Danny Elfman On His "Embarrassing" Oingo Boingo Days 

The title is very misleading. He's not embarrassed of Oingo Boingo, he's embarrassed of a dorky music video he had no control over. Which is totally understandable.

Misleading title. He's not embarrassed about the band. Just about that one vid. Fix your misleading title.

When you watch this, you find out that he's embarrassed about a single music video and not his "Oingo Boingo days." Nice video, but the title sucks.

Definitely a misleading title. I would've been heartbroken if he was embarrassed by Oingo Boingo

Oingo Boingo was just one of the things that made the 80's so great.

"because it's stupid" i freakin burst out laughing when he said that

"because it's stupid" LOL

Why cant people understand his intentions?

Misleading title. He is not embarrassed of Oingo Boingo, he's embarrassed of the Weird Science music video.

Haha. The talent this man has completely trumps any of his embarrassing moments. The man is a genius.

Typical RU-vid exploitation. Danny Elfman's Oingo Boingo days aren't the embarassment - the video for "Weird Science" was because he had no involvement in the concept, which was cool for the day, but rather lame by today's standards. Some things don't age well.

Danny Elfman is so great. It's interesting that his highly successful rock band is one of his minor accomplishments. That's something that so many strive for and so few achieve.

Danny and the boys were always such a great live act. Outstanding energy every time.

The I love little girls song doesn't embarrass him this man is my hero 😂

Totally misleading headline. And it's not like this is news. I believe the entire band went on record years ago saying that "Weird Science" was their least favorite Oingo Boingo song.

Remastering the Oingo Boingo catalog would be a fucking travesty.

Saw this cat last night at the Hollywood Bowl for his Nightmare Before Christmas concert. MY GOD it was PERFECT!! And 20 years later after he swore he never would again, HE PERFORMED DEAD MAN'S PARTY!! OWNED!!!

Oingo Boingo were great. One of the best 80's bands. Their sound and style were very unique and original.

He didn't say that he was "embarrassed about his Oingo Boingo Days," he said he was embarrassed about THAT video because it wasn't one that he directed. That means that he LIKED the ones that he directed, hey? Weird Science was the first breakout mainstream song for them (outside of the KROQ fans) so that was a funny time. Some were saying he sold out. Danny Elfman has nothing to be embarrassed about when it comes to his music with the band. Oingo Boingo and he were brilliant, ground-breaking and changed the course of music. I talked with one of the band member's family and she said that they were all accomplished Jazz players that were tired of not making any money so went into New Wave music, as it was called at the time. "Grey Matter" is one of my favs along with "Capitalism".

The very ending of this vid, "One has to embrace.. One's past" he says in a Jack Skelington voice. LMAO!

Are you kidding? This guy is a musical genius. I have ALL the Boingo albums. This guy knows sound and the art of communicating through sound. He is no dummy. The Boingo albums still sound fantastic, superbly produced and his writing is cynical/reality/commentary of the times. Some topics he hit upon back then would get him cancelled today, but back then it was a social commentary, not social promotion with the punk attitude of the times. It was in your face reality, but with a gloss of high fidelity, heavy guitars, synths, brass, heavy/complicated drums , and bass licks to combine into an incredible sound unique to Oingo Boingo. Like the Police, no one can capture the lightning in the bottle Elfman crafted. 'Pictures of You' rates up there with 'Home by the Sea'' (Genesis) for creepy storytelling.

he was a musical genius that still holds up today it was anything but emberrasing if i might say so, he along with many others was the voice of a generation, and i love the man for doing so.

He says they don't need to be remastered, but the albums need to be re-released and in turn be remastered. They're getting to be out of print. All those unreleased songs would be a nice addition for bonus material as well.

Onigoboingo's music wasn't embarrassing it was great and alot of people enjoyed it Nothing bad ever happened to Danny !!!!!

He could be a narrator, he has the voice for that!.

Danny apparently hasn't watched "Dancing in the Street."

Oingo Boingo was the highlight of his career and you know it.

His embarrassment is comical to me. one of the most brilliant musicians, just so much fun in the music while despair and death are made lyrical joys.

🙌Oingo Boingo played my Prom onboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach back in the day !

Click bait for sure! It's like Bowie's "Fame" it was done for commercial purposes and fell way out of the realm of their creativity. Having this effin zygote from huffpo basically say "hey it was all goofy sh*t back then" obviously insulted him.

What a terrible title!! There was nothing embarrassing about Oingo Boingo. It was an *awesome* band, and it led to him becoming an awesome film composer. Seriously...fix this.

I didn't even know Oingo Boingo was Danny Elfman...

It’s way more embarrassing to be embarrassed by your past.

how is it that his speaking voice and his "acting"/singing voices are so different? what an incredible man.

As far as I'm concerned, whatever Danny made back then was cool. Danny Elfman was the definition of cool back then and he still is.

