MANILA, Philippines?The American band Toto, in the words of Eddie Van Halen, is ?collectively the best musicians on the planet.?

Its original lineup ? Jeff Porcaro (drums), David Paich (keyboards), David Hungate (bass), Steve Lukather (guitar) and Bobby Kimball (vocals) ? were top session musicians who had played on albums by Steely Dan, Seals & Crofts, Boz Scaggs, Sonny & Cher, among others.

The band reached its apex in 1982 with the commercial and critical success of ?Toto IV,? which won six Grammy Awards and had young Filipino fans singing ?Africa? and Rosanna? on their way to school.

Porcaro?s death in ?92 nearly forced the Toto to disband, but the surviving members decided to keep playing.

Its last album, 2006?s ?Falling in Between,? was well-received and the band continues to tour regularly.

Lukather chats with Inquirer Entertainment, before the band returns for a one-night concert on April 3 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Tell us how you met David Paich and Jeff Porcaro that led to the forming of Toto.

I went to high school with Jeff and [his brother] Steve Porcaro. I consider them my second family and they changed my life for the better. There?s no word to describe how much I love them. I met Dave through them, too. I could write a book about our lives together but needless to say, I learned how to make records and be a real musician because of the Porcaros and Paich.

Individually you were all top session musicians. Did it mean the band had an easy time writing and recording songs?

Easy? Well sometimes. But I learned how to write great songs from David Paich. He is a genius and the greatest humble guy ever. So many people copied his style. Ask David Foster. Great guy but he would tell you that Paich inspired him to do what he has done.

Did you ever think the ?Toto IV? album would become such a big hit? How did that kind of success affect the band members?

We were very motivated to prove ourselves and after being in the band for five years, we finally hit our stride. It was a magical time and I cherish the memories. ?Toto IV? was a high point in our career for sure!

But how bad was Bobby Kimball?s drug problem and personal issues that he had to be fired from the band in 1984?

Not a fair question. We were all doing bad drugs back then. But Bobby is a class act and has long left that behind. I wish it had not gone down that way. We would have been a much bigger band worldwide. Drugs are not the answer, but it was the time when everyone was doing it. Life has its lessons. I?m glad Bobby came back. He?s one of the great voices in rock history.

Do you consider ?Africa? the greatest song Toto has written and why do you think so?

Well, I never thought it would be a hit. Its seemed out of place on the record to me. Boy, was I wrong. Thank God for it. It has been a huge success for decades because people love it.

What was the biggest motivating factor for the band to keep playing after the death of Jeff Porcaro?

We had to. I would want the guys to play even if I was gone. It was not easy then nor is it now. But keeping Jeff?s legacy alive is more important. I love him and miss him everyday! We all do. He was a magical presence when he played the drums.

You expressed frustration about the current music scene in the US. Can you elaborate?

There is some great stuff out there and a lot of bull?as well. If you want to be a real musician, you have to pay your dues. It?s not about PR and having a pretty face.

If we were to pin it down, what do you think was Toto?s music all about?

Heart, soul, passion and a work ethic like no other. I love the guys and we have stood the test of time. Even though the critics hate us, some of them have turned around. After 30 years they are starting to give us some respect, which is nice. I didn?t like everything I heard before, because we are not the worst band ever. Just look at our discography.