Editing Oingo Boingo (section)

==History==
===The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo (1972–1979)===
{{Main|The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo}}
The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo began as a [[street theater]] troupe in Los Angeles, founded by [[Richard Elfman]].<ref name="LATimes-1975">{{cite news |last1=Sullivan |first1=Dan |title=Return to Calculated Pandemonium |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/385670120/ |access-date=30 April 2022 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=26 March 1975}}</ref> The name was inspired by a fictional [[secret society]] on the ''[[Amos 'n' Andy]]'' TV series called ''The Mystic Knights of the Sea''. The earliest version of the band employed as many as 15 performers at any given time, playing over 30 instruments, including some instruments built by band members.

Richard's brother Danny Elfman joined the band in 1974 and later became its leader. The group gradually moved away from its street theater origins and transformed into a dedicated musical theater act. The group performed an eclectic repertoire, ranging from [[Cab Calloway]] covers to instrumentals in the style of [[Bali]]nese [[gamelan]] and Russian [[ballet music]] and, later, original songs by Danny Elfman. Guitarist Steve Bartek joined in 1976 as musical co-director. That year, the troupe appeared on the TV talent contest program ''[[The Gong Show]]'', which they won.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/72031/he-was-famous-film-composer-danny-elfman-was-contestant-gong-show |title=Before He Was a Famous Film Composer, Danny Elfman Was a Contestant on the Gong Show |website=[[Mental Floss]] |last=Green |first=Anna |publisher=Minute Media |date=December 7, 2015 |access-date=July 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://dangerousminds.net/comments/alice_cooper_loses_his_head_danny_elfman_with_oingo_boingo_loses_his_mind_o |title=Alice Cooper Loses His Head & Danny Elfman (with Oingo Boingo) Loses His Mind on 'The Gong Show' |website=Dangerous Minds |date=March 24, 2017 |access-date=July 2, 2022}}</ref>

===I.R.S. and A&M years (1979–1984)===
[[File:Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo) Hagström Kent II guitar, HRC Montréal.jpg|thumb|Guitar used by Danny Elfman in Oingo Boingo, [[Hard Rock Cafe]] Montreal]]
In 1979, Danny Elfman reformed the group as a dedicated rock band, under the new name ''Oingo Boingo'', at which point most existing members left. Steve Bartek and a brass trio of Dale Turner, Sam "Sluggo" Phipps, and Leon Schneiderman continued with the new band. Various reasons were given for the restart as a rock band, notably Danny's emerging musical interests, and reducing the need for transportation and set-up of multiple stage sets and props. Elfman stated the shift was inspired by [[ska revival]] bands such as [[the Specials]], [[Madness (band)|Madness]], and [[the Selecter]], new wave bands like [[XTC]], [[Devo]], and [[Fun Boy Three]], as well as the "energy and speed" of [[Punk rock|punk]].<ref name="Halfyard2004">{{cite book|last1=Halfyard|first1=Janet|title=Danny Elfman's Batman: A Film Score Guide|year=2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OGOYqpxsyRgC&pg=PA6|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-5126-9|page=6}}</ref><ref name=MixOnline>{{cite web |url=http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_danny_elfman/ |title=An interview where Danny Elfman mentions the new wave and Ska influences in Oingo Boingo |publisher=Mixonline.com |date=May 1, 2001 |access-date=November 2, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229042619/http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_danny_elfman/ |archive-date=February 29, 2012}}</ref><ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite tweet|user=dannyelfman|author=Danny Elfman|author-link=Danny Elfman|number=1146254698976075781|date=2 July 2019|title=Andy Partridge was a huge influence. It was that first year of getting back to the radio after a decade long moratorium, and the music of XTC, The Specials, Selector, Madness, Fun Boy Three, and Devo that turned me around.}}</ref>

The name '''Oingo Boingo''' was settled on in 1979, at which point their early song "I'm Afraid" appeared on the [[Rhino Records]] Los Angeles rock and new wave "up and coming" compilation, ''L.A. In''.

That same year, the band self-funded a promo EP record, known as the "Demo EP", for distribution to radio stations and recording industry A&R representatives to help land a contract. The effort paid off, as the record caught the attention of I.R.S. Records, who released a revised version of the EP in 1980: the ''[[Oingo Boingo (EP)]]''.

The band had now coalesced as an octet: Danny Elfman on lead vocals and rhythm guitar; [[Steve Bartek]] on lead guitar; [[Richard Gibbs]] on keyboards; Kerry Hatch on bass; Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez on drums; and Leon Schneiderman, [[Sam Phipps|Sam "Sluggo" Phipps]], and [[Dale Turner (trumpeter)|Dale Turner]] on horns. Early success for the group came in 1980 with the song "Only a Lad" from the [[Oingo Boingo (EP)|eponymous EP]]. The song aired frequently in Los Angeles on [[KROQ-FM]], and complemented the station's then-unusual new wave format.

