Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood has returned to talk about the controversies that accompanied the cancellation of concerts scheduled for 2025 with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa, comparing the boycott of the shows to the removal of books from the shelves. The duo's UK dates were canceled after protests and reports of possible security risks linked to the campaign promoted by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. In a note released at the time, BDS had contested Greenwood's involvement in events held in Israel, accusing him and Tassa of contributing to the cultural promotion of the country during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
After the cancellation of the concerts, Greenwood and Tassa responded with a joint statement, arguing that “intimidating venues into canceling our concerts will not help achieve the peace and justice that everyone in the Middle East deserves.”
Now, in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, Greenwood returned to the topic, responding to those who pointed out to him that the cultural boycott of South African artists was considered by many to be an important tool in the fight against apartheid. “I'm a fan of many Israeli films, writers and musicians,” the guitarist explained. “The music I make with Dudu recovers older songs from most of the countries that are in conflict with each other today. This will be increasingly important to me.” Greenwood then further developed the comparison with the world of publishing: “In Madrid there are bookstores that openly sell Amos Oz's novels and he was Israeli. For me, canceling the music is equivalent to removing books from the shelves.”
— Jonny Greenwood (@JnnyG) May 6, 2025
After the cancellation of the 2025 dates, Greenwood and Tassa have not announced any new concerts together. The guitarist concentrated above all on his activities as a soundtrack author and on his commitments with Radiohead. However, the British band's recent tour was also objected to by the BDS movement, which called for a boycott of the concerts, arguing that “complicity must have consequences”.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
