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The Gospel According to Luke
The Gospel According To Luke is the outrageous and hilarious autobiography of Steve Lukather, leader of the multi-million selling band Toto and guitarist for an extraordinary array of stellar talents such as Miles Davis, Paul, George and Ringo of the Beatles, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Barbara Streisand, Don Henley and Michael Jackson.The book will tell how Lukather and a group of high school friends formed Toto in 1977 and went on to sell more than 40 million records worldwide, cresting with the Toto IV album of 1982 which spawned such mega-global hits as 'Rosanna', 'Africa' and the Lukather-penned 'I Won't Hold You Back'. Toto IV also won them six Grammys. The book will take them right up to the present - overcoming scandals and tragedies to come back with a critically-acclaimed and US Billboard charting album in 2015 whilst their classic singles clocked up a combined total of more than 250 million views on YouTube.However, The Gospel According to Luke will at the same time navigate a much broader and richer landscape. It will share an outspoken, devil-may-care spirit and, like erstwhile Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham's hugely acclaimed Stoned autobiography, it will take the reader behind the VIP curtain of rock and pop stardom. And like Martin Scorcese's high-profile TV series Vinyl, The Gospel According to Luke will recount the vibrant, thrilling and frequently lurid history of a vanished golden age of the music business. The principal setting is the Los Angeles hit factories of the 1970s and '80s when Lukather was the superstar session player of the era, reaching the apex on Michael Jackson's Thriller blockbuster, for which Lukather and his fellow Toto members were the house band, and also co-writers on 'Human Nature'.In The Gospel According To Luke, Lukather will lift the lid on what really went on behind the closed studio doors. His account will be full of remarkable insights - both affectionate and scabrous - into the unique creative processes and peccadillos of some of the most legendary names in music. It will reveal how Barbra Streisand bullied her producers, why not to invite Elton John to a party and the means by which Miles Davis could revive a dead dog. Lukather's extraordinary tale will also encompass the dark side of the American from the crashing and burning of Michael Jackson to the death in 1992 of Toto drummer and West Coast legend Jeff Porcaro from a heart seizure at just 38.The book will draw on Lukather's comprehensive diaries, which account for every session he has played on, and personal archive [including hundreds of previously unpublished personal photographs from the same sessions]. The book will include supporting quotes from such friends and contemporaries of Lukather's as George Clooney, Eddie Van Halen, Ringo Starr and others.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
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501 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
March 2, 2020
I always have something non-fiction on the nightstand for those nights that I may have had a beer or two after hockey or jamming. Not quite enough concentration to absorb and remember plot developments, but enough to enjoy a good musician biography.
For the past several months it's been this one. Steve Lukather, for those who don't know the name, is the lead guitarist for Toto, and one of the most prolific session musicians on the planet. He's also a riot.
This book was ok, but if an audiobook exists with him narrating it, I think it would have come off a lot better. I love listening to this guy's interviews and seeing him in documentaries. He's very grounded and has a wicked sense of humour. There are some funny anecdotes in this book, but even more fascinating is his work with the giants of the music industry. One in particular about some time spent with Elton John.
And what do you know, Elton John's Me is next on the nightstand.
For the past several months it's been this one. Steve Lukather, for those who don't know the name, is the lead guitarist for Toto, and one of the most prolific session musicians on the planet. He's also a riot.
This book was ok, but if an audiobook exists with him narrating it, I think it would have come off a lot better. I love listening to this guy's interviews and seeing him in documentaries. He's very grounded and has a wicked sense of humour. There are some funny anecdotes in this book, but even more fascinating is his work with the giants of the music industry. One in particular about some time spent with Elton John.
And what do you know, Elton John's Me is next on the nightstand.
September 8, 2018
Paul Rees has a distracting allergy to contractions that undermines Lukather's conversational voice to an unfortunate extent, but he's still such an engaging storyteller — with such a great story to tell — that "The Gospel According to Luke" is bluntly honest, funny, never less than entertaining, and ultimately a good deal more emotionally affecting than I was expecting. If you're a fan, this book won't disappoint; if you're unfamiliar with just how deeply this guy's work has helped shape popular music, you'll almost certainly come away a fan.
August 24, 2018
I’ve been a fan of Toto ever since about 1978...when I was 15 years old. I never really knew much about the band other than names of members (most of them) and their music itself. So that said, here goes:
In my opinion, Lukather is the THE best guitar alive today. I idolize the man not only from a Toto perspective but from the perspective of his solo work as well. If I ever learned to play the guitar then I’d want to be Steve Lukather. And after reading this book, my opinion of him has changed but only for the much better (although it wasn’t bad in the least in the first place).
The man is incredible. To read about what all he has been through in his life...he has been to hell and back a few times...and to see how successful he is today...I’m telling you it’s an I inspirational story. Sure we don’t hear EVERYTHING that happens to him; he even so much as says he doesn’t talk about everything that happened in his life. However, to go through what he has, to suffer pain and loss and still, somehow, come out of it and continue to amaze and delight fans is the mark of one immensely strong person, one we could all learn from on how to deal with what life deals us.
I learned a lot. I am no Toto know-it-all; I am however thrilled to have finally found out how it all began...and how it continues. My wish is for it to continue..with hopes that one day my 11 and 8 year old, both of whom love Toto’s music, will be able to see this very impactful and influential band live.
If anyone reading this knows Luke, please let him know I give him my sincerest thanks for allowing us all into his life and into the life of Toto!
In my opinion, Lukather is the THE best guitar alive today. I idolize the man not only from a Toto perspective but from the perspective of his solo work as well. If I ever learned to play the guitar then I’d want to be Steve Lukather. And after reading this book, my opinion of him has changed but only for the much better (although it wasn’t bad in the least in the first place).
The man is incredible. To read about what all he has been through in his life...he has been to hell and back a few times...and to see how successful he is today...I’m telling you it’s an I inspirational story. Sure we don’t hear EVERYTHING that happens to him; he even so much as says he doesn’t talk about everything that happened in his life. However, to go through what he has, to suffer pain and loss and still, somehow, come out of it and continue to amaze and delight fans is the mark of one immensely strong person, one we could all learn from on how to deal with what life deals us.
I learned a lot. I am no Toto know-it-all; I am however thrilled to have finally found out how it all began...and how it continues. My wish is for it to continue..with hopes that one day my 11 and 8 year old, both of whom love Toto’s music, will be able to see this very impactful and influential band live.
If anyone reading this knows Luke, please let him know I give him my sincerest thanks for allowing us all into his life and into the life of Toto!
October 28, 2019
Really interesting subject matter from someone who has done just about everything in the music business. As a huge fan of Toto, it was great to hear some of the stories he has about the band. Most interesting though is the tale of his life as a session musician. To read about all the recordings he has taken part in is unbelievable.
As you might expect though, it's not the best written book out there. He's a rock and roll guitarist, and not an award winning writer. The story jumps all over the place, but in the end, I can live with that. If you're at all interested in rock and roll, this one is worth checking out.
As you might expect though, it's not the best written book out there. He's a rock and roll guitarist, and not an award winning writer. The story jumps all over the place, but in the end, I can live with that. If you're at all interested in rock and roll, this one is worth checking out.
July 17, 2019
Steve Lukather: the King of Yacht Rock guitar. (and the guy from the band Toto)
Steve is like 98% of the other Rockstar casualties. Drugs, Alcohol, failed marriages, bad contracts, quiting band members, endless party insanities... But he's a freakin' Great guitar player. And a really good songwriter (although many of their lyrics are syrupy crap love songs). I didn't know that he was such a good singer too.
Go watch the Toto 35th Anniversary Concert on youtube. Incredible.
Some musicians slug it out in the cheap bars and bad tours - Many people hate Toto because they were young and successful studio musicians in L.A., AND they got lucky with a project band. They also got to play on 1,000's of people's albums: From Michael Jackson's Thriller to Ringo Starr solo efforts.
Best of all; Steve Lukather played guitar on Alice cooper's From The Inside album. My favorite. I've always loved him for that contribution.
Some people complain that this book has too much name dropping. But That's exactly what Lukather's life has been. He even said he left out a few 100 because there wasn't room. He even mentions a horror story with Chuck Berry and another with the Jackson 5, and some stupidity with Katy Perry. But he had some great moments with Eric Clapton and Cher and Joe Walsh and...
Lots of great music history in here. But it's very emotional too - lots of crying and ruined relationships.
We get very little about actual guitar playing. Most of the book is Rockstar behavior. No serious guitar talk, or Amp talk, or effects, or techniques. There's a few very small passing references. But seriously LUKE? Only guitar players are going to buy and read this.
We are having a TOTO month at my house. That's all i've listened to. Yacht Rock indeed. But awesome guitar playing and tones.
Steve is like 98% of the other Rockstar casualties. Drugs, Alcohol, failed marriages, bad contracts, quiting band members, endless party insanities... But he's a freakin' Great guitar player. And a really good songwriter (although many of their lyrics are syrupy crap love songs). I didn't know that he was such a good singer too.
