Toto Bassist Mike Porcaro Passes Away Aged 59

Mike Porcaro, the longtime bassist for Californian rock mainstays Toto, passed away in his sleep overnight (AEST) following a lengthy battle with motor neurone disease, variably known as Lou Gehrig's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), it has been confirmed. He was 59.

The news was broken by brother and Toto bandmate Steve Porcaro, who took to Facebook early this morning to convey that Mike had "passed away peacefully in his sleep at 12.04am last night at home surrounded by his family".

"Rest in peace, my brother," he wrote.

On Toto's official Facebook page, fellow member and founding guitarist Steve Lukather also expressed his grief, describing Mike as being "now at peace", and conveying that he "will miss him more than [he] could ever put into words".

Mike Porcaro joined Toto - already staffed by brothers and co-founders Jeff and Steve - in 1982, following the departure of original bassist David Hungate. He remained active with the band until his illness became too restrictive for him to continue touring, which would eventually drive Toto's (mostly) original line-up to later reconvene, in 2010, to raise funds for his treatment.

With the release of their first album in a decade around the corner, Toto will no doubt be putting in the extra effort to pay posthumous tribute to their departed family member and friend on their imminent US tour, with original bassist Hungate stepping back into the fold alongside fellow founders Lukather, Steve Porcaro and keyboardist/vocalist David Paich, plus '86-'89-era vocalist Joseph Williams and new percussion conscript Keith Carlock.