Cat Stevens

As Yusuf Islam:. The first single "Let Me Go" is already gaining airplay on rock and alternative formats. As Cat Stevens:. 3 Doors Down released their third studio album on February 8, 2005. The years link to the relevant year in music. The album went on to sell over 3 million copies. This list excludes the many compilation albums which have been made. "Here Without You" became another multi-format smash while singles "The Road I'm On" and "Away From The Sun" were minor hits.

Islam intends to donate the damages paid to him in recompense for the libels published by the newspapers to projects he himself has started to help orphans of the Asian tsunami. It also became their second biggest hit to date on rock radio, spending 17 weeks on top of the chart (second only to the band's own "Loser"). "The harm done is often difficult to repair.". Featuring a video in tribute to American troops, the single's popularity enabled the hit to remain on the charts for almost a year, again garnering multiple format airplay from rock to pop to alternative radio. "It seems to be the easiest thing in the world these days to make scurrilous accusations against Muslims, and in my case it directly impacts on my relief work and damages my reputation as an artist. In 2002, "Away from the Sun" was released with the hit single "When I'm Gone". Mr Islam said he was "delighted by the settlement" which he said "helps vindicate my character and good name". While the band experienced a lot of exposure and fame for the singles on their first album, the followup proved to be just as successful.

They also noted that Mr Islam was recently presented with the Man for Peace award. The album went on to sell over 5 million copies, thanks to the longest running #1 single on rock radio in Billboard's chart history, "Loser" (21 weeks at #1), "Duck & Run" (a #1 rock smash) and another Top 40 crossover smash "Be Like That", which peaked at #25 on the Hot 100. Both newspapers acknowledged that Mr Islam is not, and never has been, involved in or supported terrorism, and that he abhors all such activities. The single crossed over several formats, peaking at #1 on rock, alternative and pop radio. The papers had made entirely fictitious statements the previous October, arguing that the US authorities were right to prevent Islam's entry into that country. They received international attention with the release of their song; "Kryptonite". On 15 February 2005 Islam won substantial libel damages against two British newspaper, The Sun and The Sunday Times. They signed to Universal Records in 2000 for their first record, The Better Life.

The award was presented by Mikhail Gorbachev of the Gorbachev Foundation for Islam's dedication to promote peace, the reconciliation of people and to condemn terrorism.. 3 Doors Down is an American alternative rock band, they were formed in 1997. On 10 November 2004, Islam was presented with a "Man of Peace" award in a ceremony in Rome, Italy that was attended by five Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Away From the Sun #20 (Rock) / #5 (Hot AC). "I remain bewildered by the decision of the US authorities to refuse me entry to the United States," he is quoted as saying. Here Without You #5 US / #16 (Rock). On October 1, 2004, it was reported that Islam has asked to have his name be removed from that list. The Road I'm On #8 (Rock).

"I think we have that obligation to review these matters to see if we are right," said the US Secretary of State. When I'm Gone #4 US / #1 (Rock) / #2 (Alternative). This "watch list" is currently under review, according to Powell. Be Like That #25 US / #10 (Rock). His deportation provoked a small international controversy and led British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to complain personally to Secretary of State Colin Powell at the United Nations. Duck & Run #1 (Rock). The United States Department of Homeland Security specifically alleged that he had provided funding to the Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas, but did not back this allegation up with any evidence. Loser #51 US / #1 (Rock) / #2 (Alternative).

The following day, Islam was deported to England. The US Transportation Security Administration claimed there were "concerns of ties he may have to potential terrorist-related activities". Kryptonite #3 US / #1(Rock) / #1 (Alternative). Customs agents alerted the Transportation Security Administration, which then diverted his flight to Bangor, Maine, where he was detained by the FBI. Seventeen Days (February 8, 2005, LP). While the plane was in flight, the Advanced Passenger Information System flagged Islam's name as being on a no-fly list. Another 700 Miles (November 11, 2003, EP). On September 21, 2004, Yusuf Islam was travelling on United Airlines Flight 919 from London to Washington. Away from the Sun (November 12, 2002, LP).

[1] (http://catstevens.com/articles/00013/index.html). The Better Life (February 8, 2000, LP). In response to this criticism, Yusuf Islam has since further clarified that he believes that a death sentence can only be carried out by the authority of a court in an Islamic society, and that he is opposed to anyone taking the law into their own hands by murdering Rushdie. In February 1989, "Salman Rushdie, indeed any writer who abuses the prophet or indeed any prophet under Islamic law, the sentence for that is actually death." This led to a public outcry, and a drop in record sales. In a February 21, 1989 address at Kingston Polytechnic (now known as Kingston University), Islam stated that The Satanic Verses is a blasphemous book, and that under Islamic law, a person found guilty of blasphemy must be put to death.

During this time period an Iranian fatwa (religious ruling) was issued, holding that it was an obligation of Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie. Yusuf Islam's comments in 1989 supporting the death sentence for Salman Rushdie after the publication of Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses provoked controversy.
See also: Islam in the United Kingdom. He states that much of the royalties are given to charity.

His web site today lists his available albums. A box set of Stevens/Islam's music, as well as remastered versions of his original albums, has since been released on CD. He also has and continues to have authority in any reissue of his songs and albums made as Cat Stevens in the 1970s. He has founded the charities Muslim Aid and Small Kindness to assist African famine victims.

Today, as Yusuf Islam, he lives with his wife and five children in London, where he is an active member of the Muslim community. "I relied on hearsay, that was perhaps my mistake.". "This issue of music in Islam is not as cut-and-dried as I was led to believe," he said. In 2003 he recorded "Peace Train" once more for a compilation CD which included David Bowie and Paul McCartney and performed in Nelson Mandela's 46664 concert with Peter Gabriel, recording and performing music in English for the first time after 25 years.

He has been instrumental in creating a web site called Mountain of Light (link below). He has also released the album A is for Allah, an instruction for children. He has since resumed making (Islamic) music, choosing to use only the human voice and basic percussion instruments in the compositions. But because of the already growing number of artists who had already been signed to perform, Stevens/Islam never got the opportunity to perform publicly at that time.

In 1985, Islam, aware of the world hunger problem gripping Ethiopia, decided to return to the public spotlight for the first time since his religious conversion in the historic Live Aid concert, and wrote a special song for the occasion. Following his conversion to Islam, Yusuf Islam at one point wrote to the record companies, asking that his music no longer be distributed; the request was denied. The song was a duet with Ronan Keating, the lead singer of Boyzone, which has already had a hit with a cover version of the song. "Father And Son's" proceeds were also going towards the Band Aid charity.

In December of that year, he released it in time for the Christmas singles chart, and it debuted at #2, behind Band Aid 20's "Do They Know It's Christmas?". In September 2004 it was reported that he may release a new version of "Father and Son". He converted to that faith in 1978, changed his name to Yusuf Islam, and abandoned his previous career as a pop star. Stevens was known to comment, "I said 'please, God, I'll do anything for you, I'll work for you...'" And thus, Stevens began to find peace with himself and began his transition to Islam (interestingly, a song from his 1972 album Catch Bull At Four, entitled "Boy With A Moon And Star On His Head," may have been a sign of things to come).

He pleaded with God to save him. According to an episode of VH1's Behind The Music, Stevens nearly drowned in a freak accident near the end of the 1970s. He also had a hit with a cover of Sam Cooke's "Another Saturday Night". For several decades two of these songs were unavailable except in the film; but have since been released on the disc Footsteps in the Dark.

In 1971 he also wrote music specifically for the film Harold and Maude. Many of them were performed only with him playing either the guitar or piano. His most popular songs included "Peace Train", "Morning Has Broken", "Moon Shadow", "Wild World", "Father and Son", "Matthew and Son", and "Oh Very Young". In the ten years after 1967 he sold 40 million albums.

But it was in the early 1970s that the public really began to discover Stevens' music. In late 1967, at age 19, he entered a hospital and was diagnosed with tuberculosis; his career seemed over. Stevens published several songs in the late 1960s and went on tour, with moderate success. He went to art school at 17, and at 18 had his first hit with "I Love My Dog".

His mother later moved back to Sweden, and Stevens briefly went with her and attended school there for six months. When he was about eight, his parents divorced, although both continued to live above the restaurant. His parents ran a restaurant in Shaftesbury Avenue and they lived above it together with his older brother and sister. Although Stevens had Greek Orthodox blood, he went to a Roman Catholic school.

Born Stephen Demetre Georgiou in London to a Greek Cypriot father and Swedish mother, he has since changed his name to Yusuf Islam after converting to Islam. Cat Stevens (born July 21, 1948) was the stage name of a popular singer-songwriter during the 1970s. A is for Allah (2000). Prayers of the Last Prophet (1999).

The Life of the Last Prophet (1995). Box Set (2001) compilation containing many rarities and live tracks. Back to Earth (1978). Izitso (1977).

Numbers (1975). Saturnight (1974). Buddha and the Chocolate Box (1974). Foreigner (1973).

Catch Bull at Four (1972). Teaser and the Firecat (1971). Tea for the Tillerman (1970). Mona Bone Jakon (1970).

New Masters (1967). Matthew and Son (1966).