Go watch the Toto 35th Anniversary Concert on youtube. Incredible.
Some musicians slug it out in the cheap bars and bad tours - Many people hate Toto because they were young and successful studio musicians in L.A., AND they got lucky with a project band. They also got to play on 1,000's of people's albums: From Michael Jackson's Thriller to Ringo Starr solo efforts.
Best of all; Steve Lukather played guitar on Alice cooper's From The Inside album. My favorite. I've always loved him for that contribution.
Some people complain that this book has too much name dropping. But That's exactly what Lukather's life has been. He even said he left out a few 100 because there wasn't room. He even mentions a horror story with Chuck Berry and another with the Jackson 5, and some stupidity with Katy Perry. But he had some great moments with Eric Clapton and Cher and Joe Walsh and...
Lots of great music history in here. But it's very emotional too - lots of crying and ruined relationships.
We get very little about actual guitar playing. Most of the book is Rockstar behavior. No serious guitar talk, or Amp talk, or effects, or techniques. There's a few very small passing references. But seriously LUKE? Only guitar players are going to buy and read this.
We are having a TOTO month at my house. That's all i've listened to. Yacht Rock indeed. But awesome guitar playing and tones.
June 16, 2019
Really cool look inside the music scene from the late 70s to today told in an honest, funny and self-deprecating way. I highly recommend the audiobook that Luke has narrated himself.
April 6, 2019
Excellent. Best rock book of the year, hands down.
Conversational in tone, it has a ton of heart, is bravely honest, and contains countless interesting, revealing and hilarious anecdotes. This guy knows everyone.
He's a great storyteller, and the book provides a guided tour through the Los Angeles studio scene of the 70s and 80s, as well as a blow–by-blow telling of the rise and fall and rise and fall and rise etc of the vastly underrated Toto. Countless legends (McCartney, Elton John, Ringo Starr) make appearances, but beyond the sex&drugs&rock'nroll, you get to know the strengths and weaknesses and quirks of the band members, and Steve really conveys the heartbreak of the many deaths he's had to face, as well as the bad breaks and wrong decisions. But he owns it all, and by and large these tough times are balanced out with great stories of rock 'n roll glory, absurdity, excess and hubris. There are heroes (great musicians, wonderful friends, wives and girlfriends) and villians (often label heads).
Not a lot of nerdy guitar talk, but really, this book is for the general fan, or music life reader, and who needs that? Google any of the guitar magazines out there, with Steve's name, and you'll find all you want about what pickups and pedals he prefers, etc.
In the 80s, Toto may have been the whipping post for the elitist music critics, but who will remember them? Yet the sprawling legacy that Lukather has built with his talent, drive and personality ensures him (and the band) immortal status. Revenge? Check.
If you need some joy and love rock music, get this book!
Conversational in tone, it has a ton of heart, is bravely honest, and contains countless interesting, revealing and hilarious anecdotes. This guy knows everyone.
He's a great storyteller, and the book provides a guided tour through the Los Angeles studio scene of the 70s and 80s, as well as a blow–by-blow telling of the rise and fall and rise and fall and rise etc of the vastly underrated Toto. Countless legends (McCartney, Elton John, Ringo Starr) make appearances, but beyond the sex&drugs&rock'nroll, you get to know the strengths and weaknesses and quirks of the band members, and Steve really conveys the heartbreak of the many deaths he's had to face, as well as the bad breaks and wrong decisions. But he owns it all, and by and large these tough times are balanced out with great stories of rock 'n roll glory, absurdity, excess and hubris. There are heroes (great musicians, wonderful friends, wives and girlfriends) and villians (often label heads).
Not a lot of nerdy guitar talk, but really, this book is for the general fan, or music life reader, and who needs that? Google any of the guitar magazines out there, with Steve's name, and you'll find all you want about what pickups and pedals he prefers, etc.
In the 80s, Toto may have been the whipping post for the elitist music critics, but who will remember them? Yet the sprawling legacy that Lukather has built with his talent, drive and personality ensures him (and the band) immortal status. Revenge? Check.
If you need some joy and love rock music, get this book!
December 28, 2022
Talk about rock and roll pedigree! I loved this outstanding and sometimes outrageous rock autobiography. Written in his own voice, Lukather paints a vivid picture of life as a hired gun session player, connecting the dots of the LA music scene between 1975-1995 and beyond. His recollections of studio work and especially the heartfelt stories about his band of brothers, Toto, kept me riveted - I binged this entire book in one shot.
Read
March 31, 2019I've been pondering this book ever since I finished reading it. It's the story of Steve Lukather, best known for being the lead guitarist for the group Toto. On the one hand it's a gigantic cliche, like what you would expect the life of a rock star to be: the money, the women, the vulgar language, the alcohol, the drugs, the marriages, etc. Indeed, you could pretty much insert your favorite rock star in place of Mr. Lukather in the book and the story would be about the same in real life. On the other hand, Mr. Lukather somehow manages to come off quite human and, oddly sympathetic, as he takes responsibility for his actions and apologizes for many of them. Should I like the guy? Hate him? Feel sorry for him? Pity him? I still haven't decided, but I did enjoy reading this book.
Also, I listened to the audible version of this book, and Mr. Lukather reads it himself, which I believe makes the book. If you can get the audible version, listen to it, I think you'll enjoy it much more than the print version. Mr. Lukather even slips in a couple of extra comments while reading.
Some things I learned:
1. The book is full of curse words and some vulgarity. Mr. Lukather warns the reader from the very start and suggests that if you don't like that, you shouldn't read the book. Fair enough warning.
2. His family did not understand how good he was at the guitar until they saw him play in concert with Boz Scaggs when he was 18 or so. This is easy to understand because their experience of him playing was behind the doors of his room, starting as a very beginner, and you just don't get a sense of how good someone plays until they play with a good band. The moment when they hear him in concert and are genuinely surprised at his obvious talent is a pretty cool part of the book.
3. He was a studio musician who recorded in the studio up to six days a week for 12 hours a day for years. Needless to say, if he wasn't an excellent musician before he started, he quickly became one. The thing that becomes clear in the book is that Mr. Lukather has a gift for music in general and playing the guitar in particular. Playing for 10,000 hours helped his gift, but did not produce it. He was born with it. Somewhere in the course of the book he says, "studying only gets you so far." Mr. Lukather has a gift, he developed the gift, but he wasn't the originator of it.
4. He decided he wanted to be a guitarist after seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show when he was 6 years old! The cool thing about this is that he achieves his goal, and eventually comes to know every Beatle except John Lennon and play with and record with all of them. He is to this day in Ringo Starr's band (which is an indication of his genius at guitar).
5. He tells the tale of Toto's first public gig at a gathering of Columbia Music's big wigs in New Orleans and it is a disastrously funny story. I laughed out loud.
6. Mr. Lukather's life is filled with tragedy after tragedy: A founding member of the band, Jeff Porcaro, dies suddenly of a heart attack at age 32 (not drug related, his arteries were hardened). Mr. Porcaro's brother, Steve who was a band member for awhile, gets ALS and eventually dies. His father dies of bone cancer in 1992, his mother dies, he goes through two divorces, and those were just the people closest to him! It makes for some sad reading.
7. He lived the life of a typical rock star (as I pointed out above). He gives the reader only a mild sampling of what that life is like, but it's more than enough. In his younger years he sounds like kind of an ass, responsible for various drunken antics as you might imagine from a rock star. He once got the entire band kicked out of their very first hotel on a tour, stuff like that.
8. He is a surprisingly decent father despite being gone 200 days a year. He will usually touch base with his kids at least once a day, and does seem to genuinely love them and care about their well being.
9. Mr. Lukather writes from time to time about God and grace, though he doesn't appear to be very committed to either. He writes as if he is in need of grace—which he is; we all are—but it comes across as a sort of non-committed longing. He refers once to the time when he will die and meet God at the great gig in the sky, stuff like that.
I don't think I would have liked the young Mr. Lukather, had I met him, but as I read I found myself thinking that I might like the old Mr. Lukather (he's 62 this year), the one with perhaps a little more humility, the one who is now sober, the one who is enjoying his chosen life's work as a rock guitarist, is committed to his kids, and even decent friends with his two ex-wives. After many years of silence, he reached out to his first wife and started the process of reconciliation as friends, which I found admirable.
So yeah, if you can stand the language and a vulgar tale or two, the book is a very interesting read about a complex all-too-human man with an extraordinary gift.
Also, I listened to the audible version of this book, and Mr. Lukather reads it himself, which I believe makes the book. If you can get the audible version, listen to it, I think you'll enjoy it much more than the print version. Mr. Lukather even slips in a couple of extra comments while reading.
Some things I learned:
1. The book is full of curse words and some vulgarity. Mr. Lukather warns the reader from the very start and suggests that if you don't like that, you shouldn't read the book. Fair enough warning.
2. His family did not understand how good he was at the guitar until they saw him play in concert with Boz Scaggs when he was 18 or so. This is easy to understand because their experience of him playing was behind the doors of his room, starting as a very beginner, and you just don't get a sense of how good someone plays until they play with a good band. The moment when they hear him in concert and are genuinely surprised at his obvious talent is a pretty cool part of the book.
