The Unlikely Return of Cat Stevens(newyorker.com)
newyorker.com
The Unlikely Return of Cat Stevens
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-unlikely-return-of-cat-stevens
62 comments
I was the wrong age and wrong musical taste, so the first time I even heard of Cat Stevens was in relation to his support of the Khomeini fatwa against Rushdie. It appears he tried to walk it back somewhat, but the first statement is pretty clear and difficult to misinterpret:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Stevens%27_comments_abou...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Stevens%27_comments_abou...
Yes, I found that quite strange too. I would not consider him actually returned until he apologizes for his support for the death sentence on Rushdie.
Or, you know, whether he has returned or not (and dismissed his old beliefs or got over them), is orthogonal to whether he has the courage (or even the will) to apologize.
He can return, but don't feel comfortable to apologizing.
He can return, but feel like that's all behind and no apology is necessary, or that that was done by a different person.
And several other possible cases -- a lot of which don't leave out the possibility of having regretted it.
Like we can regret something in private and internally, the same holds true for famous people, artists etc. They are not moral playthings that the public has some right to demand of them public repentance and submission outside their creative roles.
He can return, but don't feel comfortable to apologizing.
He can return, but feel like that's all behind and no apology is necessary, or that that was done by a different person.
And several other possible cases -- a lot of which don't leave out the possibility of having regretted it.
Like we can regret something in private and internally, the same holds true for famous people, artists etc. They are not moral playthings that the public has some right to demand of them public repentance and submission outside their creative roles.
> Or, you know, whether he has returned or not (and dismissed his old beliefs or got over them), is orthogonal to whether he has the courage (or even the will) to apologize.
Or you know, maybe he doesn't feel the need to apologize because he still believe people should be killed for writing books, especially when these books have very little to do with Islam and when the people calling for murder didn't even read the damn book. I bet Yusuf didn't even read the Satanic verses either.
Or you know, maybe he doesn't feel the need to apologize because he still believe people should be killed for writing books, especially when these books have very little to do with Islam and when the people calling for murder didn't even read the damn book. I bet Yusuf didn't even read the Satanic verses either.
The public certainly has the right to boycott an artist's work if they committed a morally reprehensible action without any sign of remorse. The public doesn't owe the artist anything.
I don't think we should boycott his work, though. Certainly we don't owe him anything, but the music he made as Cat Stevens is beautiful and it would be sad for the world to lose it. We'd impoverish our culture if we cut out all the art made by disagreeable people.
> I don't think we should boycott his work, though. Certainly we don't owe him anything, but the music he made as Cat Stevens is beautiful and it would be sad for the world to lose it. We'd impoverish our culture if we cut out all the art made by disagreeable people.
Calling Yusuf "Cat Stevens" Islam "disagreeable" is a euphemism, he is a bigot and an religious extremist of the worse kind. He wants people to get killed for their ideas although I bet he didn't even read Rushdie.
Calling Yusuf "Cat Stevens" Islam "disagreeable" is a euphemism, he is a bigot and an religious extremist of the worse kind. He wants people to get killed for their ideas although I bet he didn't even read Rushdie.
>The public certainly has the right to boycott an artist's work if they committed a morally reprehensible action without any sign of remorse.
It has the right, it's just stupid to exercise it.
It's not as if we should only consume art made by good people. Or that whatever bad things an artists does in their personal life has much bearing to wether their art is any good (not to mention most good and bad things in one's life improve art: they instill it with life experience. Boy scouts seldom produce interesting work.).
If you want to punish the artist for something they did, put them in jail. Or don't be friends with them.
If they produce good art, and you don't listen to it because they are bad, you lose too.
>The public doesn't owe the artist anything
Well, if they listen to his works, then they owe him on that.
It has the right, it's just stupid to exercise it.
It's not as if we should only consume art made by good people. Or that whatever bad things an artists does in their personal life has much bearing to wether their art is any good (not to mention most good and bad things in one's life improve art: they instill it with life experience. Boy scouts seldom produce interesting work.).
If you want to punish the artist for something they did, put them in jail. Or don't be friends with them.
If they produce good art, and you don't listen to it because they are bad, you lose too.