Following regional success of "Only a Lad", the group released its first full-length album in 1981, also titled ''[[Only a Lad]]'' (and featuring a new recording of the song). The band released further albums ''[[Nothing to Fear (Oingo Boingo album)|Nothing to Fear]]'' in 1982, and ''[[Good for Your Soul]]'' in 1983. Although the band's sound was termed as new wave, Oingo Boingo's use of exotic percussion, a three-piece horn section, unconventional scales and harmony, and surreal imagery was a genre-skewing combination.

In 1984, bassist Kerry Hatch and keyboardist Richard Gibbs departed to form the short-lived band ''Zuma II'' and Oingo Boingo went on temporary hiatus, although this was not known publicly at the time. Elfman later claimed the two departing members had "lost the spirit", but stated, "I could never blame anybody for losing the spirit. It's very hard being an 8-piece ensemble doing what, at the time, was non-commercial music".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Darling |first=Cary |date=May 5, 1987 |title=Oingo Boingo's Difficult Teenage Years |magazine=BAM Magazine }}</ref>

===MCA years (1984–1992)===
[[File:boingo.png|thumb|upright|Oingo Boingo logo, adopted around the late 1980s]]
Elfman used the 1984 hiatus as an opportunity to release a solo album, co-produced with Steve Bartek, with the remaining members of Oingo Boingo returning as session musicians. This was released as ''[[So-Lo]]'' in late 1984. At this point, new manager [[Mike Gormley]], who had just left the position of VP of Publicity and Asst. to the Chairman of A&M, negotiated a release from the label and signed the band to [[MCA Records]].

Shortly after releasing ''So-Lo'', Oingo Boingo returned to performing with new bassist John Avila and keyboardist Mike Bacich. The first release with the new line-up was ''[[Dead Man's Party (album)|Dead Man's Party]]'' in 1985. The album marked a notable change towards more pop oriented songwriting and production style, and became the band's most commercially successful record. It featured their highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, "[[Weird Science (song)|Weird Science]]", which was written for the [[John Hughes (filmmaker)|John Hughes]] [[Weird Science (film)|film of the same name]].

The band appeared on a number of movie soundtracks in the early to mid-1980s, including an appearance in the movie ''[[Back to School]]'' in 1986, performing their hit single "Dead Man's Party". The soundtrack to the movie ''[[Bachelor Party (1984 film)|Bachelor Party]]'' included a theme song written by Elfman, and a song unreleased on any Oingo Boingo album: "Something Isn't Right".

During this era, Danny Elfman also began scoring major films, beginning with 1985's ''[[Pee-wee's Big Adventure]]''. Elfman would go on to write the scores to almost all of [[Tim Burton]]'s films. Oingo Boingo guitarist Steve Bartek has [[Orchestrator#Dedicated orchestrators|orchestrated]] most of Elfman's film and television scores.

The album ''[[BOI-NGO]]'' was released in 1987. Following its recording, Bacich was replaced by new keyboardist [[Carl Graves]]. The band's 1988 release, ''[[Boingo Alive]]'', comprised "live" re-recordings of previous album songs on a studio soundstage, plus a new song, "Winning Side". This new track was also released as a single, and became a No. 14 hit on US Modern Rock radio stations.
[[File:Oingo Boingo 1987.jpg|thumb|Oingo Boingo in a promotional picture c.1987]]
In 1990, the band released their seventh studio album, ''[[Dark at the End of the Tunnel]]'', featuring more mellow songs than any previous release, and including the singles "Out of Control" and "Flesh 'N Blood".

===Final years (1993–1995)===
Oingo Boingo continued to regularly perform live, most notably with annual Halloween concerts at Irvine Meadows and the Universal Amphitheatre. Following a short hiatus in 1992, during which time Elfman was busy scoring films, the band returned in 1993 with an increasingly different, hard-rock musical direction, and debuted new material such as "Insanity", "Helpless" and the unreleased song "Did It There". Shows during these years often included the so-called "Sad Clown Orchestra" providing additional accordion and circus percussion.

