01. I Love My Dog/Portobello Road (DM 102) 1966 #28
02. Matthew And Son/Granny (DM 110) 1966 #2
03. I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun/School Is Out (DM 118) 1967 #6
LP1. MATTHEW AND SON (DML/SML 1004) 1967 #7
01. Matthew and Son
02. I Love My Dog
03. Here Comes My Baby
04. Bring Another Bottle Baby
05. Portobello Road
06. I've Found a Love
07. I See a Road
08. Baby Get Your Head Screwed On
09. Granny
10. When I Speak to the Flowers
11. The Tramp
12. Come on and Dance
13. Hummingbird
14. Lady
15. (School Is Out)
16. (I'm Gonna Get Me a Gun)
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For a poet, capable of conjuring up beautiful love songs, it remains to Cat Stevens eternal credit that he did not select popular music's most predominant theme to either launch or sustain his career. No, instead his finely tuned sense of observation and the ability to translate its intake into imaginative two-and-a-half minute crocheted stories sought subject matter from further afield. Within this collection are Cat's earliest harmonic expressions to be preserved on vinyl; the ones which first brought him into the public eye. Today, as a confirmed Muslim calling himself Yusuf Islam, our subject shuns his show business past and the huge international acclaim and financial reward it bestowed upon him. But things were not always so. Let us turn back the clock. The son of a Greek father and Swedish mother, Stephen Demetri Georgiou was born in London on July 21st 1948. Educated initially in Sweden, he spent much of his youth developing an interest in the folk songs and dances of his father's native land, additionally studying classical music. With the paternal ownership of a restaurant in London's West End, Shaftesbury Avenue to be precise, young Stephen was but a stone's throw from England's 'Tin Pan Alley', and clearly absorbed elements of all things musical going on in profusion around him. By the time of his secondary school education, the boy with the dark brown eyes and jet black hair had also found time to investigate rock 'n' roll and the burgeoning folk scene. He could play guitar and piano, and by the mid-Sixties when attending Hammersmith College had become a committed songwriter, performing as a solo act. His first engagement was in July 1964 during a folk night held on the premises of a public house near his home - The Black Horse. Clearly enamored of the opportunity to express himself in song, and doubtless like the majority of teenagers at that time, caught up in the merry-go-round whirl that seemed to be a part of living in the country whose pop sounds suddenly dominated world markets for the first time ever, Cat dreamed of the big time. Unlike most, he would achieve it. That he was a gifted, original songwriter and more than capable of entertaining with hid handiwork gave him an edge over many. That fate decreed he be based near the industry's nerve centre was a fortunate asset. So it was that in 1966 tentative steps towards the bright lights occurred quickly breaking into a gallop. Stevens was spotted by one Mike Hurst, real name Mike Pickworth, formerly one-third of the folk-pop trio "The Springfields." Completed by brother and sister Tom and Dusty Springfield, they'd registered with a handful of singles earlier in the decade, most notably "Island of Dreams" and "Say I Won't Be There." Suddenly announcing a break-up in September '63, each for a solo career, Hurst move primarily into the area of independent record production. Hearing Stevens convinced him he'd stumbled across somebody special. He was right. Mike decided to invest money in his prodigy, and on a sadly uninitiated day or days in the summer of 1966, sat behind a recording studio control panel as his 5ft 10in tall, Nina Simone-admiring discovery cut two self-penned titles on tape. "I Love My Dog" and "Portobello Road" were the results. Meanwhile, near the Houses of Parliament, as 9, Albert Embankment, another piece of the jigsaw was falling into place. Justifiably proud of their technically advanced stereo innovations, the might Decca/London disc organization was preparing to unveil its 'Deramic Sound System,' and a new label, Deram Records, to support it. An avant-garde artist roster, separate from the parent company's acts was envisioned, and when Hurst delivered his demo tape to the powers that be he was promptly given a deal. Cat Stevens was one of their first signings. On September 30th of that year a brace of mono 45's announced Deram's arrival on the scene amidst a blaze of publicity: DM 101 (U.S.:45-7502), "Happy New Year/Where The Good Times Are" by "Beverley," and DM 102 (45-7501) featuring Cat, with "I Love My Dog" as its top side, set the ball rolling. Despite the undeniable excellence of that lady's spittingly-vitriolic reading of Randy Newman's first rate song, it didn't trouble the chart compilers. Mr. Stevens did. Entering Britain's Top 50 on October 20th, this canine tribute notched 7 weeks on show for a high of 28. Artist and label had cut their teeth, although neither single breached Uncle Sam's Hot 100. The penultimate day of 1966 brought a second single from the young man who once cited his favourite food as water melons: "Matthew & Son/Granny" (DM 110; 45-7505) utilized two of three titles cut on December 1st. As with al tracks here, Mike Hurst filled the producer's chair; while respected orchestra leader Alan Tew proved a most sympathetic music director. This tale of worker exploitation gave its