3. He was a studio musician who recorded in the studio up to six days a week for 12 hours a day for years. Needless to say, if he wasn't an excellent musician before he started, he quickly became one. The thing that becomes clear in the book is that Mr. Lukather has a gift for music in general and playing the guitar in particular. Playing for 10,000 hours helped his gift, but did not produce it. He was born with it. Somewhere in the course of the book he says, "studying only gets you so far." Mr. Lukather has a gift, he developed the gift, but he wasn't the originator of it.
4. He decided he wanted to be a guitarist after seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show when he was 6 years old! The cool thing about this is that he achieves his goal, and eventually comes to know every Beatle except John Lennon and play with and record with all of them. He is to this day in Ringo Starr's band (which is an indication of his genius at guitar).
5. He tells the tale of Toto's first public gig at a gathering of Columbia Music's big wigs in New Orleans and it is a disastrously funny story. I laughed out loud.
6. Mr. Lukather's life is filled with tragedy after tragedy: A founding member of the band, Jeff Porcaro, dies suddenly of a heart attack at age 32 (not drug related, his arteries were hardened). Mr. Porcaro's brother, Steve who was a band member for awhile, gets ALS and eventually dies. His father dies of bone cancer in 1992, his mother dies, he goes through two divorces, and those were just the people closest to him! It makes for some sad reading.
7. He lived the life of a typical rock star (as I pointed out above). He gives the reader only a mild sampling of what that life is like, but it's more than enough. In his younger years he sounds like kind of an ass, responsible for various drunken antics as you might imagine from a rock star. He once got the entire band kicked out of their very first hotel on a tour, stuff like that.
8. He is a surprisingly decent father despite being gone 200 days a year. He will usually touch base with his kids at least once a day, and does seem to genuinely love them and care about their well being.
9. Mr. Lukather writes from time to time about God and grace, though he doesn't appear to be very committed to either. He writes as if he is in need of grace—which he is; we all are—but it comes across as a sort of non-committed longing. He refers once to the time when he will die and meet God at the great gig in the sky, stuff like that.
I don't think I would have liked the young Mr. Lukather, had I met him, but as I read I found myself thinking that I might like the old Mr. Lukather (he's 62 this year), the one with perhaps a little more humility, the one who is now sober, the one who is enjoying his chosen life's work as a rock guitarist, is committed to his kids, and even decent friends with his two ex-wives. After many years of silence, he reached out to his first wife and started the process of reconciliation as friends, which I found admirable.
So yeah, if you can stand the language and a vulgar tale or two, the book is a very interesting read about a complex all-too-human man with an extraordinary gift.
May 23, 2019
I couldn’t care less about Toto but this audiobook was cheap and sounded like it might be interesting. It had some good stories. I’d say it’s worth listening to whether you care about Toto or not.
November 6, 2020
Lukather (ja/tai tämän haamukirjailija) kirjoittaa yllättävänkin mukiinemenvästi urastaan ja toilailuistaan. Iso osa sivuista on omistettu ryyppytarinoille rockin ja Hollywoodin kerman kanssa, eikä kirja edes pyri antamaan tekijästään kovin syväluotaavaa kuvaa. Kokonaisuus on kuitenkin pääosin viihdyttävä.
April 22, 2019
This is a 5+ star review that I'm going to recommend that you NOT read. You really must LISTEN to the audio-book edition. Steve reads it (more like tells the stories) in such an interesting way. It's like an 8 hour personal interview with a rock guitar legend where he gets to tell his best stories. After every listen, I'd have to retell a couple of the stories to my family (less the profanity, which there is plenty).
I have to admit that I'm the ideal target audience for this book. We are the same age and I'm a big classic rock and guitar fan. You're wrong if you think this is all about Toto. Him being a founding member of Toto is a big part of it but only maybe 40 percent of the book. The most interesting parts describe his work as a studio musician who contributed to hundreds of songs from Elton John to Olivia Newton John (no relation). It also describes his personal life in a way that lets the reader feel what it's like to be a popular studio/touring musician.
This has to be my favorite non-fiction book of all time (replacing "On Writing", sorry Mr. King). I can't wait until a sufficient time has passed before I can listen to it again. Next time, I'm going to take notes on the songs he has worked on and the comments he made about them. I think it will bring a new enjoyment to listening to them.
Thank you Mr. Lukather for this collection of stories of the home and road. I hope that your success on this book will lead to more, as you suggested.
I have to admit that I'm the ideal target audience for this book. We are the same age and I'm a big classic rock and guitar fan. You're wrong if you think this is all about Toto. Him being a founding member of Toto is a big part of it but only maybe 40 percent of the book. The most interesting parts describe his work as a studio musician who contributed to hundreds of songs from Elton John to Olivia Newton John (no relation). It also describes his personal life in a way that lets the reader feel what it's like to be a popular studio/touring musician.
This has to be my favorite non-fiction book of all time (replacing "On Writing", sorry Mr. King). I can't wait until a sufficient time has passed before I can listen to it again. Next time, I'm going to take notes on the songs he has worked on and the comments he made about them. I think it will bring a new enjoyment to listening to them.
Thank you Mr. Lukather for this collection of stories of the home and road. I hope that your success on this book will lead to more, as you suggested.
January 2, 2021
The autobiography of a musician is the type of literature that I can devour in a few days, especially if I particularly like the person in question, and when it comes to Steve Lukather, Toto’s guitarist, then it necessarily becomes a must. It is true that I have seen the man on stage more than any other – exactly 25 times (9 times in solo and 16 times with Toto)! So you can imagine how important he is in my life as a music lover. It is true that the man and his music have accompanied me a lot in my daily life. But that’s not the subject – this is all about Steve Lukather’s life, and it deserved a book, believe me !
It is worth saying that this is the story of a life, not only a career. The opportunity to get immersed in the musician’s childhood and to be carried away by his words. With his choice of playing the guitar, one gets a better undersanding of the man through his family origins and his musical influences. A boy whose destiny no one had foreseen, since he was never a leader for his schoolmates, but still had the will to make his dreams come true. Music was an escape for him, no offense to one of his teachers who tried to dissuade him from it. His parents were there to support him and that was the point. In these first pages, we then discover a child at the antipodes of the adult that we know today. This is a kind of prehistory in the Lukather universe, long before he came into the spotlight and that the first studio sessions started.
I must admit that reading these precious memories was a major motivation for purchasing this book. Unfortunately, this is a bygone era, dating back to the previous century, when the biggest producers enlisted the best musicians on various sessions. Los Angeles was the stronghold of the Californian sound from the West Coast, and Steve Lukather was one of its great ambassadors, with a discography as long as your arm. As a real studio shark, he started practicing his job in 1977, but slowed down from the mid-90s to focus on collaborations and the people he loves, through varied styles, from Olivia Newton-John to Meat Loaf through Brothers Johnson and Elton John who even tried to poach him for his own group. Reading the guitarist’s memories of all those fabulous albums is a bit like reliving the whole history of the Californian sound, since the artist was one of its greatest craftsmen. You can then imagine riding in his Ferrari, with the wind in your hair, on the roads of Los Angeles. Such a crazy 80s period with some excesses that the musician is not trying to hide. It is with a lot of perspective that he’s taking a look into the rearview mirror. However, he did not count the many hours of work to finalize an album and the anecdote about the song “Beat It” when Quincy Jones pushed him to his limits to offer this famous riff is a perfect example.
There are many memories in the studio and we are eager to devour them especially when they are told in an uncompromising manner, to the point of debasing the status and image of some people, but truthfulness is one of the appeals of this account.
But this book is more specifically an opportunity for Lukather to tell the story of his band. He is actually the only member who has never missed a Toto concert in the last 40 years. The importance of his friendship with Steve Porcaro then becomes clearer. He introduced him to his brother Jeff and to David Paich who were the co-founders of the group. While we turn the pages, we get immersed in the evolution of the Californian band over four decades until the 2018 tour. We can then measure the backdrop with some quarrels that we do not necessarily suspect as we imagine their life is just great. Perhaps we envy them so much that somehow we idolize them and subconsciously forbid them to have problems. No, it has not been a bed of roses but Toto has sold millions of albums including many hits and, of course, the good times are also highlighted. Of course, I mean the IV album rewarded as it should be at the Grammy Awards in 1983. However, far from glitz and glamor, we like the feeling of being immersed in the studio with them. And to read that, initially, Luke was a little too inhibited to compose his own songs compared to David Paich who was prolific in this field. We can see him grow and mature over the pages, to eventually succeed in writing his own hits. All these piled up experiences have forged him to become the leader of the group. I would like to add that it is common knowledge that Toto has had some problems with their different singers, but this is an opportunity to better understand the reasons for those numerous changes. The bottom line is that the group is celebrating its fortieth birthday and I can not help but draw a parallel with this quote from Rocky Balboa: “You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward.” Incidentally, Stallone himself wanted guitar lessons from Mr. Lukather – it’s written in the book !
