CAT STEVENS "CHAPTER IV - LIVE" JUNE 21, 1971 RARE LIVE RELEASE NOT TMOQ

$

26

CAT STEVENS  "CHAPTER IV - LIVE" JUNE 21, 1971 ~ RARE LIVE RELEASE 
CAT STEVENS TITLE: "CHAPTER 4 ~ LIVE" "JUNE 21, 1971" LABEL: CONTRABAND (CBM) RECORDS 681 MATRIX: ** 681- A/ **681-B
~~~~~~~~~~~ I've been going thru my massive vinyl record collection this summer and pulling out some LPs that I thought that someone else would want for their collection. I've been collecting records for over 40 years and it's time to pass some of them on to the next generation of collectors.
This week on EBay I am offering up this fantastic, great early copy of Cat Steven's record "Chapter IV - Live" a live 'collectors' record.
This appears to be an early release on the 'Contraband' (CBM) Label. The Matrix style matches some of their other releases around this time, plus they often used the term "Compatible Stereo" on their early releases, suggesting they were Stereo and better than their competition. They weren't. This is Mono and sounds similar to most of the 'collector' records at the time.
Later in the mid to late 70s, this would be re-issued on the King Kong and Instant Analysis label and then on the Shalom and Comet label in the 80s.  This is a very early, original, pressing on Contraband Records.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The songs on this Live LP include:
MOONSHADOW     WHERE DO THE CHILDREN PLAY     WILD WORLD     HOW CAN I TELL YOU     ON THE ROAD TO FIND OUT    MILES FROM NOWHERE     LISA LISA     LONGER BOATS     PEACE TRAIN     HARD HEADED WOMAN     FATHER AND SON     CHANGES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JUNE 27, 1971  "CHAPTER 4 LIVE"
This album was one of the earliest Cat Stevens 'Collector' records, released shortly after his first 'Collector' record, "Catnip".
This live recording is from the 1971 US Tour when Cat was very popular and riding high on the tails of the commercial success of his 'Tea For The Tillerman' album and the “Wild World” single.
This is Cat Stevens at the peak of his music popularity in a rare, intimate performance. According to the cover, recorded on June 27, 1971, but I can find no information on that particular date. 
He was on the West Coast at that time, doing shows in Santa Monica, Berkeley and Los Angeles and several Public TV (KCET)and Radio appearances. There were some things taped for BBC around that time as well.
He was a 'moody' guy at the time and the shows I've heard from this time period can be hit or miss, but he seems happy, motivated and inspired on this one.
This is a live, relatively clear, audience recording. Cat and the band are in great form. He sings most of his 'hits' at the time and it's a strong, powerful, emotional performance.
Cat Stevens is accompanied by Alun Davies on guitar & harmony vocals and Larry Steele on Bass & some mild percussion. Cat plays some piano as well as acoustic guitar.
His backing band are there, but don't overpower Cat. They just add light touches to his overall acoustic sounds. 
They help keep the faster songs like 'Longer Boats' on track and Alun adds great Harmony when needed and does a great job as the Father's voice in 'Father & Son'.
The songs are beautiful and full of emotion. 'Miles from Nowhere' sounds like an old soulful southern Gospel song. Cat moves to Piano for 'Lisa.' 'Longer Boats' has the extra verse he was doing in concert back then.
As for Cat himself, he seems to be in a friendly, cheerful mood, full of energy and his voice strong and vibrant.
From the overall audience reaction and general sound it appears to have been a small intimate gig. The whole aura seems to have inspired Cat to produce one of his more confident and remarkable performances.
You can tell Cat is in a good mood and is enjoying himself. His voice is strong, and the words are sung with a certain crispness and precision, like he really believe them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've had this rare 'Collector' record in my collection for over 40 years. Purchased in the Village in the mid 70s, just like it is. In the shrink, but opened. It's been sleeved and protected ever since. Still in very nice condition, inside and out.
CONDITION: I tried to show good hi-resolution photos of the cover, labels and vinyl in my pictures.
VINYL: The vinyl looks terrific. Clean, bright and shiny. No obvious defects. No obvious scratches or issues. It looks a little 'hazy' probably due to it's age and could use a good deep cleaning, but it looks great otherwise. I played this one several times and it sounds fine. Clean and clear audience recording but up close and clearly audible.
LABELS: This one has nice custom labels, rare for the time period. Sort of a deep purple or wine color with track listings. Labels are clean and well printed. Spindle holes are nice and clean, without much evidence of play.
JACKET: This rare early 'Collector' record is still in it's original shrink, which is unusual. The shrink is pulled back on the lower right of the front and the white cover shows some foxing and tanning from age. 
The rest of the jacket is crisp and bright white, being protected by the shrink all these years.  The back cover has less shrink pulled back, so it is in much better condition. Bright white. It has the set list and the band listed. Alun Davies is spelled 'Allen' on the jacket.
The back has part of an interview printed on it, with Cat talking about returning to music after his late 60s TB scare. There are a bunch of small B&W pictures of Cat as well.
Corners are sharp, no seam splits, nothing printed on the spine. Overall, a great copy of this early Cat Stevens 'Collector' record.
~~~~~~~~ *** THIS COLLECTOR' RECORD IS BEING SOLD "AS IS" WITH "NO RETURN". IT'S RARE, CLEAN AND GREAT, BUT DUE TO NATURE OF THESE RECORDS, NO RETURN. SORRY.
~~~~~~~~~ THE STORY OF CAT STEVENS/YUSUF ISLAM
