Post #378131 by Pacifilantic on Mon, May 5, 2008 8:29 AM

This is my first post here, too (and I promise I will introduce myself properly on the intro thread), but I have been lurking here for about three years, have read the Book of Tiki and Tiki Modern, and spent a childhood listening to exotica as my parents embraced the Poly-pop lifestyle in their evenings out in 50's-60's Southern California. I also love Oingo Boingo and think they were brilliant, but I agree that they are not Tiki, and would like to expand on that a little, as I think I understand where Paddy is coming from.

The leader, frontman, and songwriter for Oingo Boingo was Danny Elfman, most famous now for his evocative film scores. Elfman's work is heavily laced with percussion, often making use of primitive, exotic, native instruments from around the world. He spent some time traveling alone in his late teens, spent a lot of time in West Africa, and was enthralled by its music. Oingo Boingo was his "ska band", and the influences on its sound was ska (Jamaica) laced with West African Highlife. Oingo Boingo's music definitely has a primitive, world music, percussion-based sound, and would actually blend with a primitive setting better than just about any other Western pop-rock group I can think of, but it is not "Tiki".

As I understand it, the music of "Tiki" is almost like a film score, in that it helps to create the mood and theme. The theme is sophistication, escape (to an exotic locale) and relaxation, and the music reflects this. Exotica music is lounge style, like mellow jazz. Good for relaxation and conversation. My parents did occasionally dance on their nights out, and their dancing (at least as I saw it!) was formal, like ballroom dancing. If the "natives" danced to primitive music, it was a show performed by staff , entertainment for the patrons, helping to create the mood.

Exotica music is heavily percussion-based, as is Oingo Boingo, and Oingo Boingo's music does sometimes include the shrieks and calls of exotic jungle "creatures", as does some exotica, but they are otherwise very different.

As society and tastes changed in the '50's and '60's to a less formal style, it seemed that the patrons became the natives, caught up in the driving jungle beat. That's the type of setting most of us have grown up with. We are the party.

As others have already mentioned, "Tiki" has a very narrow definition, and deserves to be remembered, studied, and preserved according to that definition. But... IMO, Oingo Boingo's music would be a great choice in a primitive, exotic setting for an upbeat experience that is not "Tiki".