Nik Turner; Stonehenge 1984

I don't normally comment here on a musician's death, though I'm going to make an exception; today I heard of Nik Turner's passing at 82. Nik Turner, space rocker extraordinaire, vocalist, sax player, and flautist of such influential bands as Hawkwind, Hawklords, Sphynx, Inner City Unit, Space Ritual, with more solo projects, quest appearances and collaborations than you could shake a stick at. I first saw Nik Turner perform with Hawkwind on the 'main' stage at Stonehenge Free Festival in 1984. By the early 80's I'd become what would've been colloquially described as a 'hippy'. I'd seen festival legends the Here and Now band in the autumn of 83', and they'd knocked on a door for me, though it was at  Stonehenge 84' that that door was kicked wide open. Without doubt Stonehenge 84' was one of the most influential, life shaping events of my youth; Hawkwind and Nik Turner's performances were foundational in that period of personal, creative and spiritual evolution. As you'd imagine, there were a variety of drugs available at free festivals, and it would've been rude not to indulge, so to be honest a lot of the bands and events of that week remain more as feelings than definable memories, not Hawkwind though, my memory of them endures. I remember the music and the atmosphere of their performance, though it's Nik Turner and his dancers that are seared into my memory most vividly; Turner dressed in a full body white leotard, white face with broad black band across his eyes and a forelock of orange hair protruding from what looked like a skateboard helmet, a striking figure; whilst the dancers cavorted in white dresses with white faces and blacken eyes. I'd say the music, atmosphere, and drugs combined to create a heady almost magical ritual environment that night; as night gave way to day and the sky lightened Hawkwind performed a second 'dawn set', continuing the magic. I remember listening to their improvised tripped out psychedelic set as I watched, in an altered state, the Druids gathering amongst the ancient stones to welcome the solstice sunrise; for me a spell was cast. I returned from the Stonehenge festival changed; my horizons broadened, with new paths and worlds to explore; drawing, archaeology, druidry/paganism, all things I cherish now grew from seeds sown then. That was the last free festival allowed at Stonehenge, and I feel truly blessed to have been able to experience it. So, thank you Nik Turner for your part in my transformation, thank you for the music I still enjoy today which connects me to my past; may your ancestors welcome you in the Summerlands, and let your song raise the rafters of their great halls. Hail and farewell.  

When the Warm Times Come by Andy Roid

 

It's the time of year for gifts and Andy Roid's (Here & Now, Music of the Andys) latest single release 'When the Warm Times Come' is just that, a real Yuletide treat. 'When the Warm Times Come' was written to celebrate the Winter Solstice in 2019 and incorporates a wonderful poem of the same name by Norman Lies. As you'd expect from Andy's music it's deeply atmospheric, all rich textures creating almost tangible soundscapes. The opening eerie drone slowly twists and morphs into a haunting retro 80's sci fi style vibe, through which weave threads of the mystical and magical, of something approaching or emerging, dawning, it's audio but you can't help but experience it almost cinematically. Andy's an electronic/synth wizard for sure. To my ear some Andy Roid tracks have something of the 70's weird to them, a sense of something mysterious just out of view in the shadows, something unearthly or otherworldly maybe, there's definitely some of that going on here. Bassy yet sharp reverberating electronic sounds mark your arrival in an alien space, a strange futuristic world, then the introduction of Norman Lies earthy pagan flavoured poem juxtaposes the two worlds of scifi and nature sending them swirling and blending seamlessly. Wonderful stuff. It works perfectly as a captivating aural accompaniment to our strange times, and in the poem we find hope, an understanding of the timelessness of the seasonal wheel balanced with an anticipation of better times to come. Lovely. Go check it out, and his other releases on his bandcamp whilst you're there.

Here and Now @ The King Arthur, Glastonbury, 30.6.2018

I'd first seen Here and Now perform in 1983 at Southampton Guild Hall, and never looked back, since then I don't know how many times we've seen them. What I do know is that 35 years on, and several line up changes later, they're still going strong, in fact as strong as ever. Over all those years Here and Now have never failed to come up with the goods, they never disappoint. Of course, over those years the shape of the band has changed as band members have come and gone, though I can honestly say that the current line up is as good as any I've seen perform. Throughout those years there's been one constant, the legendary, Keith the Bass, the governor, whose steadfast bass remains the solid foundation of the band. Joining him in the bands current manifestation are long time Gong family/Here and Now member Mark Robson on keyboards/vocals and Gem Quinn on drums, two fabulously versatile musicians (both also of Kangaroo Moon, now there's a band); and the 'Andy's', long time Here and Now synth wizard Andy Roger, and on guitar, fellow Andy, Andy Burrows (both also of the most excellent, Music of the Andy's). With a line up like that, of that high calibre, you know your ears are going to be well fed. Relative newbie Andy Burrows has really nailed that distinctive Here and Now guitar sound, and as with those who've gone before him, has brought something unique and new of his own, enriching the collective DNA of the sound which I think has been one of the secrets of the bands longevity (of course, the band will tell you 'there are no secrets'). I think one of the things that makes psychedelia so vibrant is the diverse and manifest talents of those in it, and their ability to effortlessly evolve, maintaining quality whilst remaining box fresh, Here and Now epitomize that.

The evening got off to a bumpy start, as the Andy's began to weave a nice trippy intro, the sound crapped out...I was getting into that too. Soon though with technical gremlins dealt with (the Arthurs' sound guys know their onions), Here and Now launched to full effect.  From the get go it was a stellar set, a beautifully curated mix of material from across their illustrious repertoire. There were some older numbers like a beautifully updated rendition of 'Surgeons Knife', off of their 1979 'All Over The show' album, it' a real favourite of mine, and always a pleasure to hear. Several tracks from the 'Fantasy Shift' and 'Theatre period', it was tracks from these albums which were the sound track of our early Here and Now forays, and still hold a very special magic, creating continuity wormholes to those days of yore. And excitingly, there was also another welcome opportunity to hear some of the bands new material, and wonderful stuff it is, fresh and vibrant, distinctly Here and Now. It's so good to see, and hear. You'll be pleased to know that the band are recording new material for release and if the new tracks they've played of late are anything to go by, we're in for a aural treat...I for one can't wait. Throughout the evening the crowd were enthralled, dancing and showing their thanks loudly after each number. Kudos to the band, it was soooo hot this evening, they must have been melting up there under the lights, though that didn't stop them delivering a magnificent performance. The small back room of the Arthur was like a furnace, made more so by the gig being well attended, it was a full house. Man, evenings like this are needed more than ever, thank you Here and Now, you beautiful people. Sadly, as always, it was over all too soon, leaving a warm glow which resonates on as anticipation grows of the next opportunity to see the band. For over 40 years Here and Now have crafted something magical, never sounding tired, always sounding current, the band continue to be a influential force, as was clear tonight with another absolutely stunning performance by a seminal band of the British psychedelic scene. 

Of course, a big thank you to the Arthur, our not so local local (70 miles away, in fact), for your friendly staff and clientèle, and for continually putting on top shelf nights like this to buoy our spirits. I doff my cap to you.

Gavin da Blitz

 Photo pinched from Here and Now Friendface page.

Aw, man. I've just heard that Gavin Da Blitz passed from this world into whatever comes after. Sad sad news, man. Now, I didn't know Gavin personally, it was through his music as keyboard and synth wizard with the legendary Here and Now band I knew him, though that said the sadness I feel today at his passing is as if I did know him. It's weird, you don't often know the musicians you listen too, though spend such an inordinate time in their company that they have a genuine effect on you that a sort of weird friendship develops, as if you did know them. During the 80's we saw Here and Now countless times, and we listened to their albums and bootleg tapes almost religiously, for a while to the detriment of expanding our listening. It was a mainstay in the soundtrack to my formative years, and their albums/bootlegs still get regular plays. I loved them then, and still do now. Here and Now's 'All Over The Show' still gets a weekly play. Gavin's synth wizardry played a major part in their sound, I remember at gigs watching fascinated as he twiddled knobs to create the finest of spaced out sounds that elasticized your mind. He'd not played with the band for some years (other than Keith's 60th, possibly), his role assumed in recent times by the equally talented Andy Roger, though when ever you play one of the older vinyl albums there he is doing his magic. So he's gone, though still here, and will be fleetingly every time you spin a Here and Now waxing. I don't like the phrase 'rest in peace', I'm hoping there's something more beyond, and if there is, then I hope that those who've gone beyond are experiencing what it may have to offer to the full. Thanks for the music Mr Da Blitz.