I loved Oingo Boingo's musicality. They were unique among unique rock groups. Danny's vocals were awesome.

Man, Danny Elfman is real life musical genius...a brilliant singer, live performer, musician, and composer. He is just so unbelievably talented.

He's nothing like his character in the videos. He seems rather normal. Imagine that. Oingo rules. Miss them so much.

Noooo Danny, it’s not stupid, those were the 80s, everything was posible, a great decade that even now we still cherish 🥰🥰🥰

Ah, clickbait titles. #fakenews

Danny Elfman will always inspire me and I can understand to an extent I'll still play oingo boingo because it makes my day ... Thank you to all the members of OB your music enriches my day to day life

Of course the 'Weird Science' video is a little stupid and you just have to watch it to realise it's someone else's interpretation of Oingo Boingo. Compare Danny's energy in all other Boingo videos to his blank expression in Weird Science. Oingo Boingo was a different beast altogether and why has nobody still asked him to revisit the band's best records- Only A Lad, Nothing To Fear, Good For Your Soul...

That evil grin at 2:08! 😂😂😂 MOSTLY EVERYTHING about the 80's was stupid, Danny! But Oingo Boingo was not one of them.💚💚

What the fuck is he talking about I love that video!!

HuffPost needs to fix this misleading headline.

Man I almost had a heart attack. I loved the boingo days. I can't tell you how many dead mans parties I have been too! Greatest concerts of all time! Don't ruin it Danny! At least keep me in the 'dark'.

He's right it was perfect. No remaster needed.

Lordy, I love that man to pieces.

Oingo-Boingo needs NO remastering, Ever!

Well if he hasn't been asked... perhaps there should be a petition to release all the OB rarities? Most are utterly fantastic and it's a shame they're so hard to find. Great video though!

Still a misleading title! Literally he was embarrassed by something he had no say in or control over. What a terrible way to frame a good response from a great entertainer.

I can understand being embarrassed about something you did and had no control over but this man IS a genius and his band was so great... they were some of the best concert moments I've ever had. I really wish that Oingo Boingo lasted a lot longer than they did.... I would still be listening to them today ( I still listen to the music they've already done but new stuff would be so great!!

Danny and band should totally go back and reissue all the albums. They are going out of print and with the reissues there could be a 2nd CD with demos, remixes and bsides and a DVD with music videos, TV perfs as well as a live concert from the period. Add to that a booklet with pix and extensive liner notes and not only do you have a cash cow for label and Danny but the legacy of the band will be strengthened across the world and a new generation of fans will be born.

Why is Danny so embarrassed about the Weird Science video? it looks like every other Oingo Boingo video and the song is great! It is what made me a fan of them to begin with! He really shouldn't be ashamed of that. The 'Little Girls" video, however, should be the one he's blushing about.

That’s like asking someone who wrote some nice poetry and junior high school if they want to go back and read it out loud to the world. Everybody changes with time, and what he did in 1986 and where he was at in 1986 is very different from 2023. Of course there are fans, and there is money So you do what you do to make some money and please the fans but hopefully move forward

Growing up with Oingo Boingo myself I hope your not embarrassed it was amazing to see the band live in Orange County for Halloween. And I'm happy for your success u have now with movie scores.

That video was particularly awful. It was like they just had a set and figured “we’ll get them to do stuff” but there was no real plan so half the time his back is to the camera.

Sorry, your title is deceptive and misleading and does no service to Danny Elfman or OB Fans. Any real fan would know he is referring to the song and video for Wierd Science a movie soundtrack song on NONE of their albums. He is in no way embarassed of his OB days. If you care for accuracy you should rename the title, please.

Private Life is MY SHIT ! Love IT !

I don't mind not to remaster the albums, but how about REISSUING the catalog and putting some demos and unreleased songs as bonus tracks? I mean some of those CD versions of the old albums cost a lot of money because they've been out of print for years I think. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) Besides I'm not even sure if the Farewell DVD was ever released as Region 2. Some traders are selling the DVD for 100 dollars. I couldn't even watch it in Europe and I'd have to buy a region 1 DVD player. I'd rather give my money to the band and not to some random merchants who sell Oingo Boingo albums with extremely high price just because they're out of print.

That is a really misleading title. 👎. Oingo Boingo was awesome for it’s time of not still. As people grow they don’t want to go back to where they were, I get that, but Danny Elfman did not say his Boingo days were embarrassing, only that video which was done for a movie.

His dark voice at the end “one has to embrace ones past” 🖤

In this video D.Elfman only says that one video (which he had no control over) is embarrassing -- not his Oingo Boingo days. Seriously, is it a policy of HuffPost people to tell at least one abject lie in everything they do?

he was only a lad at the time.

No need to be embarrassed whatsoever. I was an 80’s kid and I always thought he was pretty cool actually. I don’t feel any different looking back. Some of the music I listened to from about 89 to 94 was very embarrassing to look back on. Not all of it of course, but some of stuff in those years is cringey now. Elfman has nothing to be embarrassed by though in my opinion. 80’s was the best though and I’d do anything to go back.

