LONDON. Yusuf Islam, the singer who sold over 60 million albums under the name “Cat Stevens” before converting to Islam, should have no trouble finding paying gigs. “In every major city there is a core group of overly sensitive women who would go out in a blizzard to hear ‘Tea for the Tillerman’,” says Jeffrey Andrews, a British rock critic, referring to Stevens’ million-selling hit of the ’70’s.
Yusuf Islam: “I’ll play three sets for $400, but that’s as low as I can go.”
But Islam, the singer, not the world religion, says he has been thwarted moving into one of the most desirable spaces in the music business–playing for bar mitzvahs–by an international Jewish conspiracy. “I’ve done everything I could, but I get no work,” he complains. “I added ‘Hava Nagilia’ and ’YMCA’ to my repertoire, and still no one returns my calls.”
Rushdie: “May you be sentenced to an eternity of playing Las Vegas lounges.”
After converting to Islam, Islam was criticized for comments that were interpreted as supporting the fatwa, or death sentence, imposed on novelist Salman Rushdie by Islamic authorities. “I did not say he should be killed,” Islam explained. “I said Rushdie should be stoned, or pushed from the roof of a building–what he makes of those tremendous opportunities is his business.”
The Satanic Verses
Islam had criticized Rushdie’s novel “The Satanic Verses” for alleged blasphemy, citing scenes in which the prophet Muhammed goes shopping at Target and selects Carole King’s “Tapestry” rather than “Cat Stevens’ Greatest Hits”.
Carole King
“May Rushdie choke on his crummy 8-track tapes,” Islam said bitterly. “I have more lonely girl fans than Carole King.”
