The guitarist performed alongside Israeli musician Dudu Tassa in Tel Aviv
Johnny Greenwoodguitarist of Radiohead It’s from The Smileperformed in Israel alongside Israeli musician Dudu Tassa last Sunday, 26. The duo played tracks from the collaborative album Jarak Qaribakreleased last year.
The show would have taken place one day after Greenwood participated in protests calling for the freedom of alleged Israeli hostages held in Gaza. He would also have spoken out in favor of new elections and against the Israeli government (via NME).
During the performance in Tel Aviv, fans chanted for peace, while Tassa stated: “There are musicians here, not politicians. Music has always worked, may we live better days and return safely.”
The wife of Greenwood, Sharona Katan, is Israeli. One of his relatives served in the Israeli army and lost his life during the war against Palestine.
Reviews
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) has spoken out, calling for “peaceful and creative pressure on their band Radiohead to convincingly distance themselves from this blatant complicity in the crime of crimes.”
PACBI further noted that, while Greenwood protested, Israel was bombing Palestinians in Rafah.
Response
Tassa reacted to critics in an Instagram post. He praised the talent of Greenwood and made a speech against hate:
See this photo on InstagramA post shared by Dudu Tassa (@dudutassaofficial)
Johnny Greenwood He is an incredible and courageous musician. For me, he is, first and foremost, a dear friend who I admire and love. An incredible person who is always willing to take risks for peace and justice.
Our desire and choice as musicians from different backgrounds (he is an English rocker and I am a Jewish-Israeli who has absorbed roots from Arab culture) has always been and will continue to be to strive to understand the “other”, to know him and to we present ourselves through the language of music. Completely the opposite of promoting a unilateral discourse of boycotts and threats.
The truth is that boycotters and condemners promote nothing — just more hate.
I hope and wish that together our performance will unite and connect people from different backgrounds and be part of a small step towards a better future.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
