The Drongos were a quartet of New Zealanders that performed from 1979 to 1986 primarily in New York City. [1]
They originated from Wellington, where, as Red Alert, they were the backing band of the theatrical troupe Red Mole. [2] They were notable for their successful "busking" performances on busy Manhattan street corners [1] [3] and also played the legendary CBGB. [2] The New York Times called their eponymous first album "a delightful melange of funk rhythms, country harmonies, precisely layered electric guitar counterpoint and airy folk-rock sounds, with many influences, old and new, absorbed into a delightfully original sound." [1]
The Drongos all moved to New York from New Zealand in 1978: [1] [4] They were managed by Martha Moran and Mike Shatzkin [5]