>The public doesn't owe the artist anything
Well, if they listen to his works, then they owe him on that.
You have the right to boycott his work just because he has a bad hair day. That's up to you. You do not have the right to demand public acts from him/her.
There is this
http://www.newshub.co.nz/entertainment/yusuf-islam-get-over-...
where he doesn't seem to want to apologize. I'm not buying it, either.
Salman Rushdie's take on Yusuf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThUgpNYr2Oo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThUgpNYr2Oo
"Some remarks attributed to him seemed to be in line with some of the more distasteful prejudices of orthodox Islam."
holy circumlocution batman! this is as close as the author will get, and in the passive voice no less.
i did enjoy his tunes in Harold & Maude. but i think Rushdie is right, he's a different person.
holy circumlocution batman! this is as close as the author will get, and in the passive voice no less.
i did enjoy his tunes in Harold & Maude. but i think Rushdie is right, he's a different person.
Agreed -- the article avoids every elephant in the room.
It's a pretty burning issue for them to have ignored.
Cat Stevens is my dad's age and I never did ask him if he was a fan of his music. He never mentioned CS while I was growing up. Doing a little research on this guy, now combined with your video is not favorable. He claimed that he wanted a secular speaker to die for disrespecting the prophet Muhammad. There's a 2015 interview where he remains unapologetic. I hope his comeback is a failure because publicly calling for someone's murder and sticking to it for 25 years is pathetic.
I have many Muslim friends, many of whom were some of the best friends I've ever had in my life. They trust and respect me enough that they consider me one of them, so they were open with me. Given conversations with them I've had in the past, they weren't as dogmatic as Cat Stevens is. And they were born and raised in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps it's because they really know Islam (most of them are still believers) thus not as naive as a foreigner like Stevens.
I have many Muslim friends, many of whom were some of the best friends I've ever had in my life. They trust and respect me enough that they consider me one of them, so they were open with me. Given conversations with them I've had in the past, they weren't as dogmatic as Cat Stevens is. And they were born and raised in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps it's because they really know Islam (most of them are still believers) thus not as naive as a foreigner like Stevens.
I can't tell what you're trying to say -- is it that you're against the commercial success of Stevens because of the fatwa? What does it matter that your dad has no opinion of him, or that you have Muslim friends?
It's pretty self-explanatory. Reading comprehension is important because not everything you read is going to be a pithy simple point.
To paraphrase. I'm saying I never knew who this guy was, checked into him without any bias and he's a terrible man. Even compared him to born and raised Muslim friends who are from the most extreme Islamic nation. I have tight friendships with them so they've spoken very openly to me in private, and it's Cat Stevens who makes Muslims look bad.
To paraphrase. I'm saying I never knew who this guy was, checked into him without any bias and he's a terrible man. Even compared him to born and raised Muslim friends who are from the most extreme Islamic nation. I have tight friendships with them so they've spoken very openly to me in private, and it's Cat Stevens who makes Muslims look bad.
Talent is judged at its height. Character is judged at its depth. If you write a great novel and then write a bunch of mediocre ones you are judged by the great one. If you help the poor, walk old ladies across the street, save a person's life but molest a minor, you're judged as a pedophile.
I think I forgive him for King of Trees alone. Anyone who wrote that can't be that bad.
I think I forgive him for King of Trees alone. Anyone who wrote that can't be that bad.
Agree with your first paragraph but isn't it his talent that you are judging in the second (and therefore forgiveness is not applicable)?
Myself I'm starting to question the sense of judging people for their 'beliefs'. Two reasons: (1) most people deeply desire to gain social status and consequently will profess anything to secure it if we judge them in this way, (2) what are beliefs, anyhow? Do they even exist? If they do, why is it necessary to 'believe' things (i.e. to try not to question or criticise certain ideas, which is impossible in the long-term even if you stick your fingers in your ears).
Myself I'm starting to question the sense of judging people for their 'beliefs'. Two reasons: (1) most people deeply desire to gain social status and consequently will profess anything to secure it if we judge them in this way, (2) what are beliefs, anyhow? Do they even exist? If they do, why is it necessary to 'believe' things (i.e. to try not to question or criticise certain ideas, which is impossible in the long-term even if you stick your fingers in your ears).
