Jeff Porcaro of Toto talks about channeling his nervous energy into something creative. [Full 45-minute Interview on YouTube]
Video Transcript:
[Jeff sits behind a drum set, addressing an unseen audience]
It's so funny, but the... the beat of Rosanna? And there's all these little things in between? Well that started off years ago, I don't know who it was I was playing for, but I was so nervous, that my left hand [demonstrates his shaky hand on the drum] was just... was just bouncing! [audience laughter]
And I took that and I– [drums] I just let my – I channeled my nervous stuff to a beat or something like that.
But, no, the only thing that ever calmed – I swear to God, like, last night, I can't tell you how many times I've played at The Baked Potato, and I'm supposed to be a well-known drummer who should have his shit– I mean his stuff together... But I'm at The Baked Potato and there's a couple of drummers in the audience and stuff and I'm always nervous and it'll take about two songs before my arms get loosened up and then I don't care that they're there listening to me play.
But I think that being nervous is a good thing. You know, channeling that energy well. Adrenaline, it's adrenaline.
It's a good thing.
[jokingly] So stay nervous. [laughs] Nah... [audience laughter as the video fades out]
There are next to no photos of Steve Porcaro from Toto on this site so here are a few of my favourites from the 70s because I love him and he is so beautiful
Also featuring a pic of his then-girlfriend Rosanna Arquette! Common misconception: people assume the song Rosanna is about her but it was written by David Paich the keyboardist and literally all of them including Rosanna herself confirmed that the song has nothing to do with her. However, she did go on to date Peter Gabriel, and the song In Your Eyes is based on her!
Toto
Kingdom of Desire
1992 Columbia
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Tracks:
01. Gypsy Train
02. Don’t Chain My Heart
03. Never Enough
04. How Many Times
05. 2 Hearts
06. Wings of Time
07. She Knows the Devil
08. The Other Side
09. Only You
10. Kick Down the Walls
11. Kingdom of Desire
12. Jake to the Bone
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The Essential Toto is a greatest #hits album by #rock #band Toto. It was released on September 30, 2003 by Sony BMG, as part of the Essential series. Originally a single-disc compilation, a two-disc edition was released in 2004.