🔗 Share this article

Punk duo lead singer of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "death, death to the IDF" performance at Glastonbury and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Chant and Political Responses

The vocal music duo ignited widespread controversy when they initiated audience chants of "death, death to the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their June set. This chant was censured by festival organizers and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "shocking hate speech."

After the event, Bob Vylan was dropped by its representation UTA, and the American state department cancelled the artists' visas, forcing the duo to call off a planned US and Canada tour.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

In his initial interview since the festival performance, the musician, using his real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance suppose I was to go on Glastonbury again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the criticism the band encountered was "minimal compared to what individuals in Gaza are experiencing."

On the Chant's Importance

"I aim not to overstate the significance of the chant," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but if I have their backing, these are the individuals that I'm doing it for, they're the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've angered some conservative politician or some conservative media?"

Unexpected Response and BBC Feedback

The musician claimed he was taken aback by the outcry triggered by the exclamation, and stated that members of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the day that the performance was "excellent."

However, the corporation's ECU later determined that the BBC's broadcast of the performance breached content guidelines in relation to offense and offence.

He told the host there was no indication of a dispute in the moment: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. No one suspected anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the BBC were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Blur Frontman

Vylan also hit back at the Blur singer, who labeled the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've witnessed in my life" and characterized Vylan as "marching in sport gear."

His comment was "disappointing" and "lacked self-awareness," Vylan said.

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' implies that in some way the views of the band or our stance on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he explained.

"I take great issue with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his answer was appalling."

Intent Behind the Slogan

After questioned what he meant by the phrase "Death to the IDF," Vylan clarified the slogan itself was "unimportant."

"What is important is the situation that exist to allow that chant to even take place on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that exist in the region. Where the local population are being slain at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he stated.

"The phrase rhymes," he noted: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, right? … We are there to entertain. We are there to sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'The chant' rhymes. Perfect slogan."

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

Vylan also rejected assertions from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish community safety organisation, that their performance led to a spike in anti-Jewish incidents reported two days.

"I don't think I have created an unsafe atmosphere for the Jewish community. Suppose there were many individuals of people acting and going like 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a bad effect here," he said.

Comparison with Different Bands

As he mentioned he thought the duo had been criticised more heavily than others for speaking about the situation, the host referenced the Irish band Kneecap, who have likewise faced criticism for their method to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's a notable point," he responded, "because as with everything ethnicity comes to play a factor in that we are an more convenient villain, seriously, than others are because we are already the opponent."