The Mystic Knights Band and Daniel Robert Elfman

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Daniel Robert Elfman known as Danny Elfman was born May 29, 1953 in Amarillo Texas. He grew up in Los Angeles until he moved to France with his brother at the age of 18. His mother Blossom Elfman was a teacher and a writer and his father Milton was a teacher and was also in the Air Force. His brother Robert is a filmmaker. He was married to Bridget Fonda on November 29, 2003 and has scored one movie of hers in 1997. He has three children Lola born in 1979, Mali born in 1984, and Oliver born in 2005.
When he went with his brother to France he performed with an avant-garde musical theater group known as Le Grand Magic Circus. He then decided to travel through Ghana, Mali, and Upper Volta in Africa experiencing new musical styles that would influence his own style. While in Africa he contracted malaria. When he finally returned to the United States he began studying at CalArts even though he was not really a student there.
In 1972 Richard Elfman began a band known as The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo that was a new wave band when he left the band to become a filmmaker. In 1976 Danny took over the band until they retired in 1995. They were then called simply Oingo Boingo in 1979 they were a ska influenced new wave band until they changed styles again in the 80’s and became more guitar rock. They were known for their Halloween themes and sold out every Halloween concert they ever performed. One of their most popular songs that is played on several radio stations every year for Halloween is “Dead Man’s Party”.
In 1985 Tim Burton and Paul Reubens asked Danny Elfman to write the score for their film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. At the time he had no formal training but sought help from Steve Bartek the guitarist and arranger for Oin...

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...on all 24. Nominated for 2 British Academy Film Awards and has not won either, same with Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards. Nominated for 4 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards and did not win any of them. Nominated for 2 Emmy Awards won one. Nominated for 2 Golden Globes did not win either time. Nominated for 11 Grammy Awards won once. Nominated for 1 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards did not win it. Nominated for 6 Satellite Awards won once. Nominated for 12 Saturn Awards won 5 of them. Nominated for 2 Sierra Awards one once. Nominated for 2 World Soundtrack Awards did not win either time. He has been nominated for a total of 75 awards and has won 33.

Works Cited

Barnes & Noble Biography: http://video.barnesandnoble.com/search/biography.asp?CTR=68216
Encylopedia.com:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Danny_Elfman.aspx
Music For a Darkened Theatre

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