Tea For The Tillerman Vinyl LP

Like it was destiny waiting to happen, T4TT feels like the timing of its message has arrived again. Yusuf / Cat Stevens 50 years on from the release of Tea for the Tillerman, the 1970 multi-platinum selling, era-defining album that made a superstar, this new set sees Yusuf recast the same eleven songs for a new age with dramatic results. Half a century and an entire universe of experiences after they were originally laid down on tape, T4TT is a beautiful reunion between the artist and the songs that helped define the melodious 70s. Since then, the impact of Tillerman and its suite of songs including Father And Son, Wild World and On The Road To Find Out have subtly intertwined with the fabric of popular culture. At this most volatile and uncertain time, such values are entirely deserving of representation and with Tea for the Tillerman 2 a whole new generation will discover this album all over again. This vinyl edition comes pressed on 180g (heavyweight) black vinyl in a 12\” gatefold sleeve with a 304 x 618 double-sided poster, all printed on recycled paper stock.

Following the 1967 Decca releases of Matthew & Son and New Masters, Cat Stevens became a bonefide pop star. However, stardom and a year of recovering from TB gave him pause and time to reflect.

Emerging from his recuperation with a new deal with Island Records, 1970 saw the release of two new LPs, which immediately cemented his credentials as the new British star of the singer/songwriter genre.

The first of those two albums, Mona Bone Jakon, came in April 1970 and introduced the audience to the Cat Stevens sound we know and love today. Produced by Paul Samwell-Smith (formerly of The Yardbirds), the album featured the single Lady DArbanville as well as the fan favourites I Wish, I Wish and Maybe Youre Right. The track Katmandu also featured Peter Gabriel on flute.

Tea for the Tillerman followed in November 1970 and is arguably Cats best-known and most cherished album. The album featured the classic tracks Where Do The Children Play?, Wild World, and Father And Son.

Teaser and the Firecat, Stevens third LP in a mere 18 months, was released in September 1971. The album built on the overwhelming success of Tea for the Tillerman and yielded some of his greatest hits, including The Wind, Moonshadow, Peace Train, and Morning Has Broken.

All three albums, reissued in 2020 and 2021 by Island / UMR, are presented on lifetime CD and 140g black vinyl formats, featuring remastered audio, with vinyl cut at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios.