Love Tempo

Quando Quango - Love Tempo

Ripped from a well worn 12" vinyl single released on Factory Records (FAC 79) in 1983 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio. On the subject of iconic records.... The uncredited line-up on the second Quando single is pretty impressive - Mike Pickering (vocals & sax), Gonnie Rietveld (vocals & synths), Simon Topping (percussion & vocals), plus I am sure Vini Reilly (guitar and thankfully not vocals). Bernard Sumner and Donald Johnson performed programming and production duties, and then it was remixed by Mark Kamins.

A1 Love Tempo
B1 Love Tempo (Mix)

Lift Music

Quando Quango - Genius

Once described by a NME hack as lift music in a review, Genius is actually a cracking piece of uptempo latino house music. The keen eared amongst you will appreciate the skillful hands of Vini Reilly. whose fabulous guitar work also graces the track. This was to be the final QQ release prior to their reinvention as T-Coy and amongst their best. I've always held the belief that Quando Quango only ever produced three great tracks, this, Love Tempo and the highly funky Triangle. Everything else seemed to verge on the mediocre.

Ripped from a 12" vinyl single released on Factory Records (FAC 137) in 1985 to high resolution (please ignore a few crackles) 24-bit FLAC audio.
A. Genius
B. Rebel

Two From....

Quando Quango - Atom Rock b/w Triangle

Classic Eighties latin pop-funk from the Manchester supergroup Quando Quango. A whole host of local Factory favourites, plus Johnny Marr on Guitar. Atom Rock was always seen as the A-side but I much preferred the funkier Triangle with Barry Johnson's (brother of Donald and Derek) superb slap bass line.

Ripped from a 12" vinyl single released on Factory Records (FAC 102) in 1984 to high quality FLAC audio.

A. Atom Rock

B. Triangle

Quando Quango - John Peel Session 1983

In a recent post, I featured the two Quando Quango BBC radio sessions from the mid-80's. Both were not sonically ideal, though the Peel Session was from an original taping of the broadcast, there was a lot of hiss and some sound degradation, the Kid Jensen session was from a medium wave broadcast and as a result it sounds very flat. I've been hunting for improvements since then and here is a crystal clear version of the 1983 Peel Session.

Recorded: 23rd November 1983
Transmission: 1st December 1983
Producer - Roger Pusey
Engineer - Ted De Bono
Studio - Maida Vale 4

TRACKLIST
1. Go Exciting
2. Love Tempo
3. Triangle

LINE UP
Mike Pickering (Saxophone, Vocals)
Gonnie Rietveld (Synthesiser, Vocals)
Barry Johnson (Bass, Drums)
Simon Topping (Percussion)

Listen

Quando Quango - Sessions

AFAIK, Quando Quango only recorded two BBC radio sessions, so here they are. Everybody should love a bit of Quando Quango now and again, Mike Pickering and chums had a great ability to fill you with joy and get those toes tapping. I was going to rip my copy of the Atom Rock/Triangle 12" but it's so well worn (those of you who know me from back then will remember well) that I just gave up.

As a bonus, I've also included a live recording of QQ onstage at the Hacienda performing Love Tempo. Those familiar with the infamous Hacienda acoustics will know what to expect.

Mike Pickering when on to form TCoy with Simon Topping and then found fame as the main man behind M People. He now works in A&R for a major label. Simon Topping packed up his congas and now works as a piano tuner in the Midlands and Gonnie went on to be an academic specialist in dance culture and music (yawn!).

These are rips from old tapes so expect a bit of hiss and noise in places. BBC Radio 6 did rebroadcast these digitally in 2009. Did anybody capture them?

John Peel Session 1983
1. Love Tempo
2. Triangle
3. Go Exciting

David Jensen Session 1986 (or was it 1984??)
1. Atom Rock
2. Swampland
3. Triangle
4. ST

Listen