What a brilliant night on BBC4....first a 1971 concert by Cat Stevens followed by the Imagine BioDocumentary about his life and then his comeback gig at Porchester Hall.

ROADSINGER his new album is the best album he has made. It has the experience of his life and the production is superb. It also has the best songs he has written on one album.

It is truly wonderful to hear music which has meaning and passion - and which makes the world a better place. Yusef has always done that from the moment he appeared in the 60s and certainly his 70s output was lifechanging for many people.

It is fantastic to see him back writing and performing - and perhaps his greatest gift to the World will be to bring peace into the fragile Muslim - West relationship. He could not have chosen a better time to start singing again.

Roadsinger is an awesome album. Check it out here :
www.roadsinger.com/preview/

Bring peace

Can you remember what the programe was called as it could be repeated on tv on demand on virgin cable ?

I'm glad he's sticking to music now. His disgraceful public call for the death of Salman Rushdie and inciting mass violence against another person, has still not been forgotten by most people

The show was BBC's 'Hypotheticals'. Yusef called for my death on many occassions culminating in this TV show. With all the fuss about MP's expenses I think that Yusef should be billed for all the security costs incurred by the UK government paying to protect me and keep me in hiding which were added to greately after his heinous comments.

I Player should have the programme ( Go to BBC 4 site )

Yusef said that he was misquoted about Rushdie in the programme and he was asked about this.

He does believe in peace.

Most religions believe people who go against God will not necessarily make it to the afterlife / heaven or whatever version of post human existence is offered by that religion.

Great album - anyone else listened to it ?

can we keep this thread on his music and contribution through the music.

Great that Salmon Rushdie reads this board...I don't really think any of us should be telling him to focus on Yusefs' music!

Anyhow, artists such as Gary Glitter and Mr King are not knowingly played on most radio yet Yusef is on all the time. He DID call for people to kill Rushdie and did so to groups of students and on live television. His denial shows what a nasty man he is. Having said that the music you talk of is pretty good but as a fan of free speech I would never knowingly give such an idiot my money.

Steve was one of my closest friends in the 60s and, I believe, one of the greatest musical talents of all time.

I'm sure he's not a nasty man and suspect he never called for anyone's death.

Plus - I'm not at all sure the poster calling himself Salman Rushdie is in fact the real thing (was poster Alan Shearer REALLY that God?).

If he is, however, and contributes to this board I have to tell him I find his books totally unreadable - for me, a very rare thing.

But each to their own.

There are times when this board is truly out of control. I know people who saw and heard him say it and I myself have seen in on television. There was no way he was misquoted. He makes good music but he has made some bad judgements - calling for a author JK does not like to be killed is wrong. It is the fact that he won't admit it that is scary. This insistence on fluffy celebrity love (defending anyone of anything) or whatever it is brings in to doubt your own 'crimes' JK. Nasty was meant in the sense of honesty and respect. Calling for someone to be killed (as HE did) is truly evil. Denyimng it and claiming to be some peace virgin is actually quite funny. Incidently I love 'Father and Son'.

Say he did say that a Fatwah was a good idea - does that mean that we should all be judged by one comment to the press or one bad judgement ?

I certainly knew a friend of Rushdie who was greatly angered by the fatwah - and I remember Cat Stevens name never being mentioned during discussions about what was going on.

The whole furore was based on one comment he made in a University I believe.

If you go back through his music and life Cat Stevens has consistently been singing about and living a peaceful life. His actions in setting up schools and Muslim Aid and generally not being featured in the press on the front pages for that work are the marks of a man who cares about other people and seeks no reward for that ( Unlike some other pop stars who hog the cameras for their work.....)

Cat Stevens is a muslim so I am sure he will attract detractors.

It is a shame that when you have someone like Cliff or Cat who have deep religious beliefs they tend to have the press on their back a bit. There seems to be some hint of jealousy that they have "found what they are looking for"

BR wrote:
I Player should have the programme ( Go to BBC 4 site )

Yusef said that he was misquoted about Rushdie in the programme and he was asked about this.

He does believe in peace.

can we keep this thread on his music and contribution through the music.


Not while you write blatant lies like that.

Have a listen here.



The comments were live on a debate and not even you could twist your imagination to mishear what he says and what he means.

He was misquoted ? Bullshit !

I'm certainly not jealous. Yusef has made some good music. Salmon's writing is not my thing at all. However, the whole fatwa thing is maddenning. I had a very good Muslim friend who wanted to kill Rushdie following the declaration and I have great sympathy for Rushdie. In many ways this site supports people like Rushdie (freedom of speech; individual views etc) but then suddenly seems to turn on its head when certain people are involved. I can sing about abusing kids but would never do it. Yusef singing about peace is totally irrelevant.

Well I think we're all agreed that killing anyone is wrong and advocating others to do it (including capital punishment) is abhorrent.

Some adore Rushdie's writing; others hate it; nobody should advocate killing him.

Likewise Cat Stevens was a great talent with brilliant music and, in the 60s, a good friend.

I hate organised religion (check out my song I Hate Coca Cola, one of the more successful organised religions) but many have some very good points.

I think we can close the thread now!