Yusuf Mentioned Anywhere - Web, News, Etc.

[Ruins]

Songwriters Hall of Fame...IT WAS ABOUT TIME!!!!!

[SuzieQ]

Cat Stevens says date clash, not security nixed his Israel Peace concert

London, Oct 25 (ANI): Popstar Cat Stevens alias Yusuf Islam has rebuffed claims that Israeli security services objected to his entry into the country, claiming that it was he who backed out due to other date conflicts.

The grapevine has it that Stevens, who converted to Islam in 1977, was invited to headline an October 27 peace concert to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Peres Centre for Peace, an organisation backed by Israeli President Shimon Peres.

Uri Savir, a former Israeli diplomat and negotiator who heads the Peres Centre, earlier said that when Stevens' passport details were submitted for a conventional security check, it sparked a huge row.

After re-evaluating the situation Cat Stevens will not be arriving in Israel, the Telegraph quoted Uri Savir as saying.

However, the 'Wild world' hitmaker has rebuffed the claims.

This is a storm in a jam jar, because in fact I had already put a cap on this matter. I'd given apologies to the Peres Centre some time ago, due to the date of the event coinciding with a scheduled trip to the United States, he said.

That's not to say that I didn't appreciate the invitation from the Centre, and I am of course supportive of initiatives for peace, he said in the emailed statement, he added. (ANI)

[SuzieQ]

Just another reminded for us not to believe all we read in the press!

I wonder where in the US, Yusuf, will be going to next week?

[kareema113]

Oct 26, 2008 18:04:44 GMT -5 SuzieQ said:

Just another reminded for us not to believe all we read in the press!

The article you posted is from bollywoodondemand.com. Kind of like relying on Entertainment Tonight for international news. I see that the story is being picked up by haaretz now, but I'd like to see confirmation on the BBC...

www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1031421.html

Whatever happened the reader input at the bottom of the page is just as negative as usual.

[downunder72]

Did anyone hear YI's speech on the GPU event that was televised on the Islam channel.

[flemmishfangent]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3WyvRrvsFE
This is a reclamespot on our Belgian tv for the climate changing and promote green energiewith the music where do the childeren play so proud i'am and happy everyone will hear this song and ask themselfs who is singing it Regine

[jsdonze]

very cool, Regine. thanks for posting the link!!

joni...

[Milan]

hey kareema, where ya been!

[suncatcher]

Oct 26, 2008 17:57:01 GMT -5 SuzieQ said:

Cat Stevens says date clash, not security nixed his Israel Peace concert

This is a storm in a jam jar, because in fact I had already put a cap on this matter. I'd given apologies to the Peres Centre some time ago, due to the date of the event coinciding with a scheduled trip to the United States, he said.

That's not to say that I didn't appreciate the invitation from the Centre, and I am of course supportive of initiatives for peace... (ANI)

Thank you, Sue.
I love the phrase, "This is a storm in a jam jar." Does anyone know if it's a British idiom, or Yusuf's personal version of Shakespeare's "tempest in a teapot?" I doubt that it was meant to be funny, but it makes me laugh.

Just wanted to mention that, in my humble opinion, we need to see the cup as half-full. It's something of a miracle that Shimon Peres invited Yusuf to Israel, and the fact that the door of peace has cracked open and Yusuf's light has shone inside the minds of Israeli peacemakers is, I think, a reason for hope.

I'm grateful for the leaps of faith that Yusuf, Peres, and others have taken to help make the dream of peace at least a shared dream, if not yet a wonderful reality.

Here's a poem I wrote for our collective "Voice of Peace."

Voice of Peace

Now there’s a gentle voice
Oh, can’t you hear it come?
It’s floating on the breeze
It’s softer than a hum

And like a whispered flow
It filters through the shouts
Though angry voices grow
They cannot drown it out

It’s a voice – for you
A voice – for me
A voice of light – a voice of hope
It’s a voice – a voice – of peace!

At first it’s just a sigh
But as it starts to rise
Its message fills the skies
With such a sweet reprise

So let us sing our part
For all the world to hear
For every open heart
For every open ear

It’s a voice – for you
A voice – for me
A voice of light – a voice of hope
It’s a voice – a voice – of peace!

Peace,
~Sun~
Edited to change "shown" to "shone."

[downunder72]

Sun, what a beautiful poem. If YI ever looks on the board, I'm sure he would be amazed with your talent reading your poem.
Maybe he might decide to put music to your poem. Now that would be something, wouldn't it ?

I hope everyone will read your poem and spread the word of peace.

[suncatcher]

Thank you for your very kind words, Vicki. Yes, that would really be something, and it's fun to think about, even though it's basically an impossibility.

