On any list of the great, animated bands, Josie and the Pussycats stands near the apex, possibly topped only by Dethklok and Jem and the Holograms.
The trio of mystery-solving musicians started as an Archie comic in the ’60s before moving onto a successful animated run. Like all cartoons in the ’70s, when the ratings fell they gave them a monkey and shot them into outer space, finally canceling the show in 1974. The group was revived in 2001 with a live-action film starring Frankenboob Reid that was a hundred times better than it had any right to be.
Cartoon Network added an interesting chapter to the Pussycats’ legacy when they debuted a short called “Musical Evolution” showing the girls progressing through the disco, metal, country, and techno eras. It’s kind of like Ralph Bakshi’s American Pop, but in a minute and a half, and with fewer drugs, and no one dies, and with hotter chicks. Enjoy.
This article appears in Jun 10-16, 2010.
