Cat Stevens: Cat Stevens (4 CD Box Set) 2001

Steven Demetre Georgiou (July 21, 1948 - July 04, 1978), Yusuf Islam (July 04, 1978 - present). British

singer/songwriter, born Steven Demetre Georgiou in London on July 21, 1948. His musical career was interrupted in 1969 when he contracted tuberculosis. Stevens converted to Islam in 1977, adopting the name Yusuf Islam the following year. He returned to making secular music in 2006. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
                                             

Cat Stevens grew from being a teen idol of the 1960s into one of the most influential singer-songwriters

of all time. In addition to his vast musical achievements, his lifelong spiritual quest has added intrigue and depth to a groundbreaking career. Cat achieved early success in the mid 60s with ‘I Love My Dog’ and ‘Matthew and Son’. He was a prolific songwriter writing songs such as ‘Here Comes My Baby’ and ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’ for other artists; the latter, in particular, would go on to become an international hit on multiple occasions for a variety of artists.
                                           

The period of 1970 to 1974 would see Cat Stevens ascend into the upper echelons of musical superstardom. His 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman, which went gold in the U.S, contained the classics

‘Wild World’, ‘Hard Headed Woman’, ‘Where Do the Children Play?’, and ‘Father & Son’. However, it was unquestionably 1971’s Teaser and the Firecat that made Cat a true megastar. Songs such as ‘Morning Has Broken’, ‘Peace Train’ and ‘Moonshadow’ resonated with audiences worldwide and were embraced by a generation as anthems of peace and unity. The songs of this era would also go on to be appreciated by future generations, their timeless quality was shown when a cover of ‘Father & Son’ became a huge hit for the Irish pop band Boyzone in the 1990s.
                                      

Cat Stevens Box Set – 2001 (4-CD album Box Set compiling the ultimate collection of the work of a

man who last released a new pop record in 1978 and comprises 79 digitally remastered tracks from his first demo in 1965 through to a 1997 collaboration recorded under his Muslim name, Yusuf Islam including 11 tracks previously unavailable plus rarities including Demos, Outtakes, Soundtrack Contributions, B-Sides and more…, presented in deluxe packaging complete with 96-page picture booklet containing extensive sleevenotes written by Yusuf himself, photographs & more…).
                                      

(On the Road to Find Out is the first multi-volume package to comprehensively examine the artistry of singer/songwriter Cat Stevens (aka Yusuf Islam). In addition to the obligatory hits, this collection also includes key album tracks, as well as 17 sides that make their digital debut here. The set is broken into

four segments/discs with straightforward subtitles, each of which uncovers a specific era in the development of not only the artist, but of the person. The journey begins in The City and consists mostly of material from the first two Cat Stevens albums: Matthew & Son and New Masters. Notable inclusions are the debut album's title track as well as "The First Cut Is the Deepest" and "I Love My Dog." One very welcome addition is "Honey Man", a collaborative effort featuring Elton John, which is being issued here for the very first time. Cat Stevens' stint with Island/A&M Records commences on The Search.
                 

The real breakthrough albums, Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat, are represented by

tracks such as "Sad Lisa" and the achingly tender "How Can I Tell You," as well as the anticipated hits "Wild World" and "Peace Train." Of note to collectors will be "If You Want to Sing out Sing Out" and "Don't Be Shy" from the motion picture Harold and Maude, as well as previously unreleased demos for "The Joke," "Time/Fill My Eyes," "Love Lives in the Sky," and "The Day They Make Me Czar.
                                    

" The Hurt includes tracks from Catch Bull at Four, Foreigner, and Buddha and the Chocolate Box.

Among the rarities from this era are "Crab Dance", a 45 B-side to "Sitting", as well as "Bad Penny" and "Lady D'arbanville" from the Japan-only live release Saturnight (Live in Tokyo).
                                   

The final entry, aptly titled The Last, recalls a few significant contributions from Numbers, Izitso, and Back to Earth, as well three rare live tracks: "Hard Headed Woman," "Tuesday's Dead," and "Ruins" from a live show February 22, 1976, at William and Mary College on the Majikat Earth Tour. This

version of "Father and Son" has added significance, as it would be the final live performance that Yusuf Islam would make as Cat Stevens. Ironically, the final song on the album is the title track from Islam's 1997 release, God Is the Light. The packaging is lavish and includes a 96-page liner notes booklet abounding with rare photos as well as essays and a track-by-track analysis from Islam himself. The discs are packaged in separate cardboard digi-packs. The sound is spectacular throughout, with the most noticeable improvement on the Matthew & Son and New Masters sides.
By Lindsay Planer)
                                    

(Here's a 4-CD retrospective of the man now called Yusuf Islam, but whom we all know better under

the name Cat Stevens. Accompanied by a graphics-rich book called In Search of the Centre of the Universe, On the Road to Find Out takes us from C. Stevens' pop beginnings ("Back to the Good Old Days," from 1965) to the more recent religious offerings of Y. Islam (1997's "God Is the Light"), with sufficient stops along the road to make fans of any theological hue believe their prayers have been answered.
                                              

Titled "The City," "The Search," "The Hurt," and "The Last," the four discs suggest distinct phases within the chronological progression of songs, and with close examination, you might make a case for those labels. Musically speaking, however, only the first disc stands apart from the rest: a sore thumb

painfully awry on an aural hand of glory. But this is a career overview, so it's historically apt to include cuts from the first two Brit releases, even though Stevens' songs are ravaged by then-producer Mike Hurst's over-the-top, brass-heavy orchestration that comes off like a sort of Herb Alpert petit mal and moves many of the tunes toward the cheesy stylings of Leonard Nimoy. "In Search of," indeed. Only that first part threatens to overlap sci-fi pop culture, as the rest of the enterprise (ahem) returns Stevens to more earthly, personal sounds: guitar, piano, some drums, and his distinctive, passionate voice.
                                      

All the hits are here, and many respectable B-sides and live versions of favorites, even a few songs

from his unstaged musical, Revolussia. Whether this sharp package will help anyone find the "centre" of the universe is a moot point, but wherever you are in this wild world, here's some good and sometimes heavy shit that'll make your existence even more wonderful a thing than it already is.
By Wayne Alan Brenner)

MONSHADOW - THE MUSICAL

                                  

“In this world of Darkness, evil rules by night,
but somewhere in the shadows … someone’s seeking light.”

