Quando Quango

Quando Quango remain best known for the dance singles "Love Tempo," which reached number four on the US Billboard Dance Chart, and "Atom Rock." Their sound was the result of an eclectic mix of Latin, jazz, reggae and disco, all in a pioneering new wave context. Hillegonda Rietveld said, describing the group's music, "...Fela Kuti meets Kraftwerk somewhere between Manchester and Rotterdam, part of a new wave of post-punk electronica, with a whole lot of Mike Pickering's admirably broad knowledge of soul, disco, reggae and pop to stuff the gaps".[1][2] Bernard Sumner of Joy Division and New Order, who with Donald Johnson of A Certain Ratio produced early Quando Quango recordings, was a major influence on the group.

The group was formed in Rotterdam, The Netherlands in 1980, by the Mancunian Mike Pickering and Rotterdam-based Gonnie Rietveld, supported on drums by her brother Reinier Rietveld. In 1982 they moved to Manchester, England, where Pickering's friend Rob Gretton was setting up The Haçienda nightclub.

In 1983, Reinier Rietveld left the group to concentrate on his band Spasmodique. Soon after, former A Certain Ratio singer/trumpeter/percussionist Simon Topping joined as percussionist. Gonnie Rietveld settled into her role programming their electronic music, and Pickering continued to write lyrics and melodies.

The same year, Derek Johnson of fellow Factory act 52nd Street joined on bass, soon to be replaced by his brother Barry Johnson, formerly of Sweet Sensation, and later of Aswad.

After releasing a few singles that were minor dance club hits, the group collaborated with Johnny Marr and Vini Reilly to create the full-length album Pigs + Battleships. Andy Connell of A Certain Ratio and Beverley McDonald of 52nd Street also contributed.

The group did not last long after the album's release, but before their collapse they recorded more material with prominent guests. Lisa Stansfield sang on demos of "Bad Blood" and "Vision of America" in 1986. Stephen Morris contributed percussion to "What Price Beauty," which later became the M People track "Kiss It Better."

After the group's demise, Pickering went on to form dance duo T-Coy with Topping and, later, M People. Rietveld's connection with The Haçienda continued when she researched and co-edited the book The Haçienda Must Be Built!, edited by Jon Savage. After gaining her doctorate (supervised by Steve Redhead, Dr Rietveld wrote a monograph on house music cultures This Is Our House: House Music, Cultural Spaces and Technologies, and is currently Professor of Sonic Culture at London South Bank University, where she initiated the study of music and sound design back in 2004, and supervises postgraduate research projects in related topics.[3][4]

The discography of Quando Quango consists of one studio album and six singles.

• Discography at Discogs
• Extended discography at Discogs
• Quando Quango biography and discography at Cerysmatic Factory
• Quando Quango biography at LTM Recordings
• Brief review
• Quando Quango biography in Dutch at Spasmodique