1978 Albums

After their amicable separation from Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth in March, Here & Now spent the balance of 1978 touring, finding time along the way to record their debut album at Foel Studio in Wales, with Dave Anderson producing. Though certainly influenced by Gong, Here & Now was an original outfit, combining the best of space rock with a punk attitude. Their debut album for Charly Records, Give And Take, is proof. "What You See Is What You Are" leads off: melodic and free-spirited, it's bolted onto a tight, solid rhythm before launching off into deep space.

In late 1977, Steve Hillage spent some time with his ex-Gong cohorts producing ex-Hawkwind member Nik Turner's 1978 solo album, Xitintoday. He then toured the UK, assisted by Americans Joe Blocker on drums and Curtis Robertson on bass (from the funk band Karma) and, of course, his ever-present partner Miquette Giraudy on keyboards. For his fourth album, Hillage manned the producer's chair with Pink Floyd's Nick Mason; so it should be no surprise that Green is one of his spacier releases.