That same year, Oingo Boingo began recording an eighth studio album for new label [[Giant Records (Warner)|Giant Records]]. The sessions stalled when Elfman became heavily involved writing the music for animated musical ''[[The Nightmare Before Christmas]]'' with Tim Burton.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/zombdog/6409356299/|title=The Elfman Cometh|last=Poggi|first=Alison|date=July 1994|work=SLAMM, San Diego's Lifestyle and Music Magazine via Flickr|access-date=July 5, 2017|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bluntinstrument.org.uk/elfman/archive/SFChronicle94.htm |title=San Francisco Chronicle article |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403045244/http://www.bluntinstrument.org.uk/elfman/archive/SFChronicle94.htm |archive-date=April 3, 2016 }}</ref> Of this period, Elfman would later reflect that, after over 15 years, he had begun losing his passion for the band.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/danny-elfman-on-oingo-boingo-film-scores-and-the-beat-1798274010 |title=Danny Elfman on Oingo Boingo, film scores, and the Beatles almost ruining Batman |publisher=AV Music |date=October 27, 2014 |access-date=May 13, 2019 }}</ref>

In 1994, the band consolidated their new musical style, and shortened its name to Boingo. Guitarist [[Warren Fitzgerald]] joined while keyboardist Carl Graves and the horn trio were removed. This marked the only year that the band toured without the horn section.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-15-ca-57894-story.html |title=Los Angeles Times interview with Danny Elfman |publisher=Articles.latimes.com |date=October 22, 1985 |access-date=November 2, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110805113343/http://articles.latimes.com/1994-05-15/entertainment/ca-57894_1_rock-band/4 |archive-date=August 5, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boingo.org/articles/SFChronicle1994.html |title=San Francisco Chronicle Q and A with Danny Elfman | website=Boingo.org |date=June 12, 1994 |access-date= November 2, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111004154524/http://www.boingo.org/articles/SFChronicle1994.html |archive-date=October 4, 2011}}</ref>

The previously shelved album was completed with the new 5-piece line-up, including orchestral instrumentation, and several songs improvised in the studio for the first time in the band's history.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/zombdog/6409356299/|title=The Elfman Cometh| last= Poggi| first= Alison|date=July 1994|work=SLAMM, San Diego's Lifestyle and Music Magazine via Flickr|access-date= July 5, 2017|language=en-us}}</ref> This was released as ''[[Boingo (album)|Boingo]]'' in 1994, and would be the band's final studio album.

In 1995, it was announced that Boingo would be disbanding after 17 years.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-08-29-ca-40178-story.html |title=POP/ROCK The Last Boingo: Oingo Boingo is calling... |last=Linan |first=Steven |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 29, 1995 |access-date=June 2, 2024}}</ref> The band embarked on a farewell tour in 1995, restoring the original horn trio, and reverting its name to Oingo Boingo, ending with a final Halloween performance at the [[Universal Amphitheatre]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-10-23-ca-60298-story.html |title=And Poof! They're Gone |last=Hochman |first=Steve |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=October 23, 1995 |access-date=June 2, 2024}}</ref> The concert was filmed and released on both VHS and CD in 1996 as ''[[Farewell (Oingo Boingo album)|Farewell]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/farewell-live-from-the-universal-amphitheatre-mw0000186176 |title=Farewell: Live from the Universal Amphitheatre |last=Schulte |first=Tom |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=June 2, 2024}}</ref>

===Post-breakup===
Following the band's dissolution, Danny Elfman continued composing for film and has been nominated for four [[Academy Award]]s for his work. He has scored the majority of Tim Burton's films since ''Pee-wee's Big Adventure'' in 1985, including ''[[Batman (1989 film)|Batman]]'' (1989), ''[[Edward Scissorhands]]'' (1990), ''[[The Nightmare Before Christmas]]'' (1993) and ''[[Big Fish]]'' (2003). Other scores include ''[[Good Will Hunting]]'' (1997), ''[[Men in Black (1997 film)|Men in Black]]'' (1997) and ''[[Spider-Man (2002 film)|Spider-Man]]'' (2002). Elfman has also written themes for more than a dozen TV series, including ''[[The Simpsons]]'', ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]'', ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]'', and ''[[Desperate Housewives]]''. Elfman almost exclusively employs former Oingo Boingo guitarist Steve Bartek as his orchestrator.

For a period, John Avila and Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez continued to perform as Food for Feet and in the band [[Tito & Tarantula]] in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/food-for-feet-mw0000654309|title=Food for Feet - Food for Feet &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=October 20, 2021}}</ref> Doug Lacy (Boingo live keyboardist and percussionist) recruited bassist John Avila, guitarist Steve Bartek, drummer Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez, and saxophonist Sam Phipps (among other musicians) for a band called Doug & The Mystics. They recorded one album, ''New Hat'', which included a cover of the Oingo Boingo song "Try to Believe". Former keyboardist Richard Gibbs also began a career as a composer for film.

