Minny Pops

Formed by vocalist/band leader Wally van Middendorp in 1978, Dutch electro pioneers Minny Pops borrowed their name from a primitive Korg drum machine and their approach from conceptual art at its most mischievously off-kilter. Their association with the legendary Manchester label Factory Records, which began in 1980, would see them produced by Martin Hannett, tour with Joy Division and then New Order, and become the first Dutch group to record a Peel session.

In 2012, van Middendorp and colleagues regrouped for Minny Pops’ first live performances since 1981, touring the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium, and recording their 7” single ‘Waiting for this to Happen’ at the behest of Tim Burgess for his label O-Genesis.

Based in the UK since 2014, Minny Pops are now operating as a collective with a cast of global collaborators hailing from London, Austin, Helsinki, Rotterdam, and Los Angeles.

Recordings and releases in recent years have been sporadic, the ‘Waiting For This To Happen’ remix EP and the ‘Slow Car Fast Car’ single were released in Autumn 2019 by Blowpipe Records. The ‘Dat Dead Dad Dog’ singles recorded in Austin, were released in May and June 2020. In November 2023 Minny Pops went into the studio to record six new songs which are currently being mixed and new music will be released this year.