Admirers of the latter are well aware that his musical universe is not limited to Toto. It is in another context, maybe a more personal and intimate one, that he experiences his solo projects that are also approached with precision. For example, I have seen this artist playing with his group in large venues, but I have also enjoyed seeing him playing solo in little known places. He allowed me to look at music in a different way and opened my mind through concerts at charming small venues. The opportunity to thank him for his solo albums that have also accompanied me the last ten years to the point of sometimes identifying with him on many compositions and to tell him so on his Facebook wall. When Luke himself liked or commented my post, I would be extatic, not to mention a few meetings and some brief conversations that have marked me. This is indeed an artist who counted for me and I had to read his memoirs that do not forget to also report his integration in Ringo Starr’s group those last few years. One can feel his joy to be a part of this adventure, especially when the influence of the Beatles and George Harrison since he was a teenager is fully felt while reading. One way of bringing things full circle, one might say…
More generally, you may well document and read the numerous interviews of Lukather on the internet, they will not go into as much detail as this book. In this regard, the musician totally opens up on issues that we would not dare ask him. Of course, my thoughts are for all his relatives who were gone too soon as this is also an opportunity to pay tribute to them by reliving with the author those sad moments. These are poignant moments, and I would not pretend to be trying to transcribe them here. Their places seem to belong only in this book and in Luke’s heart…
The author also discusses his private life since this is the story of a lifetime and not only a career in the show business. This is an integral part of the story and, over the pages, between the studio sessions and the tours, we understand that it is not easy to find the right balance for a family life. Finally, everything seems linked because his life experiences have had an impact on his music and this is a good way to analyze it. On the human side, it’s also a very instructive message. Two divorces, each time with two young children, are part of his ordeals. I was touched by this desire to stay close to them despite the separation, like a dad struggling against adversity which can also portray the man.
So I had a thirst to learn more about him through “The Gospel According to Luke”, written in collaboration with journalist Paul Rees. I want to congratulate the latter because he was able to transcribe his conversations with Luke without trying to sugarcoat them. We can really feel that these are the words of the musician, his own experience of life through his joys and sorrows, materialized by some swear words that make the man endearing, because that’s how we appreciate him. This is a very sincere account, with the necessary perspective on 60 years of life including 40 in the show business.
Dear Luke, thank you for this beautiful and exciting book! I made the effort not to mention another artist I love, since this would have been so predictable on my part. I saw you turning the pages of my book about him once, and this is one of my fondest memories. So I was not going to bring it up again while talking about your own work. Still, I have noticed that a Triple RIAA Platinum Victory record seems to be cluttering your garage, so if I can help you get rid of it, I’m your guy! Anytime, my friend ! And thanks again for everything !
It is worth saying that this is the story of a life, not only a career. The opportunity to get immersed in the musician’s childhood and to be carried away by his words. With his choice of playing the guitar, one gets a better undersanding of the man through his family origins and his musical influences. A boy whose destiny no one had foreseen, since he was never a leader for his schoolmates, but still had the will to make his dreams come true. Music was an escape for him, no offense to one of his teachers who tried to dissuade him from it. His parents were there to support him and that was the point. In these first pages, we then discover a child at the antipodes of the adult that we know today. This is a kind of prehistory in the Lukather universe, long before he came into the spotlight and that the first studio sessions started.
I must admit that reading these precious memories was a major motivation for purchasing this book. Unfortunately, this is a bygone era, dating back to the previous century, when the biggest producers enlisted the best musicians on various sessions. Los Angeles was the stronghold of the Californian sound from the West Coast, and Steve Lukather was one of its great ambassadors, with a discography as long as your arm. As a real studio shark, he started practicing his job in 1977, but slowed down from the mid-90s to focus on collaborations and the people he loves, through varied styles, from Olivia Newton-John to Meat Loaf through Brothers Johnson and Elton John who even tried to poach him for his own group. Reading the guitarist’s memories of all those fabulous albums is a bit like reliving the whole history of the Californian sound, since the artist was one of its greatest craftsmen. You can then imagine riding in his Ferrari, with the wind in your hair, on the roads of Los Angeles. Such a crazy 80s period with some excesses that the musician is not trying to hide. It is with a lot of perspective that he’s taking a look into the rearview mirror. However, he did not count the many hours of work to finalize an album and the anecdote about the song “Beat It” when Quincy Jones pushed him to his limits to offer this famous riff is a perfect example.
There are many memories in the studio and we are eager to devour them especially when they are told in an uncompromising manner, to the point of debasing the status and image of some people, but truthfulness is one of the appeals of this account.
But this book is more specifically an opportunity for Lukather to tell the story of his band. He is actually the only member who has never missed a Toto concert in the last 40 years. The importance of his friendship with Steve Porcaro then becomes clearer. He introduced him to his brother Jeff and to David Paich who were the co-founders of the group. While we turn the pages, we get immersed in the evolution of the Californian band over four decades until the 2018 tour. We can then measure the backdrop with some quarrels that we do not necessarily suspect as we imagine their life is just great. Perhaps we envy them so much that somehow we idolize them and subconsciously forbid them to have problems. No, it has not been a bed of roses but Toto has sold millions of albums including many hits and, of course, the good times are also highlighted. Of course, I mean the IV album rewarded as it should be at the Grammy Awards in 1983. However, far from glitz and glamor, we like the feeling of being immersed in the studio with them. And to read that, initially, Luke was a little too inhibited to compose his own songs compared to David Paich who was prolific in this field. We can see him grow and mature over the pages, to eventually succeed in writing his own hits. All these piled up experiences have forged him to become the leader of the group. I would like to add that it is common knowledge that Toto has had some problems with their different singers, but this is an opportunity to better understand the reasons for those numerous changes. The bottom line is that the group is celebrating its fortieth birthday and I can not help but draw a parallel with this quote from Rocky Balboa: “You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward.” Incidentally, Stallone himself wanted guitar lessons from Mr. Lukather – it’s written in the book !
Admirers of the latter are well aware that his musical universe is not limited to Toto. It is in another context, maybe a more personal and intimate one, that he experiences his solo projects that are also approached with precision. For example, I have seen this artist playing with his group in large venues, but I have also enjoyed seeing him playing solo in little known places. He allowed me to look at music in a different way and opened my mind through concerts at charming small venues. The opportunity to thank him for his solo albums that have also accompanied me the last ten years to the point of sometimes identifying with him on many compositions and to tell him so on his Facebook wall. When Luke himself liked or commented my post, I would be extatic, not to mention a few meetings and some brief conversations that have marked me. This is indeed an artist who counted for me and I had to read his memoirs that do not forget to also report his integration in Ringo Starr’s group those last few years. One can feel his joy to be a part of this adventure, especially when the influence of the Beatles and George Harrison since he was a teenager is fully felt while reading. One way of bringing things full circle, one might say…
More generally, you may well document and read the numerous interviews of Lukather on the internet, they will not go into as much detail as this book. In this regard, the musician totally opens up on issues that we would not dare ask him. Of course, my thoughts are for all his relatives who were gone too soon as this is also an opportunity to pay tribute to them by reliving with the author those sad moments. These are poignant moments, and I would not pretend to be trying to transcribe them here. Their places seem to belong only in this book and in Luke’s heart…
The author also discusses his private life since this is the story of a lifetime and not only a career in the show business. This is an integral part of the story and, over the pages, between the studio sessions and the tours, we understand that it is not easy to find the right balance for a family life. Finally, everything seems linked because his life experiences have had an impact on his music and this is a good way to analyze it. On the human side, it’s also a very instructive message. Two divorces, each time with two young children, are part of his ordeals. I was touched by this desire to stay close to them despite the separation, like a dad struggling against adversity which can also portray the man.
So I had a thirst to learn more about him through “The Gospel According to Luke”, written in collaboration with journalist Paul Rees. I want to congratulate the latter because he was able to transcribe his conversations with Luke without trying to sugarcoat them. We can really feel that these are the words of the musician, his own experience of life through his joys and sorrows, materialized by some swear words that make the man endearing, because that’s how we appreciate him. This is a very sincere account, with the necessary perspective on 60 years of life including 40 in the show business.
Dear Luke, thank you for this beautiful and exciting book! I made the effort not to mention another artist I love, since this would have been so predictable on my part. I saw you turning the pages of my book about him once, and this is one of my fondest memories. So I was not going to bring it up again while talking about your own work. Still, I have noticed that a Triple RIAA Platinum Victory record seems to be cluttering your garage, so if I can help you get rid of it, I’m your guy! Anytime, my friend ! And thanks again for everything !
July 10, 2020
I might be a bit biased as I have hung with many musicians. The vibes and stories presented in this book are very familiar to me and it's really just not that interesting.
Steve is best appreciated through his recordings.
Unfortunately the book is filled with constant name dropping and by a third of the way through you are pretty tired of hearing the same story over and over... "Oh and I hooked up with XYZ big shit producer/musician and we just hit it off"
Not much in the way of philosophy or introspection... just a greatest hits list of the guys career. Pretty boring and self serving.
