On Yusuf/Cat Stevens seventy fifth birthday, see what Paul McCartney, Dolly Parton, Ricky Gervais and others have recalled of his music. Test it out solely on NME beneath.
The legendary musician first discovered fame together with his debut album ‘Matthew And Son’ when he was simply 18 in 1967, earlier than releasing the likes of ‘First Reduce Is The Deepest’, ‘Father And Son’, ‘Morning Has Damaged’, ‘Peace Practice’ and ‘Wild World’. He has had a profession that has spanned over 50 years, together with his newest album being 2023’s ‘King Of A Land’.
Marking his seventy fifth birthday right now, the icon instructed his followers: “Because of the One who gave us life after our lifeless non-existence – to You is the Journeying.”
To assist have fun, numerous artists and fellow musicians took the time to recall the significance of each Stevens’ music and himself as an individual with these unique feedback to NME:
Sir Paul McCartney
“It was fantastic to hang around with Cat within the ’60s. We had some enjoyable experiences collectively and I’ve all the time admired his music. It was an important pleasure to fulfill his spouse and kids in latter years and see how completely happy all of them are as a household. From Cat to Yusuf he is a good singer and music author and simple to admire.”
Dolly Parton
“I’ve liked Cat Stevens from the primary time I heard his voice, heard him play the guitar, and heard his fantastic, touching, deep lyrics. I additionally thought he was probably the most lovely and mysterious man I had ever seen. I liked how his music touched my very soul…and nonetheless does. ‘Tea For The Tillerman’ continues to be my favourite album ever. I’ve recorded his ‘Peace Practice’, one of many biggest songs ever written. I used to be additionally blessed to have him sing a duet with me on ‘The place Do The Youngsters Play’, one other one among my all time favorites. And I used to be proud to get to sing with him on his ‘Boots and Sand’ album. I really like his music, however I additionally love his good coronary heart and soul.”
Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull.
“I first heard Cat Stevens – the younger pop singer Cat – in 1966 with ‘I Love My Canine’. Perked up my ears on the lyrics of an unconventional love music. Nevertheless it was the 1970 Island Information releases ‘Mona Bone Jakon’ and ‘Tea For The Tillerman’ that basically introduced dwelling to me the excellence of his songwriting and the wealthy, rough-velvet texture of his voice.
Through the years, I’ve usually cited Cat/Yusuf as a significant affect in my very own occasional singer-songwriter efforts… Cat/Yusuf has by no means actually been away. At all times in our hearts.”
Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac
“After I first heard Yusuf’s music, it was a revelation. I’d already been taking part in guitar for about fifteen years, however I’d not but began to jot down. Yusuf’s folks, rock and classical influences had been just like mine, and his breathtaking vocal performances, mixed together with his chic melodies and rhythmic sensibility had been inspirational and exemplary in serving to me discover my very own means as author and artist. Yusuf was and has remained an inspiration; one among my favorites of all time.’
John Frusciante, Purple Scorching Chili Peppers
“In 1974, once I was 4 years previous, I bear in mind being at a neighbor’s home one night time in Tucson, Arizona, in a small front room, the lamplight dim, listening to Cat Stevens taking part in on the turntable. It wasn’t the primary time I’d heard his music, however for some cause, in that surroundings, I had a pivotal expertise which is tough to scale back to phrases. I’ll all the time bear in mind it as the primary second I noticed that music is one thing which exists residing inside me; not simply one thing which exists within the exterior world. I in some way knew at that second that I had one thing to say musically.”
“There was an explosion of feeling inside me that was animated by the music I used to be listening to, and I noticed the music within the air, mingling with the mushy lighting and shadows. It was a second of wholeness the place life appeared wealthy and full, and internal and outer world had been one. Every part I’ve lived by and accomplished since has been looking for, or attempting to remain true to that feeling.”