On the eleventh day of Christmas

On the eleventh day of Christmas music gave to me, the Here and Now band at Unit 23 Totnes. Ah, Here and Now, a band like no other, a band which holds a special place in my heart. The band has seen a few line up changes over the years, comings and goings, though throughout there's always been one consistent, the governor, Keith The Bass. And, with him in the bands current manifestation are those Andys of 'Music of the Andys', Andy Roger on twiddly tings and Andy Burrows on guitar, and Kangaroo Moon's Mark Robson on keyboards and Gem Quinn on drums, and, man, are they good. They've always been good. Shit, man, what am I saying, Here and Now have never just been 'good', they've always been at least 'great', though more often than not, bloody marvellous. And so it was at Totnes, the chemistry and energy of the current line up made this gig as good a Here and Now gig as I've seen, and over the years that's a fair few. It was an evening to immerse yourself in the joy of familiar tunes played with new twists and be enthralled by new material, solid gold shit too. Word is that they've been in the studio since and that a new release is in the offing. Oh happy days. Click this for a nice rendition of 'So Glad You're Here' filmed by John Peters.

On the fifth day of Christmas

On the fifth day of Christmas music gave to me The New Avalon Ballroom Weekender. And wow, what a weekend that was! Sublime bands in salubrious surroundings enjoyed in good company, it doesn't get much better than that. The last few years have throw up obstacles which have meant I've not made it to the festivals or gigs I'd often planned to, I feared it was going to go the same way for The New Avalon Ballroom Weekender, though the Gods and Goddesses smiled upon me and with a little help from my friends (as the Beatles said), at the last minute I was travelling to the Isle of Avalon and on to that hostelry of fine repute, The King Arthur.  The weekender was more fun than I could have imagined. We, like many, camped on the edge of town at the Isle of Avalon Touring Caravan Park, very nice, good atmosphere and within easy walking distance of the town. I have to admit to getting a bit too wasted on the first night, I blame....well, I don't blame anybody, it was a fine evening, even if I did require supporting on the walk back. I took a more measured approach on subsequent days. We didn't get to see all the fantastic bands, although as you'd expect the ones we did gave stella performances. We saw current favourites like The Cary Grace Band, Magic Bus and Music of the Andys, new bands (to me anyway) such as Zub Zub and Tim Hawthorn and the Archetypes and long time favourites and legends in the form of the Invisible Opera Company, Kangaroo Moon and Here and Now. It was magical. And, Here and Now's Andy Roger giving me shout out before 'So glad your here' was a lovely gesture, brought a tear to my eye and was the cherry on one hell of a weekend cake. I was so glad I was there too, to have seen such fabulous bands and enjoyed the company of so many lovely people was a real tonic. I salute all involved.

