Ex-Cat Stevens to release first album in years

[graywarrior]

NEW YORK - The artist formerly known as Cat Stevens will release his first pop album in 28 years this fall.

Stevens, who changed his name to Yusuf Islam after converting to Islam in the late 1970s, has signed with Atlantic Records in conjunction with his Ya Records label, it was announced Thursday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14722462/

[datasuspect]

1. some of his islamic music is very cool

i still love the soulfulness of his voice.

[graywarrior]

2. I have not heard his islamic music.

I should check it out.

[sir_captain]

3. Eh...

I'm not going to financially support someone who does things like support the fatwa against Salman Rushdie.

[datasuspect]

5. that's why you download it on file sharing

and then that evil muslim can't get any royalties.

[sir_captain]

7. heh

i'm not sure i'm prepared to label him as evil. not a big fan of his politics, though.

[southpaw]

6. Agreed.

I could care less which religion he chooses. But he has never, to my knowledge, stated unambiguously that he disagrees with the Rushdie fatwa (or any other, for that matter.)

Peace Train indeed.

[sir_captain]

8. Yeah, his denials

are seriously the definition of non-denials. I had an opportunity to interview him a few years back when I was in college, and let's just say, I think there are some posters in I/P he'd get along very well with.

[av8rdave]

19. He in fact stated that the Quaran dictated that the fatwha must take place

[jobycom]

21. He never supported it, and did oppose it.

http://catstevens.com/articles/00236/index.html
http://catstevens.com/articles/00013/index.html

He was asked a question at a speech in 89 about the penalties for blasphemy, and he gave what he thought was a legal answer to the question. Yes, the Qur'an calls for the death penalty for blasphemy. (So does the Bible.) His answer was as an Islamic scholar, much the same way a lawyer might answer a question about the death penalty without expressing whether they support or oppose the death penalty.

A reporter the next day claimed Yusuf had called for Rushdie's death. Rushdie had not, and has repeatedly explained that. He further explained that it would be against Islamic law for a Muslim to break the laws of another nation in which they lived, which is a flat-out renunciation of Khomeini's fatwah, calling it a violation of Islamic law. That's pretty bold, considering he could have had a fatwah issued against him if he weren't careful. He could issue a statement that offered an opposing legal opinion, but directly contradicting the Ayotollah would have been dangerous.

What he did say was: "Under Islamic Law, Muslims are bound to keep with in the limits of the law of the country in which they live, providing that it does not restrict the freedom to worship and serve God and fulfill their basic religious duties."

Now, that's what really happened, but there are too many people whose agendas are furthered by undermining Yusuf and by making all Muslims appear extremist, so the true story doesn't get spread much, and the one you've heard is the commonly told one. But that's it. It wasn't a "non-denial denial" as some have said. It was an explanation of his answer, in legalistic terms.

I've got some issues with Yusuf myself--his views sometimes border on anti-Semitism, at least in how they are presented by the media. He was opposed to Rushdie's book, and should have known better. He preaches conciliation and better understanding, but he doesn't often enough apply it to his own views towards others--he just wants it for his side, but isn't willing to give it enough in return. I don't think he's bad, I just think he's too focused on saving Islam's reputation, and not focused enough on the bigger picture. He could have, should have, more strongly denounced the fatwah, or at least more categorically proclaimed that he did not support it. I understand why he didn't, but I don't approve of it.

But he did not call for Rushdie's death, and did not support the fatwah. That was a western reporter's attempt to create the news, rather than reporting it. What he believes privately is his own business and is unknowable, but he did not publicly support it.

[sir_captain]

23. Have to disagree

In his own words, as reported by the NY Times at the time: " I might ring somebody who might do more damage to him than he would like. I'd try to phone the Ayatollah Khomeini and tell him exactly where this man is."

Legal argument my ass.