I'm just grateful that Majicat is such a friendly site where we Majicatters can feel free to share some of our thoughts and creativity. It's a special place with special people.

Peace,
~Sun~

[shunra]

translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrg.co.il%2Fonline%2F54%2FART1%2F796%2F248.html

Iam so sad and disappointed that he couldn't come I think that it could have change all the negative "reputation" views and rumors about him here( like in this article)that is so annoying...if he really want to make it change and to support what he believes in, he must come to Israel to events like this one...we all know from his biography that he is a brave man who stands behind what he believes in no matter what others would think of him, so why not on this issue?

[flemmishfangent]

SUNRA YOUR POEM IS SO BEAUTYFULL HOPE YUSUF SEES IT REGINE

[shunra]

Hi Regine,
thanks but,
Suncatcher wrote the beautiful poem and I agree with everything she wrote...I think she is right that this invitation gives hope that things will change but there are still the people(right wing extremists) like in the article I posted who are against this change and sadly they still have the power to impose their will on the peacemakers...

[flemmishfangent]

As long Sunra there is people like us who wont the change there is hope but we can't give up ,it's that what they wont.I DID A POSSITIVE POST THZERE YESTERDAY AND I WILL ALWAYS DOING IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.For every negative post a possitive one because if people only read the negative they will think negative is'ent it.Regine

[butterfly]

Please read these news, it is an interview with James Morrison in Germany.

............James and Lidia meet up in Berlin, and talk about him traveling the world: Australia, Japan, United States. He inducted Rod Stewart to the UK Hall of Fame, and when Rod praised him, it became clear to James that he must have done something right. He’s ecstatic when fans admire him and sing along to his songs, but if his idol praises him, that is something very special. A few weeks ago, James got a call from Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens). “Would you like to sing on my new album?”, Yusuf asked. In the studio, Yusuf was impressed by James’ voice, and let him sing a few more songs. James was also allowed to meet none other than Stevie Wonder.....

Here is the link.

jamesmorrisonfan.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/hr3-pop-talk/

[suncatcher]

Nov 6, 2008 14:19:15 GMT -5 butterfly said:

Please read these news, it is an interview with James Morrison in Germany.

............A few weeks ago, James got a call from Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens). “Would you like to sing on my new album?”, Yusuf asked. In the studio, Yusuf was impressed by James’ voice, and let him sing a few more songs. James was also allowed to meet none other than Stevie Wonder.....

Here is the link.

jamesmorrisonfan.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/hr3-pop-talk/

Thank you, Anette. It's interesting to hear how Yusuf just calls famous people up - I wonder if there's some private phone directory that they all use - otherwise, how do they get each other's phone numbers - from their agents?

Anyway, here's something I came across today - I'm not on the board as much as I'd like to be, so I'm sorry if it's a repeat:

Rolling Stone lists the best singers of the rock era
A quote:

Rolling Stone recruited James Hetfield, David Crosby, Yusuf Islam, Keith Richards, Iggy Pop, James Blunt and others to submit 20 choices for the greatest rock era singer. . .
Coming in at No. 1 is Aretha Franklin followed by Ray Charles at No. 2, Elvis Presley third and Sam Cooke fourth. Rounding out the Top 5 is John Lennon. . .
Rolling Stone and its 100-strong list is expected to hit newsstands Friday.

~Sun~

P.S. Stevie Wonder made the top 10.

[margiaustralia1]

Did Cat Stevens feature in the list anywhere or was he not allowed because he was one of the judges?

Peace
Margi

[suncatcher]

Nov 13, 2008 2:07:40 GMT -5 margiaustralia1 said:

Did Cat Stevens feature in the list anywhere or was he not allowed because he was one of the judges?

Peace
Margi

Hi, Margi,
No, Cat Stevens is not in RollingStone's List of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. I don't think it was because he was one of the judges - afterall, some judges even voted for themselves.

According to RollingStone.com, ". . .each voter was asked to list his or her 20 favorite vocalists from the rock era, in order of their importance," so Cat Stevens was probably listed by the voters, but just not enough times to make the top 100.

Here is Yusuf's ballot! (Unfortunately, NOT handwritten )

Yusuf listed only 5, not 20, choices:
(1) Stevie Wonder
(2) Sam Cooke
(3) Ray Charles
(4) Nina Simone (remember, Yusuf fashioned his version of Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood after Nina Simone's version)
(5) Aretha Franklin

Peace,
~Sun~

[downunder72]

I have been living in Greece since 1983, and yesterday, for the first time I heard the name Yusuf Islam on the media. It was on a TV gossip show. They were saying about Michaeel Jackson becoming a Muslim, and how YI the once CS was with him to give his new name and to celebrate. I hope this is a begining, and they remember this time to to mention his new album when it's released.

