Cat Stevens back after 33 years.

[Mike Stenson (RIP)]

Good to see Cat Stevens back after 33 years......missed you man.....thought we had lost you forever. 

[SandyB]

what  .. did he ditch  his  tea towell head cover ..  thats the reason he gave up singing ,  converted to  tea towel on head  religion , and yes commited  the  sin of  wasting  his  god given talent ...  mm ..maybe  he  come to his  senses .??.  if so welcome back Cat .. and yes dithch the  tea towell name  you  took on as well ..

[Patricia Lotte]

You're right Sandy. He lives in Dubai ...

[Pete (RIP)]

Cat (or Yusuf Islam, as he prefers to be known) has been back for 3 or 4 years now.  The first DVD he released after his "come back" was Yusuf's Cafe which was recorded at Porchester Hall, London, in 2006.  This was also a CD release at about the same time. I would recommend the DVD to all CS fans.  The footage includes an extensive, and extremely illuminating, interview with him about his conversion to the Moslem faith and all that implied and brought to his life.  The DVD includes some of his old great hits, together with newer material.  He is presently working on a new album.  He has not abandoned his faith but believes that he has found a compromise, whereby he can continue to record "European/Western-type" commercial songs without putting his religious beliefs at risk.   He is particularly anxious about the current perception of Moslems, given the events of 9/11 and so on.  When you hear his new material there's one thing for sure...he hasn't lost his touch.

[SandyB]

Thanks  for the info  Pete ,, now  thats what I wanted to hear ,, he reached a compromise ..   I was doing  my  bitchy biting bit  cos I got peed  off by the rigid approach  after his conversion ,, he had a god given gift  and  abaondoned  and stifled it  ,, so silly  .. pretty sure even the Q'ran  even had passages in it about not wasting talent .. he has reached a maturity  of mind and yes I will look at the new albums ..  I have  one or two of his old Cd's and  yes they are soulfood ,,

[Pete (RIP)]

Hi Sandy ~

Indeed.  The sad thing is the media today feeds us garbage most of the time, way more concerned with sales and circulation figures than the truth.  On reflection, I don't think CS was ever given a fair chance to explain his "conversion".  May I recommend that you buy or borrow (whoops...nearly said "steal"!!) the Yusuf's Cafe DVD and watch the interview.  It really is enlightening.

[SandyB]

Beg ,, Borrow  or " steal "  I will

[toonfandangl]

I have a few of Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam, born Steven Demetre Georgeion) Cd's the words to his music are magic

One of my favorites  O VERY YOUNG (You're only dancing on this earth for a short while) he was active in the

mid sixties to 1980 in Skiffle and Folk Rock.

One thing about him was you could understand all the Lyrics.......Frank

[SandyB]

Oh Frank  you got the same favourite song ... its very wise words  sit  so right  in my heart ..