Numbers: an interview in Morin Heights

[Deleted]

Here's an article that I believe I've never shared until now. Hope you like it.


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Cat Stevens ends a long, cold exile and comes up with a Montreal album.

By Bill Mann, The Montreal Gazette

Wed, April 23, 1975

MORIN HEIGHTS - Cat Stevens has just about completed his six-week self-imposed exile up here at Le Studio, and this week he designed to let a few members of the rock press come in and sample a few cuts off his upcoming album.

The yet-untitled album is noteworthy in that it will almost certainly become the most popular (in total sales) of any album recorded in or around Montreal; each of Stevens' previous releases have sold 500,000 copies or more.

Stevens, British balladeer whose vocal style and album content have changed considerably the past couple of albums, is concerned with matters spiritual (he practices Buddhism), and this laps over onto his works. "But the predominant theme on this one," he says, "is numerology."

Several lyrics and song titles reflect Stevens' current playing of the numbers. And Stevens, who says he will once again paint the cover art, also says that the album will be released in conjunction with a children's book he has written.

"My concern lately has been with rhythms," he explained, and the two cuts he played reflected this. Both were intricate rhythm patterns placed on rather tenuous melodic frameworks.

"I suppose my first couple of albums were more melodic," he says. "But I even play drums on one track of the new album. I'm proud of that."

NOT MONEY - "My motivation now isn't money, " Stevens says. "I've given $100,000 to Indochina charities recently and I'm giving at least part of the proceeds from this album away. My motivation now is love... there's an old Zen saying that if you steal from your mother's purse, you're stealing love."

Stevens, who says he's isolated himself from local and international media - electronic and printed - did venture out to Montreal recently when he trekked to The Forum to see old friend Stevie Wonder's show.

"That was just about my all-time favorite show, except maybe for a sitar concert I once saw," he said. Stevens joined Stevie on stage here for Wonder's encore, Superstition.

Stevens says the relative isolation of this town has, in part, caused him to up his cigarette intake to a staggering 40 a day. "I guess there's a little masochism in us all," he said.

One of the celebrities here for the unveiling was Jerry Moss, co-president of A&M Records, Cat's label (the "A" being, of course, Herb Alpert).

Stevens admitted that the peaceful, snowy environment weighed heavily on his consciousness during the making of the LP. "I have one song tentatively called When Snowmen Sleep In The Sea, and I suppose snow does come up a lot in the lyrics."

TRUTH - "But I'll tell you the truth. After this long period of time, I couldn't come back here for quite a while."

Stevens then discussed his roots and Greek ancestry (his given name being Steve Georgiou), but says he'll stick with the name Cat. "A cat," he explains, "is sensitive, like me, I guess. It's also very aware of vibes. There's got to be a relationship before you can stroke a cat."

Different strokes, then, for different folks.

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[richina]

Thanks Glaucus...I have truly enjoyed reading the articles you've posted. You are a wealth of imformation! Love it!
Richina

[paulo]

I wish there was footage of Cat and Stevie Wonder performing Superstition!

[downunder72]

Thanks Glaucus. That was a very good interview indeed. Enjoyed reading every word, but then again, which Cat/Yusuf article haven't I enjoyed. ;D Well maybe only the negative ones. I think I have read an article about Cat recording at Morin Heights in G. Browns book, but this one is new to me.

Glaucus is this article from you personal collection? I see you still treasure these safely. He was still very deep in his spiritual journey. Duet with Stevie Wonder? Now wouldn't it be really something if out of the blue, this video popped up on You Tube. There must be so many tapes that have not been made public. 40 cigarrettes a day!!!!! He was looking for trouble again.
I think we have earned the right to ""stroke" this ex-Cat. You could say we have developed a long life relationship with this artist, you could say we have a fan- artist relationship. ;D Sooo, next time if we get close enough, he shouldn't mind a gentle stroke or two. That would be enough for him to come back for more. Well in a way we have been stroking him very gently all these years, and he's loving it, and he's back again isn't he. ;D Purrrr, purrr ;D The 'Cat' again has awoken.

