Kneecap and Brian Eno call on artists to join syndicate to support Palestine
Massive Attack and Brian Eno have long spoken out in support of Palestine, while Kneecap have made headlines in recent months after one of their members was charged with a terrorism offence relating to allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah.
The Irish rap group claim this is part of a smear campaign against them because of their vocal support for Palestine and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, which they say is a genocide.
'The scenes in Gaza have moved beyond description,' the post read.
'We write as artists who've chosen to use our public platforms to speak out against the genocide occurring there and the role of the UK Government in facilitating it.
'Because of our expressions of conscience, we've been subject to various intimidations from within our industry (live and recorded) and legally via organised bodies such as UK Lawyers For Israel.
'Having withstood these campaigns of attempted censorship, we won't stand by and allow other artists – particularly those at earlier stages of their careers or in other positions of professional vulnerability – to be threatened into silence or career cancellation.
'In this spirit, we encourage artists who've been placed in this position, or those who now wish to use their platforms to talk about Palestine, but are concerned about industrial repercussions, to contact us @ ethicalsyndicatepalestine@pm.me'
The Instagram post also made a series of demands, including an immediate ceasefire, an end to UK arms sales and licences to Israel, and a free Palestine.
A spokeswoman for UK Lawyers For Israel (UKLFI) accused Massive Attack of having 'launched an attack on our organisation, which helps to protect victims of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel racism'.
Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset (Yui Mok/PA)
She said that following Massive Attack's set at London's Lido Festival in June, 'we were contacted by several Jewish and Israeli audience members who were deeply distressed and traumatised' after the act invited an 'anti-Israel activist' on stage.
Kneecap performed to a sea of Palestinian flags during their set at Glastonbury Festival in June.
Their performance followed that of punk rap duo Bob Vylan, who spoke out against Israel.
Police have since launched an investigation into the group, formed in Ipswich in 2017, after their frontman led crowds in chants of 'Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)' during their set at the Somerset music festival.
Kneecap's Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May, and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 20.
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Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I spent months trolling influencers in Reddit hate forums – now I feel ashamed'
After Irish YouTuber Adam MacIntyre was reported to ICE by his snark subreddit while touring the US, Reddit shut them down. But his story is just the very tip of the iceberg. Hiding in plain sight are some of Reddit's most toxic communities, created with one sole and explicit purpose: to spread hate. Known as 'snark', these forums range in size from hundreds to literally thousands of members, all anonymous, who congregate to make derogatory posts. The subjects in question? They range from minor influencers to full-blown pop stars, with some of the better-known names including TikTok beauty star Mikaela Noguiera, singer Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift. Currently, r/travisandtaylor, aka "The Snark Sub', is one of the largest, with over 158K members. Their raison d'etre, according to the description, is to 'roast and criticize Taylor Swift's PR stunts (looking at you, Travis), her questionable ethics, and the never-ending antics she wants fans to (literally) buy.' They even have an ominous warning in place for any stray Swifties: 'If you're here to defend Mother, you've come to the wrong place.' 'I gambled away thousands from my student loan before I started university' Some of the top-voted posts over the past month have run down her fashion, her choreography and, in particular, the star's relationship with Travis Kelce, which they commonly believe is a calculated PR move. And while some topics could be considered worthwhile discussions, like Taylor Swift's political stances, others are a little more petty. For example, a recent post shows a clip of Taylor Swift dancing with Travis at the US Open Final with a drink in her hand. Comments claim Taylor is "spiralling" or claim she's an "alcoholic", all of which she's never confirmed. But who are the contributors? And why do they do it? A 'snarker', who wishes to remain anonymous, tells The Mirror that they have posted previously on the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce snark subreddit. They also used to visit another influencer's snark. They first came across it about two years ago, but admit they've been reading more lately over the past six or seven months. 'I don't check it often,' they say. 'It just sometimes appears on my algorithm and I read it. Sometimes I even comment about it.' They tell us that they have posted once before but 'it wasn't a healthy move to do it', adding: 'I know everyone makes mistakes and the most we can do is learn from it. I know not everyone who does it has thought about how it can be truly damaging.' For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. Although, there are some bad players who are aware of the impact of their actions. They say: 'I think that snark can do harm when it's intended to do so. Some people have their own pain and want these people to hurt themselves.' A second former snarker, who has also remained anonymous, agrees that this behaviour often comes from a place of hurt. Now 29, they say they used to be an avid reader of a snark subreddit dedicated to YouTuber Trisha Paytas: the now-banned r/Trishyland. The subreddit became known for coming up with wild conspiracies about the YouTuber and mother-of-two, who formerly co-starred on the 'Frenemies on the H3 Podcast' YouTube channel. A popular theory spread on the subreddit was that she was faking her pregnancy. 'I would read it daily, sometimes multiple times a day,' the snarker says. 'Honestly, I had no real motivation. I started watching H3 when Frenemies was going on and the downfall of the show was obviously very interesting with lots of updates. From there it was interesting to keep up with negative updates about her.' They fell further down the rabbit hole, explaining: 'I was really into hard drugs at the time and my life started falling apart and my interest was fizzling out. Then she had her first baby and I think that made me step away 100%. I honestly was on the 'she's faking her pregnancy' train but once I learned that wasn't the case, I couldn't 'enjoy' hating a mother.' However, they share that they haven't fully lost the compulsion to check on hate-centric subreddits. 'Now the 'r/weddingshaming' subreddit comes across my Reddit home page fairly often and I read the posts when I see them." 'Part of the appeal comes from reading a group consensus that someone is in the way it makes you feel like a morally superior person. One, because you're not doing the 'shameful' thing. Two, you are doing the work' of 'educating' yourself on what 'society' things is right/wrong.' Though, they add that it's difficult to fully explain the appeal of snark because 'snark is nonsensical'. What happens when it goes too far? Irish content creator Adam MacIntyre recently spoke out online about his experience with his own now-banned snark subreddit (r/AdamMacIntyreSnark) – after they reported him to ICE. The incident happened after the Derry-born YouTuber began his Chronically Online Tour in the US. Prior to its beginning, he posted a picture of his O-1 visa to X, expressing his excitement. O-1 Visas are temporary work visas granted to those who have demonstrated extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or have a record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry. However, in late June a member of r/AdamMcIntyreSnark reposted the image on the subreddit with the caption 'Someone Posted About Visas'. Users then appeared to misread the 'R' on the image as indicating an R-1 visa, which is intended for those conducting religious work. This led to accusations that he had received the visa fraudulently – with a commenter even sharing a screenshot of a report they had sent to ICE asking for Adam to be deported. Adam came onto his YouTube channel to discuss the situation. He said: 'When it comes to snark I will usually put my hands up and allow people to do what they're doing, because I don't want to criticise how people talk about people – even if that person is me… But there's something truly disgusting about weaponising ICE against people.' A statement was also released across Adam's social media channels on Monday July 7 explaining that he had 'initiated a formal legal investigation' in response to the activities related to the snark page. The subreddit has since been taken down. A Reddit spokesperson told The Mirror that harassment and bullying have no place on Reddit and that their rules explicitly prohibit this behaviour. This includes real-world harassment and actions that would threaten a person's safety. They said that, from their investigation, it appears that the behavior was limited to one user account that has since been deleted. The spokesperson added that they will continue to monitor their platform for violating behavior and take action where appropriate.
Edinburgh Reporter
7 hours ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Cast return to Edinburgh supporting Oasis
Cast return to Edinburgh to support Oasis for the 'biggest support slot of the year, if not the decade'. John Power discussed his first meeting with Liam Gallagher, before the singer's fame, when Gallagher was just a teenager. Power admits it was a 'strange atmosphere' as he was going to see The La's, the band he had just left. 'This lad came up to me and asked for a smoke, I told him to p**s off, it was Liam Gallagher. A couple of years later, Oasis was doing a gig in Liverpool and had appeared on The Word, playing Supersonic. Liam came over and said: 'I asked you for a smoke and you told me to p**s off, and we just both burst out laughing.' There's been a long history between Oasis and John Power. The 'Scouse-Irish' songwriter and front-man of Cast was a teenager himself when he first joined The La's and mercurial musical magus Lee Mavers back in 1986. 'At the height of it, it was like nourishment,' explains Power of the band's mystical sea shanties, Mersey melodies and spirited flamenco rhythms, 'How can you not be blown away by songs like Son of Gun when you are that age and learning the guitar. There were Biblical highs, there was something eternal within The La's, and with Lee's songwriting, the waters were crystal clear and you could baptise yourself within them. I couldn't play before that, with those songs, they were the first bass lines I played and understood. It all felt very natural, Lee was like a mentor and a massive influence on my songwriting, and it was a beautiful part of my life.' While The La's made only one self-titled album released in 1990 featuring their hit There She Goes, Power would go on to form Cast two years later. During his time in The La's he began to write what would soon be a string of hit singles, among them Alright and Sandstorm would eventually appear on Cast's debut album All Change. Later this year the band will tour the 30th anniversary of the LP but before then they are about to embark on as Power suggests, 'the biggest tour of the year, if not the decade' with Oasis. I suggest to him it's like a gathering of the clans for the last Kings of Ireland. 'I like that,' he laughs, 'we all have those working-class Irish connections so there has to be something in the lineage or the blood, it's too common for it not to be the case.' Noel Gallagher is quoted as saying Oasis came to finish what The La's started. As Power suggests Oasis gave Cast 'a bump' when asking them to play support in May 1994 at The Venue in Newcross. 'I remembered Noel from when he was a roadie with Inspiral Carpets back when The La's played at G-Mex in Manchester, we were always zig-zagging and crossing paths. Cast got a record deal from that gig in Newcross, and then Noel would give us a shout for gigs like Irvine Beach, Loch Lomond and Knebworth.' It's fair to say that Loch Lomond often gets overlooked for Knebworth, but author Simon Spence points to the importance of the band's links with Scotland, even using a shot from one of the gigs for the limited edition version of his book Feeling Supersonic: From Manchester To Britpop. Spence said: 'Oasis have strong and deep links to Scotland, which explains the fervent reception they get here and the sense among fans that Oasis are part of them. Liam and Noel's mum Peggy lived in Glasgow before moving to Manchester and, crucially, the band's big break, the infamous meeting with Alan McGee that led to them being signed to his label Creation in 1993, also took place in Scotland at Glasgow's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut. 'For many, including McGee, their best ever gig during their 90s heyday, and one of the defining moments of Britpop, took place in Scotland, on the shores of Loch Lomond in Balloch Castle Country Park, where they played to 80,000 over two rapturous nights. After Manchester, Scotland is the band's second home. Noel and Liam have both spoken with pride of their Scottish fans who have remained ferociously loyal over the years. Liam described them as 'the f**king bollocks'. 'The band's two previous shows at Murrayfield were epochal, for different reasons, and these three nights are set to reignite joyous memories for both the band and the fans (if not the local council). Remarkably, after a 15-year absence, the bond between the band and their Scottish fans has only strengthened. Expect to party like it's 1999 again; Hogmanay comes early this year.' John Power is only too familiar with what it's like to play alongside Oasis in Scotland. It was another gig here that helped put the band on the map. Inertia had set in for The La's with Lee Mavers halting progress at every stage, partly due to his obsession with the debut album's sound and a refusal to play or record new songs. Cast soon managed to build on a head of steam with a memorable sonic force during performances that buried those previous disappointments. Power said: 'Before it happens, you are working spiritually and physically towards a dream. As a band, we were all connected to it and cutting it live, through that, you are discovering this new ground, it's like heading towards the promised land. We knew we would see it, and we were getting there, which gave us that strength. When you do break, it's all about maintaining it like with Oasis or U2 you go into another stratosphere but for most of us having a top ten record, getting on Top of the Pops and meeting the fans. That's as good as it's ever going to be and that's more than most bands ever get a whiff of. At that time you can feel it happening and no one can get in the way or tell you otherwise.' Cast and The Verve both made an impact on fans as support at the Irvine Beach shows. As Cast walked off stage Noel Gallagher remarked that it was 'like a religious experience'. The line was picked up by a journalist and quoted in the press. 