Here's a brief Oingo Boingo band introduction. Of course any introduction about Oingo Boingo begins and ends with Danny Elfman, their uber talented band leader. Here's the main members of Oingo Boingo over the years:
Leon Schneiderman
- Active: 1972–95
- Instrument(s): baritone and alto saxophones, percussion, backing vocals
- Release contributions: all Oingo Boingo releases
- Active: 1972–95
- Instrument(s): trumpet, trombone, percussion, guitar, backing vocals
- Release contributions: all Oingo Boingo releases
- Active: 1973–95
- Instrument(s): tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, percussion, backing vocals, flute
- Release contributions: all Oingo Boingo releases
- Active: 1974–95
- Instrument(s): lead vocals, guitar, percussion, sitar, programming, trombone, violin
- Release contributions: all Oingo Boingo releases
- Active: 1976–95
- Instrument(s): guitar, Backing vocals, percussion, accordion
- Release contributions: all Oingo Boingo releases
John "Vatos" Hernandez
- Active: 1978–95
- Instrument(s): drums, percussion
Actually Danny Elfman's older brother, Richard, was the one that formed the precurser to Oingo Boingo. Elfman formed the musical theatre troupe known as The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo in 1972. The group was inspired by Richard's time in Paris with Le Grand Magic Circus. Richard's wife, Marie-Pascale, high school friend Gene Cunningham and brother Danny helped Richard found the group. Original performances of the group consisted of upward of 15 musicians, often dressed in garish clown makeup, performing classics from the 1920s, 30s and 40s, as well as avant-garde originals by Danny Elfman. The band appeared on The Gong Show as well as in the 1977 movie I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. Richard left the group in 1979 to pursue filmmaking, leaving Danny as music director. Danny eventually changed the theatrical nature of the band into a steady 8 piece touring act that became Oingo Boingo
In doing research for this blog I stumbled across this video of what was known at the time as The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. (Thanks to Wikipedia for all biographical detail.)
Oingo Boingo and their precursers were active from 1972 to 1995, when they broke up. They released 8 studio albums from 1981's "Only A Lad" to 1995's "Boingo squared- not sure how to put the 2 above the O. Oingo Boingo has a very unique sound that sometimes worked for them and sometimes not so much. Oingo Boingo was definitely a perfect band for the 80's, their sound captured many of the influences of that wild and bizarre decade. Of local note for Salt Lake City, Oingo Boingo was the first band to play at what at the time was called The Deltra Center. It's now called the Vivint Smart Home Arena, or The Viv. It hosts concerts and the Utah Jazz.
Danny Elfman has written the score for some "interesting" movies over the years that fit within the bizarre nature of Oingo Boingo. He wrote the score for "Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure" and also wrote the Simpson's theme song. He has worked a lot with Tim Burton and has scored most of his movies. His most recent score was for the romance porn "Fifty Shades Darker".
19) "When The Lights Go Out":
18) "Private Life":
17) "Why'd We Come":
16) "Nothing Bad Ever Happens To Me":
15) "Winning Side":
14) "Dead Man's Party":
13) "Skin":
12) "No One Lives Forever":
11) "Gratitude":
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