on the FIB live dvd, it ruined it for me, it really did(as well as Mike and David not being there, it's not Toto without them). When Luke did that interview with Andrew in January 2008, he tried to downplay it like it wasn't noticeable or a big deal but every single person I talked to said they hated the autotune and that it was very distracting with Bobby sounding like a robot. I do not think I'm being unreasonable when I want a live dvd to actually be completely live.

Toto also used canned vocals on the chorus to Only The Children when they performed it in 2004 and 2005. You could actually hear Joseph Williams singing in the chorus. Here's an example, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBX3OFcZnLg I think they might have used canned vocals on the chorus to Endless when they performed it in 2006 but that one I'm not too sure about.

David not being there is a big negative for me, but it's still a great DVD - you can't hear some of those songs live anywhere else, and that, if nothing else, makes it very worth it. I do prefer Amsterdam though by a country mile

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:58 am

Girl Goodbye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysf4m2MB ... re=related

I’ll Supply the Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq9g1uQN ... re=related

Both songs kick Bobby’s ass pretty hard.
Good to see Bobby sticking to some of his own lesser known TOTO tracks, rather than Luke’s (hmm..maybe one of those cease and desist injunctions finally made it to his desk?).
After watching Girl Goodbye, it’s especially obvious why TOTO slowed it down on tour.
Solid band tho.

by **WalrusOct9** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:10 am

The_Noble_Cause wrote:Girl Goodbye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysf4m2MB ... re=related

I’ll Supply the Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq9g1uQN ... re=related

Both songs kick Bobby’s ass pretty hard.
Good to see Bobby sticking to some of his own lesser known TOTO tracks, rather than Luke’s (hmm..maybe one of those cease and desist injunctions finally made it to his desk?).

Bobby was just guesting with Starship so prob. only did 4 or 5 songs. No way he could do an entire set with his own band consisting only of "his" Toto songs.

by **TotoFan77** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 1:18 pm

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by **WalrusOct9** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:00 am

My throat hurts just from thinking about having to sing all those songs right in a row. Yikes.

by **TotoFan77** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 5:19 am

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by **WalrusOct9** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:56 pm

TotoFan77 wrote:Agreed, it would be a hard gig but no can say Bobby didn't have alot of successful Toto songs. Even if alot of those songs weren't released as singles, they were very popular among fans.

After seeing those performances, I just don't understand at all why Luke did all the things he did. Why did he put autotune on Bobby's vocals in the dvd and have him lip sync the chorus to Africa? It wasn't needed cause Bobby can really sing great. I'll never understand that. It was so stupid. Oh well.

Yeah, but those "fans" aren't enough to tour on, especially as a "solo act playing the old band's songs"...if it's "the singer from Toto," people are going to want to hear Africa and Rosanna, but also the Luke ballads and such, since most people don't know the truth about Toto and it's multiple singers (yes, they all sound different, but people aren't that bright...I imagine Chicago has the same problem with casual listeners).

I know Bobby is involved with some other projects, including some stuff with Billy Sherwood...I hope this sets him on a new path artistically so he can move on from Toto the way the rest of the band has.

After seeing those performances, I just don't understand at all why Luke did all the things he did. Why did he put autotune on Bobby's vocals in the dvd and have him lip sync the chorus to Africa? It wasn't needed cause Bobby can really sing great. I'll never understand that. It was so stupid. Oh well.

Because he's out of tune? He's a belter, not a precision singer like Perry or Mickey Thomas, and so it's all about the power, which he still has, but his accuracy and intonation has suffered a lot in the last few years. It never impacted my enjoyment of the Toto shows I saw, but listening on tape to a bum note is a lot different than listening to the music as it's being performed live. I don't agree w/the decision, but I can see Bobby's vocals being a bit too rough for an otherwise polished release. His vocals on the Amsterdam DVD, I'm guessing, were also doctored, although probably simply re-dubbed in the studio rather than 'fixed' via technology. It's about putting out the best product possible for a mass audience, since the number of people who notice and complain about the "fixes" (and I count myself as one of them) are a minority. A very vocal and dedicated minority, but still not the target audience in the eyes of the company who puts this stuff out.

