Fontaines D.C. on their support of Palestine: “It really is the responsibility of anyone with a voice”

nme.com:

Fontaines D.C.’s Grian Chatten has opened up about the bands support of Palestine, explaining why they want to use their platform to speak out.The topic arose during a new interview with NME, as the band are gearing up to release their long-awaited new album ‘Romance’ tomorrow (August 23).Alongside talking about the inspirations for the LP, plans for their upcoming slot at Reading & Leeds 2024 this weekend, and aspirations for the future, the frontman discussed the band’s overt support for Palestine in recent months.It comes as the Irish band teamed up with Massive Attack and Young Fathers for a limited edition 12” single to support the charity Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF).The release included material by Fontaines and a collaboration between Young Fathers and Massive Attack, alongside a sleeve and print designed by Robert Del Naja.

100 per cent of the profits from the single were donated to the charity to help their emergency operations in Gaza and the West Bank.In a statement, the artists have also called for an immediate ceasefire in the region, “in solidarity with the Palestinian people living under a brutal military operation”.Discussing how the idea for the joint EP arose, Chatten told NME: “We just did remixes of each other’s tunes. [Guitarist Conor] Curley did a remix of a Massive Attack tune, and it was just a joint effort.“We asked ‘What can we do?’ It becomes incredibly tiring and disenfranchising, not just as a musician but as a young person, to be talking about and raising awareness.”He continued: “At some point, you’ve got to do something that feels a bit more tangible, you know?