The UK rap duo Bob Vylan courted controversy when they led the audience in a “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury this past summer, an action that punk legend John Lydon believes was “rather sad and pointless.”
The chants of “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]” and “free, free Palestine” led to a recently concluded police investigation into Bob Vylan, as well as the duo’s visas being revoked by the Trump administration, preventing them from performing in the United States.
In a new interview with The Times, Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) was asked about his thoughts on Bob Vylan’s chant, responding, “[It’s] sad and pointless. That’s just riding on the current wave of leftism, where you don’t have to think anymore. You just react with the herd. Moo!”
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Lydon was also asked about Kneecap, whom he previously criticized for having a pro-Palestine, anti-Israel stance similar to Bob Vylan. He replied, “They should follow their own advice [as per their band name].”
For context, the former Sex Pistol previously told Good Morning Britain about Kneecap, “If you’re advocating the death of another human being, then you have no cause whatsoever. You are my enemy from here on in for the rest of your mediocre existence. You shouldn’t be talking like that, you shouldn’t be making enemies of your fellow human beings. Other than that, maybe they need a bloody good kneecapping!”
Lydon, who used to sing about anarchy back in his Sex Pistols days, has leaned right politically in recent years, even throwing his support behind Donald Trump leading into the 2020 election.
While Lydon’s ex-bandmates are touring as the Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter, the singer continues to front his other longtime band, Public Image Ltd. Lydon and PiL are currently in the midst of a winter UK tour, then will hit South American in April, before launching a European jaunt in May.
