Isn’t the Gushing Over Pop Music’s Fave HAMASnik Getting Old?
by Debbie SchlusselIs it just me . . . or are you, too, getting tired of the mainstream entertainment media’s gushing over HAMAS mule Yusuf Islam a/k/a Cat Stevens a/k/a Stephen Georgiou? Whether it’s FOX News’ uber-liberal faux-movie-critic Roger Friedman or today’s USA Today, which features a gusher by longtime music writer Edna Gundersen, the attempts to whitewash this extremist with a guitar get stale and tiresome.
If ever there were a time to re-birth Moon Unit Zappa’s “gag me with a spoon” from the ’80s, this is it:
David Spero, Yusuf’s manager, sees maturity, not a radical personality change. “Cat Stevens was the voice of a generation, and Yusuf is a voice of that same generation grown up,” he says. . . .
After nearly drowning off the coast of Malibu in 1976, the singer turned to Islam and found “a message to the human heart” in a copy of the Quran his brother gave him. “It didn’t have any connection to politics or global issues or the continuing turbulence in the Middle East,” he says. “That wasn’t the issue.”
HAMAS Money-Mule Yusuf Islam a/k/a Cat Stevens & Family
Yusuf initially ducked public scrutiny when he became a Muslim. . . .
When controversies erupted, Yusuf often served as a Muslim ambassador to the West, sometimes unintentionally inflaming relations (his comments on the Salman Rushdie fatwa), but usually offering healing words, as he did after 9/11.
The terror attacks “were a turning point,” he says. “The message was: We better get to know each other before we destroy each other. The people in the middle, who are the majority, woke up to that. Unfortunately, a few leaders at the time didn’t represent that point of view.”
While he struggles to explain Islam’s tenets, he isn’t an apologist for Muslims and says he’s frustrated that “they can point fingers but very rarely say, ‘Perhaps I can do something to bridge the gaps.’ ” . . .
“We yearn for happiness, beauty, peace, love,” he says.
Okay, so he has a Jewish apologist manager who goes on about him like a bad Minnie Riperton song.
But hmmm . . . he was a money mule for HAMAS (which is why he’s barred from Israel), he supported Ayatollah Khomeini’s death fatwah on Salman Rushdie (and said anyone who “defames the prophet, he must die”), is all tied up with Al-Qaeda splinter groups in Britain, and doesn’t particularly like Jews, when he writes against ‘em.
This is the guy who “struggles” and “isn’t an apologist for Muslims”? Whatever. Time to end the fraudulent gushing over this extremist. If only Cat Stevens had become David Duke instead of Dawud Al-Duke, we wouldn’t be treated to these endless waterfalls of syrup over a has-been’s bad, anachronistic pop songs.
Cue the Moon Unit Zappa. Grody to the max.
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29 Comments
His music still sounds the same as it did back in the 70s: insipid, lightweight piffle to drink tea by.
Deb
Blame America for Islam’s problems. That I don’t get. When you blow up buildings with innocent people inside and you expect people to love you and/or your religion? Then you run and hide in hospitals and schools using women and children as shields? What a bunch of COWARDS! YICS is just an apologist for some murderers. It is as simple as that.
After nearly drowning off the coast of Malibu in 1976,…
Ah, brain damage. That explains it.
Not sure if this comment went through or not.
The only thing I know him for off the top of my head (besides being formerly Cat Stephens) was that he refused to let Baz Luhrmann use a song of his in Moulin Rouge, since the movie was about sex out of wedlock, and that didn’t mesh with his Muslim faith. Luhrmann cut a whole scene from the movie because of this. While I completely respect Yusuf/Stephen’s choice to do that and think he is a much better example of an authentic religious conversion then other celebrities (yes, I am looking at you Madonna), I doubt the media would be gushing over him so much for his decisions and comments if he had become, say, a devout evangelical who refuses song rights on moral grounds. Because, you know, those devout Christians are just nuts; devout anything else, not so much.
Whatever. Any album by Cat Stevens or Yusuf Islam or whatever he calls himself now is worth a lot more to me than shallow whining and insults from the writer of this post or the two-minute hate she intends to engender.