writer/singer his biggest ever hit 45 hit on this sceptered island, occupying the No. 2 pigeon hole for 14 days of its 10 week duration, only the Monkees "I'm a Believer" preventing further progress. Date of entry was 12th January '67. Under the Stars and Stripes though, still no dice. Intending to waste little time in offering a Stevens-hungry public the opportunity to purchase the LP of their hero, dates had already been set aside for the Londoner to record sufficient of his scribbling to complete such a package, along with a third seven inch scheduled plug side. So it was that January 13th yielded "Bring Another Bottle Baby," "I've Found A Love," "I See A Road," and "Baby Get Your Head Screwed On." January 23rd added "When I Speak To The Flowers," "The Tramp," "Hummingbird," "Lady" and that aforementioned future 45, "I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun," while requirements were fulfilled with "Come On And Dance" and "Here Comes My Baby," taped in '66 but held in reserve. The selected ten new opuses, garnished with both sides of the already issued singles, thus became "Matthew & Son" the album. Rush-released at home as DML(Mono)/SML(Stereo) 1004 on 10th March, it was Deram's fourth twelve inch venture. Making its presence felt immediately, Britain's long-player-best-sellers greeted the newcomer on the 25th of the month. It remained visible for a creditable 16 weeks, with No. 7 the pinnacle of its achievement. America's similarly titled issue could be ordered by quoting DE 16005 (Mono) or DES 18005 (Stereo), but it contained only a dozen tracks. "Portabello Road," "Granny," "The Tramp," and "Come On and Dance" were all omitted, while both faces of the impending 45 were added: "I'm Gonna Get Me a Gun," and the third excursion from the previous December's session, "School Is Out." It didn't chart. Neatly for CD, the original United Kingdom album is now suffixed by that twosome, thereby placing the entire output of Cat's first six recording dates on one collection. He was not to work within studio walls again until 3rd July 1967, but that's another story... That the former Stephen Georgio had overnight become much in demand was evidenced elsewhere also. Good-time pop band "The Tremeloes," recently amputated from their front man Brian Poole, clearly appreciated the potential of "Here Comes My Baby" long before Stevens' own version was on sale. Their reading, resplendent with myriad whoopings and handclaps, leapt into Britannia's Hit Parade of February 2nd and didn't stop until it reached No 4. Across the Atlantic 13 was its supreme gesture after April 8th's opening volley. This did much to promote Stevens' name over the water. In addition to the release of his debut album, and the Tremelloes literally singing his praises, March also heralded Cat's third personal seven inch vinyl attempt. In his homeland "I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun/School Is Out" wooed potential buyers from the 24th as DM 118. They responded swiftly. 6 days later it nudged in at 48, being set for a 10 week stop over and a high of 6. Stateside Deram's identical coupling logged out as 45-85006, but like its forerunners failed to crack Billboard magazine's Hot 100. To coincide with the dual output of LP and single in Britain, our acoustic guitar toting performer was added to the menu of one of the then obligatory 'package' shows touring the U.K.. Several acts shared a bill, playing one night stands around the country to promote their careers/records, and Cat's opener found him in the unlikely mixed company of the pubescent female idolized U.S. trio "The Walker Brothers," hard-rock singing guitar virtuoso "Jimi Hendrix," and Decca/London's own balladeer "Englebert Humperdink." A disparate variegation if ever there was one. Nevertheless it took Stevens to the people and cemented further a healthy reputation his platters had already started to create. While he was on the road, however, May 5th was set to become the another notable day for Cat Stevens' repertoire. One of Ike & Tina Turner's former Ikettes, "P.P. Arnold," opened her chart account with a recording of a Stevens song not yet preserved by its originator, "The First Cut Is The Deepest." Mike Hurst produced for Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate Label, and although No. 18 was its best showing, no less than 10 weeks were spent camping out on the sales barometer. Those domociled under the sign of the bald eagle did not reciprocate chartwise, but an illustrious future waited this particular emotive ode to abortive l'amour: ten summers later "Rod Stewart's" interpretation would hit the heights. But back in mid-1967 our rookie star was simple enjoying the applause and preparing for the next round of recording and touring. Within months there would be much triumph - he'd end '67 as the 7th best-selling male singles artist in Britain for one thing - and despair - poor health would sideline him for the better part of two years. Full details of all this, and much more, belong to the next chapter of Cat Stevens' life though, and album entitled "New Masters." John Tracey |
01. KittyLP3. WORLD OF CAT STEVENS (Decca SPA 93) 1970 -
02. I'm So Sleepy
03. Northern Wind
04. The Laughing Apple
05. Smash Your Heart
06. Moonstone
07. The First Cut Is the Deepest
08. I'm Gonna Be King
09. Ceylon City
10. Blackness of the Night
11. Come on Baby (Shift That Log)
12. I Love Them All
13. (Image of Hell)
14. (Lovely City (When Do You Laugh?))
