Which Member Of The Powerpuff Girls' Gangreen Gang Joined The Gorillaz?
What do virtual alt-rock band The Gorillaz and Hanna-Barbera's "Powerpuff Girls" have in common? If you're only a casual fan of either, you might be tempted to say nothing. But you would be wrong. There exists a rich and intricately intertwined history between both the Cartoon Network cult animated hit and the best non-corporeal thing to happen to the music industry since "Jem and the Holograms." And it goes back nearly 25 years.
The year was 1998. Series Creator Craig McCracken was just getting the first season of "Powerpuff Girls" off the ground and was also friends with musician Damon Albarn, co-founder of The Gorillaz (via Pop Frequency). In the beginning, the two artists were friends but did their own separate things professionally. However, when The Gorillaz were ready to cycle in some fresh blood and replace one of their virtual band members with a new bassist, they seized upon a golden opportunity to collaborate. And if you're the type of person who's unusually good at getting a high score on trivia night, you probably already know which character that is.
Ace upgraded from a life of cartoon crime to become the virtual bassist for The Gorillaz in 2018
Both men got the bright idea to let Ace, a member of the Gangreen Gang (a group of villains who regularly aggravated Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup) join the Gorillaz gang for their 2018 "The Now Now" album (via Damon Albarn Unofficial). The malevolent character not only received a cosmetic upgrade compared to his humble origins but also usurped one of the band's founding animated members (according to CBR.com).
For better or worse, his time with the band was only temporary. It wasn't long before balance was restored to the world and Murdoc took his rightful place back on the band's virtual stage, bass guitar in hand. And it's been that way ever since, with 2-D, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs preparing to release a brand new album coming up in early 2023. Variety reports that the upcoming record — titled "Cracker Island" — will include collabs with Bad Bunny, as well as contributions from the likes of Stevie Nicks and Beck.