Latest news with #DuduTassa
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The most rock and roll thing about Ozzy Osbourne was his defence of Israel
Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat, table danced at the White House, spent time in jail, and took enough drugs to have killed him several times over. But perhaps the wildest thing he did was stand up for Israel at a time when fashion dictates that celebrating her enemies is the coolest thing in pop. Bands like Kneecap and Massive Attack like to talk about 'being cancelled' for 'speaking up for Palestine'. But brandishing a Palestine flag is de rigeur on rock stages: instead of being cancelled, those who do it enjoy the publicity and self-satisfaction of appearing to be martyrs sticking it to the establishment. In reality, it is people who are Jewish – such as the band Oi Va Voi, or the Israeli rock singer Dudu Tassa whose performances with Jonny Greenwood were cancelled after pressure from anti-Israel activists – who are the real victims here. They are just two examples of a silencing of Jewish musicians for the crime of simply existing. The fact that barely a soul in the music industry had anything to say about the 378 young people killed at the Nova music festival on October 7 – and that the following summer acts at festivals across the world were celebrating those who had killed them – tells you everything about where the real cancellation is taking place. Ozzy had a choice – he was not Jewish – and yet still he chose to still stick up for Jews and for Israel. Towards the end of his life this man who had never been political – he once said, 'I try to stay away from politics. They don't understand me and I don't understand them' – was the most famous name on a letter from the creative industry to the BBC demanding an open inquiry into 'systemic bias against Israel' by the corporation. At his final concert, just a few weeks ago, he invited fellow rocker David Draiman, a Jew and a Zionist, onto stage with him. There were a few boos, but they were far outnumbered by the cheers as the man Draiman yesterday called 'my teacher…a father to all of us…a friend' gave his blessing and support to someone who has faced multiple death threats. Yesterday the demons of social media were out and about revelling in the death of this 'ultra-Zionist' – his other crime was daring to play in Israel not just once but twice, defying the BDS-hatred orchestrated by Roger Waters and his ilk. But he was someone who really didn't care that much what people thought other than his beloved wife Sharon. It is through Sharon that Ozzy became aware of anti-Semitism. Her father Don Arden had changed his name from Harry Levy to escape anti-Semitism. But, of course, you cannot escape it. She said in a Jewish News interview that Ozzy was continuously asking her the question: 'Why don't people like Jews?' It is the same question every Jewish parent has to discuss with their child as they learn about our tribe's history. 'The ugliness I hear from men and women is abhorrent,' Sharon said of anti-Semitism. 'Ozzy is so confused by it all and just keeps asking me to explain why there is so much hatred of Jews. What do I say?' Ozzy wasn't always a good husband to Sharon. He was serially unfaithful. Their rows became so violent that at one point in 1989 – after drinking four bottles of vodka – he tried to strangle her and faced an attempted murder charge. She took him back only after he went to rehab for three months. By the time the world got to meet the eccentric pair in their groundbreaking reality show, 'The Osbournes', Ozzy was an adoring foul-mouthed puppy who seemed lost without his wife. Ozzy Osbourne was an unlikely and deeply flawed hero. Who could have guessed that the man who some believed to be a satanist – he always laughed at this – would also have a touch of angel about him too?
Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Free speech! But only for the people on ‘our side'
Another compelling week in the ever-flexible world of free speech. Its great champions, Reform, got in across swathes of England and immediately set about banning all flags bar the Union Jack, the St George's Cross and county insignia from flying over its town halls. Nothing rainbow, nothing woke, nothing in support of Ukraine, obviously. Turns out Reform is very much up for free speech and expression, providing the words and opinions chime with its own. This is how free speech plays in our illiberal world. The same folk who are outraged by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel shutting down concerts by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead and Israeli musician Dudu Tassa want Kneecap to be removed from the Glastonbury bill
Telegraph
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Pro-Palestinian activists' cultural vandalism is making our society poorer
There's been no loud clamours for freedom of expression this time. The music industry isn't signing petitions either. Irish band Kneecap is so fashionable that the slightest hint that they should maybe be banned from this year's Glastonbury festival summoned the likes of Paul Weller, Primal Scream and Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac to suddenly announce their commitment to artistic freedom. But when it comes to the cancellation of Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, they've appeared to have lost their voices. Greenwood's crime was planning to appear with Jewish Israeli musician Dudu Tassa. That Dudu – whose grandfather was a famous songwriter in Iraq in the 20th century – is singing in Arabic with Arabs, and the pair's mission is to revive Arab songs from the last 100 years makes no difference: such were the violent threats against the two venues they were due to perform in, London and Bristol, it was decided it would not be safe. Another victory chalked up for the 'pro-Palestine' brigade. This new type of tyranny affects us all. In the last few weeks, we've seen our cultural and our sporting life attacked by frothing extremists whose violent threats have been indulged for far too long. Last month, an under 21s netball competition in Cardiff was cancelled because of threats resulting from the inclusion of an Israeli team. Europe Netball said it had been forced to cancel for the 'safety and wellbeing' of everyone involved. A few days later, the World Bowls Tour in Aberdeen – with bolstered security after it had been previously cancelled because of the inclusion of Israelis – was attacked when protesters took over the venue with Palestinian flags and released cockroaches into the area of play. Israeli supermodel and actress Gal Gadot, meanwhile, had to stop filming in London last week as she was dogged by protesters shouting through loudspeakers and banging drums like naughty toddlers desperate to get their way. There doesn't even have to be Israelis or British Jews involved. These cos-playing revolutionaries, with their masks and their red paint, almost held up the London Marathon's elite runners by dropping paint over Tower Bridge. They've hijacked degree award ceremonies, attacked art venues, theatres and – of course – there are the regular demonstrations which take over central London. 'Intimidating venues into pulling our shows won't achieve the peace and justice everyone in the Middle East deserves', said Greenwood and Dudu about their cancellation, adding it would be 'hailed as a victory by the campaigners but we [...] don't find that anything positive has been achieved.' The failure of our authorities to stand up to these people diminishes us as a nation – and it will slowly eke away at our culture and freedoms. There's a grim irony that the very week we remember those who fought the Nazis and secured our liberty from tyranny 80 years ago, we appear to be caving in to the people that want to take it away.
Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Radiohead star cancels concerts with Israeli musician after ‘threats'
Jonny Greenwood, the Radiohead musician, has cancelled two concerts with the Israeli performer Dudu Tassa after 'threats' by pro-Palestinian activists. The guitarist and keyboardist condemned 'censorship' and 'intimidation' for the decision to pull out of the concerts in London and Bristol next month. 'The venues and their blameless staff have received enough credible threats to conclude that it's not safe to proceed,' Greenwood and Tassa said in a statement. 'Promoters of the shows can't be expected to fund our, or our audiences', protection.' Pro-Palestinian activists have previously urged Radiohead to cancel concerts in Israel ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Pro-Palestinian campaigners have opposed the shows because they feature Tassa, an Israeli musician, and because their joint album, Jarak Qaribak, was partially recorded in Tel Aviv. The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel described the concerts as
Belfast Telegraph
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Radiohead star makes Kneecap comparison as his gigs are cancelled over ‘credible threats'
The guitarist and keyboardist has collaborated with Israeli-born rock musician Dudu Tassa for more than a decade, and the pair were due to perform at Bristol Beacon's Lantern Hall and London's Hackney Church in June, after releasing the record Jarak Qaribak in 2023.