I'd rather listen to his work than read about it.
Steve is best appreciated through his recordings.
Unfortunately the book is filled with constant name dropping and by a third of the way through you are pretty tired of hearing the same story over and over... "Oh and I hooked up with XYZ big shit producer/musician and we just hit it off"
Not much in the way of philosophy or introspection... just a greatest hits list of the guys career. Pretty boring and self serving.
I'd rather listen to his work than read about it.
May 29, 2019
Very good, honest, autobiography. If you're a Toto fan, a must read.
July 2, 2019
I got the audio version at an extreme discount, otherwise I would've missed out on this one. The name Steve Lukather meant nothing to me, and the only song I recognized as having been recorded by Toto was "Africa." (If you asked me who did "Hold the Line," I would've guessed Foreigner.)
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE (terrible title, by the way) is a bit different from other rock bios I've read, in that much of it relates to being a studio musician and a working man's guitarist. And though Lukather fashioned himself into a true rock star (both in Toto and as a solo act), performing at sold-out sports arenas around the globe, his playing on the Toto albums wasn't flashy enough for the public to regard him as another Slash or Eddie Van Halen. But industry professionals recognized his immense talent, and he was regularly offered studio and concert gigs with such luminaries as Alice Cooper, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Boz Scaggs, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Cher, Donna Summer, Steely Dan...the list is endless. It would be fairly difficult to come up with a hit record from that period that Lukather DIDN'T play on, making him one of the biggest unsung heroes in the history of rock 'n' roll. Considering I'd never heard his name before, I was flat-out amazed to hear he'd played on so many of my favorite songs. This guy even helped figure out the arrangement for Kenny Loggins' "Highway to the Danger Zone." He played the main riff for "Beat It." He worked with David Lynch. He performed with Jeff Beck and Santana. He sold gazillions of records around the world and won multiple Grammys. The man is a beast.
Too bad his narration skills aren't a bit better. The guy is so laid back, he generally sounds like he just woke up. He also sounds drunk, so it came as a surprise to learn he quit alcohol ages ago. It's weird to think of him as a great artist, because he talks like a Danny McBride character. I mean, this is a guy who wanted to title his first solo album "I Hate Every Bone in Your Body Except Mine." If that doesn't say "artist," I don't know what does.
Lukather is very proud of his sense of humor, which leads to "hilarious" anecdotes such as mooning people in the studio or coming up with the band name "Nerve Bundle," which refers to the head of the penis. Drugs and alcohol played a big part in Toto's after-hours activities, but not enough to count as a serious problem, according to him. But when he one day found himself downing a glass of vodka before breakfast, he decided to be done with alcohol on the spot. And that was that.
I'm convinced of Lukather's amazing talent, but less convinced about what a likeable dude he is to hang out with. (And when he describes himself as "spiritual," all I can do is laugh.) The amount of name-dropping in this book is off the charts--which would actually be fine with me, except that Lukather makes an especial point of stating that each and every great musician he worked with is or was a "dear personal friend." I would like confirmation of that from some of the people he's talking about, 'cause I don't know how it's possible for one human being to have so many close friends. To me, these claims of affection start to sound artificial, like typical Hollywood celebrity BS, and I got sick of hearing them.
The book throws a lot of names at you, and it can sometimes be difficult to remember who's who. Occasionally in the audiobook, other contributors will pop in for a brief snippet, but these are too over-produced and carefully rehearsed to be interesting. There are lots of great stories, though. My favorite being when Lukather was "fired" by Chuck Berry during a disastrous performance in Japan. There's also some great stuff about visiting Slash's house and having to deal with his pet cougar and collection of snakes. It's by no means a must-read unless you are a huge Lukather or Toto fan, but anyone interested in the life of a professional musician should get a kick out of it.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE (terrible title, by the way) is a bit different from other rock bios I've read, in that much of it relates to being a studio musician and a working man's guitarist. And though Lukather fashioned himself into a true rock star (both in Toto and as a solo act), performing at sold-out sports arenas around the globe, his playing on the Toto albums wasn't flashy enough for the public to regard him as another Slash or Eddie Van Halen. But industry professionals recognized his immense talent, and he was regularly offered studio and concert gigs with such luminaries as Alice Cooper, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Boz Scaggs, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Cher, Donna Summer, Steely Dan...the list is endless. It would be fairly difficult to come up with a hit record from that period that Lukather DIDN'T play on, making him one of the biggest unsung heroes in the history of rock 'n' roll. Considering I'd never heard his name before, I was flat-out amazed to hear he'd played on so many of my favorite songs. This guy even helped figure out the arrangement for Kenny Loggins' "Highway to the Danger Zone." He played the main riff for "Beat It." He worked with David Lynch. He performed with Jeff Beck and Santana. He sold gazillions of records around the world and won multiple Grammys. The man is a beast.
Too bad his narration skills aren't a bit better. The guy is so laid back, he generally sounds like he just woke up. He also sounds drunk, so it came as a surprise to learn he quit alcohol ages ago. It's weird to think of him as a great artist, because he talks like a Danny McBride character. I mean, this is a guy who wanted to title his first solo album "I Hate Every Bone in Your Body Except Mine." If that doesn't say "artist," I don't know what does.
Lukather is very proud of his sense of humor, which leads to "hilarious" anecdotes such as mooning people in the studio or coming up with the band name "Nerve Bundle," which refers to the head of the penis. Drugs and alcohol played a big part in Toto's after-hours activities, but not enough to count as a serious problem, according to him. But when he one day found himself downing a glass of vodka before breakfast, he decided to be done with alcohol on the spot. And that was that.
I'm convinced of Lukather's amazing talent, but less convinced about what a likeable dude he is to hang out with. (And when he describes himself as "spiritual," all I can do is laugh.) The amount of name-dropping in this book is off the charts--which would actually be fine with me, except that Lukather makes an especial point of stating that each and every great musician he worked with is or was a "dear personal friend." I would like confirmation of that from some of the people he's talking about, 'cause I don't know how it's possible for one human being to have so many close friends. To me, these claims of affection start to sound artificial, like typical Hollywood celebrity BS, and I got sick of hearing them.
The book throws a lot of names at you, and it can sometimes be difficult to remember who's who. Occasionally in the audiobook, other contributors will pop in for a brief snippet, but these are too over-produced and carefully rehearsed to be interesting. There are lots of great stories, though. My favorite being when Lukather was "fired" by Chuck Berry during a disastrous performance in Japan. There's also some great stuff about visiting Slash's house and having to deal with his pet cougar and collection of snakes. It's by no means a must-read unless you are a huge Lukather or Toto fan, but anyone interested in the life of a professional musician should get a kick out of it.
July 29, 2021
Steve Lukather has been a staple in the music world since the late ’70s.
If you think he is only the guitar player for Toto, you are clearly mistaken. I can guarantee a large number of songs in your playlist have his imprint. The vastness of Lukather’s discography is mind boggling.
Boz Scaggs, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Quincy Jones are only a few of the artists.
Don’t forget his solo career, numerous side projects, and being a long-standing member of Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band. Whew!
I want to be clear that Toto has been underrated, panned, and treated unfairly by some critics and executives in the music business. They have a massive fan base around the globe, won multiple Grammys, and earned multi-platinum albums. They keep punching back and winning. That’s another thread you’ll see throughout the book with both Toto and Lukather.
The Gospel According To Luke gives readers a peek into recording sessions, backstage shenanigans, and the music industry.
However, it allows you to go beyond that. There is much more to the man than the guy on stage who has been entertaining fans over forty years.
The Gospel According To Luke opens the door into his life – from the night he saw The Beatles on television, the early friendships that would seal his fate as a young adult, becoming a well respected session artist to gaining success, fatherhood, loss, and love.
Steve Vai delivers a heartfelt Foreword which is cooler than all hell.
You will also find family members, friends, and fellow musicians providing anecdotes. That’s a nice touch which shines a little more light.
At the very beginning, Luke provides a warning, “Oh yeah, I swear a lot too. If you are offended by that, stop reading.” That only makes me want to read it more! He just found a kindred spirit in me, as I have been known to use very colorful language.
Without giving it all away, highlights from the book include: a BMW purchase that had a Pretty Woman vibe, a small name change to a Kenny Nolan tune, an impromptu meeting with Randy Newman in Amsterdam, and a pet cat that belonged to Slash. Those are just a few of the nuggets and don’t even scratch the surface.
At the risk of sounding like a cheesy audience member of the Broadway show Cats, The Gospel According To Luke made me laugh and made me cry authentically from beginning to end.
It was one of the most honest and straightforward memoirs I’ve ever read.
This book comes highly recommended, especially if you love music.
Now, if only I could score a ticket to a show at The Baked Potato.
If you think he is only the guitar player for Toto, you are clearly mistaken. I can guarantee a large number of songs in your playlist have his imprint. The vastness of Lukather’s discography is mind boggling.
Boz Scaggs, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Quincy Jones are only a few of the artists.
Don’t forget his solo career, numerous side projects, and being a long-standing member of Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band. Whew!