“I’ve many reminiscences of studying and performing his tunes. My most up-to-date reminiscence of this type is maybe probably the most significant. My dad has a doctorate diploma in music as a pianist, however he had a block towards studying “easy” pop music, till age 70 after we sat down with a Cat Stevens songbook and acquired ‘Morning Has Damaged’ collectively. We carried out it in my home for ourselves; him taking part in and me singing.”
“It was a breakthrough second for my father, and for us, because it was additionally the primary time we’d ever performed music collectively. We have now since performed it on no matter events we’ve seen one another. Cat Stevens songwriting has impressed my very own, in numerous immeasurable methods. His songs, for me, are among the many most fulfilling to be taught, examine, play together with, and interpret. His data carry a heat with them that’s, for my part, unsurpassed by different music.”
“Regardless of the place you’re, these albums do the identical factor to 1’s sense of well-being {that a} cozy, homey front room does, and in case you are already in such a front room, no music can emphasize that feeling higher than his.”
Peter Gabriel
“I used to be an enormous fan of Yusuf or Cat as he was. It was his music writing after which his singing that drew me in. The unconventional means he would use rhythm, melody and music construction was fascinating to me. He discovered it really easy to interrupt the conference of music writing with out shedding any coronary heart or soulfulness.”
“I used to be very excited when Paul Samwell-Smith invited me to play flute on the ‘Mona Bone Jakon’ session [on “Katmandu”]. I used to be by no means a lot of a flute participant and was very nervous. Actually, I imagine they performed my monitor again in solo and had a very good chortle on the anxious respiration of a nineteen 12 months previous would-be flute participant.”
Ricky Gervais
“Cat Stevens was in all probability the primary artist I actually liked rising up and that has by no means modified. I nonetheless take heed to no less than one album every week. ‘Tea for The Tillerman’ was the right music to finish every episode of Extras. Brief. Melancholy. Wealthy. Dramatic. Hopeful. I believe the entire album has a non secular really feel to it and for an atheist this interprets right into a love letter to the highs and lows of humanity.”
Nile Rodgers, CHIC
“Yusuf and I spent a while collectively just lately at Abbey Street and it jogged my memory that we share one thing in frequent which is that our main goal is to deliver pleasure. These are joyful albums and he’s a deep joyous man. He’s a really particular Cat certainly”
Carly Simon
“It’s not an exaggeration to say that if it wasn’t for Cat Stevens (as most of us knew his identify as that) I’d in all probability by no means have carried out. When my first album got here out, it was introduced to me that Cat Stevens had requested me to open for him on the Troubadour in Los Angeles. I balked and I put up obstacles, however the lure of being part of that week was too engaging.”
“The primary time I heard his voice which was on the radio earlier that 12 months (1971) I had such an uncommon response to it. It was model new in each means aside from one: it stirred my soul (up from the various) however like only a few voices ever had. I needed to hear it in particular person. Skip to the Troubadour and in the course of the two days of rehearsal there, I acquired to listen to him follow and it introduced me out of the overly excited nervous system that will have usurped me, made me extra self-preoccupied than would have been useful.”
“He did transport me and grip me. The songs coming from that heat, darkish, fierce place. The kid like high quality which he had along with the highly effective grownup male sexiness was so fascinating, so charismatic. He had that high quality that you just couldn’t identify. You had to search around.”
“‘Peace Practice’, ‘Moonshadow’, ‘The Wind’, ‘If I Snigger’ and all of the songs I acknowledged from ‘Tea for the Tillerman’ had been good and of the identical numerous emotional resonances every of their totally different means, however then he performed: ‘How Can I Inform You’ and it turned the music that is likely one of the songs of my life.”
“My son sang it at my daughter’s wedding ceremony, he (Ben) sang it in every single place. Even, in 2010 when as if by magic, Yusuf appeared at my resort door in London when Ben and I had been there performing. The concierge known as from the foyer and introduced him unexpectedly. Ben sang ‘How Can I Inform You’ for Yusuf and I’m fairly certain it was one of many excessive factors of my life. If I sound ecstatic I’m. I’m not exaggerating.”
