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The lead singer of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "death, death to the IDF" performance at the festival and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Exclamation and Official Responses

The outspoken punk duo ignited significant debate when they led audience calls of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer performance. The chant was censured by festival organizers and Britain's leader the prime minister, who labeled it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the incident, the band was dropped by its representation United Talent Agency, and the American state department cancelled the members' visas, forcing them to cancel a scheduled North American concert series.

Interview with Louis Theroux

During his first public discussion after the festival show, the musician, using his birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on a popular podcast. When asked if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Oh yeah. For instance what if I was to go on 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 Gaza are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Significance

"I don't want to overstate the significance of the chant," he continued. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but since I have their backing, these are the people that I'm doing it for, these are the individuals that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Well, because I've angered some conservative politician or some rightwing media?"

Unexpected Response and Broadcaster Feedback

This artist said he was surprised by the uproar sparked by the chant, and stated that members of the broadcaster staff at Glastonbury told him on the day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the broadcaster's ECU later found that the network's broadcast of the performance breached editorial standards in relation to harm and hurt.

He told Theroux there was no sign of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everybody 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 Damon Albarn

Vylan also hit back at Damon Albarn, who called the protest "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and characterized Vylan as "marching in tennis gear."

His comment was "letdown" and "lacked self-awareness," he remarked.

"I need 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 not thought out," he stated.

"I take great issue with the phrase '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 response was disgusting."

Intent Behind the Slogan

When questioned what he meant by the chant "Down with the IDF," Vylan said the chant itself was "unimportant."

"The key issue is the conditions that persist to permit that protest to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that are present in Palestine. Where the Palestinian people are being slain at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he said.

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

Denial of Antisemitism Allegations

The musician also denied claims from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish safety organisation, that their performance contributed to a rise in antisemitic incidents recorded two days.

"I believe I have caused an unsafe environment for the Jewish community. If there were large numbers of people acting and going like 'We made me do this'. I might go, oh, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Other Artists

As he mentioned he felt the band had been targeted more severely than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, the host brought up the Irish group another band, who have also encountered backlash for their method to pro-Palestinian advocacy.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan said, "because as with all things ethnicity becomes a part in that we are an easier villain, no pun intended, than they are because we are already the enemy."