Happy Animation Day! In Praise of the 5 Greatest Cartoon Bands

Happy International Animation Day, everyone! Haven’t heard? It’s today, Oct. 28. Get me a card later. Here’s the deal for the uninitiated…

In 2002, the International Animated Film Association (Association Internationale du Film d'Animation), or ASIFA, decided that the world needed a day to commemorate the first public performance of Emile Reynaud’s Théatre Optique at the Grevin Museum in Paris in 1892. Théatre Optique marked the first public showing of moving pictures and the birth of animation.

It would be nearly 60 years before rock ‘n’ roll would come around – and another 10 before someone would think about animating rock music. It’s been a beautiful marriage. Animated bands never get old. Literally. So, in honor of International Animation Day, let us praise the top five animated bands that rock – one frame at a time.

5. The Junkyard Band
Formed: 1972
Disbanded: 1984

The Junkyard Band was the funkiest animated band ever – and the most prolific, due to Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids’ 13-year television run.

Unfortunately, the Junkyard Band went off the rails in 1980 when they jumped onto the disco train about five years too late with an album called Rock ‘n Roll Disco. It was an ill-advised move.

4. The [Animated] Beatles
Formed: 1965
Disbanded: 1970

The animated Beatles’ career was more uneven than their real-life counterparts. On one end, there was the groundbreaking 1968 feature film, Yellow Submarine – credited with starting an animation resurgence.

And on the other end of the spectrum was the U.S. cartoon series, The Beatles. It aired for two seasons on ABC (1965-67). What it lacked in artistry, it made up for in kitschy charm. Plus, it was still the Beatles.

3. Josie and the Pussycats
Formed: 1963
Disbanded: 1973

Once upon a time in the ‘50s, cartoonist Dan DeCarlo was on a cruise with his wife, Josie, who for some unknown reason decided to wear a cat costume. A cartoon was born. Josie and the Pussycats were pioneers – predating riot grrls and the Go-Go’s. They were the world’s first interracial, all-female band. The comic was launched in 1963 and lasted until 1983. The band had a TV series that ran for one year in 1970 and was retooled as Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space for one more year until 1973. We’ll just try to forget about that 2001 live-action film.

2. The Archies
Formed: 1968
Disbanded: 1969

Archie was born in 1942 on the namesake comic imprint (home to Josie and the Pussycats) and is still in print. His musical career was short-lived, born in the 1968 TV series The Archie Show, which was canceled a year later. Yet they had the biggest hit of any animated band of their era with “Sugar, Sugar” (co-written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim; the former responsible for ‘60s hits like “Chapel of Love” and the latter a Canadian pop star). It was a Hot 100 Billboard hit and spawned numerous cover versions – including Bob Marley’s decidedly non-bubblegum version.

1. Gorillaz
Formed: 1998
Disbanded: Still semi-active

Far and away the most forward-thinking, groundbreaking animated band we’ve ever had. In 1997, comic book artist Jamie Hewlett and Blur mastermind Damon Albarn were sharing a London flat bored by MTV. An animated band was born. They scored a top five U.K. single out of the gate with 2001′s “Clint Eastwood” and became the first animated band to actually tour. Albarn says a new “really fast” album is in the works.

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