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:41 am

WalrusOct9 wrote: His vocals on the Amsterdam DVD, I'm guessing, were also doctored, although probably simply re-dubbed in the studio rather than 'fixed' via technology.

According to an interview with Bobby, he admitted to touch-ups for FIB Live, but said Amsterdam was left completely alone.

by **TotoFan77** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:22 am

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by **Andrew** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:41 am

TotoFan77 wrote:After seeing those performances, I just don't understand at all why Luke did all the things he did. Why did he put autotune on Bobby's vocals in the dvd and have him lip sync the chorus to Africa? It wasn't needed cause Bobby can really sing great. I'll never understand that. It was so stupid. Oh well.

Dude, you are going to have to ease up on the Luke bashing and the conspiracy theory crap.

Luke did NOT mix the DVD - Steve McMillian was responsible for all aspects of it. Please give it a rest.

by **WalrusOct9** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:05 am

TotoFan77 wrote:I don't think anyone though wants to hear a singer that sounds like a robot or how Cher sounded on the song "Believe" and that's exactly how Bobby sounded on the FIB dvd. I don't really care if they fixed up Bobby's vocals or not, it's how they did it that was wrong. You can use autotune on a singer's vocals and still have them sound normal. They didn't use the autotune properly on the dvd, they messed it up, it's as simple as that and yet no one wanted to admit it.

Yeah, it's a little off-putting, although I still enjoyed the DVD for the most part. (although was kinda hoping "Make Believe" would've made an appearance since they played it at the 2006 shows).

As for Amsterdam...it was touched up, in some way. Bobby's a tremendous talent and a very genuinely nice guy, but in the 5 shows I saw and however many bootlegs I've heard, he never sounded as completely spot-on as on that live record. Again, I don't agree with the decision, but it's a battle of "authenticity" vs. presenting the best listening experience for the average listener. There aren't many live records that aren't touched up in some way in the studio. I don't think it's right, but it's been going on since the 60's, unfortunately. But...that's why there's bootlegs.

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:30 am

WalrusOct9 wrote:Bobby's a tremendous talent and a very genuinely nice guy, but in the 5 shows I saw and however many bootlegs I've heard, he never sounded as completely spot-on as on that live record.

I don't think I've ever heard a Bobby performance that I would describe as "completely spot on."
And I don't think Amsterdam counts as one either.
There are some warts, most notably on Roseanna, where Bobby is winded and has no power.
Amsterdam is a stronger performance than I've ever heard, but I just figured it was a good night and early enough in his second run with the band.
You could be right tho.

Here's a question, if Bobby touch-ups were used for both FIB and Amsterdam Live, why not go back and lay down some real vox for Africa?

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:17 pm

Orchestral performance of "Girl Goodbye" from "Magnum Opus Rockestra" concert in Holland last week week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQAMqNjH ... re=related

After watching him basterdize this tune performing with "Starship" in concert, I wouldn't have thought he could pull it off, but I gotta say, Bobby done good here.

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 3:52 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fk5PWaF ... re=related

Here's Bobby singing "Tale of a Man" from the XX album with another group over in the Netherlands.
The break from constant touring has done him good.
Between this and the "Goodbye Girl" performance posted above, he's tearing into these 70's songs with ease.

by **WalrusOct9** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:52 am

The_Noble_Cause wrote:Orchestral performance of "Girl Goodbye" from "Magnum Opus Rockestra" concert in Holland last week week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQAMqNjH ... re=related

After watching him basterdize this tune performing with "Starship" in concert, I wouldn't have thought he could pull it off, but I gotta say, Bobby done good here.

That reminds me....remember those random shows in 2004 or so that Toto did with an orchestra? Now that the band is no more, I wonder if those will ever see the light of day in some kind of archival project.

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:02 am

Bobby has now started performing "I Will Remember" in his oldies nostalgia set.
It sound's decent, but WTF, he wasn't even around during that era. :shock:

Wonder how many more Luke songs he has to piss on before Steve launches another blog, and unleashes WW3 on the totonetwork.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekCFjUZgqkM

by **WalrusOct9** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:36 am

Just playing devil's advocate....

...this may not be a Kimball decision; probably some kind of one-off event or series where artists perform their hits with orchestras (like the Night Of the Proms thing, but on a smaller scale).