[Sir Lorry Load]

Hi Glaucus,

I very much enjoyed reading this article about Cat's experiences recording "Numbers" at Le Studio in Morin Heights, thank you for sharing.

"I have one song tentatively called When Snowmen Sleep In The Sea, and I suppose snow does come up a lot in the lyrics." -- Cat

I've always loved the image that the phrase "when snowmen sleep in the sea" brings to mind (so great!), but I never knew that he considered the lyric as a song title.

Just one of many neat tidbits in this story... thanks again!

-Bud

[SuzieQ]

Thanks for sharing this with us, Glaucus
Really enjoyed reading it.

Vicki, I love the thought of stroking the Cat, Ahem, I mean Yusuf!

[JaneB]

Thanks, Glaucus - what a great read!

and Sue and Vicki: be good, now...

[SuzieQ]

I'm always good! LOL

[flemmishfangent]

the cat is'ent to stroke anymore so we are good Jane thanks Glaucus it was great to read Regine

[flemmishfangent]

we are good aspecial when we sleep lol

[Deleted]

I'm glad you all enjoyed this. So here's another one, from the same press meeting in Morin Heights. This one's much more in depth, it was sent to me by Gloria Mills of Ontario some time ago. So thanks Gee! I think I'm done typing for a while (hopefully there aren't too many typos) - but I'm sure you'll enjoy this!

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Article by Robert Martin, April 1975 - unknown Canadian newspaper


This is an ugly time of year in Morin Heights, some 50 miles north of Montreal. The hamlet of a couple of hundred souls lies suspended between seasons. The snow has stopped and what remains has gone soft so the skiers have stopped coming.

Morin Heights has an unpainted hard look to it,the look of a town where the men hunt game for meat, not trophies, and fish when the need, not the season, arrives. But a few miles farther west on route 364. there's an entirely different world at the end of a secretely marked dirt road. There in cedar-shingled luxury sits André Perry's Le Studio, a 24-track, fully equipped recording studio smack in the middle of the Laurentian wilderness.

Cat Stevens, reclusive pop star, has been here for nine weeks - at $6,500 per - working on his next album. After two months, Stevens has two songs that he has judged fit to be played in public (the other six still require final mixing) and, to mounting pressure from A&M, his record company, and from local press, he agreed to meet reporters this week. This is a ritual that Stevens, who normally avoids the press, has gone through for each of his albums and he still doesn't like it. Stevens' nervousness transmitted itself to everyone around him and by the time he arrived Monday afternoon, a couple of dozen media, studio and record industry heavies were standing around looking like junior high-schoolers at their first formal.

Stevens himself, after a round of introductions - a flash of eye contact and a fleeting brush of fingers - settled in a bean bag chair while the press sat at his feet, tape recorders posed. Stevens was composed but distant and everyone smoked heavily.

Stevens' tale is the quintessential popstar success story. Number one records at 18, tours, groupies, too many cigarets and not enough sleep. A wreck at 20, three months in hospital, and a disappearance from the music scene.

But Stevens came back to make six highly successful albums, to acheive even greater fame and fortune than before, and to find some personal stability. He has scrupulously protected himself from the influences that ruined the callow art school drop out.

Stevens' world is small and insular. His manager, Barry Krost, had the style and rotund appearance of a jovial but firm uncle. "He's done a lot for me, civilized me," Stevens said. His best friend is his lead guitarist Alun Davies.

Stevens is essentially rootless. He has a house in London but hasn't lived in it for a year. When he first got the place he said, "the only other place worth living in is Toronto." Now he says, "Ah, that was then. Now the place is Rio."

He chose Le Studio, Stevens said, because "Somebody told me there was this place with windows." One side of the studio faces a valley, the other looks out over a small lake, still covered with ice and snow.

He enjoyed the whiteness and the cleanliness of the studio's location but admitted that because of its isolated location "I've been getting very crazy. It comes of working with people for too long... For me to do my next album here would be impossible. I love it but I just couldn't do it. I just get so aggressive with everybody that it comes out." Later in private, Stevens said "I'm a perfectionist."

An associate of Stevens, in a different conversation used the same word to describe Stevens except that he added, "He's not just a perfectionist in the studio, he's a perfectionist in everything. Restaurants, people, everything has to be just right. He described how Stevens, a strict vegetarian, refused to eat a mushroom dish because there might have been an egg used in the mayonnaise. Stevens doesn't eat eggs.

The perfectionism certainly extends to the studio. Alun Davies explained that Drywood, a new song about four minutes long, was the result of about 70 hours of work.

Perfectionism may also explain why Stevens doesn't like the press. It's necessary and yet so hard to control. Its members will listen to you and then go away and write whatever they please. The only possible opportunity for control is at the source and for that reason Stevens tried very hard to direct the conversation.

"This is a concept album, definitely, the whole thing. It's based on numerology," he said and went into a long description of the qualities of numbers. Later there was a long discussion of the nature of God.

On more personal subjects his answers were more cryptic. "Women well...." Stevens is an intensely handsome man with large brown eyes and curly jet black hair and beard. Because of his Greek parentage (although he was born and raised in Soho) you could make the usual cliched comparisons to Greek gods except that Stevens is small, about five foot six, slight of build and looks rather fragile. He also exudes that mysterious aura of the romantic poet, that promise of infinite delight mingled with pain. Leonard Cohen projects that same feeling and I'll bet Byron did as well.

Asked about his appeal to women, Stevens thought that it might be his sensitivity and common interests. "I like to arrange flowers, I like to cook."

Stevens answered the usual questions, like how he got his name (he was born Steven Dimitri Georgiou on July 21, 1948). "A cat is an animal you can't just go up and stroke. There's got to be a relationship."

Finally Stevens and the technicians play two cuts, "Two Fine People" and "Drywood", a more up-tempo number with a beautifully catchy rhythm track, well worth 70 hours of effort. It took four tries to get the tape working properly and Stevens flopping down on a bean bag couch, groaning in despair at the imperfection of the equipment.

Stevens left the control room for the lounge because he preferred the warmer quality of the sound produced by the speakers there. But by this time, perhaps an hour and a half after the reception started, the lounge had become Party Central. People stuffed with champagne, hashish and jumbo shrimp were sitting around laughing and talking and "Drywood" was half over before many of them realized they should shut up and listen. It was fortunate that the pinball machine was broken.

Finally we adjourned to a farm house near the studio, down a path turned to mush by the run-off. In the living room, all blond beams, flowered wallpaper and antique furniture, Stevens drank a beer, smoked a few more of the 40-a-day cigarets that have coarsened his voice over the last few years, and talked.

He talked about how "heavy" it had been for him to do the press conference, about how five record companies, Arista, A&M, CBS, Polydor and EMI, are pursuing him because his contract with his current company in England, Island Records, is about to expire, about Hestia Lovejoy, who turned him on to numerology and gave him a book called "In Search of the Mysterious", and finally, when pushed, about his father.

"My father moved there (to England) before the war and opened the restaurant (in Soho). Actually, he did the trip from Cyprus to New York to London. He got around a lot and he has a lot of stories to prove it. He's been married twice but he's not married now. He's living with... you know. I have gone the other way. He's on his third relationship, I won't get married at all." Stevens doesn't have a woman friend at the moment. He prefers not to, especially when he's recording. "If I can stand it - being alone - it definitely has its rewards. I find being alone good, especially when I can take it." And when he can't? "Then I break down and phone somebody."

One gets the impression that Stevens' father has been a large influence oh him, beyond the obvious musical influences in songs like "Matthew And Son" and "Father and Son".

