The swing sound originated in the 1930s and its mixture of jazz and blues was a precursor to rock and roll. But in the 90s, the new swing sound is grittier, influenced by Jimi Hendrix, funk, and punk. But the dance is still the scene's defining element. The movie featured Big Bad Voodoo Daddy playing at the Derby Club, a Los Angeles swing landmark. The band has come a long way since Soder Gren, the drummer, graduated from CSUN in 1988.
Some people consider swing to be a passing fad, such as pet rocks or break dancing.
But swing offers innocent interaction between people. In a world where secretaries and executives spend more time with computers than with their spouses, the swing scene offers touch. Which motivates people to cross crowded clubs to offer a hand and hope its accepted with a touch.