Cat Stevens started out as a pop teen idol in mid 1960s England, and developed into one of the most influential singer-songwriters of all time. His early to mid 70s albums sold very well, but by the late 70s, he basically gave it all up to follow his lifelong spiritual  quest.
In 1966, at age 18, he recorded a demo that helped him get a record deal. In 1967, his debut album and its title song "Matthew and Son" reached the Top Ten in the UK.
He was a prolific songwriter and wrote many songs, some of which were covered by other artists. One of his best known songs was “The First Cut Is The Deepest.” Unfortunately, he sold the song to a fellow English artist for only £30 when he was a young, struggling artist. She had a hit with it, but it was made famous by Rod Stewart and many many others. 
Cat Stevens was also a favorite of London's Pirate Radio Stations, making his music known to many more than would hear it on the BBC. 
In 1968 his busy pop-star lifestyle wore him down and he contracted a nearly fatal bout of tuberculosis, which hospitalized him for several months and took a year to recover from. 
It was during this time that he began to question his mortality and spirituality and began a significant process of inner reflection. He took up meditation and yoga, read about religions, and became a vegetarian.
Once he was fully recovered, and with a new perspective on what was truly important in life, he dove back into music and wrote over 40 new songs which he would mine, revisit and rework into his next few albums.
He chose the stage name Cat Stevens, because a girlfriend said he had eyes like a cat, and 'animal' named groups were popular at the time. Plus, his real name didn't just roll off the tongue. He said "I couldn't imagine anyone going to the record store and asking for 'that Steven Demetre Georgiou album'. "Cat Stevens" fit him better.
Cat Stevens put together a demo tape of some of the songs he wrote while recovering from TB and arranged for an audition with Chris Blackwell of Island Records.
Blackwell liked what he heard and assigned Paul Samwell-Smith, previously the bassist of the Yardbirds, to be his new producer. Samwell-Smith brought in session guitarist Alun Davies, known for his "fingerwork" on the guitar, and his smooth backing vocals.
Cat Stevens developed the perfect early 70s style that was so popular at the time. Soft voice, compelling melodies, and poignant lyrics. His songs were, and remain, timeless.
His new, stripped-down, personal, and intimate style was just what the music industry was looking for in the early 1970s. This was the era of the singer/sogwriter in popular music. Cat Stevens fit right in with other 'new' artists like James Taylor, Elton John, and Jackson Browne.
His music became immensely popular. His 1970 album 'Tea for the Tillerman' sold well and contained the hits ‘Wild World’, ‘Hard Headed Woman’, ‘Where Do the Children Play?’, and ‘Father & Son’. 
The combination of Cat Stevens' new folk rock style and accessible lyrics, which spoke of everyday situations and problems, mixed with searching for spirituality, struck a chord with young listeners.
His follow-up, 1971's 'Teaser and the Firecat' was even more popular and made him a Mega-star. Songs like ‘Morning Has Broken’, ‘Peace Train’ and ‘Moonshadow’ resonated with Post-Hippie audiences and were embraced as timeless, modern anthems of peace, tranquility and unity. 
His next album, 1972's 'Catch Bull at Four', was his most successful album in the United States. He also wrote some music for films, most noteably the 1971 film 'Harold and Maude'.
In 1975 Cat nearly drowned while swimming in the Pacific Ocean off Malibu. He was caught in the rip tide and, fearing for his life, asked God to save him, saying that if he was saved, he would dedicate his life to God’s service. 
He survived, and that set into motion a sequence of events that would change his life and career. He intensified his long-held quest for spiritual truth reading about Buddhism, the I Ching, numerology, and astrology.
While visiting Marakesh, he was intrigued by the sound of the adhān, the Islamic ritual call to prayer. He was told it was music for God, which amazed Cat Stevens. Instead of writing music for fame, money and power, he started writing music for God.
Stevens' brother David gave him a beautiful copy of the Qur'an as a birthday gift and Cat soon began his transition and conversion to Islam. Stevens identified with the story of Joseph, a man bought and sold in the market place, which is how he said he had increasingly felt within the music business.
In December 1977 he converted to Islam and in 1978, changed his name to Yusuf Islam. Yusuf was the Arabic equivalent of Joseph. "I had found the spiritual home I'd been seeking for most of my life. In 1978, he felt his spiritual journey was too important, and he amazed the world by walking away from fame and his career as a music star.
In 1979, he auctioned all of his guitars for charity, got married, started a family, and left his musical career to devote himself to educational, charitable and philanthropic causes in the Muslim community. 
He went on to teach, write and establish various charities in response to devastating conflicts and humanitarian disasters around the World. He dedicated his life to peace and unity. 
After many years, he eventually returned to music, but always put his spiritual journey first. 
He has received two honorary doctorates and awards for promoting peace as well as other humanitarian awards. He has had the courage to follow his convictions and the result has been an extraordinary life.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
~~~~~~ I’m recently retired and downsizing and letting go some gems and rarities from nearly 45 years of vinyl record collecting. Check out the many other fantastic 45s and 33s coming soon to my page!
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THANK YOU for looking and reading if you got this far. Have a very Merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with friends and family enjoying what you do celebrate.  -- JOHN