Can’t get away from em’

It’s amazing how all pervasive the Beatles are over here. I think
they are more revered over here than back in Blighty. Turn on the
radio and its another non-stop Beatles weekend. Or Drive My Car
sound tracking the new Lexus advert. They’re everywhere. It’s mind
boggling the cultural reach of the Fab Four and it doesn’t show
any signs of waning. It’s also the second or third thing that
comes up in any conversation you have, after what’s
your name and where are you from. So I tell them about my
Liverpool heritage and they get all impressed, whilst looking out
at their cars nervously to see if the stereo is in place and the
wheels haven’t been replaced by bricks.

It’s also interesting that they use the term ‘British Invasion’
as a musical genre. The first wave in the 60s would include Gerry
and the Pacemakers, Peter and Gordon, The Animals, The Kinks,
Manfred Mann, Herman’s Hermits, the Rolling Stones, The
Yardbirds, The Zombies, Petula Clark and of course the Beatles.
Then of course were all the acts of the 70s and 80s who
infiltrated the Billboard 100.

I’m waiting for the Noughties British Invasion Part IV and I have
my tickets to see the Arctic Monkeys in LA as I hear they are the
New Favourite Band To Like. I’d only just got to grips with Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party and the Magic Numbers. Now it’s all Hard Fi, The Futureheads and Arctic Monkeys.