Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood has put out a statement about his refusal to give in to the BDS movement’s pressure to cancel his tour with the Israeli Mizrachi musician Dudu Tassa, and criticised their call as “unprogressive”.
The pro-Palestine movement threatened rock band Radiohead, following a performance of its guitarist with Tassa at Tel Aviv’s Barby Club on 26 May which concert-goers said also included calls for peace. Greenwood’s appearance came the day after being seen at protests in Tel Aviv, calling for the release of the hostages in Gaza and for new elections in Israel.
Renowned for applying pressure on artists to refuse to perform in Israel, the BDS accused Greenwood of “artwashing Israel’s genocide”. On X/Twitter, it said: “We call for peaceful, creative pressure on his band Radiohead to convincingly distance itself from this blatant complicity in the crime of crimes, or face grassroots measures.”
Dudu Tassa and Greenwood, who have been collaborating and releasing music since 2008, are scheduled to perform together at European festivals this summer, a year after they released a joint album of Arabic love songs, Jarak Qaribak – meaning “your neighbour is your friend”. That album, mixed by Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, brought together vocalists and musicians from across the Middle East.
In his statement on Twitter, Greenwood said: “I think an artistic project that combines Arab and Jewish musicians is worthwhile. And one that reminds everyone that the Jewish cultural roots in countries like Iraq and Yemen go back for thousands of years, is also important.
“Others choose to believe this kind of project is unjustifiable and are urging the silence of this – or any – artistic effort made by Israeli Jews. But I can’t join that call: The silencing of Israeli filmmakers/musicians/dancers when their work tours abroad – especially when it’s at the urging of their fellow western filmmakers/musicians/artists – feels unprogressive to me, not least because it’s these people that are invariably the most progressive members of any society.”
Greenwood’s positive message of unity and cross-collaboration also said, “It's just musicians from all over the Middle East having mutual respect for each other, working together across borders, and sharing our love for the long catalogue of Arabic songs whether they were written by Muslim, Jewish or Christian composers.”
The guitarist pointed out that Tassa’s grandfather was perhaps the best-known Iraqi composer, and was one of the legendary Al Kuwaity brothers whose songs are still featured on Arab-wide radio stations, “though sadly their heritage as Jews is never mentioned any longer,” he said.
The star, who also performs in the band The Smile, married into an Israeli family originally from Iraq and Egypt, and has said the family identifies as Jewish.
He called the musicians involved in the project as “braver” than those trying to shut the collaboration down, or “attempting to ascribe a sinister ulterior motivation to the band's existence.” He explained, “There isn't one: we are musicians honouring a shared culture, and I've been involved in this for nearly 20 years now.”
In conclusion, Greenwood added “No art is as 'important' as stopping all the death and suffering around us. How can it be? But doing nothing seems a worse option. And silencing Israeli artists for being born Jewish in Israel doesn't seem like any way to reach an understanding between the two sides of this apparently endless conflict."
Dudu Tassa and the Kuwaitis opened for Radiohead on their 2017 tour of America. The rock band have also recommended the track “Dalina” from the album Dudu Tassa and the Kuwaitis on its website. Greenwood also featured as guest musician on Tassa’s widely-played single “What A Day” from the album At The End You Get Used To Everything.
