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The lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "death, death to the IDF" act at Glastonbury and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Political Responses

This vocal music pair sparked significant controversy when they initiated crowd calls of "down with the IDF," pointing to the Israel Defense Forces, during their summer performance. The chant was censured by Glastonbury and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "shocking hate speech."

After the event, Bob Vylan was dropped by its agency United Talent Agency, and the US state department revoked the members' travel documents, compelling the duo to call off a scheduled US and Canada tour.

Interview with the Podcaster

In his initial public discussion since the Glastonbury performance, the musician, whose real name is Pascal Foster, spoke on a popular podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he replied:

"Oh yeah. For instance suppose I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the criticism the duo encountered was "small compared to what people in Palestine are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the significance of the slogan," he continued. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but since I have their support, these are the individuals that I'm advocating for, they're the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've upset some conservative official or some rightwing news outlet?"

Surprising Response and Broadcaster Feedback

This musician claimed he was taken aback by the uproar sparked by the chant, and stated that staff of the broadcaster staff at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the set was "fantastic."

However, the corporation's ECU later determined that the network's broadcast of the show breached editorial guidelines in relation to harm and offence.

He told the host there was no indication of a dispute in the moment: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It felt normal. We come off stage. It was normal. Nobody suspected anything. Nobody. Even staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

The musician also hit back at Damon Albarn, who called the chant "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and described him as "goose-stepping in tennis gear."

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

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that in some way the politics of the band or our stance on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he stated.

"I take great issue with the term 'marching' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he continued. "That's it. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his response was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

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

"The key issue is the situation that exist to allow that chant to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that exist in Palestine. Where the Palestinian population are being slain at an alarming rate. What matters about the slogan?" he said.

"The phrase rhymes," he noted: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, would it? … We are there to perform. We are there to play music. I am a lyricist. 'The chant' rhymes. Ideal chant."

Denial of Hate Speech Allegations

Vylan also denied assertions from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish safety group, that their set contributed to a rise in antisemitic events reported two days.

"I don't think I have created an hostile 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 effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Other Bands

When he said he felt the duo had been targeted more severely than different artists for voicing views about the situation, Theroux brought up the Ireland-based band another band, who have likewise encountered criticism for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan responded, "since as with everything ethnicity comes to play a part in that we are an easier villain, no pun intended, than they are because we are inherently the opponent."