Cameron Crowe
“‘Teaser And The Firecat’ was an album meant to be performed from starting to finish. The music cycle was peerless. This masterwork started with ‘The Wind’, a music I’m continually grateful that Yusuf allowed us to make use of in our movie Nearly Well-known… Thanks Yusuf, for then and for now. And excuse me whereas I drop the needle on ‘The Wind’ and take the journey yet another time. It’s the most effective form of journey. The one which by no means ends.”
Rick Wakeman
“Cat Stevens stood out for me as one of many nice songwriters of the interval. Songs like ‘Moonshadow’, ‘Peace Practice’ and ‘Father And Son’ are songs that can dwell on and on.”
“To be invited to play on ‘Morning Has Damaged’ was an actual honour and a day I’ll all the time bear in mind in Studio 2 at Morgan Studios in Willesden… I’ve all the time been happy with the piano on that monitor and we had an opportunity to relive all of it nearly 50 years later on the O2 in London at a charity live performance for the Royal Marsden Hospital…”
“His albums are stand out monuments to an important period of music which he helped to form. I’ve a lot respect for his music, his private beliefs and his want to create… If he ever wants piano on a monitor he simply must let me know!”
Paul Rodgers, Free / Dangerous Firm
“I really feel that ‘Morning has damaged / like the primary morning’ is the best opening line to any music ever written. It’s nearly biblical and sends me again in time to the very first morning when the earth was recent, new and unspoiled.”
Bonnie “Prince” Billy
“I do know music adjustments me. I see it in Yusuf.”
“When he felt himself pulling or being pulled away from the guts of the music, he surrendered. Music discovered its means again to him. By permitting his reality to information him quite than vice-verse, we got the present of a maintained and renewed voice. There may be spirit in ‘Teaser‘ and the spirit is voiced extra absolutely, years later, in ‘An Different Cup’ and past. Extra absolutely as a result of extra life has been witnessed; sacrifice and compromise had been stored in a correct place, away from the creating and sharing of music.”
“I’m grateful for this instance: take heed to the wind of your soul.”
Dale Crover, The Melvins
“Rock & Roll wants individuals like Yusuf/ Cat Stevens. The strategy, the angle, and most significantly, the fantastic music.”
James Morrison
“Yusuf Islam’s music has been in my unconscious since I used to be a bit child. My dad used to play ‘Teaser And The Firecat’ and ‘Tea for the Tillerman’ rather a lot after we frolicked collectively. He was all the time taking part in me plenty of nice music and singers -singing their coronary heart out. Cat Stevens was all the time one among them.”
“…it’s like I’m with my dad once more once I take heed to his music. I used to be fortunate to fulfill him and report backing vocals on a music for him on his album ‘The Street Singer’. That was a dream come true! His music jogs my memory we’re all related collectively in some lovely mysterious means and his songs try this. They’re very highly effective!”
“So thanks Mr Islam to your lovely soul and music. Might it dwell on endlessly extra!”
Stevens carried out within the Legends slot on the Pyramid Stage at this years version of Glastonbury. Although he instructed NME that he was “petrified”, beforehand – including “I haven’t accomplished an enormous gig like that in a very long time” and describing the honour as a “bucket checklist second”.
Followers then praised his set as a “mesmerising” and “magical” set.
Chatting with NME earlier this 12 months about his new LP ‘King Of A Land’, Stevens shared: “I didn’t have a plan for what this album was going to be and, in a means, I’ve been recording it for 12 years. I began recording it in Berlin in 2011, however I wasn’t pleased with the tracks I laid down there.
He continued: “Through the years, I’ve steadily been perfecting them. I dwell in Dubai, the place I’ve been including particulars in my studio. So it’s taken a very long time, but it surely’s benefitted from that. I wasn’t going to let go till it’s prepared and I’m very, very happy with the outcomes. It’s in all probability one among my greatest albums.”