[jobycom]

24. Gotta link, in context?

[sir_captain]

31. Sure do

If you have access to lexis-nexis, you can grab the original article from the May 23, 1989 issue of the NY Times. I quote from it more fully here (I'd post the whole article, but that would violate DU rules.)

"The musician known as Cat Stevens said in a British television program to be broadcast next week that rather than go to a demonstration to burn an effigy of the author Salman Rushdie, ''I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing.''

The singer, who adopted the name Yusuf Islam when he converted to Islam, made the remark during a panel discussion of British reactions to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's call for Mr. Rushdie to be killed for allegedly blaspheming Islam in his best-selling novel ''The Satanic Verses.'' He also said that if Mr. Rushdie turned up at his doorstep looking for help, ''I might ring somebody who might do more damage to him than he would like.''

''I'd try to phone the Ayatollah Khomeini and tell him exactly where this man is,'' said Mr. Islam, who watched a preview of the program today and said in an interview that he stood by his comments."

If you don't have lexis-nexis and don't believe me, there's a reference to this article at wikipedia as well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Stevens#Salman_Rushdie

[Dangerously Amused]

4. Hey, good to know.

I have been listening to hin a lot lately, too.


:hi:

[graywarrior]

9. DU is so mystical and....complicated.

[wildhorses]

10. what is I/P ?

:scared:

[sir_captain]

11. The Israeli/Palestinian topic forum

[wildhorses]

12. I bet THAT is as much fun as the R/T forum

:eyes:

think I better keep my lizard ass in the Lounge where people know how to behave (or misbehave as the case er...cause? may suit) :silly:

[buddhamama]

14. it is as much fun

and comparative too, to running your head into a brick wall. repeatedly.

i use to post there. :scared:

[livetohike]

13. Having a flashback to my freshman dorm room in 1970

and the huge poster I had of Cat Stevens........ :sigh:

How you doing graywarrior? :hi:

[begin_within]

15. That's fantastic news... I just hope that it's better than

his last few albums as "Cat Stevens," which showed a dramatic decline in songwriting quality compared to his "peak" period (Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, Teaser and the Firecat).

[Samurai_Writer]

16. Cat Stevens -- then and now

Then... handsome young man... yummm


Now... he looks like someone's grandfather

[wildhorses]

18. that beard has GOTTA GO

:puke:

[HughBeaumont]

26. Age and spiritual enlightenment does that to a guy.

Hell, when I retire, I'm never shaving or cutting my hair. I'm looking like Aqualung x 10.

[greatauntoftriplets]

29. He probably IS someone's grandfather!!

Back in the day (the 1970s, to be exact), I walked into some nondescript sandwich shop in London to get a quick lunch. The mailman, while delivering piles and piles of mail to the owner, remarked that it was all for the owner's son. I looked puzzled, so they showed me the address. It was Cat Stevens fan mail -- lots of it.

I ultimately beat a hasty retreat when the father made a pass at me -- hey, I was young back then. ;)

[Left Is Write]

30. I think it's okay to look like someone's grandfather...

...when you're pushing 60. :)

[JVS]

17. Let the Yusuf Islam flamewar commence!

:popcorn:

[graywarrior]

20. I'm totally confused by this thread.

[jobycom]

22. Jobycom Cliffnotes explanation.

Group A: :woohoo:
Group B: :grr:
Group A: :shrug:
Group B: :banghead:
Group A: :banghead:
GrayWarrior and both groups together: :shrug:

Jobycom: :beer:

[HughBeaumont]

25. HughBeaumont:

[graywarrior]

28. I dig it that there are sick-os here.

[graywarrior]

27. Bwahahahahahahaha !!!!

[astral]

32. I just love his music

He is one of my favorite musicians of all time. I do not care what he thinks of Salmon Rushdie. I may very well like to hear the music he's been doing since leaving the 'pop' world. Does anyone know if he actually put any albums out during this time?

Gonna have to get the clutter off my record player here and spin a tune or two now! ; )

[graywarrior]

33. Here here!

A sensible post.