Here & Now (band)


Here & Now are an English psychedelic/space rock band formed in early 1974. They have close connections with the band Gong and in 1977/1978 worked with Gong's Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth under the name Planet Gong.
FB Here-Now-107616702632547

History

The first version of the group was co-founded in London by drummer/vocalist Keith Dobson, guitarist/keyboardist José Gross, bassist Franco and others in March 1974. By 1975 the line-up featured Dobson/Kif Kif Le Batteur, Steffe Sharpstrings, Paul 'Twink' Noble and Keith Tha Missile.
On 7 June 1977, Here & Now played a Jubilee Street Party at Bristol Gardens, a squatted street in Maida Vale.
In 1977, Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth recruited the band to tour with them under the name Planet Gong, and this combination released a live album Live Floating Anarchy 1977 and a single "Opium for the People". The musicians who played on Live Floating Anarchy 1977 were:
  • Steffe Sharpstrings - guitar
  • Keith Tha Missile Bass - bass
  • Kif Kif Le Batteur - drums/vocals
  • Gavin Da Blitz - synths
  • Suze Da Blooz & Ano Wombat - dancing/vocals
  • Gilli Smyth - vocals
  • Dingbat Alien - guitar/vocals
Kif Kif, Suze and Ano left the band by January 1979; Graver to join Alternative TV, Allport sang with The Androids of Mu, while Dobson fronted the cult 1980s post-punk bands The 012 and World Domination Enterprises. He was replaced initially by Rob Bougie. Here & Now continued into the 1980s around the nucleus of Keith and Gavin, with Dean Gaisburgh-Watkyn on guitar and Paul Rose on drums. Gavin left the band in the early 1990s but, following a 'Planet Gong' reunion tour, Steffe subsequently rejoined and brought in drummer Steve Cassidy.
Steffe left Here & Now again in 2009. He has continued to work with Steve Cassidy on various fusion projects and contributed to Joie Hinton projects. He is now concentrating on solo work and his long-time involvement in Visitation Arena with Cher Newsam.
Here & Now continues to tour as a loose collective under the leadership of Keith Tha Bass. As of 2024, a new studio album is partially recorded. The current line-up is:
Keith The Bass - Bass/Vocals
Mark Robson - Keyboards/Vocals
Tom Ashurst - Guitar/Vocals
Steve Cassidy - Drums

Band members

  • Kif Kif Le Batteur – drums/vocals + ~
  • José Gross – guitar/keyboards ^ +
  • Chris Kelleher – violin ^
  • Franco – bass
  • Marguerita – vocals
  • Drucilla – ?
  • Joleon Buchanan – guitar
  • Nick Reiter – bass ^
  • Richard Heley – vocals ^
  • Hugh – flute
  • Twink – keyboards ~
  • Alan Dogend – ? +
  • Steffe Sharpstrings – guitar/vocals ~
  • Keith Tha Missile Bass – bass/vocals
  • Max Cann – bass
  • Suze Da Blooze – dancing/vocals
  • Gavin Da Blitz – keyboards/vocals
  • Ano Wombat – dancing/vocals
  • Jack The Sax – saxophone
  • Rob Bougie – drums
  • Bernie Elliott – guitar
  • Deano Ferrari – guitar/vocals
  • Rob Peters – drums
  • Paul Rose – drums
  • Pete Davis – drums
  • J.C. – saxophone
  • Dominic Luckman – drums
  • Nick Danger – drums
  • Andy Roid – keyboards/vocals
  • Steve Cassidy – drums
  • Joie Hinton – keyboards
  • Merv Pepler – drums
  • Slim Verhoef – guitar
  • Gwyo Ze Pix – keyboards
  • Nik Nimbus – drums
  • Mark Robson – keyboards/vocals
  • Stephen 'Woody' Wood – drums
  • Andy Burrows – guitar/vocals
  • Gem Quinn – drums/vocals
  • Tom Ashurst - guitar/vocals
^ formed Blank Space in 1975; + formed The 012 in 1979; ~ formed Ici Maintenants 2001-2007

Timeline


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bar:Luckman text:"Dominic Luckman"
bar:Danger text:"Nick Danger"
bar:Cassidy text:"Steve Cassidy"
bar:Merv text:"Merv Pepler"
bar:Nik text:"Nik Nimbus"
bar:Woody text:"Woody"
bar:Gem text:"Gem Quinn"
bar:Franco text:"Franco"
bar:Nick text:"Nick Reiter"
bar:Keith text:"Keith Tha Bass"
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bar:Saracen text:"José Gross"
bar:Jol text:"Joleon Buchanan"
bar:Steffe text:"Steffe Sharpstrings"
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bar:Deano text:"Deano Ferrari"
bar:Slim text:"Slim Verhoef"
bar:Burrows text:"Andy Burrows"
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bar:Gavin text:"Gavin Da Blitz"
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bar:Marguerita text:"Marguerita"
bar:Heley text:"Richard Heley"
bar:Suze text:"Suze Da Blooze"
bar:Drucilla text:"Drucilla"
bar:Dogend text:"Alan Dogend"
bar:Ano text:"Ano Wombat"
bar:Chris text:"Chris Kelleher"
bar:Hugh text:"Hugh"
bar:Jack text:"Jack The Sax"
bar:JC text:"J.C."
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bar:Hugh from:15/10/1974 till:15/06/1975 color:flute
bar:Jack from:15/01/1978 till:15/06/1978 color:sax
bar:JC from:15/10/1986 till:15/10/1989 color:sax
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at:06/12/1977
at:15/06/1978
at:07/11/1979
at:15/06/1983
at:22/10/1984
at:31/01/1986
at:15/06/1995

Discography

Bristol Gardens Rivington Pike Rivington Pike 2 Oxford Poly Live Floating Anarchy 1977 Give and Take Dog in Hell What You See... Is What You Are All Over the Show Off The Cuff Stolen Moments Fantasy Shift Theatre Been & Gone Standing Forever UFOasis Gospel of Free Space and Time 2001/2003 Wild and Free Coaxed out from Oxford
  • ''Live in London''