Post by SuzieQ on Jun 1, 2007 9:03:10 GMT -5
I met Marie around 4:30 pm at the Curzon cinema, we walked around for a while to see what Mayfair was like, lots of street café’s and very posh shops, you would need plenty of money to go shopping there!
Then we saw a mounted policeman, so I turned into a tourist and said to him, sorry but I just have to do this, and took a picture of him.
Then we walked back to the cinema and waited, we sat in the foyer opposite the entrance, so we could see everyone coming in. After a while, I saw the lovely man, who was part of Yusuf’s management, the one arranged for us to meet with Yusuf at Porchester Hall, Anyway, he was carrying a guitar, now who’s could that be we thought!!!
Then we heard him say to someone else, Yes, this is Yusuf’s guitar!
A while later, we overheard others saying, was the interview going to be recorded? Yes, was the answer, but later, we overheard that the cameraman had FORGOTTEN TO BRING HIS CAMERA!!! This was around 5:30pm the interview didn’t start until 8pm WHY he couldn’t go and fetch his camera, was beyond me! Anyway it wasn’t recorded so, we shall just have to rely on memories!
Marie and I were seated at the second row, middle of the stage/screen hehe!
Almost the same position as at The Porchester Hall!
The DVD on the big screen was outstanding, I counted at least six times that I saw myself and Joanne
after that I gave up counting! Each time Marie or I would see ourselves, we would nudge the other, saying that’s me! Just like a couple of kids lol. But to see Yusuf that big was nothing short of Absolutely Fabulous!!! The film was the BBC4 showing. After the film The Interview began.
Yusuf came on to the stage to a standing ovation, well at least Marie and I stood up applauding and then a few around us did the same! Yusuf was dressed in mainly cream and beige, these must be his favourite colours, as he seems to favour them these days. The interview was very similar to Danny Baker’s previous one with Yusuf, very relaxed and informal, Yusuf seemed slightly anxious but happy.
Although it wasn’t being recorded, there was however, a photographer taking pictures.
I can’t remember the entire interview, but here are a couple of things said that come to mind now.
Danny asked, about his life before Cat Stevens, what he did when working in his Dad’s Café?
Yusuf said, “I was literally cooking, serving and then after that cleaning up, Danny asked from what age, how old?
Yusuf said, “here’s my sister,” as he gestured to the balcony, “she can tell me, how old was I Anita?” Anita answered “About Ten”
After a while, Yusuf said I’m going to sing a song now, he pick up his guitar and started to sing a version of I wish I wish! Wow it was incredible!
Danny - The emerging back into a performer again, we have heard many times about your Son’s guitar and all that,
Yusuf – He said I took it from his room and not from the couch.
Danny asked, what song Yusuf could sing for us from the old days, something that meant a lot to him, after a while thinking, Yusuf said, there was a song, then he started to sing a spectacular Blackness of the Night it was such a thrill to be there to witness this, I can’t tell you. At the end of the song “I’m alone and there is no one by my side” Yusuf then said “Coz I’m not alone now I have my Wife and my Family and I’m happy”. It was so very touching.
Danny then asked where he got his distinct voice? Yusuf said “My father, I was in the studio one day and I was singing, then I said Wow, I just heard my Father’s voice I sounded just like him!” (This may not be exact, word for word, but as near to as I can remember). Then Danny mentioned Yusuf’s Mother, and Yusuf said, “Don’t go there” as he was clearly emotional, so the interview came to an end.
That was it, all over, or so we thought…
Throughout the day, Cristalina and I were in contact through text as there was problem on the motorway and there was doubt whether they would make it or not. As the lights went up Marie and I saw that Cristalina and her husband had made it. They said, only just in time for the beginning!
