Post by liltiki on Jan 13, 2014 22:40:35 GMT -5
Hello, I was reading your board and found out so many new things, thank you. The first time I her Cat (Yusuf) I was in day camp and Peace Train was playing over the loudspeaker. Everything changed. My wall was plastered over with Cat posters, And I bought everything he'd done (up to Back to Earth). I consider myself so lucky to have seen the Majicat tour on Long Island... finally. It was a big show, but I couldn't help thinking that Cat seemed like he didn't want to be there. Which he probably didn't. Around 77-78 I was in the VIP room of Carnegie Hall during intermission at an Art Garfunkel concert - my friend and I snuck in, well, no one stopped us. Lots of celebrities. We tried to fit in, standing around a table, when my friend's eyes widened, she was sputtering something and pointing. The Table next to me was filled with a cool group, which we are not. I had been listing a little to the short dark haired fellow with a closely trimmed beard and thinking what a lovely accent he had. My friend started point to the table saying, what I thought was -- Cat! Cat! Barely getting it out. Why was she talking about a cat?? I looked at the table she was pointing to.... then it hit me, the closely cropped fellow, looking tiny, was CAT STEVENS. I didn't recognize him without the curls. And I thought he wasn't in the game anymore. I said, maybe it's not him. The lights went on and off. Time to get back to our seats. We just followed this guy, my friend pushing me toward him. We got to our seat, and he was a few rows up - it had to be him. One final push from my friend and I was by his side as he was turning to sit in his row.
Excuse me, Cat?
He was wearing an all velvet suit by the way. He turned toward me... I think I mumbled out something like "I think you're the greatest living ga ga ga" He put out his hand to shake, tilted his head and gave me the most delightful smile I've ever seen. He did not say one word. I have no memories of the Garfunkel show, sorry.
As a few years passed, I continued I was reading and listening as Cat got very involved with Islam. I was fine with that, but he said something that hurt so deeply (the first cut, they say) He wouldn't use a stringed instrument, he wouldn't talk to female interviewer and He wouldn't have a woman on stage with him. Then the Rushdie thing.... I felt so abandoned, I was a girl. I love music, a lot of music, but never had I loved like I did Cat Stevens' music. I just stopped following him thru life. "Well I wouldn't be allowed anymore in his presence, since I'm a girl."
I went to his website recently and couldn't believe what I was reading. He has become less strict. He letting a little Cat in with Yusuf, and the R&R academy is recognizing him. If they could accept him, I could. I'm very proud of him, and his path now.... I've come back, like I think a lot of old fans are coming back around, and new ones, too. Thank you for having me.
Tracey
Excuse me, Cat?
He was wearing an all velvet suit by the way. He turned toward me... I think I mumbled out something like "I think you're the greatest living ga ga ga" He put out his hand to shake, tilted his head and gave me the most delightful smile I've ever seen. He did not say one word. I have no memories of the Garfunkel show, sorry.
As a few years passed, I continued I was reading and listening as Cat got very involved with Islam. I was fine with that, but he said something that hurt so deeply (the first cut, they say) He wouldn't use a stringed instrument, he wouldn't talk to female interviewer and He wouldn't have a woman on stage with him. Then the Rushdie thing.... I felt so abandoned, I was a girl. I love music, a lot of music, but never had I loved like I did Cat Stevens' music. I just stopped following him thru life. "Well I wouldn't be allowed anymore in his presence, since I'm a girl."
I went to his website recently and couldn't believe what I was reading. He has become less strict. He letting a little Cat in with Yusuf, and the R&R academy is recognizing him. If they could accept him, I could. I'm very proud of him, and his path now.... I've come back, like I think a lot of old fans are coming back around, and new ones, too. Thank you for having me.
Tracey