Boy, if I only had a time machine set for Malibu 1976…
Now you did it, Debbie, look out your door, you’re being followed by a moonshadow. (Or in Malibu, someone from Moonshadows, oh no, not Mel Gibson again!) I knew you were a hard-headed woman, but you’re sure not riding on the peace train! You need to get yourself a Buddha and a chocolate box, ’cause baby, baby, it’s a wild world! What’s the matter with you, you need to listen to the wind, the wind of your heart. I don’t know what got into you with that column, but I’m on the road to find out.
Hi Debbie, I’ve got to step in here for a sec.
When Cat Stephens opens his mouth and sings, a little emotional orchestra comes out. His voice is intrinsically joyful and life-affirming. He can’t help it, he was touched by God a little. You may find it insipid – I rather did as a teenager – but I’m here to tell you, subjectively, but with the conviction of a singer-songwriter who’s never even been a huge fan, that Cat is definitely all that within a genre that produced some true greats in the 70’s.
He can be an idiot, a genuine religious man, or even(turning my stomache) a “Hamas mule”…. None of it can take away what he’s put out in the world…. plus, because he left before we all had to suffer what would have been some ear-challenging productions in the 80’s, he’s sort of locked in a beautiful time capsule for people, like an old romance.
All just to say, don’t ever be surprised by his being given endless hugs by the media. As he wrote and sang it, The First Cut Is The Deepest.
GREEN MAMBA
You probably think the Anneberg Foundation is a holy thing as well.
“Is it just me . . . or are you, too, getting tired of the mainstream entertainment media’s gushing over HAMAS mule Yusuf Islam a/k/a Cat Stevens a/k/a Stephen Georgiou?”
Boy howdy!! Lord knows I can’t go one single day without hearing the MSM, collectively of course, praising Cat Stevens a/k/a Tokyo Mohamed. I’m with you Debbie. When will this unending, incessant, nonstop love for Cat Stevens end? So much outrage…getting tired…so very tired.
Bleah couldn’t stand his music when my siblings shoved it down my throat in the 70’s. Less heard from this clown the better. Hork.
I’m lost — when did the media “gush” over this guy? In fact, I wouldn’t have even known about these articles if it hadn’t been for this column. Do you really a couple piddling articles amounts to “gushing”? Schlussel makes the same mistake (or maybe it’s part of her evil plan) that so many conservative media critics make — create a straw man called the “mainstream media” and knock him down. Get with it, this is 2009, the mainstream media is all but dead, which is precisely why Schlussel and company have an audience. Resurrecting Spiro Agnew’s ghost everyday may butter her bread, but really, can we have more columns about substantial issues, not insignificant ’70s pop stars who are clearly beyond relevance.
Eh… I began boycotting him as pop singer back when he publically backed the fatwa on Salman Rushdie. I was working then as a military broadcaster, as a radio DJ. I never played him on any of my live or recorded shows after that, and I can’t say that anyone particularly missed him.
Mr. Huh? must not ever pick up Rolling Stone, Interview, Vogue, or any other of the supposed super-hip mags. I have seen oodles of crap about this has-been Muslim freak. I don’t know about the brain damage, frankly I just go with evil. Good article, Debbie.
He fell off the Peace Train a long time ago.
After nearly drowning off the coast of Malibu in 1976
I, too, almost drowned off the coast of California, at Huntington Beach in 1985; strangely, though, I subsequently felt uncompelled to join an exotic religion or start hating Jews.
Christopher, I agree and when he hit the ground he was lying there in the moon’s shadow for a long time.
Wow Cat Stevens brings back memories of high school. A few of the gals there were into what we called, “peace, love & Bobby Sherman” A few elicited, “I’m being followed by a Moon Shadow…” by guys when they walked by festooned with the usually “anti-war” buttons. The hippy chicks were much easier to score with. A peace button would do more for a guy trying to score than being a football hero.
Such a shame, it seems none of you have actually taken the time to learn about his man, but are just happy to go with the few people who have a hate campaign for him.
Shame on you!!!
Sue,
Please enlighten us to this vital information that you hold that will cause us to have an epiphany in regards to this man. I believe if you had bothered to read my first post, you will see I have read extensively about him, and found him to equal pond scum. However, feel free to share your deep thoughts to perhaps stop this horrible “hate campaign.”
DI BUTLER
From Yusufislam.com – Biography
He is far from Evil..
Well, don’t say you didn’t ask for it.
While some fans were baffled and dismayed by his decision, his close family respected him for his spiritual conviction and were relieved. According to Yusuf, “The moment I became a Muslim, I found peace.” With the advent of his marriage and the birth of his first child, Hasanah, he turned his attention to education. Yusuf opened and funded the Islamia Primary School in London, which, fifteen years later, made history by becoming the first government funded Muslim school in England.