So out we went, we were just about the last to get out, as we walked out of the main doors, Muhammad was in front of us, Marie said, Hello! He turned around, said hello back, and turned back, I said he doesn’t recognise us! He turned around again and I said hello, we had pictures taken after the concert at P. H. Oh yes he said, with a picture of me grinning like this! And he pulled that face again! I said, did you see it on Majicat? He said, no a friend had sent it to him! Then I was introduced to Anita by I think, her husband, not sure, we didn’t get that far, we both said “pleased to meet you.” She was lovely.
Then we saw that Yusuf was across the road with Danny Baker, having more pictures taken by the photographer. I went over and was about to take a picture when the man who bought in Yusuf’s guitar said, no flashes please as they will ruin his pictures, so I waited until I could sneak one in when he wasn’t taking one. As I stood waiting, I noticed that Alun was stood at the side of me, so I put out my hand to shake his and said, Hello again, Sue from Leicester! Oh yes, hello again he said, as though he remembered, he maybe was just being kind, but it made me feel good!
Then I turned back, Yusuf was facing me, still having pictures taken, he saw me, smiled and waved saying hello!!! WOW, he recognised me!!! My legs almost gave way!!! I was amazed that he remembered me from the last time, with the amount of people he must meet. I got a few pictures, then Yusuf said, OK that’s it, we are going now, to the Photographer, so I rushed in with my copy of An Other Cup to be signed, before I got the chance to say anything he had already signed it, so I asked him, would you put To Sue please, he said yes and took it back to add it. There’s nothing like cheek is there! Then he said to me” it’s nice to see you again” and I said it’s wonderful to see you again”! While he was signing for others I said, “Joanne, from Boston” he looked up and smiled, “Vivian, and all those at Majicat in fact everyone sends their love” he said “Oh Vivian, my No.1. Sorry, but she is” I said, “Yes, I know she is” smiling.
I then said, “back to the mania” meaning all the autographs he was signing, he said, “kind of, but we can soon get out of it, I have a home to go to”. So I said “and a wonderful family” he said ”Oh yes”.
Shortly after that, he walked over to his family and then went to get into the car, he then looked over towards us, smiled and was waving goodbye to us. As the car passed by us he was still waving, and we were waving back, Just then I throw him a kiss, I shouldn’t have really, but hey, I did it on impulse!!!
What a night! I shall be grinning from ear to ear for the foreseeable future.
Thank you Yusuf for yet another spectacular night full of memories.
As we were stood there, I noticed the photographer was packing away, so I asked him who he was taking the pictures for, he said a magazine called WORD, or THE WORD. He said it’s a monthly magazine, but he wasn’t sure which month the article would be in, but he did say that it should be on the front page as it would be a big article!
That’s all I can remember for now, if anything else comes to me I will add it
Edited to add
While talking to Muhammad, after I had asked him if he had been on the Majicat Site, I then said, "you came on to the Catbuddies site though and you said there were a lot of pictures you hadn't seen before" he said "Oh yes, that's right"
Catbuddies, is Bernadette's website that quite a few of Yusuf's fans frequent, It is an exclusive site that only members can read. As a moderator there, I was able to set up Muhammad as a member and sent him the details.
Also, while getting my An Other Cup booklet signed by Yusuf, I also asked for an autograph for my friend Bernadette, He wrote-
To Bern
With Peace
Yusuf
I had forgotten about this! *Click Here*
Before Yusuf said this, Danny asked, at what point did you decide to leave the music business, when did you realised you wern't happy? Yusuf said, this is not being recorded is it? But it was said in humour, As Yusuf knows that anything he says in puplic will be reported a hundred times over!!!
Then he mentioned about the straitjacket he had received as a birthday present.
I don't think I would have been none too pleased either!
But when I saw the article, I just had to comment! ;D
Need to get myself a new camera! Fantastic night and the best early birthday present I could have hoped for ;D I spoke to Muhammed (Yusuf's son) for a couple of minutes when we came out of the Curzon. I asked him if he would ever consider maybe recording Father and Son with his dad and he said no that would never happen as he gets on so well with his dad so the words wouldn't be appropriate (which is understandable when you think about it!)
