The Second Wave

Compared to their show at the Austin Music Hall in April, Blur's February date at Liberty Lunch was the difference between Abbey Road and Magical Mystery Tour. (It's the Beatles vs. Stones all over again.) 'Course I hear in England, Pulp is bigger than both of 'em. Not that I'd know. Pulp never made it through Austin in '96, though Supergrass did. Small consolation. Neither did we get Ray Davies' solo act, which got raves everywhere, and I just can't believe the Who are really getting it up for Quadrophenia. Hold on. I'm getting my British Invasions mixed. Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Kula Shaker, Ocean Colour Scene, they're the Second Wave -- no the Third Wave; I've forgotten Duran Duran, Culture Club, Wham -- that era. But wait. How come there are new albums from the Kinks, Beatles, Rutles, Rolling Stones, Who, Donovan, Monkees? And how could anyone turn down an interview with Ray Davies? Did we mention that the Chronicle is the only publication in the country to get interviews with both Ray and Dave? Guess we just got caught up in the excitment of the British Invasion -- the First Wave, the Second time around. -- Raoul Hernandez