As a multimillionaire he could have spent the rest of his life in luxurious obscurity, except that his concern for humanitarian and charitable causes took him back into the public spotlight. During the African famine in 1984, he helped establish Muslim Aid, an international relief organisation. Today, Yusuf still donates vast amounts of his royalty income to charity. He has for almost three decades concerned himself with education and fundraising for the plight of those much less fortunate. His U.K. and United Nations registered charity, Small Kindness, provides humanitarian relief as well as social and educational programs to countless orphans and needy families in the Balkans, Iraq, Indonesia and other regions.
Ending his successful music career, even with all his travels and charitable projects, and being appointed to various community organisations, did not, however, mean a total end to creative writing. One of the first songs he wrote as Yusuf Islam, after the birth of his daughter in 1981, was entitled “A is for Allah”. His intention was to shift attention from “apples” to the Creator of apples. “I earnestly believe there is a need for strengthening the moral base of education,” Yusuf stated, “the horrors which are happening more and more in schools: murders, teenage pregnancies, drugs, the lack of respect, violence, bullying, racism. Surely kids deserve a better start and chance in life?”
Following the torrent of controversy surrounding the publication of The Satanic Verses, Yusuf was dismayed at the misunderstanding around the figure of the Prophet Muhammad whose words were often misunderstood and exaggerated by the media. He saw this as a sign of how extremists on both sides attempted to use Islam as a combatant in a global struggle. “It may come as news to some, but the word Islam itself derives from the word peace,” he pointed out. “That is the heart and soul of God’s religion and is what I’ve always followed.”
So in 1995, in an unexpected move after a silence of eighteen years, Yusuf returned to the recording studio to make the spoken word album, The Life of the Last Prophet, on his own label, Mountain of Light. It included some pleasing songs which brought the singing and poetry of the Islamic world and culture to many ears for the first time. The former star had kept his lilting voice and joyful sense of rhythm, which brought smiles of recognition from old Cat Stevens fans.
Spurred by the encouragement from music lovers for more recordings following the Bosnian genocide, Yusuf wrote and sang some new songs accompanied only by drums, and began recording a charity album, I Have No Cannons That Roar. One of the new compositions was a song dedicated to the children of Sarajevo and Dunblane entitled “The Little Ones.”
Yusuf realised there was an important role he could play in using his talents to educate through his songs, and a fresh wave of inspiration carried him into the new millennium. His first work in 2000 was an encyclopaedic project, A is for Allah, based on the original lullaby he wrote for his daughter. The production included a spoken word explanation of Islam through the letters of the alphabet, several new songs, accompanied by a seventy page, beautifully designed colour book. He has released eight albums to date under the Mountain of Light label, mostly for children, the latest being I Look I See 2.
In 2001, Yusuf sought new horizons and opened an office and established a home in Dubai, the sparkling new enterprise of futuristic thinking Muslim rulers in the Gulf region. He was impressed with the balance of this Arab state, leading the way towards a tolerant and modern society while maintaining an unshakable love of Islamic culture.
At that time, his son, Muhammad, presented him with a life altering dilemma. He bashfully showed his father a proud new possession: a guitar! Yusuf was forced to reflect again on the issue of music and instruments. After years of inquiry and soul searching, Yusuf’s doubts about the use of music within Islamic history and culture had lessened. He reached the conclusion that the evidence for banning instruments failed to meet Islamic Law’s requirements for unquestioning acceptance. He wrote an article that explained his understanding of how the evidence allowed for different views on this issue. The Qur’an does not ever actually mention the word “music” or “instruments.”
It was clear to him that the objective of branding music as makruh (disliked) or haram (forbidden) was based on juristic interpretation, probably in the desire to avoid frivolous and immoral songs, which were very much a reflection of what has universally come to be known as “sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll.” And although Yusuf had been famously associated with various aspects of that capacious culture during his flamboyant career, yet most of his music and lyrics explored the paths to peace and universal understanding – a far cry from that “wild world”.
As a result, Yusuf lent full support to his son’s ambition to make an album of his own songs, and arranged for him to record in South Africa. Gradually, Yusuf became relaxed about the block he had placed on his creative ideas and began to expand his writing with the trusty help of his son’s Spanish guitar. “When I picked up the guitar again it was like a floodgate, Yusuf said. “Ideas and melodies floated in without effort. The novelty of the whole process, searching for forgotten chords, inspired me; it was like the simple joy of being back as an amateur, with nothing much to lose.”
