Editing Oingo Boingo (section)

===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>