15. (The View from the Top)
16. (Here Comes My Wife)
17. (It's a Super (Dupa) Life)
18. (Where Are You)
19. (A Bad Night)
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With three British hit singles, "I Love My Dog" (No. 28), "Matthew & Son" (2) and "I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun" (6), plus "Matthew & Son" the LP (7) to his credit, along with successful covers of the self-penned "Here Comes My Baby" and "The First Cut Is The Deepest" from "The Tremeloes" and "P.P. Arnold" respectively by mid-1967, it could be fairly stated that Cat Stevens had 'arrived' in triumphant style. That little bundle of goodies had taken barely eight months to accumulate. Stevens was touring quite heavily in support of his vinyl outpourings, but naturally time was set aside to ensure the maestro could begin commiting his next batch of songs to posterity. As the "Matthew & Son" album was descending the best-sellers ladder, our former Stephen Demetri Georgiou was whisked into Deram's London studios to imprint his fourth 45. On July 3rd "A Bad Night," "The Laughing Apple," and "Moonstone" were left on an oxide strip, the former brace of which would be coupled together as DM 140 and rush-released at home on the 28th of the month. August 2nd witnessed its entry into the British charts to initiate an 8 weeks run destined to peak at 20. Although they had not yet gained any action on Billboard's Hot 100 with Stevens' product, sister company Deram (London) Records U.S.A. reciprocated with an identical coupling under order number 45-85015. Sadly, it didn't break the duck. Whereas thus far Alan Tew had been Musical Director on all Cat's sessions, Arthur Greenslade waved the baton on "A Bad Night" and a whole selection of M.D.'s would be utilized during the remainder of Stevens' time with Deram. Phil Dennys stepped into the breach for a one track date on September 24th as "Come on Baby (Shift That Log)" was attempted, but nobody was happy with the result and the master was scrapped. An agreeable rendition occured on October 4th, although a second number, "SING!," was wiped and never re-cut for us. The following day "I Love Them All" and "The First Cut Is the Deepest" were popped into the vaults, to be complemented shortly afterwards on uncertain dates by "Kitty/I'm So Sleepy" and thence "Ceylon City." November 3rd yielded "Northern Wind," "Blackness Of The Night," and another track for which the tape was erased and the performance never repeated, "My Motorbike." With the execution of two further opuses, "Smash Your Heart" and "I'm Gonna Be King," possibly both cut some time earlier at an outside location but not delivered to Deram until that November, the contents of an album were intact. "Kitty/Blackness of the Night" were coupled as a taster of things to come, U.K. issue as DM 156 being set for December 1st, but after nudging into our Top 50 on the 20th at number 47, unfortunately it promptly dissappeared. Uncle Sam's similar venture, 45-7518, failed to trouble American chart compilers. Undaunted by the relative impotence of the single however, Cat's second long-player, christened "NEW MASTERS," slipped into the racks over the Christmas period in Blighty (DML (MONO)/SML (Stereo) 1018), while stateside the temptation to once again amend a track listing was this time resisted by our cousins. Across the water ordering DE 16010 (Mono) or DES 18010 (Stereo) acquired any purchaser an exact replica of the British LP. Regretably there was no place for the disc on sales barometers either side of the big pond way back when, although in 1971, following this son of a restauranteur's worldwide breakthrough with later sets, a double album package of the "Matthew & Son/New Masters" collections notched 12 weeks on the U.S. Top 200 for a high of 173. January '72 would see a new compilation, titled "Very Young And Early Songs (Album)" (DES 18061), compound the victory as it headed northward to 94 during a 10 weeks stop over. Just thought you might like to know... For Compact Disc purposes the original 12-track vinyl outing has been suffixed with a bonus seven titles, thereby offering Cat's entire Deram output recorded between the first session that concerns us here, July 3rd 1967, and the expiry of his contract In 1969. With the "Matthew & Son" CD issued In 1988 (820 560-2), this makes available on five inch silver metal Cat Stevens entire catalogue for Deram. But to return to 1967... The year's end saw him become Britain's 7th best-selling male singles artist, and early in the new campaign readers of a well known pop music paper voted Cat "The Brightest Hope For 1968..." He slipped into our microphoned portals for another two track liaison which resulted in "Lovely City (When Do You Laugh?)