Here & Now @ Unit 23 Totnes 17.6.2017

Ah, the Here and Now Band. Since I first heard Here and Now's 'All Over The Show' album in the early 80's, the bands music has remained a constant on the soundtrack of my life.  The bands line up may have changed over the years, though a consistent throughout has been the quality of musicians and the quality of the music, both have remained very high.  The current line up of Keith da Bass, Mark Robson, Andy Roger, Andy Burrows and Gem Quinn is fantastic, and together they have an amazing chemistry, the energy created fair crackled across the stage tonight.  Andy B on guitar and Gem drums are newbies, though you'd never know it, so tight is the band sound you'd think they'd been there forever; credit to them as musicians, you should see them in their other bands too, Andy with MOTA and Gem with Kangaroo Moon, wow.  As for the other band members, well, Keith's Keith, a bass legend who deserves the title, a man with Vibranium fingers; Mark, no matter in what manifestation (H&N, Kangaroo Moon, Magic Brothers) a multi instrumentalist par excellence; and Andy R, a master of the electronic universe, a wizard of soundscape creation.  Naturally, our expectations were high, Here and Now have set themselves a high bar over the years and have never failed to reach beyond it, other than... only kidding, of course they've never failed to produce the goods, they're feckin ace! Tonight the set list was outstanding, a smorgasbord of tracks from the bands extensive back catalogue; some tracks that when we were first seeing them we could could only dream of hearing (they weren't included in the live sets at the time), like 'Surgeons Knife' and 'little things' (two particular favourites of mine), and then there were tracks of the 'Secrets' and 'The Mega Number' period, aw, man, the 'The Mega Number', a track I remember blissing out to at so many gigs through the 80's. The band delivered every track perfectly, and with gusto and panache. But that's not all, no, there were new tracks! Yup, we thought we heard one during Here and Now's Avalon Ballroom set at the King Arthur, but tonight, there were more! All good strong stuff too, one in particular, a long number, was outstanding! That's an exclamation mark at the end of the last three sentences, if that's not an indication of how good the evening was, then I give up! We the audience were loving it, man, you couldn't help but move; the band too looked like they were enjoying it, which is when the magic happens. And, magic was happening. Each time I looked about, everyone was smiling, people dancing and moving (there was some great moves on show too), people were really feeling the energy. Life can kick the shit out of you, and it's bands like Here and Now who can put the wind back into your sails, and for that we thank them and love them. And, there was certainly love in the room this evening. Now, we've seen Here and Now many many times over the years and it would be fair to say that tonight their performance ranked with the very best of them, and as I said, that's a high bar. They finished with, of course, 'So Glad You're Here', the joy in the room was palpable. Every member of the band had brought their best game. Special credit though needs to go to both the Andy's who'd already performed a stella set this evening as MOTA, bravo fellows. What a stunning performance, and one that will raise a smile for a long time to come. I can't wait for the new album, yeah, that's right, that's what I heard from a reputable source, and if that doesn't excite any Here and Now fan, I'd check your pulse. Finally, a big thanks to Mike (I'd found out from a friend that Mike was the guy who put the gig on), when ever I'd seen him he was bobbing about beaming, and why not, he'd put on a beautiful thing, nice one, man. And thanks to the venue and sound guy, both top draw, big up. 'Till the next time, thank you Here and Now.

The New Avalon Ballroom Weekender, Day 2, Friday 14th April 2017

The New Avalon Ballroom Weekender, Day 2; festy styled ambient wizards Music of the Andys, smiley techo combo Zub Zub, and the legendary, and I mean 'legendary', Here and Now Band (of course including the Music of the Andys pair).

Deep grooves, man.

I was talking to a friend the other day about music, extolling the virtues of, and my love of, vinyl. He said to me, 'yeah, but you can only play them so many times as each time you play them you mine a tiny piece of the vinyl away'. I told him he should take the penny off his headshell, and we laughed. But, how true is that, do you think? And if it is true how many plays have you got? I ask because I've just listened to my copy of Here and Nows' ''All over the show'', the record was pressed in 1979, I bought it from Snu Peas records in 1984 and I've played it more times than I can remember (really I've played it loads) and it still sounds like it always has. And that's with me not being the most diligent of record collectors, yeah, it has some surface marks and some crackles (or as I like to say character), and the cover, well, my records used to be stored near floor level and we had cats, but still.  So, if my Here and Nows' ''All over the show'' is anything to go by, even if you do mine a piece of the vinyl every time you play it, it'll still last a bloody long time (said with fingers crossed). 

If you haven't listened to Here and Now, you don't know what you're missing. I'd recommend all their albums, and their cassette/bootleg recordings, and to see them live is a joy.  As an intro I'd suggest ''All over the show'' and ''Fantasy Shift''.