New Wave Outpost Forum

Oingo Boingo is my favorite 80's band. Danny Elfman is a genius!![}:)][}:)]

Their popularity seems to have a real west coast (US) bias doesn't it? When I moved east, they really weren't on anybody's radar screen, even my wife who's a huge new wave/punk fan going back to the earliest days. They were definately THE big party band for my friends in SoCal though, playing gigs everywhere, even at colleges and Magic Mountain. I still have a souvenir drumstick from that last venue.

But my favorite in the 80s - THE SMITHS!!!
My favorite in the 90s - THE PUMPKINS!!!
My favorite in the 70s - ELO!!!

Yeah, it's all terribly unoriginal...but great music nonetheless.

BTW, my favorite in the 00s - ECHOFISSION!!! www.echofission.com (shameless plug for my buddies in NYC)

Myirwin,
Good point about Oingo Boingo being more West Coast...they were also huge in SEATTLE and the Pacific NW. it seemed like they were always playing shows up there, and getting interviewed for local mags.....but then in college (starting in '85), musical-minded friends i made who were NOT from the West Coast had NOT really heard of them. not so much.

which would be a good topic: figuring out some New wave acts that were more prominent/influential/heard of on one Coast than the other. i'm talking nationally known groups, not just local groups, who of course would be more popular in one area than another.

my 2 examples: (besides Boingo)
Dead Kennedys--more popular on the West Coast
A Flock of Seagulls--" " " "

Uh oh, do i see an east coast/west coast war brewing

I agree about Oingo Boingo - didn't seem to get as much play in the east. Sparks and X also seemed to be more successful on the left coast. I often wondered if bands from the east like the Ramones, Cars, and Stray Cats got as much airplay in the west. The Ramones always seemed to be touring in the NYC area.

Regarding the original question, my vote goes to U2 with honorable mentions to the Clash, Cars, and Split Enz.

LOL Dave. Boingo, Sparks, and X were probably the bands I saw the most - may 5-10 times each?! They weren't necessarily my favorites but seemed to be touring ALL the time and in all kinds of venues - everything from 20K people at Anaheim Civic Center to 1K crowds at Cal State Long Beach and all the way down to tiny underground venues like the now-defunct Lhasa Club in LA with 50 people. Besides the drumstick from Boingo, I have a pant leg from Sparks (remember Russ Mael used to do that strip-tease act?) and a beer can (Bud) from John Doe..."no really dude, it's John Doe's beer can, fer real!"

(Y)ellow (M)agic (O)rchestra-YMO All three (Ryuichi Sakamoto,Haruomi Hosono,Yukihiro Takahashi)were geniuses, now all doing solo and a few as with YT&RS (Sketch Show)together still put out quality electro harmonic pop.

Dave,
ditto on the Ramones being east coast...i had vaguely heard of them in WA, but later on, when i met people from the East coast, they seemed to be more into them and were surprised that i wasn't.
you're also right about X and Sparks. total CA sound & fan base.

Oingo Boingo is one of the greatest bands of all time in my book.
And yes Danny Elfman is a genius. I envy that man's talent. Gotta love him.

Spreading the Boingo love is fun too. I introduced Boingo to my olderbrother and he's been a fan ever since. Caught him in the Boingo trap[}:)]hehehe.

I'm an East Coast Boingo fan. I don't really remember hearing them much at all on the radio back in the day. I had to discover them on my own. They are one act that I truly regret never getting to see play live.

I saw Boingo at the Club Bene, which is a dinner theater in Laurence Harbor, NJ. It was in 1987 when they were touring to support the album "Boi-ngo". the place held maybe 300-400 people max, and I was right up at the stage standing in front of Steve Bartek. I could have reached up and tuched his guitar, I was that close. A most excellent show (and my favorite Boingo album). As far as the original question, my favorite 80's bands are Talking Heads, Boingo(duh), Police, Men at Work, and....dare I say....The Outfield. I really love the outfield. There. I am out of the closet! [:o)]

Sorry to bust-up this Boingo Admiration Society but...

Always liked Sparks (thought "Angst in My Pants" was an amusing album)
Always liked X (loved "More Fun in the New World", "White Girl" is an all-time *classic*)

But Boingo? Ripoff of an east coast band... called Devo. Heard of 'em? [:p]

Alright, I'll bite Dave...

You mean to tell me that a 10+ person ensemble with 3 guitarists, a bassist, drummer, 3 horn guys, keyboardist, and various rythm folks that come and go....ARE A RIPOFF OF DEVO?!

"I'm afraid. I'm afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I'm a...fraid..."

...that you are incorrect. Like I said, they weren't my favorite - often quite obnoxious actually - but they weren't a Devo ripoff either. They were kind of a fun jam band, that's it. Maybe a little like Dave Matthews today...without the "sucking so bad that I want to tear my ears off" part.

At least we can agree on X...gods.
And even Sparks...Sherlock Holmes is either pure genious or ganja-induced drivel, hilarious either way.

This list coming from an East Coaster LINY (WLIR 92.7 pre-DRE)
Not necessarily in order of preference of (Then obscure acts).
1) Ministry (With Sympathy[8D])
2) Yazoo-Yaz
3) Joy Division- New Order
4) The Cult
5) The Alarm
6) Romeo Void
7) China Crisis
The Smiths
9) Tom Tom Club
10) Belois Some
11) APB
12) The The
13) The English Beat- General Public
14) Oingo Boingo
15) The Ramones
16) Big Audio Dynamite
17) Figures on a Beach
18) Icehouse
19) The Venetians
20) The Stranglers
21) Killing Joke
22) A Flock of Seagulls
23) Madness
24) Peter Murphy
25) Heaven 17
More to follow..........

[quote]Originally posted by myirwin
[br] even at colleges and Magic Mountain.[/quote]

haha Magic Mountian.. I remember going there for one of their famous Halloween shows!!

i would have to say DEVO! they are the best band in the 80's without a doubt! everything from their first 80's album Freedom Of Choice to their very last Smooth Noodle Maps, DEVO! rock and they are my favorite band from the decade that rocked!

along with..
Mobiles
Sleeping Lions
Haysi Fantayzee
Thompson Twins
Berlin
Sparks
Wide Boy Awake
Sisters Of Mercy
Real Life
E.G. Daily
Blotto

and among alot more...
Thanks