Now is Now is the rock band fronted by singer and guitarist Mitch Alden. It formed in 2000, and its discography dates back nearly two decades to the debut album “Transitions.” Three have followed, along with couple of singles and a solo album by Alden.

Last month, on Feb. 21, the band released the song “Keep Us Around,” and you can hear it on streaming platforms as well as at the band’s website where it’s also available for download.

The band, along with Alden, is Chip Brindamour on bass and harmony vocals and drummer Louis Dugal.

“Keep Us Around” is a righteous rock song and was inspired by both the pandemic and a re-reading of Stephen King’s novel “The Stand,” which is about a pandemic. Alden picked up the book last February, and by the time he finished it, towards the end of March, most of the world was living in one.

On March 22, Alden was feeling like an emotional wreck as he finished King’s tome. “I floated aimlessly around my house for the next few hours and eventually picked up my guitar,” he said in an email. What followed was what Alden described as one of the most spiritual moments of his life, almost like a surreal, out-of-body experience. “As I was playing, it was as if a ghost had taken over my being. The ghost took over my creative brain and within 15 minutes, I had a verse, chorus, bridge, solo, and the melody. 15 minutes later, I had the lyrics. 30 minutes to complete a song.”

Alden said that it normally takes him about six months to a year to finish a song. But on this particular day, it was instantaneous. “The song completed, I put the guitar back in its case, collapsed to the floor, and as the spirit was exiting my body, I cried. Lots.”

Find “Keep Us Around” everywhere you stream music.

Here’s “Keep Us Around” on Spotify: