Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam Website

Yusuf Islam, better known as Cat Stevens, has transformed his beliefs, music, and artistic capabilities into an interactive website.  Constant activity on the screen, combined with music playing throughout your visit brings alive Cat’s (sorry, but I enjoy Cat’s music too much to call him by his re-formulated name) energy and thirst for understanding.  Cat has used the website to allow his fans to actively participate in the happenings of the artist’s life. 

            The website has four divisions: sing, think, give, and bazaar.  The “sing” portion of the website is by far the most interesting.  The page has multiple pop-up icons, such as “Mr Ho-Ho” where fans have frequently asked question addressed.  Coincidentally, one of the questions asked by a fan was “did Cat Stevens say ‘Kill Rushdie!’?”  His answer was no, but he did say that Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses did nothing but produce disharmony and cause an “unnecessary international crisis”.  Some other icons include interesting portraits of him under his biography tab, videos, news, and of course, Cat’s music.  This part of the page was obviously the best part of the whole website. 

Cat Stevens is one of the most prolific and awesome singer-songwriters in rock history.  It is sad that Cat has chosen to give up that former persona, but I must respect it.  He converted after having a true epiphany while almost drowning, and subsequently gave up writing pop rock songs.  The website does a great job of illuminating the artist, the believer, and the teacher (Yusuf runs several schools) that is Cat Stevens.