Hey everyone, just was wondering if anyone could tell me more about this man. My dad suggested i listen to some of his stuff, and from what i heard hes quite good. Im learning guitar over the winter and was looking for some inspiration to keep me going at night. I have tried to mimic some of his stuff but its proving harder than i thought. I bought his new greatest hits album "gold" as a guide and the more and more i listen to it, the more i want to learn to play. If anyone has any tips or suggestions, or just likes cat stevens feel free to comment. Later
A songbook of his music might be a help.
Tim Madsen
Nobody cares how much you know,
until they know how much you care.
"What you keep to yourself you lose, what you give away you keep forever." -Axel Munthe
I learned (and have now forgotten) a lot of Cat's tunes while first learning guitar. He was monster talent among singers/songwriters in the 70s and (IIRC) early 80s. Hopefully, his recent return to music after a 20+ year religious hiatus will bring some new gems. He had a flawless, yet emotional sense of melody and rhythm, along with an equally great lyrical talent. Moonshadow, Wild World, Father and Son, Peace Train and Tuesday's Dead are among my all time favorite acoustic tunes, but there are so many others ...
-=tension & release=-
Hopefully, his recent return to music after a 20+ year religious hiatus will bring some new gems..
Wow. I wasn't aware he was returning to music. Do you know if he is assuming his old name or his religous name. He did change his name didn't he? :?
Treat others how you would like to be treated.
AFAIK -- and have read, he will remain Yusef Islam, and his return may be very different from the usual career resumption, as he remains primarily committed to his religious conversion back in '79 (I looked that up).
-=tension & release=-
Most of Cat Stevens's songs are more difficult than it seems, but, for a good start, Mattguitar posted an easy version of Father & Son in the Easy song Database section of this forum :
http://forums.guitarnoise.com/viewtopic.php?t=19214
It proved very usefull to me !!!
BTW, thanks Matt !!!
If I'm not in the band
Don't mean I'm square
Mercury Rev - Car Wash Air
hi there
great guy old Cat, and has done a surprisingly wide catalogue of good music. Its well worth visiting majicat.com, this has all sorts of stuff on it including a good guitar tab section.
Whoever put that his songs are harder than you think is dead right. They often sound simple but to replicate them isn't easy - there's often more than one guitarist playing lead even on the really acoustic numbers.
Definitely a man of his time!
Matt
Browsing in guitar shop a few days ago, I saw sheet music/guitar tab books for two Cat Stevens albums...Tea For The Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat - they were a bit on the pricey side, though, around £17 each...the assistant told me there is a "Complete Cat Stevens" that retails at around £25, that might be better value - and hey, there's always Amazon!!!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Our very own David Hodge has also posted an excellent lesson on Cat's "Wild World" in easy songs for beginners on the lessons page on this site. He has also added mp3's in the lesson to help with the strum patterns.
Here's the link:
Chris.
The guitar is all right John but you'll never make a living out of it! (John Lennon's Aunt Mimi)
i had not heard that he was recording again either. i hope it's not all islamic related material. the world lost a great composer when he hung it up the first time.
#4491....
