YUSUF ISLAM - ISLAM: 'MY SON INSTIGATED MY RETURN TO MUSIC'

ISLAM: 'MY SON INSTIGATED MY RETURN TO MUSIC'

The artist formerly known as CAT STEVENS credits his son with reviving his musical career when he left a guitar lying around the family home. Muslim convert YUSUF ISLAM retired from music in 1978 to devote his life to religion, but he released his first album in 28 years last month (NOV06) after writing new songs on his son's guitar. Shortly after his conversion, Islam got rid of all of his musical instruments because he was instructed music contravened his faith. He recalls, "There's a nice irony because I wrote a song called FATHER AND SON about the son running off to do his own thing. Now the story is about my son coming back and bringing a guitar into the house. "A couple of years ago, one morning after prayers, his guitar was lying around. I picked it up and my fingers knew exactly where to go. I'd written some words and when I put them to music, it moved me and I realised I could have another job to do. Things just grew from there."