Quando Quango

Electro dance group from Manchester, UK. Formed in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1980 by Hacienda DJ Mike Pickering (songwriting) and Dutch siblings Gonnie Rietveld (programming) & Reinier Rietveld (drums). Reinier Rietveld left the group in 1983 for his own group Spasmodique and was replaced by A Certain Ratio's percussionist Simon Topping. The same year 52nd Street's Derek Johnson joined the group, soon after to be replaced by his brother [a=Barry Johnson (8)]. They were signed at [l=Factory] where they released a series of singles (their earliest ones produced by New Order's Bernard Sumner and A Certain Ratio's [a=Donald Johnson]) and one album with guests from the Manchester scene (Andy Connell, Johnny Marr, Vini Reilly, Beverly McDonald). Their 1983 single [url=/release/26296]Love Tempo[/url] was a dancefloor hit on both sides of the Atlantic and is considered a precursor of the US house scene. After the album release in 1985 they disbanded. Mike Pickering formed T-Coy and later M People, playing a crucial role in the UK acid house scene.