"I used to go with Dad to a gambling club and sit around digging the music while he - I don't really know what he was doing," Stevens says with a smile, one of very few that long afternoon. My half-brother, George Georgiou, is a professional bouzouki player.

I also have a brother, David, who has written some music, just for himself. I have one sister, Anita. She's married and now her husband is my accountant." A good arrangement? "It's not the greatest but at least I trust him."

Stevens was a pop star in England at 18. Was the instant fame and fortune fun? "It was, I suppose it was. I've never really worked. I've never sort of had a job. I worked in the restaurant and got 15 pounds a week but I did it for such a short time I don't even remember getting paid. Let's see, he kept me when I went to art school. Then I started getting advances for songs. Luckily I had a hit with a single, "I Love My Dog" and then I started making 100 pounds a night." He now has enough money to have donated $100,000 recently to UNICEF.

Of his past experiences with members of the press, Stevens said, "They were not very good because I'm basically a -what do you call it - I'm basically self-conscious, What appears out front isn't always what's happening inside." Part of the problem is that "I don't like talking about the past. It's a weight."

"What is of primary importance is that you have to love me for what I am now, not for what I did or what I was but what I am now. That's where I'm talking from especially in the studio. There's a Japenese god of art that says if you have to go and have a good time with a girl when you're creating, then she'll take your powers away. You've either got your mind on one thing or another."

"That's the only strange thing about this album. It's got no love songs on it. It's talking about positive and negative but not about the sexes as such. I've taken a central viewpoint, not THE man or THE woman but just THE."

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[JaneB]

Apr 16, 2010 11:25:35 GMT -5 SuzieQ said:

I'm always good! LOL

Oh, this could just keep going down the wrong path. Perhaps next time we're all together...

I love this article, Glaucus - thank you so much for the effort to type it all! Give those fingers a rest now.

Did he really think his appeal to women was his ability to cook and arrange flowers and not that curly hair and those eyes? Not that I don't love a man who can cook...

[Vivian]

What a fascinating article. Thanks Glacius!

Peace,Vivian

[brandnewman]

You can definitely see the influence of the studio and surroundings. The Numbers album reflects it in that it's so clean (for lack of a better word). You could almost call it anticeptic.
While I like the songs in general, the album itself lacks something the earlier albums had. Personally, I think he was so involved in making a "record" that he didn't really enjoy the making of "music". Does that make sense?
On the earlier A&M stuff, he wasn't in charge of every aspect of recording. He just played his heart out and let others worry about the details.
Cat once said that he felt Numbers was, musicaly, the best thing he ever recorded. But I'd be willing to be bet it wasn't the album he enjoyed recording the most.
Great find Glaucus. As always.

[catchem]

Ah that was a wonderful read in the morning. Thanks for 2 great interviews Glaucus. Have a nice weekend.

Peace.

Catchem

[Sir Lorry Load]

Yes, this is truly another gem that you have provided us with, Glaucus, continued great thanks.

"... I won't get married at all." -- Cat

Ahhh, talk about famous last words!

Reading the thoughts of the 'the Cat of then' and juxtaposing them with 'the Yusuf of now' really casts light on just how far this man has come.

It was doubtless a long, bending and turning journey that he traversed, but talk about a man who has grown (and, obviously, become comfortable in his own skin): wow!

Again, Glaucus, thank you for all of your efforts and, yes, as Jane so thoughfully put it: "Give those fingers a rest now".

Just those 'typin' digits' for a spell, that is.

Just as long as you keep on delivering your terrific postings!

-Bud

[Sir Lorry Load]

Apr 17, 2010 3:11:34 GMT -5 brandnewman said:

Personally, I think he was so involved in making a "record" that he didn't really enjoy the making of "music". Does that make sense?

Very much so, BNM, and I believe that you make an excellent point.

And is it possible that it wasn't until some thirty-plus years later, in entering the studio to record "An Other Cup", that he once again truly enjoyed the making of ('mainstream') music?

