Now And Zen
	Produced by Tim Palmer, Robert Plant and Phil Johnstone
	Released on February 1988
	UK CHART POSITION #10 . . . US CHART POSITION #6
	Find it at GEMM
7 90863-1 cover

F ame is a fire that needs to be stoked. If interest in Robert Plant was doused by a few years off, “Tall Cool One” built the pyre back up again. Now and Zen found Plant with a completely new band of (presumably younger) relative unknowns, including keyboardist Phil Johnstone, whom Plant had “discovered” while listening to demo tapes for his new band. The songs return to the epic, atmospheric sound of The Principle of Moments, notably on the singles “Ship of Fools” and “Heaven Knows,” with only “Tall Cool One” inviting comparison to the experimental Shaken ‘N Stirred. The sacrilege of that single is the resurrection of Zeppelin’s ghost, used here to do Plant’s banal bidding on what is ostensibly a dance track (even Jimmy Page’s guitar work is used). Sampling Zep’s hits at the end with irreverence, using symbols that resemble the hallowed ZOSO on the front cover... is Plant trashing the Zeppelin legacy? His answer: Lighten up, baby. Plant never accepted the Zeppelin mantle after the band’s demise; he’s become the de facto spokesperson based on his solo success, but to suggest that Plant's hasn't grown since leaving Zeppelin's shadow would be foolish. Now and Zen seems to make a reconciliation with that past, while at the same time representing a different chapter than Zeppelin. Plant and his band are interested in contemporary music: state-of-the-art studio tricks and tight musicianship combined in songs that somehow transcend their mundane subject matter to sound as if great mysteries are being revealed. Sound like anyone you know? The fact is, Plant has stayed true to the spirit of Led Zeppelin without living in the past.

7 90863-1 back cover	7 90863-1 lyric sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. HEAVEN KNOWS    (Phil Johnstone/Dave Barrett)    4:02
2. DANCE ON MY OWN    (Robert Plant/Phil Johnstone/Dave Crash)    4:31
3. TALL COOL ONE    (Robert Plant/Phil Johnstone)    4:37
4. THE WAY I FEEL    (Robert Plant/Phil Johnstone/Doug Boyle)    5:39
5. HELEN OF TROY    (Robert Plant/Phil Johnstone)    5:03
6. BILLY'S REVENGE    (Robert Plant/Phil Johnstone)    3:33
7. SHIP OF FOOLS    (Robert Plant/Phil Johnstone)    4:59
8. WHY    (Robert Plant/Dave Crash)    4:12
9. WHITE, CLEAN AND NEAT    (Robert Plant/Phil Johnstone)    5:28
10. (CD bonus track:) WALKING TOWARDS PARADISE

CREDITS

ROBERT PLANT -- vocals
CHRIS BLACKWELL -- drums and percussion
DOUG BOYLE -- guitars
PHIL JOHNSTONE -- keyboards, programming
PHIL SCRAGG -- bass
Dave Barrett -- programming, engineer
Robert Crash -- programming
Toni Halliday -- backing vocals
Kirsty MacColl -- backing vocals
Jimmy Page -- guitar solos (3)
Marie Pierre -- backing vocals
Rob Bozas -- engineer
Tim Burrell -- engineer
Jonathan Dee -- engineer
Michael Gregovich -- engineer
Martin Russell -- engineer

© 2003 Connolly & Company. All rights reserved.