Kmflett's Blog

I’ve been reading Gregor Gall’s new book on the Redskins, so, yes, I do think popular music and politics are intertwined. The avoidance of taking a political stance is itself political of course but provided musicians don’t tour Israel, or Russia for that matter, they can probably keep their own counsel.

Ed Sheeran by managing to have his US tour with musicians who are pro-Palestinian and then finding that this caused an issue for the management and indeed the tour itself has of course created commentary on the political right.

The most offensive is of course former Living Marxist Brendan O’Neill in The Spectator (below) because that just his thing. The bloke you here shouting off in the pub before they are asked to leave.

However The Times also backed Sheeran in an Editorial claiming music and politics should not mix and then going on to claim that some of the support musicians had dodgy politics.

The Telegraph (Culture) was surprisingly agnostic arguing that Zionists and Palestinian activists are engaged in an argument about which their readers might have a view on either side, but anyway Sheeran should be left alone.

A Culture War argument of our times, although its good to see music events in support of the Palestinians continuing with people like Paul Weller who know which side they are on taking a lead.

So now we know what happens if you refuse to prostrate yourself before the Gaza cult. If you politely decline wearing the keffiyeh like a holy shroud and chanting ‘Free Palestine’ on a mindless loop. They will destroy you. They will hound you like an infidel and seek your excommunication from polite society. Just look at what is happening to Ed Sheeran.