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Punk duo frontman of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "death, death to the IDF" act at the festival and declared he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Official Responses

The outspoken music duo sparked significant controversy when they initiated crowd chants of "down with the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June set. The slogan was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

After the incident, Bob Vylan was released by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American state department revoked the members' travel documents, compelling the duo to call off a scheduled US and Canada concert series.

Interview with the Podcaster

In his initial public discussion after the festival performance, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. When questioned if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance suppose I was to perform at Glastonbury again tomorrow, definitely I would do it again. I'm not regretful of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist added that the criticism the band encountered was "small compared to what individuals in Palestine are experiencing."

On the Chant's Significance

"I aim not to overstate the significance of the chant," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but if I have their backing, these are the people that I'm doing it for, they're the individuals that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've angered some rightwing official or some conservative news outlet?"

Surprising Reaction and BBC Feedback

This musician claimed he was taken aback by the outcry triggered by the exclamation, and asserted that staff of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit later found that the network's broadcast of the performance breached editorial guidelines in regard to offense and offence.

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

Reply to Blur Frontman

The musician also responded at Damon Albarn, who labeled the chant "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and characterized Vylan as "marching in sport gear."

Albarn's reaction was "disappointing" and "lacked self-awareness," Vylan said.

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that somehow the views of the duo or our position on Palestinian liberation is not thought out," he explained.

"I take great issue with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he added. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is disgusting. I think his answer was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

When asked what he meant by the phrase "Death to the IDF," the artist clarified the slogan itself was "unimportant."

"What is important is the situation that exist to permit that protest to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that exist in the region. Where the Palestinian people are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he stated.

"The phrase 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 play music. I am a songwriter. 'The chant' rhymes. Perfect slogan."

Rejection of Antisemitism Allegations

Vylan also denied assertions from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish community safety group, that their performance contributed to a rise in anti-Jewish incidents recorded later.

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

Contrast with Other Artists

As he said he thought the band had been targeted more severely than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, the host referenced the Ireland-based band another band, who have likewise faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," he responded, "because as with everything ethnicity comes to play a factor in that we are an more convenient villain, no pun intended, than they are because we are already the opponent."