Half a century later, Teaser and the Firecat has been given the ultimate treatment in a brand new Super Deluxe Edition set the most in-depth and definitive version of the album possible. As well as being part of this latter movement, Cat Stevens was himself inspired by it.
Along with burgeoning heavy rock and the socially-conscious R&B of Funkadelic and Sly And The Family Stone, it was the era of the poetical singer-songwriter. With the '60s now in the rear-view mirror – The Beatles gone, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin having already passed on, and Jim Morrison tragically joining their number in July '71 – there was a distinct mood of change in the air. The 12 months of 1971 was a transitional year in pop culture in which the album joined John Lennon’s Imagine, David Bowie’s Hunky Dory, Joni Mitchell’s Blue, Marvin Gaye’s What ’ s Going On, The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers and Led Zeppelin IV as the soundtrack to the momentous 500,000 strong anti-Vietnam war March on Washington D.C., the largest demonstration against US war in history, and the “Fight of the Century” at Madison Square Garden, New York City which saw Joe Frazer hand Muhammad Ali his first ever defeat.
Teaser and the Firecat walked tall in what was a year of classic albums and events that would echo down the decades. Through his spell-binding gift for songwriting and his introspective vision, Cat delivered a universal sense of hope and peace in Teaser and the Firecat that still resonates profoundly to this day. Later, “The Wind” would see Teaser and the Firecat celebrated anew, rising to prominence following the song’s use in Wes Anderson’s much celebrated film Rushmore as well as the Oscar-winning Cameron Crowe film, Almost Famous. – that propelled Cat Stevens into superstardom, spawning some of his most unforgettable hits including “Moonshadow,” “Peace Train” and “Morning Has Broken,” songs by a youthful spiritual seeker, wise beyond his years that would lay the pretext for a poignant new wave of soulful troubadours and poets. 19 NOVEMBER 2021 (TORONTO, ON) – Following last year’s 50 th anniversaries of the era-defining albums, Tea for the Tillerman and Mona Bone Jakon, Yusuf / Cat Stevens is celebrating the succeeding album that immortalized his status as a forerunner in the singer-songwriter movement – the 1971 multi-platinum selling landmark record, Teaser and the Firecat – with a suite of 50 th anniversary editions, available now via A&M/UMe/Universal Music Canada, the country's leading music company.Ĭat Stevens achieved phenomenal success with his early work, but it was Teaser and the Firecat, his third LP with Island Records – A&M in the U.S.
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