Yusuf performed at a number of major charity concert events including Nelson Mandela’s 46664 AIDS benefit concert in 2003 in Cape Town, South Africa, and the United Nations’ “Voices for Darfur” concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2004. Also in 2003, he was awarded the “World Social Award” for his humanitarian relief work around the world. Previous recipients of the award included the late Pope John Paul II and Steven Spielberg.
But on a day in September 2004 his world seemed to turn upside down. While on a flight to Nashville, Yusuf was refused entry into the United States. No official reason was given for the action. “The drama I found myself in was like some horrible Hollywood B-movie. And I was the star. But nobody ever told me the plot, let alone the lines.” The deportation led British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to complain personally to Secretary of State Colin Powel at the United Nations. Two years later, Yusuf was admitted without incident for several radio performances and interviews and has visited the country several times since then.
In November 2004 he was honoured with the “Man for Peace” award by a committee of Nobel peace laureates. The following year, in January 2005, he flew with his wife to take part in a fundraising concert in Jakarta to aid the victims of the tsunami. The song he composed for that occasion, “Indian Ocean”, was the first official song Yusuf wrote and recorded with instruments after a break of twenty six years! In May of the same year, at the Adopt-A-Minefield gala, his contribution included a duet with Paul McCartney.
Also in 2005, he was asked by the U.K. Home Office to convene a working group on education to advise the government on tackling extremism and disaffection among Muslim youth. He advised the government to review their foreign policy when dealing with Muslim countries and to adopt a more inclusive position regarding Islam’s historical contribution to Western civilization through the scientific, educational and cultural influence of the early period of Islam in Spain and the Ottoman Empire. His role as an ambassador of the Muslim community in Britain earned him an honorary doctorate from the University of Gloucestershire for services to education and humanitarian relief.
After what felt like a lifetime away, Yusuf got together with Rick Nowels and returned to the studio to produce his first album in almost thirty years. The critically acclaimed, An Other Cup, released in late 2006, coincidentally arrived on the 40th anniversary of his first Cat Stevens’ record, I Love My Dog, in November 1966. The millions who bought the records he made as Cat Stevens back in the ’60s and ’70s had hoped that one day the world would again hear his mellow voice and intimate, thought-provoking songs. The long wait was over and their wishes had come true.
With the aim of inspiring bridge-building and understanding across cultures and faiths, the album touched the hearts of many old as well as new fans and attained Gold and Platinum status across Europe. As Yusuf puts it, “Much has changed, but today I am in a unique position as a looking glass through which Muslims can see the West and the West can see Islam. It is important for me to be able to help bridge the cultural gaps others are sometimes frightened to cross.”
In May 2007, Yusuf was awarded the Ivor Novello award for “Outstanding Song Collection.” The same year the University of Exeter bestowed on him a second honorary doctorate in recognition of his humanitarian work and for improving understanding between Islamic and Western cultures.
In July, Yusuf performed as a special guest at Live Earth, Hamburg, closing the show with a five song set. Live Earth initiated a three year campaign to combat climate change. The worldwide concerts brought together more than 150 musical acts. He supported with conviction the ‘One Planet’ theme he had championed for many years with songs like “Where Do The Children Play” and “Ruins.”
The power of Yusuf’s musical legacy and ongoing creative writing will hopefully be raised again in the form of a new musical scheduled to open in Europe in 2009. He is working on a stage production entitled Moonshadow, based on the story of a young man’s (his!) spiritual journey. It will include many of his best loved songs from his Cat Stevens repertoire, as well as new, original material especially written for the show.
Ultimately, the reason for Yusuf’s return to music and performing is simple, he explains. “The language of song is simply the best way to communicate the powerful winds of change which brought me to where I am today, and the love for peace still passing through my heart. I feel gifted to have that ability still within me. I never wanted to get involved in politics because that essentially separates people; whereas music has the power to unify, and is so much easier for me than to give a lecture.”
At this he smiles knowingly. “You can argue with a philosopher, but you can’t argue with a good song. And I think I’ve got a few good songs.”
Pond scum, I have to agree! The entertainment community is full of pond scum, as is the entire media, which I affectionately refer to as The Cabal!
