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

Disputed Exclamation and Political Reactions

This vocal music pair ignited widespread debate when they initiated crowd chants of "death, death to the IDF," pointing to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June performance. This slogan was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader the prime minister, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the incident, Bob Vylan was released by its representation United Talent Agency, and the US government cancelled the members' travel documents, compelling the duo to call off a scheduled North American tour.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

In his first public discussion since the Glastonbury performance, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Oh yeah. Like 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."

The artist noted that the backlash the band encountered was "minimal compared to what people in Gaza are going through."

Regarding the Chant's Importance

"I aim not to overstate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their support, these are the people that I'm advocating for, these are the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've angered some conservative official or some rightwing news outlet?"

Surprising Reaction and Broadcaster Comments

This artist claimed he was taken aback by the uproar sparked by the exclamation, and stated that members of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the set was "fantastic."

Yet, the corporation's executive complaints unit subsequently found that the BBC's airing of the performance breached editorial standards in regard to offense and hurt.

Vylan informed the host there was no sign of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It felt normal. We come off stage. It was normal. Nobody thought anything. Nobody. Even staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Blur Frontman

The musician also responded at the Blur singer, who called the chant "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and described Vylan as "marching in sport gear."

Albarn's comment was "letdown" and "showed no self-awareness," Vylan said.

"I just want to say that labeling it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that somehow the politics of the band or our position on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he stated.

"I strongly object with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's only used around Nazi Germany," he continued. "That's it. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his response was appalling."

Meaning Behind the Chant

After asked what he intended by the chant "Death to the IDF," Vylan said the slogan itself was "unimportant."

"The key issue is the conditions that persist to permit that chant to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in Palestine. Where the local population are being killed at an alarming rate. Who cares about the chant?" he said.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he noted: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, right? … We are there to perform. We are there to play music. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

The musician also rejected claims from the Community Security Trust, a watchdog and Jewish community safety organisation, that their performance contributed to a rise in antisemitic events reported two days.

"I don't think I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish people. If there were many individuals of people going out and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I might go, oof, I've had a bad effect here," he commented.

Comparison with Different Bands

As Vylan said he thought the band had been criticised more severely than others for speaking about the situation, Theroux referenced the Irish band Kneecap, who have likewise encountered backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

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