I want to be clear that Toto has been underrated, panned, and treated unfairly by some critics and executives in the music business. They have a massive fan base around the globe, won multiple Grammys, and earned multi-platinum albums. They keep punching back and winning. That’s another thread you’ll see throughout the book with both Toto and Lukather.
The Gospel According To Luke gives readers a peek into recording sessions, backstage shenanigans, and the music industry.
However, it allows you to go beyond that. There is much more to the man than the guy on stage who has been entertaining fans over forty years.
The Gospel According To Luke opens the door into his life – from the night he saw The Beatles on television, the early friendships that would seal his fate as a young adult, becoming a well respected session artist to gaining success, fatherhood, loss, and love.
Steve Vai delivers a heartfelt Foreword which is cooler than all hell.
You will also find family members, friends, and fellow musicians providing anecdotes. That’s a nice touch which shines a little more light.
At the very beginning, Luke provides a warning, “Oh yeah, I swear a lot too. If you are offended by that, stop reading.” That only makes me want to read it more! He just found a kindred spirit in me, as I have been known to use very colorful language.
Without giving it all away, highlights from the book include: a BMW purchase that had a Pretty Woman vibe, a small name change to a Kenny Nolan tune, an impromptu meeting with Randy Newman in Amsterdam, and a pet cat that belonged to Slash. Those are just a few of the nuggets and don’t even scratch the surface.
At the risk of sounding like a cheesy audience member of the Broadway show Cats, The Gospel According To Luke made me laugh and made me cry authentically from beginning to end.
It was one of the most honest and straightforward memoirs I’ve ever read.
This book comes highly recommended, especially if you love music.
Now, if only I could score a ticket to a show at The Baked Potato.
June 16, 2020
Steve Lukather tunnetaan lähinnä Toto yhtyeen kitaristina ja laulajanakin. Mutta sen lisäksi hän on ollut varsin työteliäs sessio- ja studiomuusikko ja hänen soittoaan voi kuulla monen tunnetun artistin levyiltä.
Elämäkerrassaan hän kuitenkin lähinnä syyllistyy pahimpaan perisyntiin... namedroppailuun. Se on toki helppoa, koska sessiomuusikkona ja arvostettuna kitaristina hän on päässyt soittamaan supertähtien kanssa. Mutta hän ei syvenny oikein mihinkään. Mielenkiintoisimpia juttuja näistä olivat hänet työnsä Michael Jacksonin Thriller-albumin kimpussa. Mutta sekin jää jotenkin latteaksi kuvaukseksi. Kuvaliitekin on tämän hengen mukainen eli keikkakuvien sijaan paino on "kaverikuvissa". Huoh.
Lukather etenee kronologisessa hengessä. Pidin ihan toimivana valintana, että välttämättä ihan jokaista albumia tai kiertuetta ei käydä tarkasti läpi. Mutta toisaalta... pikkutarkaksi muusikon tekemisen ja saavutusten dokumentoinniksi tämä on liian suppea otanta ja toisaalta taas henkilökohtaiseksi elämäkerraksikaan tämä ei oikein toimi, koska kirja ei onnistu piirtämään henkilökuvaa Lukatherista. Se, että kiroilee tekstissä ja kommentoi vain, että tällainen minä nyt olen, ei vielä ihan riitä.
Loppuun on listattu kaikki albumit, joilla Lukather soittaa. Täysin idioottimaisesti myös kaikki kokoelmat. Eli samaiset hittibiisit toistuvat listassa yhä uudelleen kaikkien kokoelmalevyjen myötä. Ensisilmäyksellä näyttää siltä, että onpas herra todellakin soittanut miljonalla levyllä (tämä liite vie 25 sivua kirjan lopusta), mutta jos siitä poistaisi kokoelmat, niin saisi heti oikeamman kuvan. Harvatahtisemmalta 2000-luvulta on vaikea poimia kokoelmien seasta juurikaan uutta missä hän on soittanut.
Loppusanoissa Lukather kirjoittaa, että hän voisi kirjoittaa toisen elämäkerran, jossa kertoisi enemmän kaikista sattumuksista ja henkilökohtaisemmista jutuista. Veikkaanpa, että siitä tulee parempi, jos hän joskus onnistuu sen rustaamaan.
Suomenkielinen versio on saanut huomattavasti huonommat arviot Goodreadsissä kuin alkuperäinen. Mielenkiintoista, en mitenkään kiinnittänyt huomiota, että suomennos olisi ollut erityisen töksähtelevä tai huono.
Elämäkerrassaan hän kuitenkin lähinnä syyllistyy pahimpaan perisyntiin... namedroppailuun. Se on toki helppoa, koska sessiomuusikkona ja arvostettuna kitaristina hän on päässyt soittamaan supertähtien kanssa. Mutta hän ei syvenny oikein mihinkään. Mielenkiintoisimpia juttuja näistä olivat hänet työnsä Michael Jacksonin Thriller-albumin kimpussa. Mutta sekin jää jotenkin latteaksi kuvaukseksi. Kuvaliitekin on tämän hengen mukainen eli keikkakuvien sijaan paino on "kaverikuvissa". Huoh.
Lukather etenee kronologisessa hengessä. Pidin ihan toimivana valintana, että välttämättä ihan jokaista albumia tai kiertuetta ei käydä tarkasti läpi. Mutta toisaalta... pikkutarkaksi muusikon tekemisen ja saavutusten dokumentoinniksi tämä on liian suppea otanta ja toisaalta taas henkilökohtaiseksi elämäkerraksikaan tämä ei oikein toimi, koska kirja ei onnistu piirtämään henkilökuvaa Lukatherista. Se, että kiroilee tekstissä ja kommentoi vain, että tällainen minä nyt olen, ei vielä ihan riitä.
Loppuun on listattu kaikki albumit, joilla Lukather soittaa. Täysin idioottimaisesti myös kaikki kokoelmat. Eli samaiset hittibiisit toistuvat listassa yhä uudelleen kaikkien kokoelmalevyjen myötä. Ensisilmäyksellä näyttää siltä, että onpas herra todellakin soittanut miljonalla levyllä (tämä liite vie 25 sivua kirjan lopusta), mutta jos siitä poistaisi kokoelmat, niin saisi heti oikeamman kuvan. Harvatahtisemmalta 2000-luvulta on vaikea poimia kokoelmien seasta juurikaan uutta missä hän on soittanut.
Loppusanoissa Lukather kirjoittaa, että hän voisi kirjoittaa toisen elämäkerran, jossa kertoisi enemmän kaikista sattumuksista ja henkilökohtaisemmista jutuista. Veikkaanpa, että siitä tulee parempi, jos hän joskus onnistuu sen rustaamaan.
Suomenkielinen versio on saanut huomattavasti huonommat arviot Goodreadsissä kuin alkuperäinen. Mielenkiintoista, en mitenkään kiinnittänyt huomiota, että suomennos olisi ollut erityisen töksähtelevä tai huono.
July 29, 2021
Steve Lukather, lead guitarist for Toto, has also been a major player as a session musician. Lukather has played on everything from Michael Jackson's Thriller to Barbara Streisand’s hits. Like the "Wrecking Crew" in the 60s and 70s, Lukather and his bandmates had hundreds of hits before deciding to do their own thing. Sadly, it is for this reason the critics always criticized Toto for being some sort of ingenuous supergroup product of the recording industry establishment. This, of course, is absurd. Toto hit the way they did because their genius had already established a market for the sound they created. And Lukather is among the finest musicians and guitarists of our time.
The book is crude and rude at time, but I've played with and been around many musicians over the years - this is how we communicate. Lukather warns that we are reading his words, not an editors cleaned up polished prose. Overall, despite the warnings and disclaimers, the book is not particularly obscene or distasteful. Lukather tells his story from growing up and learning to play to playing with his heroes as a veteran of thousands of studio sessions and tours.
Lukather name drops constantly. It's forgivable since finding out who he played with and what records he played on is a huge reason for reading the book. Nevertheless, at times it is overwhelming. The stories are frequently funny, sometimes quite moving. The stories include all the sex and drugs one would expect from Rock & Roll, but as Lukather points out, if they were that wasted that much of the time, they couldn't have made the music they did. In the end, this is the life of a consummate professional with details of a successful career that has spanned decades. Excellent. A must for fans of rock bios.
The book is crude and rude at time, but I've played with and been around many musicians over the years - this is how we communicate. Lukather warns that we are reading his words, not an editors cleaned up polished prose. Overall, despite the warnings and disclaimers, the book is not particularly obscene or distasteful. Lukather tells his story from growing up and learning to play to playing with his heroes as a veteran of thousands of studio sessions and tours.
Lukather name drops constantly. It's forgivable since finding out who he played with and what records he played on is a huge reason for reading the book. Nevertheless, at times it is overwhelming. The stories are frequently funny, sometimes quite moving. The stories include all the sex and drugs one would expect from Rock & Roll, but as Lukather points out, if they were that wasted that much of the time, they couldn't have made the music they did. In the end, this is the life of a consummate professional with details of a successful career that has spanned decades. Excellent. A must for fans of rock bios.