/Image Of Hell," although regretably once more the exact date of this endeavour is uncertain. Unveiled as DM 178 on February 23rd '68, the record failed to click and America decided against alloting machinery and manpower to it. An excellent couple of songs, they were perhaps rather too complex to make headway in the instant and ultracommercial singles market. Far more important than this minor hiccup though was a downward turn in Stevens' health. He contracted tuberculosis and was virtualty sidelined from the industry for almost two years. On September 9th he managed to cut three titles: "The View From The Top," "Here Comes My Wife," and the ironically appellated "It's a Super (Dupa) Life," the latter duo etched back-to-back as DM 211 on October 18th (U.K. only). With little promotion and their protagonist unable to make personal appearances, it inevitably flopped. March 14th, 1969 gave rise to another ultimately abortive get together, as a third title he would not repeat, "Younger Generation," and a first crack at "Where Are You" were both rejected. A few weeks later Cat re-worked just "Where Are You" and with its completion ended his Deram association. This was released, with "The View From The Top" for company, on June 13th 1969 (DM 260, U.K. Only). It was his last official release prior to various later re-packages, and sadly sank without trace. Completists may be pleased to know that in the early Seventies, to coincide with their revived album activity, Deram U.S.A. effected a seven incher of "Where Are You/Kitty" as 45-85079. Although failing to chart, its intended function as a viable sampler was certainly achieved. Confined to a nursing home for some time, Stevens worked on a new set of songs with a radically different sound - he had been trying to add a more 'classical' element to his scribblings of late - and the results formed "Mona Bone Jakon" (1970). Once recovered he recorded his recent handiwork and secured a deal with Island Records (US: A&M), beginning a phase which would make him one of the Seventies most significant singer/songwriters. The unusual themes he'd always preferred, like his voice, matured and became even more imaginative. His lyrics more incisive. A stream of yellow metal-awarded albums accured, including "Tea For The Tillerman " (1970), "Teaser And The Firecat" (71), "Catch Bull at Four" (72), "Foreigner" (73) and "Buddah and the Chocolate Box" (74), glided by singles successes such as the haunting "Lady D'Arbanville" (1970), "Morning Has Broken" (71), "Can't Keep It In" (72) and "Another Saturday Night" (74). He even found time to score a film, Paramount's Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon starring black comedy, "Harold And Maude" (1971). Attracted even more towards eastern mysticism his music gained in complexity, and for a while he became a tax exile in Brazil, opting to give away large quantities of his earnings to charities, including U.N.E.S.C.O., rather than donate it to the government of Britain. Of special interest to him was the welfare of children, and he initiated a trust named "Hermes" to help youngsters in need. Yet for all he could, and did, give to others, Stevens own life was somehow a vacuum. In the Eighties he recalled events which had changed his entire outlook as the previous decade closed for journalist Mark Palmer: "In my career I suppose I had done everything I wanted to do. I began looking for something better and so started seeking by reading books and really looking for my religious identity." He found the peace he sought by adopting the Muslim faith in 1979, and changing his name once more, this time to Yusuf Islam. In no time he'd disposed of all his material personal possesions, musical instruments included, and during 1983 founded the "Islamia Primary School" in a former triple story family house in Kilburn, London. Physically, wearing grey robes and sandles, he is almost unrecognizable now as the one time idol of millions around the globe, instead he has the respect of those who know him and the depths of his beliefs. Amazingly, for an institution whose benefactor and overseer made his name with synchopation, there is no harmonic tuition for its pupils beyond the singing of nasheeds - Islamic nursery rhymes. Has Yusuf Islam any regrets about the passing of Cat Stevens? Apparently not: "I don't look back with any sense of loss. Art and music aren't the essence of life. They are ornamental, but people need this ornament when something substantial is missing from their lives. When you are satisfied with your life and your faith, these things diminish in importance and that's really what happened to me. Today people need some kind of prop to boost their emotions and their feelings because they are frustrated by a modern lifestyle and its pressures. Whatever I did, I did it to the best of my ability with as much honesty as I could. I tried to be honest, but it wasn't always possible in the music business. You had to keep the records selling." Selling records was something Stevens did very well, and his legacy continues to do so today. One of the most observent of all artists, his often fragile, delicate arrangements, tuneful melodies and pointed lyrics still bring tears to the eyes or smiles to the faces of many who are unable to express similarly felt emotions with such clarity. This package goes back to re-discover once more the formative creation of a great musical talent. Then his name was Cat Stevens. John Tracey 1989 |
