Oingo Boingo /ˈɔɪŋɡoʊ ˈbɔɪŋɡoʊ/ was an American rock band, best known for their hits "Dead Man's Party" and "Weird Science". They are also known for their soundtrack contributions, their high energy Halloween concerts, and for their unique mixture of styles including ska, punk, new wave, funk, and other world music genres. The band was founded in 1972 as The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, a performance art group. The band was led by songwriter/vocalist Danny Elfman, who has since achieved success as a composer for film and television.
The group's format changed twice. In 1979, it reshaped from a semi-theatrical music and comedy troupe into a ska-influenced new wave octet and shortened their name to Oingo Boingo.[6] Towards the end of the 1980s, the band began shifting to a more guitar-oriented rock sound, and away from the use of horns and synthesizers. The band retired after a sold-out farewell concert on Halloween 1995.