Ian Brown says Spotify has taken down his anti-lockdown song
Ian Brown says Spotify has taken down his anti-lockdown song ‘Little Seed Big Tree’ due to censorship.
The Stone Roses frontman’s song was shared last September, along with the message: “NO LOCKDOWN NO TESTS NO TRACKS NO MASKS NO VAX.”
“SPOTiFY stream the streams and censor artists like they have with my last song TOOK IT DOWN just put it down the memory hole!” Brown tweeted yesterday (March 12), adding: “FREE EXPRESSiON AS REVOLUTiON.”
As of the time of writing, the song is still available on Apple Music.
A Spotify spokesperson told NME: “Spotify prohibits content on the platform which promotes dangerous false, deceptive, or misleading content about COVID-19 that may cause offline harm and/or pose a direct threat to public health. When content that violates this standard is identified it is removed from the platform.”
SPOTiFY stream the streams and censor artists like they have with my last song TOOK IT DOWN just put it down the memory hole! FREE EXPRESSiON AS REVOLUTiON
— Ian Brown (@ianbrown) March 12, 2021
Brown has faced criticism since the start of the pandemic after he posted a tweet which seemingly appeared to show his scepticism towards the coronavirus crisis and vaccinations.
“NO LOCKDOWN NO TESTS NO TRACKS NO MASKS NO VAX,” he wrote on Twitter.
He then defended his comments and hit back at his critics, saying: “To all of you asking about my medical qualifications I have the same as the computer seller bill gates ( biggest funder of the world health organisation).”
Elsewhere, Brown has seemingly advocated for the anti-mask and anti-vax movements. He also suggested the crisis was “planned and designed to make us digital slaves,” and likened the coronavirus to the common cold.
Brown has also stepped down as headliner of this year’s Neighbourhood Weekender festival in Manchester, seemingly suggesting that the festival will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of entry.
“My Saturday night headline show at NHBD Weekender Festival will now not happen!” he wrote. “I refuse to accept vaccination proof as condition of entry. Refunds are available!”
It comes after Brown last month (February 26) tweeted that he would “NEVER sing to a crowd who must be vaccinated as a condition of attendance. NEVER EVER!”
