To leave the controversy behind for a while, back to the drafting. My last pick was an intentionally easy one to make, as I set up my list with a sold 20th spot to make sure that I'd end things without stress. There's a ton left on my list that I'd at least like to mention, however, so I'll be joining the group in posting my next 20(ish) unpicked alternates when this thing wraps up.
Until then, my 20th pick:
Royal Crown Revue -- Mugzy's Move (1995) -- In the mid-90s, largely thanks to the movie
Swingers, there was a rather successful revival of all things swing. For the record, I hated it. All the things that made me stand out as quirky suddenly made me blend in as trendy. Not to mention the utter craptasticness of roughly 99% of the swing bands that popped up during that time. Sure, it became easier for me to find that super cute pair of two-tone spectator wing tip inspired chunky heels, and there were plenty of people who were introduced to a subculture of which they probably weren't previously aware, but... too many poseurs for this life long purist. Much of the music sucked, wallet chains became so plentiful that dancing in those chunky heels became dangerous, thrift stores were ruined forever (curse you, "vintage boutiques"!), and all the best clubs and concerts became way too crowded. HOWEVER, despite all of my ranting and raving, there was a bit of good that came out of this revival, and Royal Crown Revue was one of those things. Like many of the new swing bands, Royal Crown Revue started as a band with roots in punk, rockabilly, and jazz. Unlike many of the less successful new swing bands, however, their music felt less like a band molding themselves to match a trend. It's completely removed from the real 30s/40s swing in style and sound, but still maintains a certain authenticity to the "movement." It's fun, too, which is important, and nearly impossible to listen to without tappin' your toes at least a little bit.
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