The Best of Oingo Boingo: Skeletons in the Closet is a compilation of songs by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1989 by A&M Records. It features songs recorded during the band's tenure with I.R.S. Records/A&M Records, culled from the albums Only a Lad (1981), Nothing to Fear (1982) and Good for Your Soul (1983).
Contents
Background
Skeletons in the Closet was issued just a few months after the band had released Boingo Alive, a double album of "live in the studio" re-recordings of many songs from their back catalog. In a 1988 article for the Los Angeles Times, Oingo Boingo frontman Danny Elfman stated that Skeletons in the Closet was issued by their former label A&M to directly compete with Boingo Alive, adding, "they’re looking for a way to scrape up a few bucks on a dead account." However, A&M executive Tom Corson denied this claim, stating, "the band feels our release may harm sales of their album. We don’t see it that way at all. In fact, we're fans of the group—and we have no intention of trying to harm their career." Corson added that several songs were removed upon request of the band, and that Elfman declined an offer to write the album's liner notes.
Personnel
Credits adapted from CD liner notes.
Oingo Boingo
Steve Bartek – lead guitar, "rhythm vocals"
Danny Elfman – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Richard Gibbs – keyboards, synthesizer
Kerry Hatch – bass guitar
Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez – drums
Sam "Sluggo" Phipps – tenor sax, soprano sax
Leon Schneiderman – baritone sax, alto sax
Dale Turner – trumpet, trombone
Technical
Pete Solley – producer (1, 3, 4, 6)
Oingo Boingo – producers (1–6, 8–10)
Joe Chiccarelli – producer (2, 5, 8–10)
Robert Margouleff – producer (7, 11, 12)
John Guarnieri – project coordinator
Arnie Acosta – mastering
Chuck Beeson – art direction
Donald Krieger – design
Mark Ryden – front and back cover illustration
Home video
A music video compilation was also released by A&M alongside the album.