🔗 Share this article

Punk duo frontman of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "death, death to the IDF" act at Glastonbury and declared he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Exclamation and Political Responses

The vocal punk duo sparked widespread debate when they led crowd chants of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer performance. This slogan was censured by Glastonbury and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the event, the band was dropped by its agency United Talent Agency, and the US government cancelled the artists' travel documents, forcing them to cancel a planned North American tour.

Conversation with the Podcaster

In his first interview since the Glastonbury performance, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Oh yeah. Like suppose I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, yes I would do it again. I'm without regret of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist added that the backlash the band faced was "small compared to what people in Gaza are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Significance

"I don't want to exaggerate the significance of the chant," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's support, they're the individuals that I'm doing it for, these are the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've upset some rightwing official or some rightwing media?"

Unexpected Response and BBC Comments

The musician said he was surprised by the uproar triggered by the chant, and asserted that staff of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the broadcaster's ECU later found that the network's broadcast of the performance violated editorial standards in relation to offense and offence.

Vylan told Theroux there was no indication of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It felt normal. We come off stage. It's normal. Nobody suspected anything. Not a soul. Even crew at the BBC were like 'It was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

Vylan also responded at Damon Albarn, who labeled the protest "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and characterized him as "marching in sport gear."

Albarn's reaction was "letdown" and "lacked self-awareness," he said.

"I just want to say that labeling it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that in some way the politics of the duo or our position on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he explained.

"I take great issue with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's only used around Nazi Germany," he added. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his answer was disgusting."

Intent Behind the Slogan

When asked what he intended by the chant "Death to the IDF," the artist clarified the chant itself was "unimportant."

"What is important is the situation that exist to permit that chant to even take place on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that exist in the region. In which the local people are being slain at an disturbing rate. What matters about the slogan?" he stated.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he added: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, right? … We are there to entertain. We are there to sing songs. I am a songwriter. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal chant."

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

Vylan also rejected assertions from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish community safety organisation, that their performance contributed to a rise in antisemitic incidents recorded later.

"I believe I have caused an unsafe atmosphere for the Jewish community. Suppose there were large numbers of people going out and going like 'We made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a bad impact here," he commented.

Comparison with Other Artists

As he said he thought the band had been criticised more heavily than different artists for speaking about the situation, the host referenced the Ireland-based band another band, who have likewise faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," Vylan said, "because as with all things ethnicity comes to play a factor in that we are an more convenient villain, seriously, than they are because we are inherently the opponent."