'Fine Time was massive in Scotland before we had a hit with it,' added Power. 'People would go off their nut.' Oasis gifted coveted support slots to both bands at key gigs, it was fitting that both The Verve's frontman Richard Ashcroft and Cast are both invited thirty years later as support for the long-awaited reunion. Power said: 'I think we are all really looking forward to seeing Noel and Liam walk on that stage together again in Edinburgh. Cast is in such a great place and we've got momentum, it's going to be a big year. The line-up is stratospheric with Richard Ashcroft as well – it's real northern soul rock n' roll, and here we all are thirty years later. It was easy to miss things back then because I was always looking forward. When the Oasis tour becomes the present time I'll be in the eye of the hurricane and right in the presence of it in all these places like Dublin and Edinburgh and the rest of them.' Next year will mark forty years since Power joined The La's, he now performs tracks such as Son Of A Gun, taking him full circle. 'The ifs and buts could go on forever, but those two voices together', he says of the hypnotic connection with Mavers, 'I did some of the best songs I ever wrote with Lee, together we were a force to be reckoned with, it's like letting the genie out of the bottle. I hope we can get together for a cup of tea and play together again, even if it's just in his kitchen'. Cast will support Oasis in Edinburgh on August 8, 9, and 12 along with Richard Ashcroft. Feeling Supersonic: From Manchester To Britpop by Simon Spence is out now Members of Cast – L_R Liam Tyson, Peter Wilkinson and John Power Like this: Like Related
Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Barry Gibb's son Stephen reveals 'survivor's guilt' after growing up with The Bee Gees
EXCLUSIVE: Stephen Gibb, the son of Bee Gees legend Barry, has opened up about growing up around the band and bravely shares his struggles and excitement over his new music His dad may be one of the most recognisable singers of all time, but Stephen Gibb admits that he prefers taking a step back. The 51-year-old son of Bee Gees icon, Barry Gibb, has grown up with music in his blood, with his dad and uncles performing across the globe – and for the family. But now, London-born Stephen is stepping into his own having already performed with some of the biggest names in the business, including with his dad Barry, at his final performance to date on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival in 2017. Now residing in South Florida, Stephen and his Kill The Robot bandmates have released their debut self-titled album, and he reveals that although his father was obsessed with songwriting, this came later for the guitarist. "My dad wasn't obsessed with guitar playing, I was, he was obsessed with writing songs and singing," he exclusively told the Mirror. He added: "That came for me later. But the thing that gets asked of me a lot is, how come I'm not the full time lead singer of Kill The Robot? The fact of the matter is, I have a great singer in Gil [Bitton], and he's a great performer. I really just enjoy playing the guitar. Singing is fun as well but being the son of a Bee Gee and being a 'singer' always seemed daunting to me. "Why? I don't know what else to compare it to, but if your dad was Michael Jordan, maybe you should get into baseball. If I get into pop music and being a singer, they're going to destroy me. And that would also be kind of semi-not authentic to me. I'm a rock and metal guy who loves all kinds of music." But he is partial to pop music, after all, his dad and uncles were the Bee Gees. "I have a deep appreciation for the form when it's done at the highest level, I've seen that with the Bee Gees." Stephen, however, is much more comfortable with his guitar, having grown up listening to Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Metallica and Van Halen. Aged just 16, Stephen admits his heart was left broken when blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, a hero of his, died in 1990 in a helicopter crash. "He finally got sober, his life together, making the best music of his life," he said. Stephen added: "Sometimes, I think the hardest part is, especially in a family like mine, there's a little bit of survivor's guilt." In his younger years, Stephen battled drugs and alcohol before getting clean. He admits he questions how he survived this, after his uncle Andy, aged just 30, died as a result of myocarditis after the use of cocaine had weakened his