Keep in mind, Toto was an anomaly: not only did they have a series of lead singers, but every album had 3 or 4 lead singers. So someone hires "The singer from Toto" to do a handful of Toto tunes without knowing much about the band. Wouldn't be any different than them hiring Mickey Thomas and expecting him to sing "Miracles." Kinda lame, but I'm sure the paycheck was decent.

The funniest part of the video is during the chorus of "I'll Be Over You" when Bobby completely drops out, but pretends to keep singing.

So long as he's out being "Bobby Kimball" and not "Toto," it doesn't really bother me...it's like Ray Wilson playing a handful of Genesis songs in his solo gigs. Sure, they're not his songs, but given that both bands are now defunct, it's hard for me to argue against any professional musicians out there playing those songs and keeping them alive, so long as they're doing it honestly.

by **Ehwmatt** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 11:56 am

WalrusOct9 wrote:Just playing devil's advocate....

...this may not be a Kimball decision; probably some kind of one-off event or series where artists perform their hits with orchestras (like the Night Of the Proms thing, but on a smaller scale).

Keep in mind, Toto was an anomaly: not only did they have a series of lead singers, but every album had 3 or 4 lead singers. So someone hires "The singer from Toto" to do a handful of Toto tunes without knowing much about the band. Wouldn't be any different than them hiring Mickey Thomas and expecting him to sing "Miracles." Kinda lame, but I'm sure the paycheck was decent.

I mean I see the argument to be made, but is it really necessary to break out "I Will Remember"? It's a good song, but not exactly up there in Toto lore as one of their best of all time or most commonly known or anything...

by **WalrusOct9** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:21 pm

Agreed, but it might have been the organizers or conductors suggestion.

Really, the number of 'hits' that Kimball sang on is actually pretty small, when you think about it.

by **G.I.Jim** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:03 pm

Ehwmatt wrote:
WalrusOct9 wrote:Just playing devil's advocate....

...this may not be a Kimball decision; probably some kind of one-off event or series where artists perform their hits with orchestras (like the Night Of the Proms thing, but on a smaller scale).

Keep in mind, Toto was an anomaly: not only did they have a series of lead singers, but every album had 3 or 4 lead singers. So someone hires "The singer from Toto" to do a handful of Toto tunes without knowing much about the band. Wouldn't be any different than them hiring Mickey Thomas and expecting him to sing "Miracles." Kinda lame, but I'm sure the paycheck was decent.

I mean I see the argument to be made, but is it really necessary to break out "I Will Remember"? It's a good song, but not exactly up there in Toto lore as one of their best of all time or most commonly known or anything...

Who said anything about "I Will Remember"? I have to say though, that it's one of my all-time favorite songs. I really loved Steve's vocals, and the video was awesome!

by **Ehwmatt** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:13 pm

G.I.Jim wrote:
Ehwmatt wrote:
WalrusOct9 wrote:Just playing devil's advocate....

...this may not be a Kimball decision; probably some kind of one-off event or series where artists perform their hits with orchestras (like the Night Of the Proms thing, but on a smaller scale).

Keep in mind, Toto was an anomaly: not only did they have a series of lead singers, but every album had 3 or 4 lead singers. So someone hires "The singer from Toto" to do a handful of Toto tunes without knowing much about the band. Wouldn't be any different than them hiring Mickey Thomas and expecting him to sing "Miracles." Kinda lame, but I'm sure the paycheck was decent.

I mean I see the argument to be made, but is it really necessary to break out "I Will Remember"? It's a good song, but not exactly up there in Toto lore as one of their best of all time or most commonly known or anything...

Who said anything about "I Will Remember"? I have to say though, that it's one of my all-time favorite songs. I really loved Steve's vocals, and the video was awesome!

See TNC's post/link to Bobby performing it a few posts above ^^^

by **TotoFan77** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 10:22 am

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by **WalrusOct9** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:53 am

Yeah but "in the 90's" isn't saying much. Then again, I'm from the States so i don't know the impact songs like that may have had in Europe. I know there was a video and all but I never heard of it being a huge 'hit' in the era of Britpop and whatnot.

Still weird hearing someone besides Luke sing it...that rasp in his voice is what makes the song work, IMO.

MR

Bobby Kimball Sings Africa

Bobby Kimball Sings Africa

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