Call their music corporate rock, butt rock or crap rock if you must, but at least one Weekly staffer spontaneously busts out dancing when their tunes come on. We attempt to determine which of these tough-as-nails outfits packs the bigger wallop.
| LYRICISM | |
| Went bilingual for "Domo arigato" on 1983 single "Mr. Roboto" | Worked geographical tongue twisters “Serengeti” and “Kilimanjaro” into 1982 hit “Africa.” |
| SPINAL TAPTITUDE | |
| Ex-frontman Dennis DeYoung claims to suffer from sensitivity to natural light. | Lost first drummer Jeff Porcaro to—would you believe it?—a bizarre gardening accident. |
| WORD ASSOCIATION | |
| In Greek Mythology, the River Styx divides Earth and the Underworld; in 1983, it was a computer game pitting users against a set of brightly colored lines (the Styx) and a small round circle (the caterpillar). | Toto is also a Georgia-based commercial toilet manufacturer, and a furry black terrier who appeared in the film The Wizard of Oz. |
| ROMANTICISM | |
| Celebrates impending move-in with girlfriend on “Lorelai” (“Tonight’s the night she’s moving in/And I can hardly wait”). | Calls to ex-girlfriend by name not once, or twice, but 22 times during “Rosanna.” |
| TRY A SAMPLE | |
| A favorite of electronic mash-up artist Jason Forrest, whose website is called, fittingly, CockRockDisco.com. | Lifted by rappers MC Lyte, Nate Dogg and Ja Rule for a trio of hip-hop tracks. |
| ONE SHINING MOMENT | |
| Battled hard to deny Tipper Gore charge that “Snowblind” contained Satanic messages. | While claiming six Grammys in 1983, paused to bash an LA Times music critic. |
| WINNER | |
| Aw, come on, can’t we all be winners here?
And maybe even write a song about it? –LVW | |
| Styx May 27, 9 p.m., $50.50. Mandalay Bay Beach, 632-7580. | Toto May 26, 8 p.m., $27.50-$62.50. Boulder Station’s Railhead, 547-5300. |