SUE,
A very impressive mini-bio there. And I won’t dispute a word of it. However, one question needs answered. How can he, and you, buy into the myth that Islam is a religion of peace, with all the human atrocities and evil acts that have been, and continue to be, perpetuated in its name? That basic contradiction just baffles my mind. What am I missing?
CW
The majority of Muslims are peace loving. Not ALL Muslims, are extreamists, You wouldn’t blame all say, Christians, for a few evil beings of a congregation.
Yusuf, is a peaceful man, trying his best to bridge a gap between the East and West through his music. His dream, is for a peaceful world, a world with no wars.
Anyone who judges all Muslims as being extremists, is actually an extremist and racist himself. Being a Christian myself, one cannot forget history and forget the atrocities that Christians did in the name of Christianity. That does not mean all Chistians are capable of evil acts. So let us look more closely, and not turn a blind eye to what Yusuf has always stood for, and what he has always tried to convey..PEACE
Vicki,
I would never condemn all muslims as extremists. Those I know personally are good people I would vouch for any time. However, they should think harder about their own responsibility for the image of their religion. They are quick to feel insulted and quick to forget what is being done by radicals who act in their name. Yes, even my trusted muslim colleagues are like that. They talk of their “muslim brothers” but when these brothers commit acts of terror, it suddenly has nothing to do with them.
Where is the shame, the outrage, the demonstrations by self-described peaceful muslims in the face of islamist terror? At least those who live in the West have no excuse – they have a voice. If Christians committed comparable atrocities today, the apologies would never end. You yourself say you “cannot forget history and forget the atrocities that Christians did in the name of Christianity”. Is it not fair to demand the same from muslims when the atrocities are not only ancient but fresh and ongoing? But the fingerpointing only goes one way. And too many of them are passive enablers of terror in that way.
One thing I am sure about: I remember the 1970s and Cat Stevens wasn´t cool. They voice of a generation? Not where I went to school.
SUE:
If the majority of Muslims are “peace loving,” as you claim, why do the majority of them–in poll after poll, conducted by such Islamo-friendly outlets as Pew–support homicide bombings and Bin Laden (who remains the most popular figure in the Muslim world) and HAMAS (I guess your TV and newspapers don’t show the Muslim pro-HAMAS demonstrations around the world)? Oh, I think I’ve figured this one out–the majority of Muslims support “peaceful” homicide bombings and terror attacks by “peace-loving” HAMAS and Hezbollah. Thanks for allowing me to think out loud and figure this out. And you might wanna take a wake up pill.
Debbie,
I am sorry to say, but you sound like the type of person who helped to get george w bush into office for the past 8 years……narrow minded, and preaching fear and hate.
It is a new world, baby!
Give up the fear mongering and do something positive with your words.
tO YOU ALL NARROW MINDED PEOPLE IF I READ THIS LIKE vICKY SAID:Anyone who judges all Muslims as being extremists, is actually an extremist and racist himself. Being a Christian myself, one cannot forget history and forget the atrocities that Christians did in the name of Christianity. That does not mean all Chistians are capable of evil acts. So let us look more closely, and not turn a blind eye to what Yusuf has always stood for, and what he has always tried to convey..PEACE
And Sue
The majority of Muslims are peace loving. Not ALL Muslims, are extreamists, You wouldn’t blame all say, Christians, for a few evil beings of a congregation.
Yusuf, is a peaceful man, trying his best to bridge a gap between the East and West through his music. His dream, is for a peaceful world, a world with no wars
You have those people who never think further then there nose and for them the doors will stay closed.
Yusuf is a great personalty as well as his son Yoriyos they try to work for a peacefull world but like always you have some people who only believe there own truth and stay on there local places pitty I LOVE TO LOOK FURTHER THEN MY NOSE IN LONG AND ENJOY TO WORK FOR PEACE TOGETHER WITH THEM THAT WORKS FOR A BETTER FUTURE BECAUSE EVERY ONE ON EARTH IS EQUALLY .If everyone on this world gets what he needs to have a dissent live with enough to eat the chance of learning and a good job there would be no extrimists to follow.And what now is happening in Gaza that is because people have now future.And those who fell down in Gaza are doing the same what happend to them selfs more then 60 years ago.How can you understand this.IT’S TIME FOR PEACE AND I’m on that special peacetrain with Yusuf and his son and all those who believe in it Regine
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