September 11, 2020
The Gospel According to Luke by Steve Lukather (2018)
Oct 21st 1957, in the San Fernando valley Steve Lukather was born and popular music would never be the same. He began by playing keyboards, then taught himself to play guitar at age 7. He started playing in bands with classmates when he was in junior high.
In high school Steve met the Porcaro brothers who Steve would later form Toto with. First Steve became a session musician while still a teenager, as he was a guitar virtuoso. One of his first gigs was playing with Boz Scaggs on his Lowdown record.
Even early in his life as a child, he met many superstars, Cher and Barbra Streisand being two as his father was heavily involved in the TV and movie industry as an assistant director.
This book details Steve’s journey from a session musician playing on Boz Scaggs world tour at the age of 19, to recording with Michael Jackson on Thriller and much much more.
If you like reading true stories of which musicians are fun to work with, which are temperamental and which are just ass holes it is here in this book. From smoking dope with Paul Macartney to getting on Clapton’s bad side(for life it seems) and more it’s here.
This is one amazing book and does focus allot on Toto as Steve Lukather was in Toto from the beginning and is still the only original member of the band there.
A great read.
Oct 21st 1957, in the San Fernando valley Steve Lukather was born and popular music would never be the same. He began by playing keyboards, then taught himself to play guitar at age 7. He started playing in bands with classmates when he was in junior high.
In high school Steve met the Porcaro brothers who Steve would later form Toto with. First Steve became a session musician while still a teenager, as he was a guitar virtuoso. One of his first gigs was playing with Boz Scaggs on his Lowdown record.
Even early in his life as a child, he met many superstars, Cher and Barbra Streisand being two as his father was heavily involved in the TV and movie industry as an assistant director.
This book details Steve’s journey from a session musician playing on Boz Scaggs world tour at the age of 19, to recording with Michael Jackson on Thriller and much much more.
If you like reading true stories of which musicians are fun to work with, which are temperamental and which are just ass holes it is here in this book. From smoking dope with Paul Macartney to getting on Clapton’s bad side(for life it seems) and more it’s here.
This is one amazing book and does focus allot on Toto as Steve Lukather was in Toto from the beginning and is still the only original member of the band there.
A great read.
November 25, 2020
As a lifelong fan of Toto and many of the artists that emerged from the LA scene of the 70s and 80s, I thoroughly enjoyed The Gospel According to Luke - it was like finally being allowed in to somewhere that you've only ever seen from the outside. It's a little geeky in its focus on musicians, studios, tracks, etc... but that's exactly how I wanted it!
The tone of the book sounds pretty authentic, with Luke definitely achieving his aim of making the book sound "as if he were talking". Having sat in the audience at the Baked Potato listening to some of his outrageous jokes though, I was surprised that more of the crazy sense of humour he mentions so often didn't actually come through in the text. Having said that, maybe he'd never have got the book published if it had :-)
My only little gripes were small ones - too many characters who were "the sweetest cat ever" and I also felt the editing could have been better - several things are mentioned multiple times, each time as if it was the first time - a good example being Luke's annual Christmas gigs with Nerve Bundle at the Baked Potato. That being said, I'm one of the people who "fly in from all over the world to see these shows", so all is forgiven! On the whole a great read about a great career. Where did those 45 years go?
The tone of the book sounds pretty authentic, with Luke definitely achieving his aim of making the book sound "as if he were talking". Having sat in the audience at the Baked Potato listening to some of his outrageous jokes though, I was surprised that more of the crazy sense of humour he mentions so often didn't actually come through in the text. Having said that, maybe he'd never have got the book published if it had :-)
My only little gripes were small ones - too many characters who were "the sweetest cat ever" and I also felt the editing could have been better - several things are mentioned multiple times, each time as if it was the first time - a good example being Luke's annual Christmas gigs with Nerve Bundle at the Baked Potato. That being said, I'm one of the people who "fly in from all over the world to see these shows", so all is forgiven! On the whole a great read about a great career. Where did those 45 years go?
January 3, 2019
I expected to be entertained at Steve Lukather's stories, I expected to be inspired by the tales of a session musician, spending his life in the recording studio or on the road with everyone from Michael Jackson to Paul McCartney to Cher. I was those things.
But I didn't expect to be profoundly moved to the point of tears, which I also was. I respect him tremendously as a musician and I knew that the deaths of first Jeff and then Mike Porcaro must have had a massive impact. But to have so many tragic things happen (particularly around the time of Mike's death) and many of them not even rock and roll related. Just stuff. And to just decide, in the middle of a prolonged period of alcoholism, to stop drinking alcohol immediately and stop cigarettes, give up just like that and rescue relationships with both his families....
I'm not recommending it to everyone, because unless you like the former you probably will struggle with this. But a big thanks to Steve for writing this and telling the stories of his grief, his anger, his stupidity and ultimately his redemption.. .much respect!
But I didn't expect to be profoundly moved to the point of tears, which I also was. I respect him tremendously as a musician and I knew that the deaths of first Jeff and then Mike Porcaro must have had a massive impact. But to have so many tragic things happen (particularly around the time of Mike's death) and many of them not even rock and roll related. Just stuff. And to just decide, in the middle of a prolonged period of alcoholism, to stop drinking alcohol immediately and stop cigarettes, give up just like that and rescue relationships with both his families....
I'm not recommending it to everyone, because unless you like the former you probably will struggle with this. But a big thanks to Steve for writing this and telling the stories of his grief, his anger, his stupidity and ultimately his redemption.. .much respect!
September 29, 2019
Did the audiobook, which was read by the author.
This isn't Grapes of Wraith, but it is an entertaining memoir. There is the typical childhood/teenage years chapters, and then it's straight into the music business. That's where the book gets entertaining. It's obvious, given all the work that Lukather has done, that he's a very, very talented musician. It also serves as a cautionary tale that should make any potential musician pause - if someone who has been as successful as Lukather still has to work as hard as he does to make things swing, what is the upside in the stripped down music world?
Lukather is known for being a grade A party guy from the 80's. There are plenty of sex and drugs stories to provide the point, but not so many that it gets excessive. There are also a lot of women, but again, not so much that gets to be repetitive.
There are some great in-depth discussions about how some of Toto's biggest hits were made, and there are a lot of discussions of the music business. Today's tip - the record company is usually the bad guy.
Worth your time if you are a fan of Toto, 80's music, or stories from funny loose cannons.
This isn't Grapes of Wraith, but it is an entertaining memoir. There is the typical childhood/teenage years chapters, and then it's straight into the music business. That's where the book gets entertaining. It's obvious, given all the work that Lukather has done, that he's a very, very talented musician. It also serves as a cautionary tale that should make any potential musician pause - if someone who has been as successful as Lukather still has to work as hard as he does to make things swing, what is the upside in the stripped down music world?
Lukather is known for being a grade A party guy from the 80's. There are plenty of sex and drugs stories to provide the point, but not so many that it gets excessive. There are also a lot of women, but again, not so much that gets to be repetitive.
There are some great in-depth discussions about how some of Toto's biggest hits were made, and there are a lot of discussions of the music business. Today's tip - the record company is usually the bad guy.
Worth your time if you are a fan of Toto, 80's music, or stories from funny loose cannons.
November 24, 2019
This is an audiobook review.
I'm not a fan of Toto. I've never (previously) heard of Steve Lukather. I could only name one Toto song prior to this read (Rosanna).
All that said, this was a very enjoyable read. First, this audiobook falls into the very cool genre of biographies read by the author. The one other excellent book that I can recall offhand that falls into this genre is Who I Am (Pete Townshend). Now that I think of it, there was a Carol Burnett biography in this genre that was excellent as well.
"Luke" provides a very straightforward and enjoyable narrative of his life and experiences in the music industry, his family, and his friends. I found it fun to hear about the making of one song or another and then go to my music app or to youtube to listen to that song, or to specific parts of the song to hear how a guitar solo sounded, etc.
I can now say I am a Toto fan having, in a way, become an acquaintance of Steve Lukather. Several Toto/Lukather songs now reside in my favorites playlist: Africa, Rosanna, Hold The Line, others... Highly recommend the audiobook edition of this book.
I'm not a fan of Toto. I've never (previously) heard of Steve Lukather. I could only name one Toto song prior to this read (Rosanna).
All that said, this was a very enjoyable read. First, this audiobook falls into the very cool genre of biographies read by the author. The one other excellent book that I can recall offhand that falls into this genre is Who I Am (Pete Townshend). Now that I think of it, there was a Carol Burnett biography in this genre that was excellent as well.
"Luke" provides a very straightforward and enjoyable narrative of his life and experiences in the music industry, his family, and his friends. I found it fun to hear about the making of one song or another and then go to my music app or to youtube to listen to that song, or to specific parts of the song to hear how a guitar solo sounded, etc.
I can now say I am a Toto fan having, in a way, become an acquaintance of Steve Lukather. Several Toto/Lukather songs now reside in my favorites playlist: Africa, Rosanna, Hold The Line, others... Highly recommend the audiobook edition of this book.
