Bob Vylan's Stance on Festival IDF Chant: "No Regrets"

Punk duo lead singer of Bob Vylan has stated he is "without regret" about his "death, death to the IDF" performance at Glastonbury and declared he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Exclamation and Official Reactions

The vocal music duo sparked widespread debate when they led audience chants of "down with the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June set. This slogan was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader the prime minister, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the event, Bob Vylan was dropped by its agency UTA, and the US government cancelled the artists' visas, compelling the duo to cancel a scheduled US and Canada tour.

Interview with the Podcaster

In his first public discussion since the festival show, the musician, using his real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After asked if he would do it all again, he replied:

"Absolutely. Like what if I was to perform at Glastonbury again tomorrow, yes I would do it again. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the backlash 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 slogan," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their support, they're the individuals that I'm doing it for, these are the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've angered some rightwing official or some rightwing media?"

Surprising Reaction and BBC Comments

This musician said he was taken aback by the outcry triggered by the chant, and stated that members of the broadcaster staff at the event told him on the day that the set was "excellent."

Yet, the corporation's ECU later determined that the network's airing of the performance breached editorial guidelines in regard to harm and offence.

Vylan informed the host there was no sign of a controversy in the moment: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It's normal. Nobody suspected anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response 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 "goose-stepping in sport gear."

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

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that somehow the politics of the duo or our position on Palestinian liberation is unplanned," he explained.

"I strongly object with the phrase 'marching' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is disgusting. I think his answer was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

When questioned what he intended by the phrase "Death to the IDF," Vylan clarified the chant itself was "insignificant."

"The key issue is the conditions that persist to permit that protest to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in the region. In which the local people are being slain at an alarming rate. Who cares about the chant?" he said.

"The phrase rhymes," he added: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, right? … We are there to perform. We are there to sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

Vylan also denied assertions from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish safety organisation, that their performance led to a spike in antisemitic events reported two days.

"I believe I have created an unsafe environment for the Jewish people. If there were many individuals of individuals going out and saying 'We made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a bad effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Different Bands

When he mentioned he thought the band had been targeted more severely than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, Theroux referenced the Ireland-based band another band, who have also encountered criticism for their approach to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's a notable point," Vylan responded, "since as with all things ethnicity becomes a part in that we are an easier target, no pun intended, than they are because we are already the opponent."