Beliefs are narratives (myths) people hold with the intent to enact. Even atheists have beliefs. So I don't think they're easily dismissed. The story you're enacting might be the most consequential thing about you.
As far as forgiveness of CS, well, whether I'm supposed to forgive someone or not, I prefer forgiving because I want to live in a world where we can be forgiven.
As far as forgiveness of CS, well, whether I'm supposed to forgive someone or not, I prefer forgiving because I want to live in a world where we can be forgiven.
Are all beliefs fictional? What's the difference, if any, between holding such beliefs and attending a Harry Potter convention in costume?
Contemporaries* of Cat Stevens, Richard and Linda Thompson also converted to Islam. In their case, however they continued to make music. Notably the first album produced after conversion is pretty much all about God and its cover art is a picture of Richard wearing a turban.
I find it interesting to contrast the joy of a track like "Night Comes In" with how humourless Cat Stevens became.
*although they never met to my knowledge
I find it interesting to contrast the joy of a track like "Night Comes In" with how humourless Cat Stevens became.
*although they never met to my knowledge
Richard Thompson converted to Sufi Islam, which might as well be a different religion.
If I'm not mistaken, Sufi Islam was pretty much mainstream Islam until the Saudis started pushing Wahhabism with their petrodollars.
...with our petrodollars
No. __Their__ petrodollars. It's their oil. The demand for their oil doesn't just come from America. In fact, America isn't even the largest individual buyer of Saudi crude and constitutes a small percentage of total destination of their crude.
I think he was referring to OPEC pricing oil exclusively in US dollars.
There is pressure by some oil-producing countries (notably Iran and Venezuela) to sell in a currency other than USD for political reasons.
There is pressure by some oil-producing countries (notably Iran and Venezuela) to sell in a currency other than USD for political reasons.
Still doesn't make it "America's" money (which the previous poster was implying). If anything, pricing the worlds energy in dollars (and thereby ensuring that the global demand for $'s remains high) allows the US Fed to get away with "printing money" as much as they do, without totally debasing their currency.
It's interesting to note how Iraq's threat to start pricing oil in other currencies (was it the Euro they mentioned?) is widely regarded as one of the precursors to America's invasion and occupation.
So those "political reasons" you're alluding to work both ways.
It's interesting to note how Iraq's threat to start pricing oil in other currencies (was it the Euro they mentioned?) is widely regarded as one of the precursors to America's invasion and occupation.
So those "political reasons" you're alluding to work both ways.
Not the only way Stevens compares unfavourably with Richard Thompson, but RT does a good line in non-joyful, as generally appreciated by English folkies even if it isn't a murder ballad.
The Spooky Men, who he may have encountered, certainly maintained their humour after going Sufi <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqBQFce1I7o>
I think I would have been disappointed if the composer of Withered and Died and End of the Rainbow started thinking everything was awesome after conversion. His miserabilist streak is one of the things I like about him.
As a Muslim, I (and my kids) really enjoy the songs he created as Yusuf Islam. I didn't even learn about Cat Stevens was until much later.
+1 to that.
Music aside, as a counterpoint to what looks like some carefully choreographed character assassination at the beginning of this thread, I'll add that I've been impressed by the calmness of his demeanour and what comes across as an open-hearted mindset, in the interviews I've seen of him (over the years).
The whole Rushdie thing was in one of the first big waves of Islamophobic in Europe, where latent prejudices (perhaps on both sides) were laid bare. Thats when I first heard the term "the Muslims are the new Jews of Europe".
When geo-politics became enmeshed (Iran, at a time when Iran was being widely prepped as "world most evil actor" by mainstream press), then positions on all sides became entrenched.
Not that I have any right to put words in his mouth, but I'm guessing thats something Yusuf Islam also fell into. Certainly his stance on that doesn't jive with everything I've heard him say, on many other topics, since.
Whats lost in this current retelling of the tale is how many (Christian) writers condemned Rushdie for what they say as a callous and calculated bid to insult for publicity's sake, and how many (Muslim) imam's went out of their way to condem both Rushdie (for his insults), the fatwa (for its incitement to commit a crime), and offered their own homes as a refuge.
All of that probably doesn't come across so clearly to Americans looking at things from afar.