October 10, 2022
"Haluan aloittaa sanomalla, että tämä EI sitten ole lastenkirja. Lapset eivät saa tätä lukea! En anna edes omien lapsieni vilkaistakaan tätä kirjaa ennen kuin he ovat kolmikymppisiä."
Aika daiju sitaatti mestarikitaristilta, joka käyttää paljon aikaa kertoakseen, miten hän sai kaikenlaisia vapauksia soittaa musiikkia ja seurata unelmaansa. Ei Lukea vanhemmat sitoneet kolmikymppisiksi asti. No, ehkä tässä ei sitä tarkoitetakaan. Onneksi maailma on jonkin verran muuttunut, eivätkä nykynuoret enää tahdo samoja juttuja kuin 1970-luvulla varttuneet ja uransa aloittaneet. Mutta ikävä kyllä niitä samoja juttuja siellä pyörii, kuten huumeet.
Lukather on uransa aikana tehnyt todella monelle eri artistille töitä ja samalla jyrännyt TOTO-yhtyeen kanssa yli 40 vuotta ympäri maailmaa. Kuuntelin useita biisejä niistä, mitä Lukather on eri esittäjien kanssa levyttänyt, eikä niistä monikaan ollut kovin merkittävä ja mieleenpainuva kappale. Jotkut ovat menestyneet todella hyvin, toiset eivät juurikaan.
Tykkäsin kirjassa siitä, että siinä käytiin läpi biisienteko- ja levytyshommia, niistä ei useinkaan näissä elämäkerroissa jakseta tarinoida.
Aika daiju sitaatti mestarikitaristilta, joka käyttää paljon aikaa kertoakseen, miten hän sai kaikenlaisia vapauksia soittaa musiikkia ja seurata unelmaansa. Ei Lukea vanhemmat sitoneet kolmikymppisiksi asti. No, ehkä tässä ei sitä tarkoitetakaan. Onneksi maailma on jonkin verran muuttunut, eivätkä nykynuoret enää tahdo samoja juttuja kuin 1970-luvulla varttuneet ja uransa aloittaneet. Mutta ikävä kyllä niitä samoja juttuja siellä pyörii, kuten huumeet.
Lukather on uransa aikana tehnyt todella monelle eri artistille töitä ja samalla jyrännyt TOTO-yhtyeen kanssa yli 40 vuotta ympäri maailmaa. Kuuntelin useita biisejä niistä, mitä Lukather on eri esittäjien kanssa levyttänyt, eikä niistä monikaan ollut kovin merkittävä ja mieleenpainuva kappale. Jotkut ovat menestyneet todella hyvin, toiset eivät juurikaan.
Tykkäsin kirjassa siitä, että siinä käytiin läpi biisienteko- ja levytyshommia, niistä ei useinkaan näissä elämäkerroissa jakseta tarinoida.
October 17, 2025
I'm amazed when I talk to someone and point out a particular song and they'll say, "That's Toto?!?" Why yes, yes it is. And then they'll realize this, that, and the other songs are from Toto as well. I just dig that I knew it and have known for a very very long time. I knew about the session work these guys had been a part of and knew it to be vast, but it's super vast. HUGE! And pretty cool and impressive. I really enjoyed hearing the stories of Steve Lukather, and I imagined as I read that I was hearing him speak the words to me like he was having a regular conversation with me. And that's totally fine. He says at the end that as he sat with his co-writer and the publisher and others to edit things, he, more than anything, wanted it to sound just like him. Success for all I know. But I think it could still have been edited a bit better--not to take away the "Lukather-ness" of it all--but to help with readability and understandability of it here and there. Also, for the most part it's told chronologically, but occasionally it'll suddenly travel forward of back in time and you won't realize it until you have to stop and try and put disparate information together.
December 12, 2018
A great story about a even better session/guitar player.
There are few people who played on as many albums who managed to be in an even bigger band. Steve Lukather is one great story teller, even if h he says he isn't. Very few people has lived a life like he has and made it through unscathed. He has more than a few emotional scars. But if you want an idea of how music was made back in the 1970's before the cut and paste method made it that anyone with a decent computer can create music. He gives a bit of behind the scenes look at what it took to be at top of his game as a session musician that could create hooks for songs that pretty much span decades. He admits he was a bit of a partier but never when it came to making music for some insert band name or for his band Toto. Anyone who grew up during the mid 1970's through the late 1980's, this book is a must read. There's a bit of swearing in it but not so much that it detracts from the story. It's worth the time to read. I found it hard to put down.
There are few people who played on as many albums who managed to be in an even bigger band. Steve Lukather is one great story teller, even if h he says he isn't. Very few people has lived a life like he has and made it through unscathed. He has more than a few emotional scars. But if you want an idea of how music was made back in the 1970's before the cut and paste method made it that anyone with a decent computer can create music. He gives a bit of behind the scenes look at what it took to be at top of his game as a session musician that could create hooks for songs that pretty much span decades. He admits he was a bit of a partier but never when it came to making music for some insert band name or for his band Toto. Anyone who grew up during the mid 1970's through the late 1980's, this book is a must read. There's a bit of swearing in it but not so much that it detracts from the story. It's worth the time to read. I found it hard to put down.
May 12, 2019
Jarang saya beri lima bintang bagi buku memoir seperti ini. Namun the Gospel According to Luke ini adalah pengecualian. Truly an eye opening, istilah londo-nya. Banyak cerita tentang Toto dan karir Luke yang baru saya tahu/pahami sekarang.
Luke juga pencerita yang bagus sekali. Alur dan naratif terjaga rapi, beberapa bagian dia loncat ke masa depan untuk lebih membuat ceritanya menarik. Namun konsisten kembali ke timeline utama. Tidak hanya terbuka tentang Toto (proses kejam komposisi lagu dan terutama kasus dengan vokalis-2 Toto) dan keluarga, Luke juga menceritakan prosesnya menjadi musisi dari bawah. Cerita dia dijadikan “tumbal” saat audisi untuk Frank Zappa itu sungguh bisa membuat semangat bermusik hancur —jika iman tidak kuat.
Dan bagian terakhir sekitar 31 halaman yang mendata di album apa aja Luke mengisi musiknya dari akhir 70an hingga 2000an itu sungguh mengerikan! Rasional juga dia bilang sejak 1975 hingga 1995 mana sih album yang dirilis dari Los Angeles yang tidak berisikan setidaknya satu musisi yang kemudian/pernah menjadi personel Toto!
Luke juga pencerita yang bagus sekali. Alur dan naratif terjaga rapi, beberapa bagian dia loncat ke masa depan untuk lebih membuat ceritanya menarik. Namun konsisten kembali ke timeline utama. Tidak hanya terbuka tentang Toto (proses kejam komposisi lagu dan terutama kasus dengan vokalis-2 Toto) dan keluarga, Luke juga menceritakan prosesnya menjadi musisi dari bawah. Cerita dia dijadikan “tumbal” saat audisi untuk Frank Zappa itu sungguh bisa membuat semangat bermusik hancur —jika iman tidak kuat.
Dan bagian terakhir sekitar 31 halaman yang mendata di album apa aja Luke mengisi musiknya dari akhir 70an hingga 2000an itu sungguh mengerikan! Rasional juga dia bilang sejak 1975 hingga 1995 mana sih album yang dirilis dari Los Angeles yang tidak berisikan setidaknya satu musisi yang kemudian/pernah menjadi personel Toto!
July 16, 2023
I was never a huge Toto fan, but as a failed guitarist, I have to admit a certain fascination and admiration for Lukather, whose career has spanned decades. He is, in fact, a virtuoso of the instrument, and has played on countless mega-hits over the past 40 years. His recall of names and places (especially given the amount of booze and drugs on offer) is somewhat amazing. The Who's Who of great musicians with whom he has played, and the number of superstars who have requested his presence on many major hit songs is nothing short of incredible. A great testament to his ability. But where this book excels is in the storytelling. Really interesting tidbits involving the big names in popular music going back to the 40's (he hung regularly with George and his aunt, Rosemary Clooney) make for a book that is hard to put down. What is truly sad is to read about the countless friends Lukather has lost over the years, especially amazing talents including his boyhood friend, Jeff Porcaro (one of the best drummers who ever lived). I truly enjoyed this book.
March 11, 2019
The best part of this autobiography is the care that Lukather and his co-author took to use Lukather's own voice and style of speaking. It reads just how he sounds in interviews. Lukather truly is a musicians musician and more than that, a guy who really loves his fans and loves making music. Toto had a lot of highs and lows, and he doesn't pull punches in talking about the culprits in the record business and in the band that helped and hindered them along the way. He gets into the deaths of Jeff Porcaro and Mike Porcaro and how hard Lukather and the rest of the band worked to honor their brothers by carrying on with Toto. He talks about some of the famous sessions he played on and some of the less famous. In fact, the last 25% of the book is just a listing of sessions. Some of them are uncredited, but when you hear the song, you know it's him.
If you are a music nerd, I recommend this book. If you're a fan of Toto there's no doubt you should buy it.
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