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The frontman of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at the festival and declared he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Political Responses

The vocal music duo ignited significant controversy when they led crowd calls of "death, death to the IDF," pointing to the Israel Defense Forces, during their summer set. This slogan was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the event, the band was dropped by its representation UTA, and the American government revoked the members' visas, compelling them to call off a planned US and Canada concert series.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

During his first public discussion after the Glastonbury performance, the musician, whose real name is Pascal Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. After asked if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance what if I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm not regretful of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

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

Regarding the Protest's Importance

"I don't want to overstate the importance of the chant," he continued. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's support, they're the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've upset some conservative official or some conservative news outlet?"

Surprising Response and BBC Feedback

This musician said he was surprised by the outcry sparked by the chant, and stated that staff of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the day that the performance was "excellent."

Yet, the broadcaster's executive complaints unit later determined that the BBC's airing of the show breached content standards in regard to harm and offence.

Vylan told Theroux there was no sign of a dispute in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. No one suspected anything. Nobody. Including crew at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

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

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

"I just want to say that labeling it as a 'spectacular misfire' implies that somehow the views of the band or our position on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he explained.

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

Meaning Behind the Chant

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

"The key issue is the conditions that exist to allow that protest to even take place on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that are present in the region. In which the Palestinian population are being slain at an disturbing rate. What matters about the chant?" he stated.

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

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

Vylan also denied claims from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish safety group, that their set contributed to a rise in antisemitic incidents recorded later.

"I don't think I have created an hostile environment for the Jewish people. Suppose there were many individuals of people going out and going like 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a bad effect here," he said.

Contrast with Different Artists

When Vylan said he thought the band had been criticised more heavily than different artists for voicing views about the situation, the host referenced the Ireland-based band Kneecap, who have likewise encountered backlash for their method to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's a notable point," Vylan said, "because as with all things race becomes a part in that we are an more convenient target, no pun intended, than they are because we are inherently the enemy."