[Milan]

"I have been living in Greece since 1983, and yesterday, for the first time I heard the name Yusuf Islam on the media."

Hehehe, that's Greeks for ya. But I'm pretty sure I saw him on one of their TV chat shows during the Olympics 2004.

Too lazy to search for it, but the basic google search came up with this lovely piece, for instance (from our very own Majicat, of course):

www.majicat.com/yusufislam/athenstak.htm

[Milan]

I love this bit:

"Steven Demetri Georgiou, son of a Greek-Cypriot restaurateur and his Swedish wife, has Greek music running in his blood. Did he listen to Greek music? ‘Oh yes,’ he replied firmly, ‘we went to weddings and parties. Greek music inspired me. I believe that my strange tempos and unexpected rhythms are rooted in the music I was hearing when I was young. It wasn’t only Greek music, though, there was Spanish, Russian choral works, Latin American music.’

‘Do you know the story of Majikat,’ he asked, showing me the latest DVD containing songs from the Earth Tour 1976, his last tour before becoming a Muslim. ‘Athens should have been the culmination of the tour. I was eager to sing before the Athenian public. But I heard that tickets were not selling. So I cancelled the concert. Later I was told that there was a football match that same day, and that it was in the middle of school exams. A Greek tragedy, I tell you. I ended up playing in Thessaloniki....’"

[margiaustralia1]

Im still waiting to hear YI mentioned on radio here in Oz. Thanks for clearing up the voting for 100 singers of all time, Sun. I really feel that CS should have been among them. Can't believe that some judges voted for themselves. ah well, I suppose you have to have confidence in your work.

Peace
Margi

[downunder72]

When I first discovered the majicat site in 2007, I spent hours browsing the net. I had read that article and seen the pics from the Athens interview. You see, it was late 2007 that I realized CS/YI was in the business again. I never saw the 2004 interview on Greek television. Where I live, it was hard to get your hands on that kind of information, even T.V reception wasn't the best, leaving you pretty cut off from the rest of the world, that is until it was possible to connect with the internet. A Greek tragedy, I tell you.

Anyway the people responsible for organizing that tour should have foreseen these coinciding events. It was a great shame, leaving CS with alot of ill feeling and disappointment, which could have been avoided. But Greeks will be Greeks and I'm sure back then CS had many udersirable Greek traits too. He's a changed man now, and I'm sure he has forgiven the Greeks for their absence from the Earth Tour, even though it cost him quite a bit of money. I think today, a small audience is what he prefers anyway.

Thankyou all the same Milan for the link, always appreciate a reply.

[nancy]

New interview with Yusuf:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSG_-cMYNQo

Songs For Survival Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)

Yusuf Islam speaks here about his contribution to an album for Survival International, the human rights organization for tribal peoples. Bruce Parry, star of the BBC series Tribe and the forthcoming Amazon, has teamed up with some of the music worlds biggest names to create a fundraising album for Survival. Musicians on the album also include will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas), Johnny Borrell (Razorlight), Tom Baxter, Mystery Jets, Jason Mraz, KT Tunstall, Hot Chip, the Go! Team and Mike Oldfield. In addition, Guy Berryman from Coldplay, Jonas from MEW and Magne from A-ha have formed a new band specially for the CD called Apparatjik, and recorded a track that will also be used for the end credits of Amazon. Every track on the album is exclusive, and has been written especially for the project. The first section of songs is titled Amazon and features songs inspired by Bruce Parrys new series of that name, to be shown on BBC2 in September. The second section of songs, entitled Tribe, is a collection of dance/experimental songs which all use samples of music Bruce recorded with the tribal people he lived with during the making of his hugely popular BBC show.


He seems very passionate about this project - and that is so good to see ........ the man continues to amaze Wonderful.

Peace all ................ Nancy

[butterfly]

This new biografie has been released in Germany. It is available on amazon.de. I just have ordered. If there are any new pictures ore s.th., that is interesting for us, I will post it.




I love this pic.

[suncatcher]

Thank you, Anette. This is great news.

~Sun~

[butterfly]

Thank you Sun, I think in a few days the book will arrive, then I can tell you about some articles.

Sorry, I don't know, if this is a new article or not.

>>>Yusuf in Cat Stevens form with '70s reissues>>>

[SuzieQ]

As we know, not all mentions of Yusuf, are good on the net!
Maybe, you would care to let them know your views.

Isn’t the Gushing Over Pop Music’s Fave HAMASnik Getting Old? by Debbie Schlussel

[flemmishfangent]

I did my word and Sue and Vicky to thanks Regii