Three years ago New York's local rock scene was an electric center of new wave/punk talent. A magical aura surrounded clubs like CBGB's and Max's Kansas City where such Manhattan bands as Blondie, Talking Heads, Television, the Ramones and Patti Smith held court each night to adoring fans.

Executive record officials eventually followed their talent scouts down to the clubs, bringing along pens and contracts. The cream of New York's local talent was quickly snapped up in a flurry of signings.

Today, this is the exact type of tingling atmosphere pervading L.A. The city's rock scene has finally entered a true state of renaissance. Local talent is not only flourishing but flowering in Hollywood.

Currently, one of L.A.'s most talked about acts is the Kats, a group of five crazy fellows currently residing

The self-proclaimed "graduates" of the Rock Corporation in Van Nuys, the Kats have been playing the Southern California unsigned circuit for some time, and Tuesday they finally made it to headlining bill at the Whisky. And they wailed.

Song titles like "I Was A Teenage Shoplifter," "King Of The Wild Frontier," "Lost My TV Guide" and "What's So Good About Good Girls" are prime indications that the Kats combine a witty lyrical sense of wacky fun with cleverly crafted tunes and punchy arrangements. The musical accent is on a fusion of '50's-cum-'60's rock 'n' roll, but a slick coat of '70's pop polish brings each song freshly up to date.

Bobbyzio Moore on tenor sax and guitar and brother Freddy Moore on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, are the most colorful cats onstage. Once he sheds his guitar, frontman Freddy slinks about the stage and into the audience radiating the sort of cool assurance one associates with an aggressive tomcat.

Although Freddy Moore is slenderly built along the lines of a Mick Jagger, he quickly demonstrates that housed in his slight body are a pair of superman lungs. He's a first-rate singer who punctuates his solid gutsy vocal delivery with earthy growls.

Dennis Peters on bass and vocals, Al Galles on drums and Pete McRae on lead guitar constitute a flashy group of instrumentalists, laying down tightly structured backing patterns complete with jazzy jitterbug rhythms.

The Kats know they're hot but the band's stage stance is one of "don't take us too seriously because we're here to have fun." Each set ends with the groups theme song, appropriately titled, "The Kats." Every time Moore yowls out the punch line, "Alley cats may act like thugs, but I stay home and spray my rugs," the fans whoop delightedly. No doubt about it -- 1979 is the year for the Kats.