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Sky News
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Who are Bob Vylan - the duo who led anti-IDF chant at Glastonbury?
Musicians, especially punk acts, making headlines for their politics is nothing new. The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Rage Against The Machine - in 2025, it's Kneecap and now Bob Vylan riling politicians. But in the case of chants made by Bob Vylan on stage at Glastonbury, it is not just MPs. Festival organiser Emily Eavis has also condemned the comments despite the festival's advocacy for free speech, saying they "very much crossed a line". Police are investigating footage of the performance, which has since been removed by the BBC, to see if any offences were committed. 2:17 So who are Bob Vylan? The duo are Bobby Vylan, the frontman, and drummer Bobbie Vylan. They have not revealed their real names to protect their privacy. They formed in Ipswich in 2017 and their musical style is a mix of punk, rap, and hard rock. They have released three albums - We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (2022), and last year's Humble As The Sun - and their music has won them awards including best alternative act at the MOBOs in 2022, and best album at the Kerrang Awards in the same year. Their songs confront issues including racism, homophobia, toxic masculinity, and far-right politics, and the track Pretty Songs is often introduced by Bobby saying that "violence is the only language that some people understand". Gigs often include some crowd-surfing from the frontman, and they have collaborated with artists including Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent, and rock band Kid Kapichi. In an interview with The Guardian last year, Bobby Vylan told how he attended his first pro-Palestine protest at the age of 15, escorted by a friend's mother. The duo have been outspoken on the war in Gaza and called out other acts seen as left-wing who haven't been showing the same amount of public solidarity. The Glastonbury set Before their appearance at the festival, the duo highlighted it to fans watching at home, posting on Facebook: "Turns out we're finally at a point where the BBC trust us on live tv! Watch us live either in the field or in the comfort of your own home!" On stage, they performed in front of a screen bearing several statements, including one which said Israel's actions in Gaza amount to "genocide". Afterwards, as controversy over the set grew, they appeared to double down with statements shared on social media. In a statement posted on Instagram, Bobby Vylan said: "Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place. "As we grow older and our fire starts to possibly dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us." Their comments have drawn criticism from the Israeli embassy and MPs - and now Glastonbury and Emily Eavis, too. Bob Vylan performed on stage ahead of Kneecap, the Irish-language rap trio kept on the bill despite calls for them to be axed as one band member has been charged with a terror offence. Michael Eavis, the festival's founder, said before the event that people who did not like the politics could "go somewhere else". However, Bob Vylan's comments pushed things too far, a statement posted by the festival and Emily Eavis said on Sunday morning. "As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism," the statement said. "We will always believe in - and actively campaign for - hope, unity, peace and love." With almost 4,000 performances over the weekend, there will be artists and speakers appearing "whose views we do not share", they continued, "and a performer's presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs". But they described the statements by Bob Vylan as "appalling". "Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence."
Sky News
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Who are Bob Vylan - the duo who 'very much crossed the line' at Glastonbury with anti-IDF chant?
Musicians, especially punk acts, making headlines for their politics is nothing new. The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Rage Against The Machine - in 2025, it's Kneecap and now Bob Vylan riling politicians. But in the case of chants made by Bob Vylan on stage at Glastonbury, it is not just MPs. Festival organiser Emily Eavis has also condemned the comments despite the festival's advocacy for free speech, saying they "very much crossed a line". Police are investigating footage of the performance, which has since been removed by the BBC, to see if any offences were committed. 2:17 So who are Bob Vylan? The duo are Bobby Vylan, the frontman, and drummer Bobbie Vylan. They have not revealed their real names to protect their privacy. They formed in Ipswich in 2017 and their musical style is a mix of punk, rap, and hard rock. They have released three albums - We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (2022), and last year's Humble As The Sun - and their music has won them awards including best alternative act at the MOBOs in 2022, and best album at the Kerrang Awards in the same year. Their songs confront issues including racism, homophobia, toxic masculinity, and far-right politics, and the track Pretty Songs is often introduced by Bobby saying that "violence is the only language that some people understand". Gigs often include some crowd-surfing from the frontman, and they have collaborated with artists including Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent, and rock band Kid Kapichi. In an interview with The Guardian last year, Bobby Vylan told how he attended his first pro-Palestine protest at the age of 15, escorted by a friend's mother. The duo have been outspoken on the war in Gaza and called out other acts seen as left-wing who haven't been showing the same amount of public solidarity. The Glastonbury set Before their appearance at the festival, the duo highlighted it to fans watching at home, posting on Facebook: "Turns out we're finally at a point where the BBC trust us on live tv! Watch us live either in the field or in the comfort of your own home!" On stage, they performed in front of a screen bearing several statements, including one which claimed Israel's actions in Gaza amount to "genocide". Afterwards, as controversy over the set grew, they appeared to double down with statements shared on social media. Their comments have drawn criticism from the Israeli embassy and MPs - and now Glastonbury and Emily Eavis, too. Bob Vylan performed on stage ahead of Kneecap, kept on the bill despite calls for them to be axed. Michael Eavis, the festival's founder, said before the event that people who did not like the politics could "go somewhere else". However, Bob Vylan's comments pushed things too far, a statement posted by the festival and Emily Eavis said on Sunday morning. "As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism," the statement said. "We will always believe in - and actively campaign for - hope, unity, peace and love." With almost 4,000 performances over the weekend, there will be artists and speakers appearing "whose views we do not share", they continued, "and a performer's presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs". But they described the statements by Bob Vylan as "appalling". "Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence."
