Does anyone here listen to Cat Stevens?

[DeRick]

I have 3 of his best albums: "Tea for the Tillerman", "Teaser & the Firecat" And "Catch Bull @ 4". The first time i heard of him, someone gave me an 8-track of "Greatest Hits" and he just seemed to click me as well as Beatles when i was going through all that "nerdy abuse" in high school. I often wondered why he became Muslim. Alot of his stuff sounds "George" influinced, i guess that explains some of it

[dpantz]

I dig Cat Stevens. I'm familiar his older work, but not familiar with his recent music. A friend of mine turned me on to his music about two years ago.

You listed his three best albums in my opinion. I think he's great and very talented. As a fan of Peter Gabriel's music I understand that Gabriel appears on "Mona Bone Jakon", in his Gabriel's early folky days. I see similarities in Gabriel's early work with Genesis (1969/1970) and Cat Stevens. Peter Gabriel appeared on that album before he was even an international star, playing flute on a Cat Stevens recording. Don't know if they were friends or how the collaboration came about.

Cat Stevens is perhaps one of the best of the singer and songwriters of the 1970's. James Taylor was good, but a bit flakey. Cat Stevens was more deeply spiritual and realistic and I can relate to the message in his songs more than James Taylor or any other of those guitar oriented singer songwriters of the '70's.

Another one of my favorites is Nick Drake. If you have never heard his music before, I highly recommend it.

[giovagb07]

No

[bobrocks]

I love Cat Stevens. Ever since I was a kid. And I love Nick Drake too. I have 'Bryter Layter' and 'Pink Moon'. They're both excellent, in a very laid back way.

[Genuine_Indian_Guru]

I love Cat Stevens. Ever since I was a kid. And I love Nick Drake too. I have 'Bryter Layter' and 'Pink Moon'. They're both excellent, in a very laid back way.

Although I have not listened to a Cat Stevens album a fairly long while, I do enjoy his music. Nick Drake is pretty darn good too. I really dig 'Pink Moon'.

[Harrythebannister]

I love Cat Stevens earlier work from the 60's particularly the big production sound on them. Matthew & Son, I Love My Dog, Here Comes My Baby are all great tracks!!

[jules]

I like Matthew And Son. That's about it.

[A.]

I have 3 of his best albums: "Tea for the Tillerman", "Teaser & the Firecat" And "Catch Bull @ 4". The first time i heard of him, someone gave me an 8-track of "Greatest Hits" and he just seemed to click me as well as Beatles when i was going through all that "nerdy abuse" in high school. I often wondered why he became Muslim. Alot of his stuff sounds "George" influinced, i guess that explains some of it

I love him! After "bull" he seems to have lost touch a bit, and he did not make records of similar quality as tea or teaser, also moving away from the style which charaterised them (choosing less folky, more electronic-driven sound). He also flirted with art rock - he created a 15 min long "Foreigner" suite", which was not top-notch sadly. Nevertheless he still he managed to deliver some really enjoyable stuff - my favourite latter days album is "Numbers" (a bit blown-up, yes, but filled with melodic hooks). You should also check out mona bona jakon, which began his classic period (mona - tea - teaser- budda).
What is more he returned an year ago with an album called "An other cup" - a minor affair, but one that evoked classic period rather than his late 70's records. Very nice, though proably not ground-breaking

As for Islam, the story is that members of his family were christians (greek - catholicism) but he was unable to relate to that faith. nevertheless he still searched for his way as far as religion is concerned (you can trace those attempts in his lyrics for example "On the road to find out", "Budha", "I think i see the light"!). One day he was swimming in the bay next to his friends' house and he faced a sudden change of weather, which made it - according to cat himself- almost imposibble for him to make it back alive, as the tide was moving him towards the open sea. Cat began to pray then. Suddenly, the weather changed and he could come back safely. This was the begginning of his conversion - hard to say why he decided that it was muslim, not christian or jewish God that saved him though

hope this helps, A.

[chris]

i, on occasion...listen to my cat...fluffy. does that count?

[lampie1970]

i, on occasion...listen to my cat...fluffy. does that count?

that had me laughing out loud...thanks...