Oingo Boingo - Only a Lad (35th anniversary)

Today (June 19th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Only a Lad, the first full-length studio album from Oingo Boingo. This 1981 record spent five weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 172.

For my full review, click here.

For more from Oingo Boingo, click here.

Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party

Today (October 28th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Dead Man's Party, the fifth studio album from Oingo Boingo. This 1985 release spent sixteen weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 98.

Oingo Boingo - Oingo Boingo (EP)

Yesterday (September 17th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the self-titled major-label debut from Oingo Boingo. This four song extended-play album from 1980 appeared on IRS Records and was issued in both vinyl and cassette formats.

Oingo Boingo - Good For Your Soul

July of 1983 brought out Good For Your Soul, the third studio album from Oingo Boingo. It continued the momentum from the earlier offerings, charting at number 144 on the US Billboard Hot 200. It was band’s last album on the A&M Records label and also the last album, for awhile, to feature Kerry Hatch on bass and Richard Gibbs on keyboards.

The Last American Virgin (soundtrack)

Can you believe I actually missed some albums from 1982 on the blog last year? Turns out, I did, but I am going to rectify things a bit with today’s edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

In the summer of 1982, The Last American Virgin hit screens across the globe. This remake of Eskimo Limon, a 1978 Israeli film, was set in present-day suburban Los Angeles and starred Lawrence Monoson, Joe Rubbo, Diane Franklin and Louisa Moritz. The film did not set the box office on fire at all (most likely due to having a cast of relatively unknown actors); it only made $5.8 million domestically.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (soundtrack) (30th Anniversary)

This week, we are doing Matinee Monday.

Today (July 30th) marks the 30th anniversary of the release of the soundtrack album to the seminal 80's teen film Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

For my review of this album, please click here.

So, let's all put on our checkered Vans and chill out with Spicoli, Brad, Stacy, Damone, and Mr. Hand.

Oingo Boingo - Nothing to Fear

Coming off of their 1981 debut album Only a Lad (click here for that review), the California based alternative rockers followed it up with their second studio album Nothing to Fear. Today (June 22nd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of that record.

While it faired a bit better on the US Billboard Hot 200 over the previous release (hitting 148 versus the debut’s 172), the album and band often found its audience thanks to college radio stations and club deejays who enjoyed the band’s quirky sound and thought-provoking lyrics.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

In 1981, Rolling Stone magazine writer Cameron Crowe went undercover to a San Diego, California, high school to research a book. In 1982, that book was adapted into the coming-of-age teen comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The film, which opened in August of 1982, helped launch the careers of young actors Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Renhold, Robert Romanus, Phoebe Cates, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, Anthony Edwards and Nicolas Cage. At a cost of $4.5 million to make, the film earned more than $27 million at the box office and has since become a TV/cable and video favorite the world over. It even spun off a short-lived CBS sitcom in 1986 that starred young actors Courtney Thorne-Smith and Patrick Dempsey.

The double-disk soundtrack album, released on July 30th of 1982, did fairly well; it peaked at number 54 on the Billboard 200 and several of the songs were released as singles.

Oingo Boingo - Only a Lad

Founded as a performance art troupe in 1972 (they actually appeared on the Gong Show in 1976), the Los Angeles group known as Oingo Boingo transitioned into a ska-influenced New Wave band in 1979. Lead by singer-songwriter Danny Elfman, the eight man band released a self-titled four song EP in 1980 and then their first full-length studio album Only a Lad on June 19th of 1981.

Their albums were hardly high charters or mega sellers even though their career as a band ran until 1995. This one spent five weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 172. Thanks to their quirky sound and off-beat view of the world, Oingo Boingo developed a dedicated cult following.