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who are Bob Vylan - the duo who 'very much crossed the line' at Glastonbury with anti-IDF chant?
Musicians, especially punk acts, making headlines for their politics is nothing new. The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Rage Against The Machine - in 2025, it's Kneecap and now Bob Vylan riling politicians. But in the case of chants made by Bob Vylan on stage at Glastonbury, it is not just MPs. Festival organiser Emily Eavis has also condemned the comments despite the festival's advocacy for free speech, saying they "very much crossed a line". Police are investigating footage of the performance, which has since been removed by the BBC, to see if any offences were committed. So who are Bob Vylan? The duo are Bobby Vylan, the frontman, and drummer Bobbie Vylan. They have not revealed their real names to protect their privacy. They formed in Ipswich in 2017 and their musical style is a mix of punk, rap, and hard rock. They have released three albums - We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (2022), and last year's Humble As The Sun - and their music has won them awards including best alternative act at the MOBOs in 2022, and best album at the Kerrang Awards in the same year. Their songs confront issues including racism, homophobia, toxic masculinity, and far-right politics, and the track Pretty Songs is often introduced by Bobby saying that "violence is the only language that some people understand". Gigs often include some crowd-surfing from the frontman, and they have collaborated with artists including Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent, and rock band Kid Kapichi. In an interview with The Guardian last year, Bobby Vylan told how he attended his first pro-Palestine protest at the age of 15, escorted by a friend's mother. The duo have been outspoken on the war in Gaza and called out other acts seen as left-wing who haven't been showing the same amount of public solidarity. The Glastonbury set Before their appearance at the festival, the duo highlighted it to fans watching at home, posting on Facebook: "Turns out we're finally at a point where the BBC trust us on live tv! Watch us live either in the field or in the comfort of your own home!" On stage, they performed in front of a screen bearing several statements, including one which claimed Israel's actions in Gaza amount to "genocide". Afterwards, as controversy over the set grew, they appeared to double down with statements shared on social media. Their comments have drawn criticism from the Israeli embassy and MPs - and now Glastonbury and Emily Eavis, too. Read more Bob Vylan performed on stage ahead of Kneecap, kept on the bill despite calls for them to be axed. Michael Eavis, the festival's founder, said before the event that people who did not like the politics could "go somewhere else". However, Bob Vylan's comments pushed things too far, a statement posted by the festival and Emily Eavis said on Sunday morning. "As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism," the statement said. "We will always believe in - and actively campaign for - hope, unity, peace and love." With almost 4,000 performances over the weekend, there will be artists and speakers appearing "whose views we do not share", they continued, "and a performer's presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs". But they described the statements by Bob Vylan as "appalling". "Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence."
Sky News
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Who are Bob Vylan - the rap band who 'very much crossed the line' at Glastonbury with anti-IDF chant?