Let's make one thing clear: The ONLY thing Danny Elfman could conceivably be truly embarrassed about is how absolutely goddamn awesome he is😀💗 I mean, I could see myself being embarrassed if I were him: Out walking amongst lesser mortals, my very existence reminding the common folk that they're not me and never can be me... I think that might make me a tad bashful😉

I take issue with the title of this video clipping. He is not saying that his oingo boings days were embarrassing. What he is saying is that the weird science video was embarrassing. Oingo Boingo was a great band and Danny Elfman is a great composer. I never cared for anything, starting with dead man's party onward.

"We Close Our Eyes" Best Oingo song ever

You really need to change that clickbait title! It's VERY misleading. Besides, he would never have performed "Dead Man's Party" after Nightmare Before Christmas Live at the Hollywood Bowl 20 years after the Farewell Concert if he was embarrassed about Oingo Boingo!

Well, this video is horseshit. But now that I noticed it was made by Huffigton Post, I am not surprised.

This title is horrible!!! It needs to be changed and made at least 50% more clickbaity. Here's a suggestion, "Danny Elfman ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED With His Oingo Boingo Days. You Won't BELIEVE What He Has To Say. Your Jaw Will Be On The Ground!!!"

The song "Capitalism" changed my life.

Old post here, but it reminds me of Tim Curry and his feelings of being in 'Rocky Horror Picture Show'. He was loved by countless thousands of fans that enjoyed that weird little movie, and all the memories it blessed them with. 'Forbidden Zone' was, well, weird. But it was interesting to watch, and wonder what drugs they were taking when writing, and, well, the whole production process.

Funny as hell, Danny hates Weird Science. Well I do too.....Title of Huff Post sensationalizes as if he hates all Oingo Biongo #wrong

I guess it’s not surprising that HuffPost went with the provocative, but misleading headline. Still, it’s a pretty big miss to say Danny Elfman was embarrassed by the entire Oingo Boingo catalog not the only music video he acted in for which had no creative input.

Dude, at least you're not David Cassidy.....you're stuff was pretty cool. Quit it.

I don't think that Weird Science is that embarrasing or stupid music video. It may not be their best video, but there are lots of more stupid music videos in the world. Also I think that the movie Weird Science is sillier than the music video (though in a kind of good way). :)

Oingo Boingo was amazing. Thank God for Danny Elfman. Steve Bartek’s guitar work was truly special.

Very misleading title.. never says he was embarrassed by his Oingo Boingo years only the Weird Science video. OB were one of the most original bands of there era not to mention insanely wild live shows.. Elfman still works with the band periodically so he is not embarrassed.. just nasty click bait

You GOTTA love a musician who sees one of his band's videos on Beavis and Butt-Head and says: "I DESERVE THIS!"😁😁😁

He shouldn't put himself down so hard. He has made us great songs till this day his songs are still bad ass. Easy to listen and jam to. Not like today's bullshit people are listening to these days. Makes me nauseous to hear that crap. Man I'd rather listen to my oldies more than anything else..

Oooooo Elfman! The first composer I absolutely had to look up!

Were there no intelligent reporters available for this interview? Lmao She’s confused af. *facepalm*

NO! NO REMASTERS!!! Oingo Boingo was phenomenal as it is. I LOVE this music, and do not want it to be another Mike Oldfield Ommadawn or Hergest Ridge.

You shouldn't be ashamed of where you came from I enjoyed listening to Oingo Boingo when I was a kid if you listen to the music it was ahead of its time..

Click-baity title is click-baity.

Misleading title. The embarassing moment has everything to do with the Weird Science video, not Boingo days.

Totally misleading and click bait. He was just referring to a video.

Yeah.....Oingo Boingo kicked ass!!! The video was done by the film studio, though, not Danny.......I understand.......

Danny is one of a few musicians around still that you can tell is genius or borderline genius. What do you think his IQ might be 150? 160? Higher? Some comparisons - It is believed Mozart's IQ was at least 180.

their first album, only a lad, is a classic, love it

Weird Science certainly wasn’t one of Oingo Boingos best songs. It’s like the worst one on Dead Man’s Party

Leave it to the Huffington Compost to mislead.

look at how many viewers in view of this I think the Oingo Boingo needs to do another tour

There's nothing wrong with that video. 80s is where it's at. Oingo Boingo is only 1000 times better than his repetitive film scores.

"This video is, like, complicated."

Weird Science isn't as bad has the 'nothing bad ever happens to me ' video that was really bad, and even Gratitude was poor. Anyway, miss leading video title and it should be changed.

I’d be more embarrassed of looking like Elton John In this interview than the weird Science video haha

Ok embarrassed about that - but OB was kick ass!!!

Title of this video is so misleading, when he says the one video he didn't get involved with was embarrassing.