Western Daily Press

Cat Stevens to bring new life to 1970 iconic album

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YUSUF/CAT Stevens has said a new and re-recorded version of his acclaimed album Tea For The Tillerman will “bring new life” to its songs.

The singer-songwriter, 71, has reimagined his breakthrou­gh 1970 album to mark its 50th anniversar­y.

The record, released when he was 22, was his fourth and contained hits including Wild World, Father And Son and Where Do The Children Play?

Stevens, above, who goes by the name Yusuf Islam, reimagined its 11 tracks during recording sessions at La Fabrique Studios in the south of France during summer 2019.

He said: “Part of the wisdom of this is that when you look back usually you see what you did wrong. In this case, I saw what I did right and tried to make it relative to myself today.

“When I go touring – of course that has been called off now – a lot of people want to hear these songs.

“I have to make it real for me today. I wanted to bring new life to these songs.

“That’s one of the reasons why I have gone back in the studio and done that again, but it’s also a challenge. I love a challenge.

“The album itself stands as an iconic moment in the melodious 70s when we had marvellous music and a marvellous time for people to enjoy the spirit of the time.

“But today things are different. “These songs are very relevant to what is happening today.”

The album, titled Tea For The Tillerman 2, reunites some of the original album’s key players, producer Paul Samwell-Smith and guitarist Alun Davies.

London-born Stevens was born Steven Demetre Georgiou but converted to Islam in 1977 and later adopted the name Yusuf Islam.

He went on a hiatus from music around 1979 to devote himself to religion.

Stevens returned to music in 2006 with the album An Other Cup.

Tea For The Tillerman 2 is available from September 18 on UMC.

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