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Cat Stevens (real name Steven Georgiou) was born on 21 July 1947 in Soho, London. His father ran a Greek restaurant and his mother was Swedish. He took up folk singing whilst studying at Hammersmith College, London and was heard performing there by ex-Springfields member, Mike Hurst, who had become a record producer. Hurst was sufficiently impressed to organize and finance a recording session which resulted in the self-penned I Love My Dog. Georgiou was quickly signed by Decca's Tony Hall (who changed his name to Cat Stevens) and promoted as the first act on the company's new Deram label, which had just been set up to promote young progressive British talent. Aided by considerable airplay on pirate radio the record made the UK Top 30 and Stevens' career was on its way. With his dark good looks he soon became a teen idol and enjoyed considerable commercial success with two orchestrally-arranged classic hits, Matthew And Son and I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun. 1967 saw a massive UK tour with Jimi Hendrix and The Walker Brothers. He'd already established himself as a formidable songwriter with The Tremeloes covering his Here Comes My Baby and P.P. Arnold covering his The First Cut Is The Deepest. In February 1968 he contracted tuberculosis from which he spent 18 months recuperating in hospital. His unavailability to promote subsequent 45 releases inevitably affected their success and his popularity waned. When he'd finally recovered from his illness Stevens signed to Island Records in July 1970. The songs he'd written during his convalescence were issued on Mona Bone Jakon. This, produced by ex-Yardbird Paul Samwell-Smith, heralded Stevens as a more serious singer-songwriter and its release conveniently coincided with the emergence of a number of singer-songwriters on both sides of the Atlantic. Lady D'Arbanville, taken from the album and dedicated to a former girlfriend, gave him another massive UK hit but in a significantly different style from those that had gone before. His next album, Tea For The Tillerman, was enormously popular in Britain and spawned a further hit with Wild World on both sides of the Atlantic (his first in America). Jimmy Cliff had earlier enjoyed a UK Top 10 hit with his cover of Stevens' song. The album eventually went gold in America. Teaser And The Firecat, his next album, built on his earlier success. Peaking at No 3 in the UK and No 2 in the US. It stayed in the album Charts for 93 weeks in the UK. The sleeve featured his own artwork and he produced a short animated film of the same name, which was later screened at gigs. The album contained three more of his classic songs - Moon Shadow, Peace Train (a US-only 45, where it made the Top 10) and the classic, fresh Morning Has Broken, his interpretation of Eleanor Farjeon's childrens hymn, on which Rick Wakeman played piano, which made the UK Top Ten. Catch Bull At Four topped the US Charts for three weeks giving him another gold disk. It peaked at No 2 in the UK. Can't Keep It In from the album gave him another UK hit, whilst Sitting made the US Top 20. One side of the Foreigner album was dedicated to Foreigner Suite, a rambling piece which evidenced his growing concern with religious and philosophical issues. The Hurt was less successful and he became increasingly reclusive, living in Brazil as a tax exile, donating the money he'd have otherwise paid to the taxman to UNESCO and other charities. Buddha And The Chocolate Box and Numbers were both complex albums with elaborate orchestration in places. Lyrically and musically interesting they proved less accessible to many of his fans and Numbers was his first Island LP not to chart in the UK. However, he continued to enjoy much sucess well beyond the time frame of this book. He can also be heard playing Maybe You're Right on Island's 1970 Bumpers compilation; the folky Portobello Road (which was covered by The Spectrum) can be heard on Deram Dayze and Island's El Pea compilation includes Wild World. Back in 1969 Decca's The World Of Hits, Vol. 2 included I Love My Dog; Ronco's 20 Star Tracks, Vol. 1 included Morning Has Broken and Matthew And Son got a further airing on Ronco's 1974 Stardust compilation. with love for Krys |