Melting Pot

This big, bright cover of British act Blue Mink's plea for multi-racial harmony and a world of "coffee coloured people" was a chart-topper for all female vocal group When the Cat's Away in November 1988. The band funded the song and the video themselves after self-produced video is heavy on 80s fluoro colours and overexposed whites, while the placement of the Cats around a single mic affords them plenty of chances to interact and enjoy each other's company (they're also seen out and about on Karangahape Road, and at a rugby league test). This cat video before cat videos overran the internet includes an actual cat.

When it was obvious that people loved the band and were flocking to our shows, I approached CBS with the idea of recording a single, 'Melting Pot'. There was little interest. The manager at the time said 'we don't think this will work..but Debbie, if you bring us the finished song with a video (i.e. you pay for them) we'll pop the song in the shops.' So we paid for the single and video with our live income ... it went to number one immediately.

– When the Cat's Away member Debbie Harwood

Key Cast & Crew

Kerry Brown

Director