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

Controversial Chant and Official Responses

The vocal music pair sparked widespread debate when they led crowd calls of "death, death to the IDF," pointing to the Israel Defense Forces, during their summer performance. The slogan was censured by Glastonbury and UK Prime Minister the prime minister, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the event, Bob Vylan was dropped by its representation UTA, and the American government revoked the artists' travel documents, forcing them to cancel a scheduled North American concert series.

Interview with Louis Theroux

During his first interview after the Glastonbury show, Vylan, whose birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After asked if he would do it all again, he replied:

"Absolutely. For instance what if I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

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

On the Chant's Significance

"I aim not to exaggerate the significance of the slogan," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their backing, they're the people that I'm doing it for, they're the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Well, because I've angered some conservative politician or some conservative media?"

Unexpected Response and Broadcaster Feedback

This artist said he was taken aback by the uproar triggered by the chant, and stated that staff of BBC staff at the event told him on the day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the broadcaster's ECU subsequently determined that the network's airing of the show violated editorial standards in relation to offense and hurt.

He told Theroux there was no indication of a controversy in the moment: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It was normal. No one suspected anything. Nobody. Even crew at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

Vylan also hit back at the Blur singer, who labeled the chant "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and described him as "marching in tennis gear."

Albarn's reaction was "disappointing" and "showed no self-awareness," Vylan remarked.

"I just want to say that labeling it as a 'spectacular misfire' implies that somehow the views of the duo or our position on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he stated.

"I strongly object with the term 'marching' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he added. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is disgusting. I think his response was appalling."

Meaning Behind the Chant

When asked what he meant by the phrase "Death to the IDF," Vylan said the chant itself was "insignificant."

"The key issue is the situation that exist to allow that chant to even take place 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 said.

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

Rejection of Hate Speech Allegations

Vylan also denied claims from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish community safety group, that their performance 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 individuals going out and saying 'We made me do this'. I might go, oh, I've had a bad effect here," he said.

Comparison with Different Bands

As Vylan mentioned he felt the duo had been targeted more heavily than different artists for speaking about the conflict, the host referenced the Irish group Kneecap, who have likewise encountered criticism for their approach to pro-Palestinian advocacy.

"That's a notable point," he responded, "because as with everything ethnicity becomes a factor in that we are an easier villain, no pun intended, than they are because we are inherently the enemy."