A new album (on which he has been working for over ten years), a new tour with a single performance in Italy, June 18 at the Cavea of Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, the memory and music of George Harrison and the hopes for the future of the planet and humanity. Yusuf/Kat Stevens talks about himself on Sky TG24 in a lengthy interview. In which he also talks about the importance of silence in a society that is often “too noisy”.
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I meet Yusuf / Cat Stevens on a Sunday in June when he is in Berlin for the first date of his new tour which will also take him to Italy. After a long absence from the stage due to the pandemic, the British artist is ready to return to the stage: with him, the group has replenished with new musicians and a new album, King of the Earthon which he worked for almost 12 years. The calmness that his smile conveys, even if we are separated by a computer screen (and several thousand kilometers, since I am in Milan), is contagious. We say goodbye and after a few moments he begins to tell me about his rehearsals in London, the city where he lives, and about the happiness of finally returning to the stages of all of Europe.
Yusuf / Cat Stevens is back on tour with new music and classics from the past.
What do you think about finally going on tour with your music?
I think it’s nothing short of beautiful: there’s nothing more beautiful than playing live. You know, the record can be listened to many times, but the concert has something of its own, and it is always unique. We have prepared a great show by carefully selecting all the songs; with sounds we can go back to 1966. We’ve increased the number of musicians and added brass so we can play some songs from the past; it will be nice to experience those emotions, both for those who savored them at that time, and for those who were not there and can experience them now. There is a taste of the sixties for everyone.
He talked about “old songs” that he will bring with him on this new tour. I don’t think they are old, but eternal. Even if different versions were made over time. I think about Father and sonwhich also saw the cover of Boyzone, the boy band that marked the teenage years of many of us…
(laughs) Yes, they were very charming, to be honest. I worked with them and it was great! I think Ronan Keating sang this song beautifully.
Will he sing it on this tour too?
Of course I always sing it, it’s part of my DNA. This cannot but be in the songs of the concert!
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Yusuf Cat Stevens concert in Rome June 18th.
Musical legacy and first concert at Glastonbury
Father and son, like many other songs he created during his long career, is part of his musical and cultural heritage. How do you feel about the idea of passing on this musical wealth to those who come after you, musicians and music lovers?
For me, this is a gift. You know, when you start a creative journey in your life, you never know what you will end up with, whether this journey can continue even without you, whether you can influence people and their lives. I was lucky that I didn’t think about it, because all I did was just pave the way, live my journey. But when I did it, I knew that audiences would go through these things and that we would share those experiences. I’ve written lyrics that many people have thought about, and that’s great. I think it’s really a gift given to you that comes from a more spiritual dimension. And that has always been my style. At some point, you realize that you are doing this not because it is a job, but because it is your life. I feel happy and grateful.
In a few days, on June 18, he will be in Rome and next week at Glastonbury: he will move from an intimate place like the Cavea of Auditorium Parco della Musica to one of the most important festivals. How do you feel about meeting so many different cultures?
It’s very nice, especially since the concert is different every night. But above all, I also experience different reactions to my concert with my hands. Rather, it will be nice to see how people in Rome will react to my songs, and for sure there will be a different reaction at Glastonbury. It will be an experience for me and for those who come to the concert, no doubt.
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George Harrison, “My Sweet Lord” video and artists
New album full of nuances
King of the earth this is his last album. But is it true that he worked on it for ten years and only now, having completed it, is he completely satisfied with it?
I think that’s part of the beauty of the recording process. You can capture something special one day, but you might not capture anything the next. This album is very beautiful for me, because I included all the nuances that I imagined in it. Think about the musicality as well as the happiness you experience when you record a song. It gets more complicated if you have to record an album every year because everything becomes more repetitive. But that’s not the case with King of the Earth. Let’s say I liked Michelangelo when he didn’t let anyone see his work until it was complete and “perfect” for him.
Do you think this album is “perfect”?
I think it’s perfectly balanced because it reflects my musical styles and my creative path: from that point of view, it’s perfect. I don’t think there is absolute perfection in music, I think every song is perfect for me because it describes exactly what I wanted to say.
But is it true that he recorded it in George Harrison’s studio?
We recorded it between Berlin, France and other places, but finished it in George’s studio. I don’t think many people were there and mixing my album was a mystical experience in a magical place.
Did you feel the hovering figure of George Harrison?
Yes, definitely (smiling). We had a son with us, but I felt close to George, his spirit kept us company.
“Better world? It depends on each of us.”
Through his music he taught us that a better world is possible. Do you think it’s still today?
It depends on how you behave in this world. The world is something abstract. What you can do is work on yourself, it’s in your soul, not there. In these gigs of mine, I play a few George Harrison songs because he represented the Beatle looking inward. John always said he was more politicized. Paul was a musician who just wanted music, but George looked deeper. And here we find that the world exists for us. If we can find that peace within ourselves, the world can be a better place.
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Beatles find lost George Harrison and Ringo Starr song
The dual role of the artist today
I read that you would like to collaborate with Green Day, is that true?
I leave it up to my manager to create a bond but I think they are really fantastic. When I heard their song Know your enemy I immediately thought: “Wow, they are really cool. Rebellious and brave.” Yes, I like them very much, they are good.
Green Day, like other artists, has taken positions throughout their careers that can seem uncomfortable. Do you think that artists today should defend their position and raise their voices?
I think artists have a double opportunity: they can make people think twice. With their music, but also with their behavior and thoughts. We live in a time when, through social media, everyone can express themselves the way they want. But sometimes we need a little silence, which is now almost a luxury.
