(Left to right) Dale Turner, Sam Phipps, John Avila, Steve Bartek, Danny Elfman, Johnny “Vatos” Hernandez, Mike Bacich and Leon Schneiderman pose for a photoshoot in 1987. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Lily Cole | Editor
Jada Hauser | Graphic Designer
My favorite anime series of all time is “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” (JJBA). It’s a seriously silly anime about a family and their extensive fight against good and evil. A main aspect of JJBA is that the writer, Hirohiko Araki, frequently references popular Western music, fashion and culture to portray characters, abilities and places. One such being the brothers “Oingo” and “Biongo,” based on the 1979 band of the same name. After seeing these characters in the series, I was immediately intrigued by the band’s name and music style. Something about it was captivating, and I dove headfirst into the Oingo Boingo swimming pool.
An American new wave band, Oingo Boingo was formed by Danny Elfman in 1979, evolving from his surrealist musical theater troupe, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.
The band was known for their energetic live shows and diverse sound blending punk, ska, rock, pop and jazz. Their song “Weird Science” (the theme song for the 1985 movie “Weird Science”) reached No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985.
After multiple line-up changes and a move toward a more guitar-driven rock style in 1994, the band retired in 1995 following a farewell concert. Some of their standout hits are “What You See,” “Running On A Treadmill” and “Pictures of You.”
I religiously listened to “Running On A Treadmill” every time I drove three summers ago. “Running On A Treadmill” uses a myriad of instruments, most prominently horns, to convey a sense of, you guessed it, continuously running. The horns fade in and out to resemble this idea. Most of Oingo Boingo’s songs have this theatrical style to them. The band often explores dark themes within their music, such as death, madness and existential angst, but are presented in a way that could also be fun and even humorous, such as the song “Dead Man’s Party.” They have catchy pop melodies, bizarre time signatures and infectious rhythms.
In terms of image, the band is known for their highly theatrical performances with elaborate costumes and choreography. Elfman would lead the charge of live performances with his charismatic and eccentric stage presence.
While the band isn’t around anymore, they made an impact within the music scene, influencing some popular bands like Talking Heads, B-52’s and Devo.
So, if you’re into some weird, eccentric and bizarre stuff, diving headfirst into the Oingo Boingo swimming pool is definitely the move.
Listen to the playlist on Spotify:
