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Death of Lounge

Timeline By Paul Adams 1954 The advent of high-fidelity 1959 Hawaii becomes a state Lounge is in full swing 1964 The Beatles invade Lounge retires gracefully 1973 The Who's Quadrophenia 1985 An advance guard of retro-loungers starts to comb thrift and used-record shops for relics 1988 Fey new-waver David Johansen repackaged as suave crooner Buster Poindexter Subterranean lounge culture continues to grow 1990 Sammy Davis Jr. dies 1994 Lounge is a booming underground phenomenon Swing magazine is founded Combustible Edison's "I, Swinger" a hit Newsweek announces "Now It's Generation Hep! Grunge Is Out, the Lounge Life Is Back." Joseph Lanza's landmark book Elevator Music published 1995 February--premiere issue of Swing magazine Dean Martin dies Urban Outfitters starts carrying cocktail shakers 1996 January--Swingers released by Miramax to nationwide sellout audiences August--Rolling Stone cover story introduces Hamilton's Lounge in Beverly Hills RCA releases four-volume lounge-music CD compilation Crate and Barrel starts carrying cocktail shakers 1997 June--publication of Ultra Lounge by Dylan Jones, author of Jim Morrison: Dark Star August--Combustible Edison plays on a river cruise and at the Boston Photographic Resource Center benefit Swing circulation 500,000 Buster Poindexter still playing The Bottom Line [ SF Metropolitan | MetroActive Central | Archives ]