Musicians, especially punk acts, making headlines for their politics is nothing new. The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Rage Against The Machine - in 2025, it's Kneecap and now Bob Vylan riling politicians. But in the case of chants made by Bob Vylan on stage at Glastonbury, it is not just MPs. Festival organiser Emily Eavis has also condemned the comments despite the festival's advocacy for free speech, saying they "very much crossed a line". Police are investigating footage of the performance, which has since been removed by the BBC, to see if any offences were committed. 2:17 So who are Bob Vylan? The duo are Bobby Vylan, the frontman, and drummer Bobbie Vylan. They have not revealed their real names to protect their privacy. They formed in Ipswich in 2017 and their musical style is a mix of punk, rap, and hard rock. They have released three albums - We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (2022), and last year's Humble As The Sun - and their music has won them awards including best alternative act at the MOBOs in 2022, and best album at the Kerrang Awards in the same year. Their songs confront issues including racism, homophobia, toxic masculinity, and far-right politics, and the track Pretty Songs is often introduced by Bobby saying that "violence is the only language that some people understand". Gigs often include some crowd-surfing from the frontman, and they have collaborated with artists including Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent, and rock band Kid Kapichi. In an interview with The Guardian last year, Bobby Vylan told how he attended his first pro-Palestine protest at the age of 15, escorted by a friend's mother. The duo have been outspoken on the war in Gaza and called out other acts seen as left-wing who haven't been showing the same amount of public solidarity. The Glastonbury set Before their appearance at the festival, the duo highlighted it to fans watching at home, posting on Facebook: "Turns out we're finally at a point where the BBC trust us on live tv! Watch us live either in the field or in the comfort of your own home!" On stage, they performed in front of a screen bearing several statements, including one which claimed Israel's actions in Gaza amount to "genocide". Afterwards, as controversy over the set grew, they appeared to double down with statements shared on social media. Their comments have drawn criticism from the Israeli embassy and MPs - and now Glastonbury and Emily Eavis, too. Bob Vylan performed on stage ahead of Kneecap, kept on the bill despite calls for them to be axed. Michael Eavis, the festival's founder, said before the event that people who did not like the politics could "go somewhere else". However, Bob Vylan's comments pushed things too far, a statement posted by the festival and Emily Eavis said on Sunday morning. "As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism," the statement said. "We will always believe in - and actively campaign for - hope, unity, peace and love." With almost 4,000 performances over the weekend, there will be artists and speakers appearing "whose views we do not share", they continued, "and a performer's presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs". But they described the statements by Bob Vylan as "appalling". "Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence."
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who are the duo Bob Vylan, in the spotlight after Glastonbury set?
DESPITE it being the final day of the festival, one set at Glastonbury 2025 is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons - but who exactly is Bob Vylan? Footage of punk duo Bob Vylan's Glastonbury Festival performance is being assessed by Avon and Somerset Police to see whether any offences may have been committed. READ MORE: Celebrities rumoured to perform with Rod Stewart at Glastonbury READ MORE: Glastonbury Festival 2025 Live: Sunday news and updates The duo, made up of Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, led crowds at the West Holts Stage in a chant of 'death, death to the IDF' as they performed before Irish rap trio Kneecap, which had to be closed off by the festival just under an hour before they performed. But who are Bob Vylan? Formed in Ipswich in 2017, both members of Bob Vylan keep their real names secret to maintain their privacy. The band's musical style is an innovative mix of grime, punk and hard rock, and they have released four albums: Dread (2019), We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (2022), and Humble as the Sun (2024). They won best alternative music act at the Mobo Awards in 2022, and best album at the Kerrang Awards in 2022 for Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life. They have collaborated with Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent and rock band Kid Kapichi. Bob Vylan crowdsurfing at Glastonbury Festival 2025. (Image: Yui Mok) What do their performances entail? Bob Vylan perform a high-energy set of sampled guitar tracks mixed with live drumming from Bobbie, and the band often see their audiences pogoing and moshing, but they make an effort to ensure the crowd acts safely. The band's songs often speak out against racism, homophobia, toxic masculinity and far-right politics, and the track Pretty Songs is often introduced by Bobby saying that 'violence is the only language that some people understand'. In their early days Bobby would sometimes wield a baseball bat, thrashing it in the direction of the crowd, and carry out other provocative actions such as wearing the football shirt of the rivals of the town or city in which they were playing. Recently, the band has become less confrontational, and Bobbie regularly performs a drum solo to the late Roy Ayers' chilled out Everybody Loves The Sunshine. During their Glastonbury set, Bobby brought out his daughter to sing with him on Dream Bigger. A spokesperson from Avon and Somerset Police spoke yesterday (June 28), "We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon (Saturday 28 June). "Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation." The Glastonbury Festival organisers aren't happy, including Emily Eavis, who has posted a statement via social media. A joint Instagram post from Glastonbury and Emily Eavis reads: 'As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism. 'We will always believe in – and actively campaign for – hope, unity, peace and love. 'With almost 4,000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share, and a performer's presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs. 'However, we are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday. 'Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the Festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.'
