Steve Lukather Interview

From Toto to Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Steve Lukather has consistently shown why he’s one of the finest guitarists on the planet. Here, he explains frankly why drink and overdrive don’t mix, talks us through the full-fat tones of his solo album, Transition – and gives us an exclusive masterclass on soloing like a pro. With Jamie Dickson.

- Jamie Dickson

He’d be the last to suggest it, but if anyone deserves the moniker ‘guitar god’, it’s Steve Lukather. As well as fuelling Toto’s 35 million record sales, his playing has featured on countless milestone sessions, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller album. Heck, he even turned down jobs in Miles Davis’s and Elton John’s band.

With the release of his nuanced, confessional album, Transition, Steve speaks frankly about how quitting booze helped him find new focus and fire on guitar, inspiring him to strip down his rig to the bare essentials: six strings, killer amp tone – and peerless playing, straight from the heart.

Modest to the point of flippancy about his chops, Steve’s nonetheless one of the world’s premier players, with a gift for finding effortless phrases that connect rock guitar to jazz and pop without the joins ever showing. In a masterclass tutorial, he demonstrates 12 top-drawer licks to help you solo with more freedom and creativity.

You’re a formidable hard-rock player, but Transition has subtler, more personal elements, too…

“Well, here’s the thing: some people hear it and they go, ‘Love the record, but it seems like a soft record,’ and I think that the misconception of it being a ‘soft’ record is because I avoided the powerchord at all costs. A lot of people’s perception of a rock record is quadruple-tracked 5ths on both sides with a slamming snare drum. I think that formula has been used – overused, perhaps. At least for a guy like me, who’s trying to put some harmony back in the chords but still keep a rocking backbeat.