When The Cat's Away

Vocal group When the Cat's Away formed after Debbie Harwood, Dianne Swann, Annie Crummer and Margaret Urlich met for a Listener photo shoot; they quickly found common cause in a male-dominated industry. Kim Willoughby was added as a fifth member. At a time when Kiwi songs were getting little airplay, they began the covers group as a side-project but enjoyed major success — as one of Aotearoa's biggest live acts of the late 80s, and with chart topping, self-financed single 'Melting Pot' in 1988. They disbanded in 1990. The cats reformed in 2001 (without Swann): touring and releasing a live album with Sharon O'Neill.