                                

It now official that Moonshadow the Musical will make its World Premiere at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, in May 2012.
                                    

PRINCESS  ZEENA

Weaving together the much loved songs and music of Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Moonshadow will take the

audience on an incredible journey with a magical story of a young man and his moonshadow’s struggle against the oncoming of darkness. As the night planet prepares for the big blackout by the death of the Moon, the odd duo battle to overcome the hidden enemy, in search for the mythical land of the lost sun … and everlasting happiness.
                           

Yusuf explains where the musical began:

                           

“I Suppose the Musical, Moonshadow, began, in a way, back when I was a child – growing up in

middle of London’s West-End. Apart from the bright lights, theatres and everything else that was going on, I remember looking out of my window at nightime, into the deep night sky and wondering… Where does the sky end?” Moonshadow is about themes that are both powerful and universal. It’s about hopes and dreams; greed and power; right and wrong; but most importantly Moonshadow is about happiness and love.
                            

Showcasing exciting new songs with Yusuf’s most famous and beloved classics from his expansive

back catalogue, with hits around every corner, such as Father and Son, Wild World, Morning Has Broken, Matthew & Son and First Cut is the Deepest, this musical hopes to send audiences out happily singing the songs they know so well.
                                                 

Cat Stevens – Cat Stevens Box Set
Label: A&M Records – 314 585 285-2
Format:    4 x CD, Compilation, Remastered Box Set
Country: US
Released: Oct 30, 2001
Genre: Rock
Style: Rock, Pop, Folk, World, & Country
    
DISC 1. THE CITY

                                                           

  
01. Back To The Good Old Times    2:49
02. I Love My Dog    2:21
03. Portobello Road    2:28
04. Here Comes My Baby    2:57
05. Matthew & Son    2:47
06. The Tramp    2:10
07. I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun    2:14
08. School Is Out    2:59
09. A Bad Night    3:13
10. The Laughing Apple    2:39
11. Kitty    2:22
12. Blackness Of Night    2:32
13. The First Cut Is The Deepest    3:03
14. Northern Wind    2:50
15. Moonstone    2:17
16. Come On Baby (Shift That Log)    3:53
17. Lovely City (When Do You Laugh?)    2:41
18. Here Comes My Wife    3:01
19. The View From The Top    3:35
20. Where Are You    3:03
21. If Only Mother Could See Me Now (Demo)    3:05
22. Honey Man  (Guest [With] – Elton John)  3:10
23. The Joke    3:13

MP3 @ 320 Size: 153 MB
Flac  Size: 404 MB

DISC 2. THE SEARCH

                                            

  
01. Time / Fill My Eyes (Demo)    4:09
02. Lady D'Arbanville    3:44
03. Trouble      2:47
04. Pop Star    4:14
05. Katmandu    3:22
06. Lilywhite    3:46
07. I've Got A Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old (Previously 0Unreleased Mix)    2:44
08. Where Do The Children Play?    3:53
09. Wild World    3:20
10. Sad Lisa    3:45
11. On The Road To Find Out    5:12
12. Father & Son    3:42
13. Love Lives In The Sky    3:13
14. Don't Be Shy    2:52
15. If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out    2:47
16. The Day They Make Me Tsar (Demo)    2:36
17. The Wind    1:41
18. Moonshadow    2:52
19. Morning Has Broken    3:19
20. How Can I Tell You    4:27
21. Peace Train    4:12
22. I Want To Live In A Wigwam    3:23

MP3 @ 320 Size: 178 MB
Flac  Size: 431 MB

DISC 3. THE HURT

                                               

  
01. Crab Dance    3:03
02. Sitting    3:15
03. Silent Sunlight    3:00
04. Angelsea    4:33
05. Can't Keep It In    2:59
06. 18th Avenue (Kansas City Nightmare)    4:18
07. The Hurt    4:19
08. Foreigner Suite    18:17
09. Oh Very Young    2:39
10. Music    4:23
11. Sun/C79    4:39
12. King Of Trees    5:09
13. Bad Penny (Live)    3:22
14. Lady D'Arbanville (Live)    3:52
15. Another Saturday Night    2:30

MP3 @ 320 Size: 165 MB
Flac  Size: 430 MB

DISC FOUR.  THE LAST

                                      

  
01. Whistlestar    3:47
02. Novim's Nightmare    3:52
03. Majik Of Majiks    4:32
04. Banapple Gas    3:10
05. Blue Monday    2:23
06. Doves (Majikat Earth Tour Theme Song)    2:19
07. Hard-Headed Woman (Live)    4:14
08. Tuesday's Dead (Live)    4:15
09. Ruins (Live)    3:44
10. (Remember The Days Of The) Old Schoolyard    2:44
11. Life    4:55
12. (I Never Wanted) To Be A Star    3:04
13. Child For A Day    4:24
14. Just Another Night    3:48
15. Daytime    3:59
16. Last Love Song    3:29
17. Never    3:03
18. Father & Son (Live)    3:38
19. God Is The Light    3:37

MP3 @ 320 Size: 162 MB
Flac  Size: 409 MB