Feel free to downvote away, but I just thought I'd a slight measure of context to whats looking like a very one-sided picture.
Music aside, as a counterpoint to what looks like some carefully choreographed character assassination at the beginning of this thread, I'll add that I've been impressed by the calmness of his demeanour and what comes across as an open-hearted mindset, in the interviews I've seen of him (over the years).
The whole Rushdie thing was in one of the first big waves of Islamophobic in Europe, where latent prejudices (perhaps on both sides) were laid bare. Thats when I first heard the term "the Muslims are the new Jews of Europe".
When geo-politics became enmeshed (Iran, at a time when Iran was being widely prepped as "world most evil actor" by mainstream press), then positions on all sides became entrenched.
Not that I have any right to put words in his mouth, but I'm guessing thats something Yusuf Islam also fell into. Certainly his stance on that doesn't jive with everything I've heard him say, on many other topics, since.
Whats lost in this current retelling of the tale is how many (Christian) writers condemned Rushdie for what they say as a callous and calculated bid to insult for publicity's sake, and how many (Muslim) imam's went out of their way to condem both Rushdie (for his insults), the fatwa (for its incitement to commit a crime), and offered their own homes as a refuge.
All of that probably doesn't come across so clearly to Americans looking at things from afar.
Feel free to downvote away, but I just thought I'd a slight measure of context to whats looking like a very one-sided picture.
Thank you.
Now you get to enjoy him all over again!
For those who've never heard it, I would suggest listening to his song "Father and Son" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-7c4VNGOgU
He performed at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, playing peace train across from Ozzy Osborne playing crazy train.
First album came out in 1967, so I was surprised to learn he's only 69. That's young-ish in Rolling Stones years.
I guess it was either tour again or run for US President.
I guess it was either tour again or run for US President.
Born 1948, so he was 18 or 19.
Stones' first album was 1964; Jagger and Richards were 20 or 21, born in `43.
Stones' first album was 1964; Jagger and Richards were 20 or 21, born in `43.
I was first introduced to Cat Stevens through "Harold and Maude" and I fell in love! "Don't Be Shy" never fails to comfort me.
Nice description how of Cat Stevens set the soundtrack to the writer's teenage years. I was listening to some music I haven't for a few years and it struck such a chord with me that I realized I should appreciate musicians more on a philosophical level for the joy, sorrow, and other feelings they evoke in us. It's interesting to consider that this experience of having personal records, especially listening to music in your headphones and having such a close relationship with an artist, is such a relatively phenomenon in human experience--barely a century old.
Last night I watched "Guardians Of The Galaxy 2", which featured a Cat Stevens song I knew well.
I was surprised that such a song would be offered. I was, in fact, distracted by the song lyrics against the movie dialogue due to this and I'm not complaining about that. It was just so surprising, because Cat Stevens.
And I'm glad for it. The last I heard of him was getting stopped by TSA Theatre because of his life-change in name and perhaps religion change over a decade ago. Hearing his music in "pop culture" in "current year" is refreshing.
I was surprised that such a song would be offered. I was, in fact, distracted by the song lyrics against the movie dialogue due to this and I'm not complaining about that. It was just so surprising, because Cat Stevens.
And I'm glad for it. The last I heard of him was getting stopped by TSA Theatre because of his life-change in name and perhaps religion change over a decade ago. Hearing his music in "pop culture" in "current year" is refreshing.
From "Peace Train" to clamouring for Rushdie to be burned alive is a pretty big fall. I've never seen any evidence that he's changed his mind about his support for the fatwah of death against Rushdie.
But then I occasionally enjoy some Rage Against The Machine, too, so I think it's fair to say I don't filter my music based on the ideology of the performer.
Maybe I should, though? Still thinking this one through.
Edited: fixed autocorrecto.
But then I occasionally enjoy some Rage Against The Machine, too, so I think it's fair to say I don't filter my music based on the ideology of the performer.
Maybe I should, though? Still thinking this one through.
Edited: fixed autocorrecto.
I'd say in general you're better off not looking for ideological purity or perfection, here or in many places. We're human. We have foibles. We can, and sometimes do, change. Sometimes we don't. Sure, there are some things that we really can't — and shouldn't — tolerate. Yet if we only surround ourselves with people and things that we completely agree with, that doesn't leave much room for change, in ourselves or others. And no room to grow.