heart. "Eventually, you have to forgive yourself. You've got to live your life and accept it, God's got a plan, I don't know what it is, but I'm here for it," he said. Growing up with a global icon as a dad, Stephen quickly had to discover who his real friends were. "The Bee Gees were still a very big band, the hardest thing is knowing who your real friends are," he said, adding: "That's a process, you might have to blow your life up for you to figure out who your real friends are, but you do. "The big misconception a lot of people have is that because a family is famous, it's somehow not affected by certain things that everyone else is affected by. The fact of the matter is, like most celebrities that I've met in my life, are real people that have problems, just like everybody else – it's just that they have this unimaginable skill or gift that they're able to bestow upon the world. It comes with a price." Growing up, he followed his dad on the road and to the studios, but around the ages of eight and nine, he soon realised that not everybody's dad was a singer, never mind a global icon. "My dad and his brothers, we used to be a very close-knit, large family, we spent a lot of time together," he said, adding: "We would have cookouts at Maurice's house. The most powerful memories that all of us have, I can't speak for everybody, many nights after dinner, they would sit around and sing other people's songs, their favourite songs to entertain us. "I don't think it dawned on me until I was a little bit older, how special, unique and powerful their contributions were and are. You grow up as the oldest son of a guy that a lot of people know. The thing I'm most grateful for, I knew what it looked like, I knew what it took to be good at something that you really loved. It took obsession for my dad, all of them, 100 per cent commitment. "You could be the greatest thing in the world, had the Bee Gees not gone back to the UK, what could have happened? Maybe nothing. It's an incredible gift and honour to be in a family that created something that has, up to this point, outlived them. I think as I get older, that's more and more rare with each passing year." He revealed he had to have his fair share of challenges, rites of passage, admitting he had a "bit of a chip on his shoulder" as a child, because of his dad's fame. "It does make life a little bit more challenging for your kids." One of these challenges was fans of Barry's turning up at their family home when Stephen was a child. "I've had one or two of them say they were my real mum, my dad and them and me were going to run away together," he joked, adding: "It's odd, it comes with its odd things, as I've gotten older, I work just as hard as anybody else I know that does what I do. There's no free lunch; it doesn't matter if you're Barry Gibb's son or John Lennon's son; they're not going to make it easy for you. It's a double-edged sword. "It's like 'Oh, your son has a band, does he sound like his dad?' I don't, people get disappointed that you have your own fingerprint." That fingerprint left Stephen "terrified and excited" for Kill The Robot's debut album. He admits it's "hard" to get people to listen to a new band, but the record is a "labour of love." "Making this album with some of my best friends, we had a lot of fun doing that," he beamed. He hopes that the record will please and entertain new fans, as well as fans who have stuck by him over the years. "My hope is now that it's out, people will see what Kill The Robot is as a band, they can find something that's comfortable for them in our music." Although the record experiences waves of different emotions, it has a slight touch of grief following the death of Brett Cosmo Thornberry, a friend of the band. Brett sadly died during the coronavirus lockdowns, when Gil had asked Stephen whether he wanted to write music, which he leapt at the chance, having believed he had already played his last gig. The record opens with Mothership, a metaphor of going to heaven, which is a conversation between Stephen, Gil and Brett. Another track, Western Shores, is dedicated to Foo Fighters icon, Taylor Hawkins, a dear friend of Stephen and his dad. "That was a tough one," he said of losing Taylor, who died in March 2022 after consuming 10 different drugs, including THC, tricyclic antidepressants, opioids, and benzodiazepines. "I just spoke to him days prior to losing him; it was a real shock for me and my dad. My dad was really close with him, and they would speak often at that time. Dad took it really hard. I'll never understand why some people get to stay and some people have to leave. Taylor was the best. The thing is, he was the real embodiment of pure rock and roll love I've ever seen in a human being. "He really loved it. The world will never forget him, and it won't be because of a song I wrote. I wrote that song because I loved the guy. I'll never get to make music like we planned on doing. This was a little love letter to a guy that should be getting loved on forever. He was the real thing, a heart of gold and one of the greatest drummers in history. "He accomplished what he set out to do here, I think, I hope for his sake, but God, I love him and I know the world loves him."