Danny Elfman has regularly stated that there will not be an Oingo Boingo reunion, initially citing his worry that playing live would exacerbate his hearing loss. In 2021 Elfman added that he disliked former bands reuniting now that they are older, likening them to "zombies".<ref>{{cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |title=Danny Elfman Talks About Making a 'Big Mess,' and Returning to Rock a Quarter-Century After Oingo Boingo Split |url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/danny-elfman-new-album-big-mess-interview-1234994122/ |website=Variety |date=June 11, 2021 |access-date=13 July 2022}}</ref>

On Halloween 2015, a live concert performance of ''The Nightmare Before Christmas'' culminated in Elfman and former Oingo Boingo guitarist Steve Bartek performing "Dead Man's Party" for the first time in twenty years, accompanied by the orchestra.<ref name="OC Register">{{cite web |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2015/11/02/danny-elfman-provides-tricks-and-treats-with-nightmare-performance/ |last=Fadroski |first=Kelli Skye |title=Danny Elfman provides tricks and treats with 'Nightmare' performance |website=[[The Orange County Register]] |date=November 2, 2015 |access-date=April 25, 2023}}</ref> The song was again performed on several subsequent ''Nightmare Before Christmas'' concert dates.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

In April 2016, Oingo Boingo were honored with a resolution at [[Los Angeles City Hall]]. Popular L.A. radio and television personality [[Richard Blade]] gave a speech about the band's legacy. Several members attended the meeting from across the band's changing line-ups, including Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez, founding keyboardist Richard Gibbs, John Avila, Carl Graves, and Sam "Sluggo" Phipps.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/04/20/la-city-council-to-honor-80s-band-oingo-boingo/ |title=80s Band Oingo Boingo Performs Acoustic Set At LA City Council Meeting |publisher=CBS Los Angeles |date=April 20, 2016 |access-date=August 9, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031143500/http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/04/20/la-city-council-to-honor-80s-band-oingo-boingo/ |archive-date=October 31, 2016}}</ref>

On June 11, 2021, Elfman released his first solo studio album in 37 years, ''[[Big Mess (Danny Elfman album)|Big Mess]].'' It includes the participation of former members of Oingo Boingo, such as Bartek, Fitzgerald, and Mann and a new arrangement and recording of Oingo Boingo's "Insects" from the 1982 album ''Nothing to Fear''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/danny-elfmans-trippy-3d-insects-video-1174229 |title=Watch Danny Elfman's Trippy 3D 'Insects' Video |last=Greene |first=Andy |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=May 25, 2021 |access-date=August 6, 2022}}</ref>

====Tribute band====
Since Halloween 2005, former drummer Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez has regularly put together an Oingo Boingo tribute band, performing mainly throughout Southern California and Arizona, including [[the Grove of Anaheim]]. Initially billed as the "Johnny 'Vatos' Tribute to Halloween, Featuring Former Members of Oingo Boingo",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bearmccreary.com/|title=Bear McCreary |website=Bearmccreary.com|access-date=October 20, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldstar.com/events/anaheim-ca/johnny-vatos-tribute-to-halloween-featuring-former-members-of-oingo-boingo|title=Johnny Vatos' 'Tribute To Halloween', Featuring Former Members of Oingo Boingo|website=Goldstar.com|access-date=January 22, 2020}}</ref> Hernandez later titled the band "Johnny Vatos Oingo Boingo Dance Party" and then "Oingo Boingo Former Members". Since 2015, Elfman has endorsed the group as the authorized Oingo Boingo tribute band, and given Hernandez exclusive rights to use the names 'Boingo' and 'Oingo Boingo'.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Steve |title=Danny Elfman endorses Oingo Boingo Dance Party, Don Henley announces solo tour |url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2015/08/07/steve-smith-danny-elfman-endorses-oingo-boingo-dance-party-don-henley-announces-solo-tour |website= San Gabriel Valley Tribune |access-date=August 29, 2021 |date=August 7, 2015}}</ref>

The tribute band is joined intermittently by former Oingo Boingo members such as Steve Bartek, [[Carl Graves]], John Avila, and Sam "Sluggo" Phipps, while vocals are usually provided by singer Brendan McCreary.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnnyvatos.com/ |title=Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez: Official Site |website= Johnnyvatos.com |access-date= February 19, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130508184958/http://www.johnnyvatos.com/ |archive-date=May 8, 2013}}</ref> During the 2006 Halloween season, there were two "Johnny 'Vatos' Tribute to Halloween" shows: one in Los Angeles, and one in [[Orange County, California]], with Vatos, Bartek, Avila, Phipps, and Legacy.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bearmccreary.com/johnny-vatos-tribute-to-halloween-2006/ | title=Bear McCreary – Official site |last=McCreary |first=Bear |author-link=Bear McCreary |access-date=September 1, 2023 |website=BearMcCreary.com | date=October 17, 2006 }}</ref>