Never Walk Alone (Live 1993)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the groovy vibes of Never Walk Alone (Live 1993) by Los Lobotomys (featuring Steve Lukather) from their album In Concert, and Zoo Freaks, this track is a jazz-rock gem with some wild stories behind it! Recorded during a 1994 performance at the Ohne Filter Studio in Germany, this song captures the raw, live energy of Los Lobotomys, a band that’s more like a musical brotherhood than a formal group. The track, co-written by Steve Lukather and David Garfield, is a soulful, guitar-driven piece that showcases Lukather’s searing solos and the band’s tight chemistry. One quirky tidbit from the Candyman tour, which this song was part of, is that Lukather once yelled mid-performance when a guitar string snapped during a solo, a moment that became legendary among fans for its raw passion. Fans on the Steve Lukather Fans Facebook group often share stories of how this song’s emotional depth hit them at live shows, with one fan recalling a Paris concert where Simon Phillips’ “piano-drum” solo left the crowd in awe.

Digging into the trivia, Never Walk Alone is a standout from the In Concert DVD, filmed to promote Lukather’s Candyman album, which caused some confusion among fans. In Europe, Candyman was billed as Lukather’s solo work, while in the US and Japan, it was a Los Lobotomys project, leading to debates among Zoo Freaks about its true identity. The live version of this song, clocking in at over seven minutes, features an extended jam with Lukather trading licks with keyboardist David Garfield and drummer Simon Phillips, who replaced Jeff Porcaro in both Los Lobotomys and Toto. A post on Lukather’s X account from 2023 reminisced about the “insane fun” of those 1994 shows, where the band would improvise for hours, sometimes forgetting the setlist entirely. The Toto Music fan site notes that Lukather described Los Lobotomys gigs as “therapy sessions” where musicians like Vinnie Colaiuta and Will Lee would join just to “keep the chops up.”

Now, let’s rewind to how Steve Lukather, the heart of Los Lobotomys, got his start. Born October 21, 1957, in Los Angeles, Lukather was a teen prodigy inspired by blues-rock icons like Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. His big break came through his mentor, Jeff Porcaro, who introduced him to session work with Boz Scaggs in the mid-1970s. By 1976, Lukather co-founded Toto with Porcaro, David Paich, and others, blending rock, pop, and jazz into hits like Africa and Rosanna. His guitar prowess made him a go-to session musician, playing on over 1,500 albums, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller. In a 1993 interview on Innerviews, Lukather shared how he learned to “polish a turd” in the studio, but preferred the raw, unfiltered jams of Los Lobotomys, which started as a casual side project in the mid-1980s with Garfield and Porcaro. This loose collective of West Coast musicians became a creative outlet, leading to their 1989 self-titled album and the Candyman era.

For Zoo Freaks wanting to dive deeper, check out Steve Lukather’s world at his official website, where you’ll find tour dates, a detailed bio, and exclusive merch like signed Currents prints. Connect with him on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and X, where he often shares behind-the-scenes stories and tour updates. Fans gather at the Steve Lukather Fans Facebook group, a lively spot for trading concert memories and rare bootlegs. The Toto Music fan site is another great hub for Los Lobotomys and Toto trivia, with fan-curated archives of live shows. So, keep those dials locked on THE ZOO, and let Never Walk Alone carry you into the funky, free-spirited world of Los Lobotomys!