John Avila

Last updated
John Avila
John Avila.jpg
John Avila at the House of Blues, April 7, 2006
Background information
Birth nameJohn Avila
Born
San Gabriel, California
Genres Rock, hard rock, new wave, ska, alternative rock, Chicano rock
Occupation(s) Musician
Instrument(s) Bass guitar
Years active1978–present

John Avila is an American bassist and music producer, best known for being in the new wave band Oingo Boingo from 1984 to 1995. [1]

Contents

Career

Avila co-founded the music group Food for Feet [2] in 1981, and played with them until 1991. [3]

In 1984, he joined Oingo Boingo, replacing bassist Kerry Hatch. He played with Boingo until 1995. Avila has worked with many other musical acts including Psychotic Aztecs and Neville Staple in his backing band "The Hitmen". [4] Avila owns and operates the recording studio, Brando's Paradise. [5] He is currently the bass player in the Los Angeles–based multi-media group the Mutaytor [6] and The Gama Sennin.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oingo Boingo</span> American new wave band

Oingo Boingo was an American new wave band formed by songwriter Danny Elfman in 1979. The band emerged from a surrealist musical theatre troupe, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, that Elfman had led and written material for in the years previous. Their highest-charting song, "Weird Science", reached No. 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Specials</span> British ska band from Coventry

The Specials, also known as The Special AKA, were an English 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Hall and Neville Staple on vocals, Jerry Dammers on keyboards, Lynval Golding and Roddy Radiation on guitars, Horace Panter on bass, John Bradbury on drums, and Dick Cuthell and Rico Rodriguez on horns. The band wore mod-style "1960s period rude boy outfits ". Their music combines the danceable rhythms of ska and rocksteady with the energy and attitude of punk. Lyrically, their work presented overt political and social commentary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Kanal</span> British-American musician of Indian descent, songwriter and record producer

Tony Ashwin Kanal is a British-American musician known primarily as a songwriter, record producer and for his work as bassist and co-writer for the rock bands No Doubt and Dreamcar. His career outside of performing includes production and songwriting credits with artists such as Pink, Weezer, Elan Atias and No Doubt lead singer Gwen Stefani's solo work.

The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo was an American surrealist street theatre troupe, formed by performer and director Richard Elfman in 1972. The group was led by Richard until 1976, when his brother Danny Elfman took over. The group evolved into an experimental musical theatre group, performing songs from the 1930s-40s and original material.

<i>Dead Mans Party</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Oingo Boingo

Dead Man's Party is the fifth album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1985. The album contains the only two singles by the band to chart on the Billboard Hot 100: "Weird Science" at number 45, and "Just Another Day" at number 85.

Rob Wasserman was an American composer and bass player. A Grammy Award and NEA grant winner, he played and recorded with a wide variety of musicians including Bob Weir, Bruce Cockburn, Elvis Costello, Ani di Franco, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Stéphane Grappelli, Rickie Lee Jones, Van Morrison, Steve Morse, Aaron Neville, Lou Reed, Pete Seeger, Jules Shear, Brian Wilson, Chris Whitley, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Laurie Anderson, Stephen Perkins, Banyan, Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, and Ratdog.

<i>Nothing to Fear</i> (Oingo Boingo album) 1982 studio album by Oingo Boingo

Nothing to Fear is the second studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1982 on A&M Records.

<i>So-Lo</i> 1984 studio album by Danny Elfman

So-Lo is the debut studio album by American musician Danny Elfman, released in 1984 by MCA Records. Recorded primarily by Elfman, but also featuring the members of his band, Oingo Boingo, it was recorded when Elfman was offered a solo contract with MCA after the band had been dropped from I.R.S. Records. The album marked the band's last release to feature bassist Kerry Hatch and keyboardist Richard Gibbs.

<i>Good for Your Soul</i> 1983 studio album by Oingo Boingo

Good for Your Soul is the third studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1983. It was produced by Robert Margouleff and was the band's last album to be released on A&M Records.

<i>Dark at the End of the Tunnel</i> 1990 studio album by Oingo Boingo

Dark at the End of the Tunnel is the seventh studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1990.

<i>Boingo Alive</i> 1988 live album by Oingo Boingo

Boingo Alive is a double album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1988. It was performed and recorded live in a rehearsal studio with no audience, with the band performing songs from previous albums and two previously unreleased songs to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the band's beginning.

<i>Boingo</i> (album) 1994 studio album by Oingo Boingo

Boingo is the eighth and final studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo. It was the band's only album recorded for their new label, Giant Records, as well as the only album to be released by the band's 1994–95 line-up.

<i>Best O Boingo</i> 1991 greatest hits album by Oingo Boingo

Best O' Boingo is the second greatest hits album from American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1991 by MCA Records. It features songs recorded during the band's years on MCA Records, from 1984's So-Lo through 1990's Dark at the End of the Tunnel. As such, the songs from the period when the band was on I.R.S. Records—as well as several others—are represented here by their re-recorded versions from the 1988 "live in the studio" album Boingo Alive.

<i>Forbidden Zone</i> (soundtrack) 1983 soundtrack album by The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo

Forbidden Zone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to Forbidden Zone, the 1982 cult film directed by Richard Elfman, with music by his brother Danny Elfman and performed by The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weird Science (song)</span> 1985 single by Oingo Boingo

"Weird Science" is a song by American new wave band Oingo Boingo. Written by frontman Danny Elfman, it is the theme song to the Weird Science film and television series. It was released on the film's soundtrack, as well as Oingo Boingo's fifth studio album, Dead Man's Party (1985), in a longer mix. The song reached No. 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 21 on the US Dance Club Charts, and No. 81 in Canada. It is Oingo Boingo's most successful single.

Steve Bartek is an American guitarist, film composer, conductor, and orchestrator. He is best known as the lead guitarist in the band Oingo Boingo and for his orchestration work with composer Danny Elfman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead Man's Party (song)</span> 1986 single by Oingo Boingo

"Dead Man's Party" is a song by American band Oingo Boingo, released as the third single from their album of the same name.

Marc Mann is an American keyboardist, guitarist, programmer, arranger and conductor. He has a Master's Degree in Music from UCLA. Mann is known for his work with Oingo Boingo, Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra.

Sam "Sluggo" Phipps is an American saxophone player, best known for being a member of the new wave band Oingo Boingo.

<i>Checkered Past</i> (EP) 2017 EP by Save Ferris

Checkered Past is an EP by ska punk band Save Ferris that was released on February 10, 2017, on Withyn Records. The EP marks the band's first release in 18 years since 1999's Modified and their first since lead singer and founding member Monique Powell reformed the band with a brand new lineup after years of legal battles with the former members of the band. The EP was produced by Oingo Boingo bassist John Avila and features a guest appearance by Neville Staple of The Specials on the EP's first single, "New Sound".

References

  1. "John Avila". Discogs.
  2. "Food For Feet". Discogs.
  3. "John Avila Biography". Johnavila.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2012-07-16.
  4. Paul Williams - "You're Wondering Now - The Specials from Conception to Reunion; Part Two "Neville Staple".
  5. "Brando's Paradise". Discogs.
  6. "Mutaytor". mutaytor.com.