Of course, who better than the man, himself, to ask such a question of?

In lieu of Yusuf, though, what do fellow-'catters think?

-Bud

[JaneB]

Apr 17, 2010 11:16:20 GMT -5 Sir Lorry Load said:

Apr 17, 2010 3:11:34 GMT -5 brandnewman said:

Personally, I think he was so involved in making a "record" that he didn't really enjoy the making of "music". Does that make sense?

Very much so, BNM, and I believe that you make an excellent point.

And is it possible that it wasn't until some thirty-plus years later, in entering the studio to record "An Other Cup", that he once again truly enjoyed the making of ('mainstream') music?

Of course, who better than the man, himself, to ask such a question of?

In lieu of Yusuf, though, what do fellow-'catters think?

-Bud

Bud, I think you may be onto something. I have always liked "Numbers," I never really embraced "Izitso" very much and "Back To Earth" was made at a time when he was already onto other things. Once again I have to point to Yusuf's own words: "You can't argue with a good song." I don't think he will ever again "make a record" but will instead write beautiful songs that just so happen to make a record. Make sense?

[Sir Lorry Load]

Apr 17, 2010 13:58:37 GMT -5 JaneB said:

Apr 17, 2010 11:16:20 GMT -5 Sir Lorry Load said:

Very much so, BNM, and I believe that you make an excellent point.

And is it possible that it wasn't until some thirty-plus years later, in entering the studio to record "An Other Cup", that he once again truly enjoyed the making of ('mainstream') music?

Of course, who better than the man, himself, to ask such a question of?

In lieu of Yusuf, though, what do fellow-'catters think?

-Bud

Bud, I think you may be onto something. I have always liked "Numbers," I never really embraced "Izitso" very much and "Back To Earth" was made at a time when he was already onto other things. Once again I have to point to Yusuf's own words: "You can't argue with a good song." I don't think he will ever again "make a record" but will instead write beautiful songs that just so happen to make a record. Make sense?

What you have expressed makes perfect sense to me, Jane. It seems that you, brandnewman, and I are sharing a similar, if not the very same, wavelength.

I absolutely loved, adored, and fairly 'worshipped' five of the first six of Cat's Island/A&M LP's which encompasses, of course, the 'holy trinity' (this is starting to sound a bit like a religious discussion, isn't it?) of Tea, Teaser and Catch Bull, plus Mona and Buddha.

To put it simply, while I genuinely liked "Foreigner", "Numbers", Izitso", and "Back To Earth", admiring certain tracks and elements of each, they never quite reached the stature of the other five.

In sum, there was never an Island/A&M Cat album that I didn't like, and I loved 5 out of 9 of them (counting everything, here, but his original "Greatest Hits" release).

To my way of thinking, he has bounced back strongly with both "An Other Cup" and "Roadsinger".

And, yes, I believe much of the reason rests with the great peace, enlightenment, and contentment that he has found with his faith and his family.

(And maybe, just maybe, with his fans, too)

-Bud

[Vivian]

Apr 17, 2010 13:58:37 GMT -5 JaneB said:

Apr 17, 2010 11:16:20 GMT -5 Sir Lorry Load said:

Very much so, BNM, and I believe that you make an excellent point.

And is it possible that it wasn't until some thirty-plus years later, in entering the studio to record "An Other Cup", that he once again truly enjoyed the making of ('mainstream') music?

Of course, who better than the man, himself, to ask such a question of?

In lieu of Yusuf, though, what do fellow-'catters think?

-Bud

Bud, I think you may be onto something. I have always liked "Numbers," I never really embraced "Izitso" very much and "Back To Earth" was made at a time when he was already onto other things. Once again I have to point to Yusuf's own words: "You can't argue with a good song." I don't think he will ever again "make a record" but will instead write beautiful songs that just so happen to make a record. Make sense?

Makes perfect sense to me. Whatever it took to bring him back to us, I am grateful.

