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Punk duo lead singer of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "death, death to the IDF" act at the festival and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Chant and Political Responses

This vocal punk duo sparked widespread controversy when they led crowd calls of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June performance. The slogan was censured by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the incident, Bob Vylan was released by its representation UTA, and the American state department revoked the members' travel documents, forcing them to cancel a planned US and Canada tour.

Conversation with the Podcaster

During his first interview since the festival performance, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Foster, spoke on a popular podcast. After asked if he would do it all again, he replied:

"Absolutely. Like what if I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm not regretful of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist added that the criticism the duo faced was "minimal compared to what individuals in Gaza are experiencing."

Regarding the Chant's Significance

"I aim not to exaggerate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's support, these are the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the individuals that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Well, because I've upset some conservative official or some conservative media?"

Unexpected Response and BBC Comments

This musician said he was taken aback by the uproar sparked by the chant, and asserted that staff of the broadcaster employees at the event told him on the day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit subsequently found that the BBC's broadcast of the performance breached content standards in relation to harm and offence.

He told the host there was no indication of a dispute in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. No one suspected anything. Nobody. Even staff at the BBC were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

Vylan also responded at Damon Albarn, who called the protest "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and characterized Vylan as "marching in tennis gear."

Albarn's comment was "disappointing" and "lacked self-awareness," he remarked.

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that in some way the views of the band or our stance on Palestinian liberation is unplanned," he stated.

"I take great issue with the phrase '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 disgusting. I think his answer was disgusting."

Intent Behind the Slogan

After asked what he meant by the chant "Down with the IDF," Vylan clarified the chant itself was "insignificant."

"What is important is the conditions that persist to permit that chant to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that are present in Palestine. Where the Palestinian population are being killed at an alarming rate. Who cares about the slogan?" he stated.

"The phrase rhymes," he added: "'End, End 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. Ideal chant."

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

Vylan also rejected assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish community safety organisation, that their set contributed to a rise in anti-Jewish incidents reported later.

"I don't think I have created an hostile environment for the Jewish community. If there were large numbers of people acting and going like 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a bad impact here," he commented.

Contrast with Other Artists

When Vylan said he felt the band had been targeted more heavily than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, the host referenced the Irish group another band, who have likewise encountered backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan responded, "since as with all things ethnicity comes to play a part in that we are an more convenient villain, no pun intended, than they are because we are already the enemy."