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MORE LIFE FOR
November 6th, 2025 by Jimmy Alvarez
The year was 1981 and the world of music was turned upside down when a band from Los Angeles released their seminal album, “Only a Lad.” The band was Oingo Boingo, and they were instrumental in ushering in the new wave era.
Over the years, they would become synonymous with their live Halloween-themed shows at Irvine Meadows or Universal Amphitheatre. Over that time, they released some of the most epic songs in the word of alternative music – “Grey Matter,” “Who Do You Want To Be,” “Violent Love,” “No One Lives Forever,” “We Close Our Eyes,” and their masterpiece, “Dead Man’s Party.”
Of course, their ringleader was Danny Elfman and the band was as solid as it gets. Led by acclaimed drummer, Johnny Vatos, guitarist Steve Bartek and bassist John Avila they brought the band to the forefront of musical stardom.
Add in Sam “Sluggo” Phipps (saxophone) and Carl Graves (keyboards), and the band became legends. But in 1995, they said “Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye” to all of us with one last performance at Universal Amphitheatre… or so we thought.
Through the decades, the former bandmates went in different directions and established themselves in a variety of ways in the music industry.
But in 2005, the music itch was still there and like the Phoenix, Vatos resurrected the band. They were initially known as Oingo Boingo Dance Party, but changed the name in 2015.
Elfman even endorsed his former bandmates as the only authorized Oingo Boingo tribute band, and gave Vatos exclusive rights to use the names “Boingo” and “Oingo Boingo.” The band would simply be known as Oingo Boingo Former Members (“OBFM”).
Since then, Oingo Boingo Former Members brought the spirit of the band back to life utilizing the aforementioned bandmates and adding in Freddy Hernandez (bass), Brian Swartz (trumpet) and Mike “the Spike” Glendenning (guitar).
They brought in new crooner, Brendan McCreary and the dynamic worked very-very well. With the swagger of the Boingo former members, and the vocal chops McCreary brought to the band, they made every Halloween and Christmas a new way to celebrate with this much beloved band.
For the last decade, going to a Boingo show was available to the masses again and we couldn’t get enough. With all things being equal, all bands have evolutions, and now it’s time for another.
Last week Vatos made an announcement that took their fans a little by surprise. In a statement, he said that McCreary would be retiring from the band to go back to school and a few other endeavors. Vatos added, “Brendan was gracious enough to honor the band’s 2025 contracts and we wish him well.” In a call with me, Vatos said, “Now it’s on with the show.”
So what’s next for this larger-than-life band? Well, no need to be “disappointed” or “panic,” because “there’s a light that never goes out; all we had to do was “ask” Johnny Vatos.
As you can imagine, these leading phrases are a way to usher in the new lead singer of Oingo Boingo Former Members.
He is known as the Mexican Morrissey and fronts a solid band known as Sweet and Tender Hooligans. That’s right; the new Boingo crooner is the one and only, Jose Maldonado.
With a sizeable fanbase of his own, Maldonado is so good at what he does, even Morrissey himself has given Maldonado the seal of approval.
Sweet and Tender Hooligans is a journey back in time that is perfectly delivered by Maldonado, and the ability he has to immerse himself into Steven Patrick Morrissey – with haunting vocals that can hit the scales at both end – makes this transition a solid tribute to the band’s past, present and future. That said, with his onstage prowess, Boingo fans will be extremely pleased with this new edition of the Boingo legacy.
In speaking with Maldonado about the new gig, he could not be more excited. He recalled when he was a 17-year-old kid, standing in front of Music Plus to buy Boingo tickets. He said he was the first one in line at midnight. While he was in line, his friends would show up and ask him to buy them tickets too. By the time the box office was open, he was there by himself buying tickets for 19 of his closest friends to see Boingo at The Greek. Twenty tickets in all for him and his pals from the high school swim team.
As if that was not enough to convey how much this band means to him, he said he went to every Halloween show. He even took his sister Diana to her very first concert when she was just 12 years old, and it was Boingo! As you can imagine, he hasn’t been able to say anything to anyone about this until now.
Maldonado is so excited to start this new adventure and said “if 17-year-old him knew he would be singing for them, he wouldn’t believe it.”
Expect new recordings of Boingo favorites coming soon. Maldonado’s first appearance behind the mic will take place December 6th at The Music Box in San Diego for the Holiday Jam-a-Palooza benefit concert.
Locally, you can catch them in 2026 at the House of Blues Anaheim on March 13th and Stage Red on March 14th!
Ain’t this the life? Boingo fans can rejoice because the band has new life and the future looks very bright!
TO FOLLOW
SID 251107 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR
