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An engrossing amalgamation of such disparate musical styles as swing, jive, blues and hip-hop, Royal Crown Revue further established a growing reputation with the release of their 1996 debut album. Mugzy's Move, a Ted Templeman production, showcased the group's intricate musicianship and seemingly limitless depth of energy. The group had come to prominence at 'swing-dancing' engagements in their native Los Angeles, California, USA, including a two-year weekly run at the Derby club, centrepoint of the whole scene. Their popularity eventually caught the attention of industry executives, with Warner Brothers Records winning the race to sign them. The group's baritone saxophone player, writer and arranger, Bill Ungerman, described their appeal thus: 'We do everything from 30s to 50s styles, and we throw it in a blender and mix it up. We don't stay in one era or genre, but we're not trying to be a copy band. We want to do something new', he told Billboard magazine. Other members of the septet include James Achor (guitar), Scott Steen (trumpet) and Eddie Nichols (vocals). Mugzy's Move included revisions of Bobby Darin 's 'Beyond The Sea' and Willie Dixon 's 'Honey Child'. However, their best-known early recording was 'Hey Pachuco!', featured in the mainstream film release, The Mask. The song was also reprised in front of millions of Americans when figure skater Kurt Browning used it as the musical accompaniment to his programme in 1996. Further evidence of the group's potential for crossover appeal came later that year with the announcement of support dates for bills headed by Jerry Lee Lewis and Porno For Pyros. Swing became highly fashionable in 1998 and Royal Crown Revue were perfectly placed to reap the rewards with their second album.
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Albums
| Year | Label | Title | |
| 1992 | Better Youth Organization (BYO) | Kings Of Gangster Bop | |
| 1996 | Warner Bros. Records | Mugzy's Move | |
| 1997 | Surfdog Records | Caught In The Act | |
| 1998 | Warner Bros. Records | The Contender | |
| 1999 | Side One | Walk On Fire | |
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