A preview of our interview with Danny Elfman, conducted (no pun intended) by Jon Burlingame. Visit our website (www.filmmusicfoundation.org) to see clips from FMF interviews with some other film music greats.
Few people in history have the raw talent of Elfman. His voice was an instrument, and I miss it so much. History will remember this man, and Oingo Boingo too. Like a modern Mozart.
No, Mozart was a spectacular keyboardist and actually wrote his own scores without having to dictate it to somebody else who writes, arranges and conducts the actual music, and Danny has been extremely lucky to assemble a support system that allows him to just make up whatever he wants, and somebody else turns it into playable music. Knowing who he is doesn't make anybody an expert on any other 'classical' music.
No, people who barely know anything about classical music need to stop blurting out silly shit like this. I enjoy Danny's work too but he can't write, arrange or score sheet music, and isn't a prodigy on any instrument, so Mozart has got him beat on all counts and nobody looks smart for making ludicrous grandiose statements of ignorancce. Mozart was spectacularly talented, and Danny is a great rock frontman who REALLY lucked out finding people who can arrange, conduct and play his work FOR HIM. It's a lot easier to come up with unique music when you don't have to think about the technical side of it at all.
Loved this wonderful interview with Danny! I had the great privilege of working for Danny, beginning with Pee Wee's Big Advneture, BeetleJuice, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns...as his Vocal Contractor/singer...and on other projects since ---happily as a singer. Edward Scissorhands is one of the most beautiful vocal score work I've ever done, for anyone. VERY proud of it, and grateful always, to have been a part of his music.
I do have several...one with Burt Bacharach.."Charlie"...and another with Burt, "No One Remembers My Name" - I think also there's "That Night" from THE FOX (Lalo Schifrin score) and some cues from KLUTE maybe? (just breathy "ahh"s. Also "Ask Yourself Why" (Michel Legrand, from "La Picsine" a French film, I never spell that right! Thank you for asking!
Forgive me disagreeing with you, Danny, but I happen to believe that you are great. You are phenomenally brilliant and creative and talented. There is not, nor will there ever be, anyone like you. You're amazing. One day when people are talking about the greatest composers of our time, your name will be one of the first to fall from their lips. You will be remembered by many as one of the greats.
I was aware of Oingo Boingo in the 80s, but never listened to them. Two days ago, first of December 2019 I start listening to these guys thinking how great they are, and why wasn’t I listening to these guys three decades ago. Fantastic band, terrific band.
Im 17 and I literally grew up with Oingo Boingo and Danny Elfman. To this day I have every Oingo Boingo song (excluding little girls because it's hard to explain to people 😂) on my playlist. My all-time favorite song is Dead Man's Party and always will be. I hate that almost everyone else my age thinks this music is garbage, because they listen to actual trash like rap. It's upsetting how there will never be music like this ever again in history and I'll only have the same songs to listen to for the rest of my life.
@@Faolan_Grey I intentionally have Little Girls as like the first thing I show people because it's awkward. You have to get off your high horse though; don't disregard a lot of great music coming out today because a lot of people listen to rap. Check out acts like Louis Cole.
The Nay-Sayers doubted you because, how could a man, with no "proper" training create something so beautiful (Edward Scissorhands, Dolores Claiborne, Black a Beauty) or something so full of mystery (NBC, Alice in Wonderland, Batman) or dark and lovely (Wolfman, The corpse Bride) or fun (Spiderman, Mars Attacks, Pee Wee's big adventure). You sir are GREAT!! A LEGEND! Dammit! and don't you ever forget it.
I'll never forget sitting in a theatre in 1988, hearing the most amazing, eclectic, main title music and seeing this magical name I never heard of appear in a black glowing font - "Music Composed by Danny Elfman".
@@squiremuldoon5462 They were held all over California, there was a lot of early gigs in clubs like the Whiskey Go Go and by the end of their lifetime were often doing the Universal Amphitheatre, Irvine Meadows, The Warfield. Although I wasn't there at the time sadly, but they had a huge loyal following
I started attending their Hallowwen shows beginning in 1994 with the album where their name shortened to Boingo. Farewell tour was just a couple years later. I saw them 5-6 times at Irvine Meadows & San Diego State.
As a longtime fan of Oingo Boingo and of Danny Elfman, and also a music journalist who has seen a ton of live music shows, Oingo Boingo shows stand far above the rest. I've never been to a show where an entire arena of people were dancing from beginning until the end, singing along and having the best times of their lives. His songs were full of angst, heart, passion, melody and adrenaline along with so many other adjectives I couldn't possibly include here. Hands down, Danny Elfman is a genius. A downright musical genius.
@@jenniferjoyjones I'm glad you enjoyed my commentary but I'm not affiliated with this channel beyond being a fan. Hopefully this channel will create another Danny Elfman video! If so, I'll be sure to comment on it.
It's fine that you enjoyed it so much but 'I'm a music journalist and they're far above the rest' is not convincing at all. I've been to a lot of shows "where an entire arena of people were dancing from beginning to end" blah blah blah, and none of them were Oingo Boingo. If that's the only show you've ever seen with a lively crowd, it just means you haven't been to a lot of great shows.
I have been a HUGE fan of this guy since the early 1980s, yet hearing him speak in this interview has given me a whole new level of respect for him. I absolutely love the explanation he gives in regard to the use negative of criticism as "fuel", and his general sense of humility. Go Danny go!
I was so happy my sister introduced me to Oingo Boingo. Loved the music and enjoyed further creations by Danny Elfman. I would educate my friends all the time about his works. Thank you Mr. Elfman!
