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And Finally Artist News Gigs & Festivals
‘Kill Tory Scum’ uproar gets punk band Killdren dropped from Glastonbury
By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 3 June 2019
Organisers of Glastonbury’s Shangri-La have de-booked “two bit rave-punk band with a smelly attitude” Killdren, following right wing media uproar about their song ‘Kill Tory Scum (Before They Kill You)’.
The band describe their music as “politically charged slapstick anthems”, and lyrics in the anti-Tory song include: “Even if it’s yer dad or yer mum / Kill Tory scum, kill Tory scum / Even if it’s yer pal or yer chum / Kill Tory scum, kill Tory scum”.
The band have performed at various other events and toured the UK without issue. However, various newspapers, starting with The Times, have now taken exception to the band playing Glastonbury, having scoured the festival’s expansive bill for anti-Tory messages, following the hopeful chanting of “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn” at the last edition two years ago. I mean, you could just point out how Corbyn went on to kick that hope against a wall.
As pressure on the band and the festival grew, Shangri-La issued a statement yesterday announcing that Killdren would no longer be performing.
“The band Killdren were booked by Shangri-La independently from Glastonbury Festival as just one of hundreds of live acts due to appear on our field’s stages this year”, it says. “We are incredibly saddened at the attention this booking has received and negativity towards such a peaceful festival we are so proud to be part of”.
The statement continues: “The Shangri-La field is all about positivity and pacifism, unity and love. We in no way condone violence and will not allow this matter to overshadow the incredibly inclusive spirit of Glastonbury, and as a result we have taken the decision to withdraw the booking of this band”.
While the right-wing press has focussed on the band’s song about Conservative supporters being killed, no mention has been made of another Killdren song, ‘Save The World’, calling on left-wing parents to kill their children to counteract climate change. I can only assume that means they endorse this idea.
