Steve Lukather and The Players Club / Mascot Label Group present “Serpent Soul”, the second instant-gratification track featured on Luke‘s upcoming new studio album titled “I Found The Sun Again”. The accompanying video presents the still photographs and video content captured in the recording studio by Mini Carlsson when the album was tracked.
In reference to “Serpent Soul”, Luke simply offers: “You can fucking figure out who the song is about.” Luke and TOTO singer Joseph Williams will both release solo albums simultaneously on February 26, 2021. Both artists made significant contributions to the other’s album.
Earlier this year, the label presented “Run To Me” from “I Found The Sun Again”. The LP was co-produced by Ken Freeman, who also both engineered and mixed the new collection of repertoire. The players feature many dignitaries that have been in Luke‘s life for decades. Amongst those are drummer Gregg Bissonette, keyboardist Jeff Babko, and bassists Jorgen Carlsson and John Pierce. Lifelong friend and TOTO bandmate David Paich performs piano and organ across the album, while Joseph Williams sang on multiple tracks alongside writing string and horn arrangements and tracking keys on the aforementioned “Run To Me”. Both Paich and Williams co-wrote that specific composition, while friend and band leader of the ALL-STARRS, Ringo Starr makes a special appearance on the recording and in the video. Other co-writers include Stan Lynch, Jeff Babko, and, of course, Joseph Williams.
Luke shares: “Never had so much fun recording in my life. Painless, fun and easy — and it just flowed.” The repertoire features five new original compositions, and three covers personally selected by Luke. Those are TRAFFIC‘s “Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys”, Joe Walsh‘s “Welcome To The Club” and Robin Trower‘s “Bridge Of Sighs”. Lukather offers in the liner notes: “ALL these tracks were cut LIVE — no clix — no fix — No rehearsal — one run-thru — and record and the whole record was take 2. I did double a few guitar parts and ‘produced up’ a few tunes that are obvious but in the same time frame. I recorded the lead vocal right after we got the take same day. One song a day. Joe took it home and did some BG vocals but that’s it.
“I wanted to make as honest a record as I could in 2020 with 1970s inspiration, and recording values, and techniques with a modern sound. Ken did that!”
A portion of the proceeds from this album will be directed to The Ed Asner Family Center for Autism.
Over the course of five decades, Lukather has placed an indelible stamp on pop culture. Alongside his tenure as the only member of TOTO to never take a hiatus from the band, he has performed on thousands of albums as a session musician. Amongst these musical contributions are some of the most successful, influential and enduring records of all time, including Michael Jackson‘s “Thriller”. Additionally, he released a memoir titled “The Gospel According To Luke”, which was a global best-seller. He continues to be TOTO‘s band leader, a member of Ringo‘s ALL-STARR BAND, and a solo artist performing with multiple ensembles which include NERVE BUNDLE.
TOTO has enjoyed a celebrated resurgence over the last several years tied to the band’s 40th anniversary, wherein over a thirty month period they performed for millions of fans across North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. The band’s repertoire has been streamed over a billion times, while album sales exceed 40 million copies.
