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Punk duo lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at Glastonbury and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Exclamation and Political Responses

The vocal punk duo sparked widespread controversy when they initiated audience chants of "down with the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their summer set. The slogan was censured by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

After the event, Bob Vylan was dropped by its agency UTA, and the American state department revoked the artists' travel documents, forcing the duo to call off a planned North American tour.

Interview with the Podcaster

During his first public discussion after the festival show, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he replied:

"Absolutely. Like suppose I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, definitely I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist noted that the criticism the duo faced was "minimal compared to what people in Palestine are going through."

On the Chant's Significance

"I aim not to overstate the significance of the slogan," he continued. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but since I have their support, they're the individuals that I'm doing it for, these are the individuals that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've angered some rightwing official or some rightwing media?"

Surprising Reaction and Broadcaster Feedback

This musician said he was taken aback by the outcry sparked by the exclamation, and stated that staff of the broadcaster staff at Glastonbury told him on the day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the broadcaster's executive complaints unit later found that the network's airing of the performance breached content standards in relation to harm and offence.

Vylan informed the host there was no indication of a controversy in the moment: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It felt normal. We leave stage. It's normal. Nobody thought anything. Nobody. Even staff at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

The musician also hit back at the Blur singer, who labeled the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and described him as "goose-stepping in sport gear."

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

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that somehow the politics of the duo or our position on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he explained.

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

Intent Behind the Slogan

When questioned what he intended by the phrase "Down with the IDF," the artist clarified the chant itself was "insignificant."

"What is important is the conditions that persist to allow that chant to even take place on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in the region. Where the Palestinian population are being killed at an alarming rate. Who cares about the slogan?" he said.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he noted: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, would it? … We are there to entertain. We are there to sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Rejection of Hate Speech Allegations

Vylan also denied assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish community safety group, that their performance contributed to a spike in antisemitic incidents reported later.

"I believe I have created an unsafe atmosphere for the Jewish people. Suppose there were many individuals of individuals acting and going like 'We made me do this'. I might go, oof, I've had a bad impact here," he said.

Comparison with Different Bands

When he mentioned he thought the duo had been targeted more severely than different artists for speaking about the conflict, Theroux referenced the Ireland-based band Kneecap, who have likewise encountered backlash for their method to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan said, "since as with all things ethnicity becomes a part in that we are an more convenient villain, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the enemy."