Here And Now

Here And Now

Here And Now is a United Kingdom group that forms in 1974 and remains active. It begins as a 70s hippie band and becomes linked with the anarcho punk scene, while its music is associated with progressive rock, psychedelic rock and space rock.

Formation and early line-up

The group forms in spring 1974 to play the Windsor Free Festival that year. It goes through several early personnel changes before settling on a core mid- to late-1970s line-up of founder Kif Kif Le Batter, Twink El Toesmalone, Steffe Sharpstrings and Keith the Bass. That line-up establishes the sound that continues to define the band.

Planet Gong and Daevid Allen

By summer 1977, the group attracts the attention of Daevid Allen, founder of Gong, who is looking for a new psychedelic band. Allen joins temporarily in October 1977 and the project is named Planet Gong. At that point Twink is replaced by Gavin Da Blitz on synthesizer. By spring 1978 Allen leaves and the group returns to the name Here And Now.

Later changes and related projects

After touring through much of 1978, the band changes again in December, with Kif Kif, Suze and Ano among those leaving. In 1981, Steffe also leaves. Keith the Bass keeps the project going and fronts various later versions of Here And Now. Steffe rejoins during the 1990s.

Other related groupings also appear under different names. In 2001, Ici Maintenants forms, featuring KK, Twink and Steffe from the 1970s Here And Now line-up, with Tim Flatus and Mike Howlett appearing on bass in different versions. In 2007, the full 1976 Here And Now quartet of Kif Kif, Steffe, Twink and Keith the Bass reunites live as a tribute to Suze da Blooze, who has died.