The answer: Joe McGinty, the man behind the Loser’s Lounge. The question: What do you call a guy who produces, plays and sings in a tribute show involving 30-plus musicians and singers and manages to sell out six shows in a row at Joe’s Pub every other month?
That alone would be enough to keep most people busy, but McGinty also co-owns a bar — Sid Gold’s Request Room — and plays piano there once a week, accompanying everyone from “amazing singers to drunk bachelorettes” (and the occasional celebrity, like Bill Murray and Paul Rudd) in classic piano bar style.
He’s also got his own project going, “Polyvox,” writes music for film and television, owns a vintage keyboard studio, has worked with artists as diverse as Ronnie Spector, Amy Rigby, the Ramones, Jesse Malin, Kevin Ayers, and Martha Wainwright, and has a five-year stint in the Psychedelic Furs on his resume as well.
After the breakup of the Furs, McGinty had the inspiration for the Loser’s Lounge when he first stepped into the Fez, the sadly defunct club that was once under the Time Cafe on Lafayette Street.
“I saw the room and thought it would be perfect for what I wanted to do,” he says. “It reminded me of when I played in show bands in Atlantic City.”
The collective’s name is a response to the ever-present signage in that casino town.
“You would see these billboards with names like ‘The High Rollers Club’ and ‘The Winners Lounge,'” he explains. “So I thought that the Loser’s Lounge is where the ordinary people could hang out.”
The idea was to put together a core band, with himself on keyboards and vocals, choose 20 songs by a certain artist and pick a different singer to perform each one. The first show, at Fez, was a Burt Bacharach tribute in 1993.
“It was a surprising success,” he admits, “ so we did another one.”
The show has evolved over the years, becoming tighter and less obscure in its inspirations. Now usually found at Joe’s Pub, the Lounge shows have “gotten more organized.”
“The first time I saw the show as an audience member, I marveled that all the singers and musicians were getting onstage in time for their songs,” recalls Patty Lenartz. “Then I got tapped to be the stage manager and saw firsthand that it was barely controlled chaos! It went from herding drunk cats to the slightly tighter show we have now. Although there are still times when someone shows up late and I have to get a note to Joe to skip a song – that’s the Loser’s part!”
Lenartz, we should note, is still the one herding cats after 30-something years.
Putting each show together is a matter of digging into abundant resources.
“It’s a bit of a jigsaw puzzle,” McGinty notes. “Part of the fun is the research. I’ve got hundreds of songs to choose from and a pool of about 50 singers that are available. You have to be diplomatic. … It’s stressful and I do tend to obsess. I have a very supportive group of people, but I worry about forgetting someone.”
“People love doing the shows,” he continues. “Doing the shows is contagious. It brings people together.”
While picking the themes can be tough, he’s got some favorites. “ABBA is always fun,” he says, “and Philly Soul too. Bacharach is a favorite.”
McGinty’s got his regulars, but new people are popping up all the time. McGinty found the formidable Mike Fornatale — whose rendition of “Shinola” was a high point in the Dolly Parton show — in a Brooklyn bar called “Lucky Cat,” where he performed “Whole Lotta Love” and “I Got You Babe,” singing both the Sonny and Cher parts.
Madison Massey, also in the Dolly show, was recruited when she turned up one night at Sid Gold’s to sing karaoke.
Sometimes the show’s subject is actually in the audience, as was the case back in 1999 at Fez.
“We had heard that Lee Hazelwood was a grouchy recluse,” McGinty said, “but not only did he show up for his tribute, he got up on stage and said thank you. I ended up getting invited to his 70th birthday party!”
After playing with a band like the Psychedelic Furs, one wonders if McGinty feels like he’s taken a step backward, but that’s definitely not the case.
“Playing with the Furs was great,” he muses, “ but I don’t really miss touring that much. Playing with the Furs was satisfying, it was great to be part of the creative process of those records and I’m very proud of my work with them. I was happy when they asked me to add some keyboard parts to their most recent album. Loser’s is satisfying in a different way – the creative process is more about coming up with a show that celebrates the artists’ catalogs and the performers’ talents in a way that will be engaging for the audience.”
“It’s just so satisfying,” he continues, “when your vision comes to life and it goes over so well, it validates your ideas. The main thing that I want people to take away is the joy.”
More info on Joe McGinty at joemcgintymusic.com and on Instagram at @joemcginty7. Loser’s Lounge at loserslounge.com and @thelosersloungenyc on Instagram.
The next show is a tribute to David Bowie in December. For tickets, visit publictheater.org/productions/joes-pub/2024/l/losers-lounge-david-bowie.
