The frontman of Dexys Midnight Runners has said people trying to “shut down” Kneecap is an “overreaction”.
Kevin Rowland, whose band’s hits included the 1982 number one hit Come On Eileen, said the controversy over the last week shows that freedom of expression is “under threat”.
Footage of a member of the rap trio Kneecap calling for MPs to be killed is being assessed by counter-terrorism police, and they have faced a slew of concert cancellations, with growing calls for Glastonbury to cancel their appearance there next month.
Mr Rowland is one of the 40 artists that signed an open letter supporting Kneecap and freedom of expression through both bands label Heavenly Recordings.
He said: “This is about freedom of speech and artists’ freedom of expression.”
The independent record label said in the caption: “These artists support the right to freedom of expression. This is an ever-expanding list. If you are an artist who wishes to be added please DM us.”
Speaking to BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme, Mr Rowland said he is not a “representative of Kneecap” and is not defending what they have said but added: “If you only allow free speech for people to say what you want, it’s not free speech, is it?”
A number of politicians have called for the Irish rap band to be uninvited from some UK gigs, with Tory MP Mark Francois saying the group should not be allowed to play Glastonbury in light of the ongoing police investigation.
Asked about whether Glastonbury should uninvite Kneecap over the band’s statements, Mr Rowland said; “I hope they don’t take them off, I think it would look pretty poor if they did.
“We’ve had rappers playing at Glastonbury saying all kinds of things. Loads of rap music talks about killing, why aren’t they banned?”
Other artists who have signed the joint statement from Kneecap’s record label, Heavenly Recordings, on Instagram, in support of Kneecap, include Fontaines DC, Annie Mac, Bicep, Massive Attack, Pulp, Paul Weller and Christy Moore.
