{"id":557890,"date":"2026-07-19T19:09:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T19:09:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/557890\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T19:09:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T19:09:11","slug":"steve-lukather-clumsy-moment-features-on-dennis-atlas-album","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/557890\/","title":{"rendered":"Steve Lukather clumsy moment features on Dennis Atlas\u2019 album"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dennis Atlas joined Toto<\/a> in 2024 at the age of 28. He\u2019s made the most of the experience by assembling new solo album Principle, which features s seriously impressive guest list. Atlaes tells Prog what he\u2019s learned since going it entirely alone on his debut record.<\/p>\n

At 28 years old, Dennis Atlas became the second keyboardist of Toto in 2024, a role that\u2019s grown since the retirement of Greg Phillinganes. Now the Californian has released his second solo album, Principle, featuring a raft of special guests including Aristocrat Marco Minnemann<\/a>, Bumblefoot<\/a> from Sons Of Apollo and Toto alumni Steve Lukather<\/a> and David Paich<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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But those expecting high-energy rock are in for a shock. Prog-friendly keyboards and time signatures find him treading a more emotional path. He tells us he\u2019s always been a progger at heart.<\/p>\n

You fell in love with music via the pomp of Queen<\/a>, Rush<\/a>, Kansas<\/a> and Styx<\/a>. What was it about them?<\/p>\n

I have very eclectic taste in music, but all of those bands have real depth. Every time you listen to them you discover something new. That\u2019s what I loved about prog, even before I knew what it was.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Your keyboard solo at Wembley Arena with Toto incorporated segments of songs by ELP<\/a>. How deep does your connection with progressive rock go?<\/p>\n

Extremely deep! Prog was all that I listened to in my most formative years. ELP\u2019s Brain Salad Surgery<\/a> made me wonder what on earth was going on in the minds of those three guys. I also loved Yes, and later on Dream Theater, Symphony X and Haken.<\/p>\n

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Who are tour keyboard influences?<\/p>\n

Keith Emerson<\/a> and Rick Wakeman<\/a>, of course; Dennis De Young<\/a> and Lawrence Gowan<\/a> of Styx; Dream Theater<\/a>\u2019s Jordan Rudess<\/a> and Kevin Moore. Diego [Tejeida, ex-Haken] is on a whole other level.<\/p>\n

How did you come to join Toto?<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

I jammed with Ron Thal \u2013 Bumblefoot from Guns N\u2019 Roses<\/a> \u2013 and we became friends. One day, right out of the blue, he sent a text saying he\u2019d recommended me to Toto. They needed someone right away. Ron\u2019s text was on a Thursday; on the Saturday or Sunday, after they\u2019d looked at my videos, Steve Lukather called asking, \u201cWhat are you doing this summer?\u201d<\/p>\n

We Can Be the Future (Feat. David Paich) [Official Video] – YouTube
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Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

Within four seconds of Principle opener Surprises From Within, we know your album is keys-friendly.<\/p>\n

Yeah! It\u2019s the Keith Emerson thing where you hear that heroic synth part and it pulls you in. That\u2019s the intention anyway.<\/p>\n

With your solo debut, 2021\u2019s My Magical Wonderland, you performed all the instruments \u2013 keys, guitar, bass and drums \u2013 as well as singing. This time you have a list of special guests. Is Principle a concerted attempt to commercialise things?<\/p>\n

When I made that first album I had a lot to learn on all of those instruments, and when it was finished I said, \u201cOK, I\u2019m never doing that again!\u201d This time I\u2019ve found people who can take it up to a whole other level, leaving me to refine my keyboard skills. Bringing in Marco Minnemann on drums certainly doesn\u2019t suck!<\/p>\n

How did you get Marco to appear?<\/p>\n

We became friends through the same Queen, Rush and Styx tribute band where I met Bumblefoot. Marco would get up and jam.<\/p>\n

Candy on Mars (feat. Steve Lukather) – YouTube
\n\"Candy<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

Several past and present members of Toto appear on the album, including \u2018Luke\u2019 Lukather, current singer Joseph Williams, original keysman David Paich and saxophonist Warren Ham.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s definitely a family affair, and there are a few you didn\u2019t mention. Shannon Forest plays drums on six of the album\u2019s songs; his groove provides its backbone. Greg Phillinganes played some additional keyboards, and Steve\u2019s son Trev not only mixed the album but also played some rhythm guitar.<\/p>\n

Luke\u2019s contribution to the super-rhythmic Candy On Mars is fascinating.<\/p>\n

Luke is so much more than just a shredder. With that song I wanted more of a funky, improvisational thing. I just gave him the drumbeat and asked him to come up with something. At the end he moved the guitar and it collided with a mic stand, so he banked the guitar against it and made it a feature of the song. I don\u2019t even understand how he did that!<\/p>\n

Luke said, \u2018He sounds like Fergie Frederiksen \u2013 let\u2019s add some of those songs\u2019<\/p>\n

How was it working with David Paich on the album\u2019s longest song, We Can Be the Future, which closes the record?<\/p>\n

Paich is such a hero of mine, but he\u2019s so unassuming. If you ran into him at the grocery store there\u2019s not a chance you\u2019d know that he\u2019s a rock star. We sat at the piano and jammed and he threw out these titbits \u2013 some chords and a bunch of organ \u2013 that really improved the song, and all the while he made me feel so comfortable.<\/p>\n

Are you hoping to do some solo live shows?<\/p>\n

That would be the dream of my lifetime. It\u2019s what I had in mind when I composed these songs. I\u2019m very much committed to Toto\u2019s live schedule but it does have some breaks. I\u2019m already putting together some guys in my studio so that we\u2019ll be ready when the time comes.<\/p>\n

Surprises From Within (feat. Marco Minnemann) – YouTube
\n\"Surprises<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

We know you could front the show because you did a great job of handling those tricky Fergie Frederiksen-voiced songs on material from Toto\u2019s Isolation at Wembley.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s my extreme honour to do that. I came aboard to play keys and sing high harmonies, but Luke said, \u201cHe sounds like Fergie \u2013 let\u2019s add some of those songs.\u201d We\u2019ve been doing two from Isolation, but we\u2019re going to add a third.<\/p>\n

Do you consider Principle a prog rock album?<\/p>\n

Absolutely. It has everything a prog listener will want. It\u2019s melodic and singable, but it\u2019ll hook you in. It gets deeper and deeper as it goes on, and it ends with We Can Be The Future, which I believe is completely within the realm of Styx, Queen, Gentle Giant and Kansas. Listen to it \u2013 it\u2019s undeniably been made by a prog lover.<\/p>\n

Principle<\/a> is on sale now.<\/p>\n

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