And I have both Cat Stevens and Rage in my collection. Some Rush, too.
And I have both Cat Stevens and Rage in my collection. Some Rush, too.
Yeah.... the question is if you agree that there is a line to be drawn, where do you draw it?
Also there's a matter of money. Orthogonal to the question of whether it's possible to separate some art from the particularly awful philosophies of their authors, there's the issue that paying them for that art is almost certainly supporting the philosophy I find so abhorrent.
Also there's a matter of money. Orthogonal to the question of whether it's possible to separate some art from the particularly awful philosophies of their authors, there's the issue that paying them for that art is almost certainly supporting the philosophy I find so abhorrent.
I don't think it's an easy question to answer, and one that I think will be answered differently for each person. I do think right now there seems to be a tendency to draw black and white lines too quickly and without really understanding where other people are coming from. And I don't need to agree with them to understand them.
I do know that I don't hold the same opinions and beliefs of a lot of people. It's unrealistic — and inhuman —that I would dissociate myself from all of them.
People have many beliefs and weigh them differently. Trying to figure out a single line or lines to separate myself from others is clearly not going to be an easy task. I'd rather find things I have in common with people and build on those. Then hopefully we'll be able to come to terms on those that we don't. It seems hard to imagine that we could do the latter without at least some of the former.
I do know that I don't hold the same opinions and beliefs of a lot of people. It's unrealistic — and inhuman —that I would dissociate myself from all of them.
People have many beliefs and weigh them differently. Trying to figure out a single line or lines to separate myself from others is clearly not going to be an easy task. I'd rather find things I have in common with people and build on those. Then hopefully we'll be able to come to terms on those that we don't. It seems hard to imagine that we could do the latter without at least some of the former.
Roger Waters
My theory has always been that the Yusuf Islam thing was a reaction to a bad acid trip. (Based on no evidence whatsoever, to be clear :-)
There was a lot to it but the catalyst I believe is that he nearly drowned.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Stevens
Bad acid trips won't lead someone to change their life that drastically. (or so I've heard, not that I would know anything about that sort of thing).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Stevens
Bad acid trips won't lead someone to change their life that drastically. (or so I've heard, not that I would know anything about that sort of thing).
I'm not sure whether it's comparable, but Chris Squire from Yes spent months "hibernating" in a hotel after a bad trip with homemade acid:
“I’d had lots of good acid trips prior to that. But I made the mistake of trying some acid some friends of mine had homemade. That knocked me back, and I did sort of hibernate in an apartment in Kensington and spent quite a few months — maybe as much as a year — just playing bass.”
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11706204/Chris-Sq...
“I’d had lots of good acid trips prior to that. But I made the mistake of trying some acid some friends of mine had homemade. That knocked me back, and I did sort of hibernate in an apartment in Kensington and spent quite a few months — maybe as much as a year — just playing bass.”
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11706204/Chris-Sq...
Ah, thanks. I didn't know the story.
Why all the association between Islam and death? Some paths are harder than others and whatever path the man chose to walk it seems like he was conscious all throughout it and quite possibly richer because of that.
You don't need an artists permission to enjoy their older work, even if they themselves disavow it, especially not music. Ever since I was six I loved his voice and it never bothered me that he tried another life. Better that and to embrace it by choice than to live by default.
You don't need an artists permission to enjoy their older work, even if they themselves disavow it, especially not music. Ever since I was six I loved his voice and it never bothered me that he tried another life. Better that and to embrace it by choice than to live by default.
After reading the Koran, he liked it so much he converted to Islam and changed his name.
A bit later, he was denied entry into the United States. [1] The FBI diverted the plane and had him escorted off, then sent him packing.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/sep/22/usa
A bit later, he was denied entry into the United States. [1] The FBI diverted the plane and had him escorted off, then sent him packing.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/sep/22/usa
Was that before or after the fatwa?
There's a good documentary/biography on Cat Stevens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opt2cL5DTqA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opt2cL5DTqA
He was bound to be reincarnated sooner or later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Oienjf0GK8