Mike Porcaro
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Mike Porcaro | |
|---|---|
 Mike Porcaro playing a Peavey Cirrus5 live in Germany in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | May 29, 1955 South Windsor, Connecticut |
| Died | March 15, 2015 (aged 59) |
| Genres | Hard rock, pop rock, progressive rock, neo-progressive rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bassist |
| Instrument(s) | Bass guitar, double bass, cello |
| Years active | 1971–2007 [citation needed] |
Michael Joseph Porcaro (May 29, 1955-March 15, 2015) is an American bass player. He is best known for his work with the Grammy Award-winning band Toto and is listed as a member on their official website.[1] He retired from touring in 2007 due to his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.[2]
He is the middle brother of Toto members Jeff Porcaro and Steve Porcaro. Their father is jazz drummer-percussionist Joe Porcaro.
Toto
He played bass on a few unofficial sessions with the band since their early days in the late 1970s, but was not made an official member until 1982 (shortly after the release of Toto IV); replacing David Hungate, who departed for a session career in Nashville. According to Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, Porcaro would have been an original member of the band, but the record label wanted to retain the successful chemistry of the line-up from Boz Scaggs' critically acclaimed Silk Degrees album (as Hungate, Lukather and other members of Toto were Scaggs' backing band at the time). He quickly replaced Hungate on bass for the album's music videos and subsequent tour.
Porcaro also played cello on the song "Good for You" on Toto IV, as well as "After You've Gone" on the 1999 album Mindfields.
Illness
Porcaro stopped performing with Toto in 2007 after a growing numbness in his fingers that made it increasingly difficult for him to play. He was replaced by Leland Sklar for the remainder of the tour and Toto disbanded in 2008.[3] On February 26, 2010, it was announced via official press release that Mike Porcaro was suffering from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and that former band members of Toto, including Steve Porcaro, would reform and do a short tour through Europe in support of him in the summer of 2010.[4] The regrouped Toto continue to tour and perform for Mike's benefit in 2011. Nathan East was the guest bass player for the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 tours.[5]
In September 2012, it was reported in Classic Rock magazine that he was doing as well as could be expected with his disease but he was in a wheelchair as the disease was progressing.[6]
Bass playing
Porcaro endorses Peavey, Status Graphite basses, Fbass, Sugi,and Music Man bass guitars.[7] Along with Toto, Mike has played numerous sessions in Los Angeles, and toured with Michael Franks on his very first tour. He then toured with Seals & Crofts, Larry Carlton, and Boz Scaggs. He appears in the video for the song "JoJo" by Boz Scaggs. In Flames bass player Peter Iwers say his bass playing style has been influenced by Toto bassist Mike Porcaro.
References
- ^ "History". Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ^ Kielty, Martin. "Toto's Mike Porcaro 'hanging in there'". Team Rock Limited. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
- ^ "Official TOTO Website - Leland Sklar". www.toto99.com. 1947-05-28. Retrieved 2011-07-20.
- ^ Toto Blog News (archived 2010)
- ^ "Official TOTO Website - Leland Sklar". www.toto99.com. 1955-12-08. Retrieved 2011-07-20.
- ^ Kielty, Martin, "Toto’s Mike Porcaro ‘hanging in there’", Classic Rock magazine, September 13, 2012
- ^ Interview with Peter Iwers (archived 2007)