Perhaps. That was the example I remember so I used it. It was the listening to that and everyone get into cigars and micro-brew beers phase. Believe me, I'm not just making this up. It was a real era and my pals went through it. Didn't mean to pick on any one band.

Yes, I was in college at that time and I remember the whole 97-98 neo-swing thing quite well. I don't think micro-brew beers had any connection to it though, more like martinis and various other cocktails. As I remember it the micro-brew explosion happened several years before the swing revival.

I liked a decent amount of those bands but Squirrel Nut Zippers was by far the best of the bunch, IMHO. Their style was actually quite a bit different from the other bands that got lumped into that genre, a lot weirder and with more of a dixieland influence than a swing influence.

how about the awesome swing dancing 'gap' commercials too haha

my real question...

is it better to try something new or to just stick with whatever style popped the cherry of purity from your ears since it will eventually come back into style?

I went through a wide range of phases in my teenagehood of music that I wouldn't enjoy listening to now at all. It is called growing up. Your tastes change and mature. Nothing wrong with that.

I had a Zeppelin phase back like 5 years ago, can't stand them now outside a few songs.