Danny Elfman as well as his brother Richard have been living both of their dreams for decades; So blessed to be alive during these decades. Danny sounds like an Amazing Story Teller. of all of the interviews I have clicked on, this interview has restored my faith in humanity. just sharing my Gratitude 😊❤🎉
i want danny elfman to make a single podcast or book or something in which he just tells a bunch of stories he remembers or any advice he might have for fans. he’s a really cool guy who’s done so much in his life and hearing his stories and how he views his life is really really cool :)
Fantastic Elfman interview. At last a down to earth interview on his life and work including Oingo Boingo's amazing early years. Although he's just about to move on to 1981-84 ish when they did their best records and is cut off, oh well! There must be so many stories to tell
Greatness is EXACTLY what Danny Elfman IS! He is/was such a great singer too! You don't hear anyone doing what he could do vocally in his Oingo Boingo prime!
Danny Elfman I have been a fan from day one you are a KROQ rockstar in my eyes and have always been then you hit movie sound tracks guess what I know by the music if its you doing the sound track you are a gifted artist of my generation
WOW! I used to go to 7 Oingo Boingo Concerts in those days. You were creative and slamb dancing was the trend. I played guitar for a great deal of time particularly in worship but always dabbling into something more. Connecting different genres like you Danny. I never knew what I could consider myself but you made it very clear in what you do. You are a Hummer and so am I.
In Hollywood....about the year 1996.....I stood in a long line for 3 hours to shake Danny Elfmans hand with my 6 mos old child in my arms and wife with me. I was the only one in line with my family....he looked so surprised when my turn came!! Lol!! He signed my cd of Oingo Boingo. I was so proud!
+Olga I would too! I love all his work. However, I feel my favorite works of his seems to be subjects he does not talk much about - being Oingo Boingo.
Excited to hear his recollection... as I remember being there for those early shows & hearing them on the World Famous KROQ!! He's such an incredible talent & a cherished part of my adolescent years.. and beyond.. sharing with my kids!! Thank you Danny, Jed the Fish, the Police!!!
I was in high school, living in LA during their rise. I remember hearing them on KROQ & later in movies. Their hooks dug into me & carried me for years.
I don't think I've ever heard Danny Elfman drop the F-bomb before! It's really weird hearing it come from him! -- But either way, I love this interview. It's interesting to hear his origin stories and such and how he got the job.
OINGIO BOINGO is one of my favorite groups. I remember when “wake up it’s 1984 ‘ came out before 1984 .I wrote so many postcards to get you to play at the Anaheim convention center for the high school contest.. we won, and you were my first concert. Thank you. I would love to see you in concert again. . Just saying .
Danny you are great! And there is nothing wrong with being a so-called "hummer." The music always comes from within'. Some of the best music ever made, to some, didn't know what they were doing.
I was listening to Rodney on the ROQ sunday show and heard aint this the life and Only a Lad. They weren't on KROQs rotation yet. I had to see what this band was all about. Nobody had ever seen them before. We saw the first Oingo Boingo Halloween show at Perkins Palace in Pasadena. The show started and the curtain went up 3 feet. I saw dinosaurs flanking the stage shooting guns in rhythm to the songs curtain goes all the way up Danny is a cowboy. Later Danny has a gun shooting zombies onstage as dinosuars drag the bodies offstage. Later Danny grabs a girl out of the crowd and takes her top off on top off and placed her on a experiment gurney it was a wild show. We were hooked. We made many more shows. My 80s Chevy van was The Boingo Bus!
Queria ter uma mente, um talento e vocal parecido com a de Danny Elfaman. Eu seia um cara muito feliz , me sentiria um máxima esse cara é genial, sua voz sensacional e maravilhosa, muito linda
what the fuck? i knew he did a lot of music and movies but i had no idea the full extent. Peewee herman, simpisons... i had no idea. ..but it makes sense looking back.
The first time i went to Scotland, i was immediately and overwhelmingly struck at how 'freely' everyone sings, like, when gathered together/in social circumstances (in pubs, on festive occasions, and even on a daily basis--these are people that whistle as they work or sing as they clean the house), and i wondered why you just don't see that very often in America? It was then that i realised that a lot of my own 'internal' beliefs had been truly 'Westernised': this notion that only someone with a college degree is 'qualified' to 'do' music. I wrote music beginning at 7 years old with my very own 'notation' system because i didn't know how to read music; yet, when i went to college, i refused to even attempt to major in music because i didn't feel 'qualified' to pass an audition/entrance exam because i was largely self-taught. (not long after, i discovered the concept of autodidacticism and really figured out where i fit in with the concept of learning, in general terms) :) But as a private music teacher, i can tell you the single largest fear that people in the West for sure have to overcome is this generalised fear of 'appearing to do an activity that they don't have (perceived) 'proper' training for', afraid of looking foolish to the extent that they literally inhibit themselves from accessing the simplest of human experiences in a pleasurable/meaningful/engaged way. If you love music, you're qualified to participate in the general music experience--and in musical expression. If you find yourself thinking you either 'don't do it 'well'' or 'want to do it 'better'', then practise. (Think: Stone Mason Bell/Charles Ives. You may not want him singing an aria in a concert hall, but his voice is one of the truest expressions of joy and personal enjoyment of life that can liven up a musical experience like no other, in the most meaningful of ways...) :)
It’s not just music he’s self-educated in either. I watched one of his Danny & Buddy shorts where he was having an argument about philosophy with his ventriloquist’s dummy and I was thinking, damn, this high school dropout knows more about my major than I do! And I suspect he’s been teaching himself astrophysics as well...