Peace,Vivian

Peace,Vivian

[downunder72]

After a long day of gardening, it was such a treat to find Glaucus had posted another wonderful article to share with us. A big thankyou for your time and effort. This article gives us a little more insight for his desperate search for personal stability. He talks about his family, how awkward and self contious he felt. The need for everything to be perfect. Something was eating him, he was restless he was losing his inner peace. He went down many paths, but you can see and understand why he chose Islam. Here he found consistent stabilty, strong family ties were ones role in the family, and society, is very clearly understood. There is no room for side tracking. Although he had a loving family growing up, I feel there must have been some degree of instability, the seperation of his parents, they may have been living under the same roof, but kids have fragile senses, growing up in the heart of London , exposed to different faiths while growing up. His new path gave him the perfection and the stabilty without having to strive no more. I think we are all happy for him that he found a path that suited him, and was able to move on in life with great conviction. In different ways, we all gained in the end, well quite not the end I should say.

I remember in Australia, the last two albums we not well recieved, and were not given the same publicity as the prior ones. Theres no question the songs were very good on theses albums, but they were albums that had to be done because of contract obligations. It was forced labour. People sensed the rift, only the very devoted fans never stopped supporting him , respected his decision, and gave him time that he was entitled to, to get on with living, as we all did. In our hearts and minds we dreamed, and hoped that he would come back. Well now we can all believe in dreams, and tell children not to give up on their dreams.

It's amazing after so many years we never tire of wanting to read what we already know, and what we never knew. I hope he can feel our gentle and sincere "strokes". He must know by now, it is only out of love and respect that we continue to discuss his work and life, and continue to want whats only the best for him and his loved ones.

Gone on a bit, sorry. With much appreciation, thankyou Glaucus.

[ilovemycat]

Thanks so much for posting those articles. Nothing beats an old Cat Stevens interview. Very exciting reading new material.

[flemmishfangent]

Vicky i love you writings it's so true

[Sir Lorry Load]

From my previous post on this thread:

"And, yes, I believe much of the reason rests with the great peace, enlightenment, and contentment that he has found with his faith and his family.

(And maybe, just maybe, with his fans, too)"

Hmmm... on second thought, I could have worded that more carefully.

Why?

Because, actually, there are no "maybe's" or "just maybe's" about it!

From all that I have read about Yusuf in recent years and, even more telling, from all that fellow-Majicatters have stated about their first-hand experiences after having attended his concerts and speaking engagements, the peace and contentment that he feels about his fans (us) is clear.

Whether it be the warm and friendly manner in which he addresses his audiences from a concert stage, the genuine and open-hearted way he communicates with attendees from behind a speaker's lecturn, or the great generosity and graciousness he exhibits in greeting, and signing autographs for, his devotees following his appearances, it is quite obvious and plain to see: the love, care, and respect is flowing in both directions!

Important reasons why we love the man so much.

-Bud

[Sir Lorry Load]

Apr 20, 2010 4:33:30 GMT -5 flemmishfangent said:

Vicky i love you writings it's so true

I second that, Regine!

You've spoken for many of us (and most probably, all!) with such thoughtful perspective and great clarity, Vicki.

-Bud

[downunder72]

Apr 20, 2010 9:32:23 GMT -5 Sir Lorry Load said:

Apr 20, 2010 4:33:30 GMT -5 flemmishfangent said:

Vicky i love you writings it's so true

I second that, Regine!

You've spoken for many of us (and most probably, all!) with such thoughtful perspective and great clarity, Vicki.

-Bud

Thankyou Regine and Bud, happy that I was able express our common thoughts.

[Sir Lorry Load]

Reading Glaucus' vintage articles brings to mind once again what a long and fascinating journey it has been for Yusuf, and how fortunate we have been, as fans, to follow his course.

Witnessing as he progressed from being caught up in the tumble and tumult of the "star machine" to flourishing in the peaceful beauty of his "spiritual garden".

-Bud