Oingo Boingo was an American new wave band formed by Danny Elfman in 1979. The band originally emerged from a surrealist musical theatre troupe called The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, which Elfman had led before transitioning into a more traditional rock band.
Oingo Boingo was known for its high-energy live performances and eclectic musical style, blending elements of new wave, ska, punk, rock, pop, jazz, and world music. The band underwent several line-up and genre changes throughout its 17-year career, shifting from a ska and punk-influenced new wave sound to a more pop-oriented style in the mid-1980s, and later adopting a guitar-driven rock approach in 1994. At that point, they shortened their name to Boingo and dropped their horn section.
Oingo Boingo officially retired in 1995 after a farewell concert on Halloween, where they reverted to their original name and brought back the horn section. Danny Elfman went on to become a highly successful film composer, scoring iconic soundtracks for movies like Batman, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Spider-Man.
