{"id":2073397,"date":"2026-08-01T16:39:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T13:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2073397"},"modified":"2026-08-01T16:39:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T13:39:50","slug":"boy-george-parts-ways-with-gutless-record-label-manager-who-refused-to-release-pro-israel-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2073397","title":{"rendered":"Boy George parts ways with \u201cgutless\u201d record label manager who refused to release pro-Israel song"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy_george_two.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2749694\" class=\"post-2749694 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_71 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>News<\/span><i class=\"tdb-bread-sep td-icon-right\"><\/i><span>Music News<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_72 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_72\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Boy George parts ways with \u201cgutless\u201d record label manager who refused to release pro-Israel song<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_73 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_73\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Tony Pontius reportedly told him he wanted &#8220;nothing to do with&#8221; the controversial &#8216;We Will Dance Again&#8217;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_75 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_75\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Max Pilley<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-08-01T17:39:50+01:00\">1st August 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- .\/block --><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_77\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_78  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_80  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span8\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_81 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure>\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy_george_two-696x442.jpg\" alt title=\"Boy George Celebrates Pride At Stonewall Inn\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">Boy George at Stonewall Inn on June 20, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Astrida Valigorsky\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_83 article-content-row vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Boy George\u00a0has parted ways with his record label manager after he refused to release the singer\u2019s pro-Israel song \u2018We Will Dance Again\u2019.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1262\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b>READ MORE:\u00a0<\/b><b>Culture Club\u2019s Boy George: the original gender-fluid pop icon versus the modern world<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The\u00a0Culture Club\u00a0frontman\u00a0shared the controversial pop reggae track on social media last week (July 26), but it has yet to appear on traditional streaming platforms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Its opening line, \u201c<i>You say genocide, I say war<\/i>\u201c, rejects descriptions of Israel\u2019s military campaign in Gaza as genocide, and the song goes on to\u00a0criticise\u00a0musicians who have publicly shown support for the people of Palestine.<\/p>\n<p>In the days since,\u00a0George has withdrawn from an upcoming run as King Herod in\u00a0<i>Jesus Christ Superstar<\/i>\u00a0at the London\u00a0Palladium, and\u00a0has issued a statement defending the song against criticism, insisting he comes \u201cfrom a place of peace\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the singer has said that the song has led him to cut ties with Tony Pontius, who had run his record label BGP for several years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn Buddhism we understand that every action comes with a consequence,\u201d George wrote on social media today (August 1). \u201cDue to\u00a0my\u00a0decision to stand up for my Jewish friends I am losing a few people from my life.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">In Buddhism we understand that every action comes with a consequence. Due to my decision to stand up for my Jewish friends I am losing a few people from my life. Today I parted company with Tony Pontius who has run my record label BGP for a number of years. I wanted to release\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/jOArrkCktF<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Boy George (@BoyGeorge) July 31, 2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cToday I parted company with Tony Pontius who has run my record label BGP for a number of years. I wanted to release \u2018We Will Dance Again\u2019 but he was unequivocal and\u00a0said\u00a0\u2018I want nothing to do with this song\u2019 and I responded \u2018ok, we are done\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>George added: \u201cWhen someone is\u00a0gutless\u00a0it really does not hurt to say goodbye. My faith in humanity will not diminish and the truth will always win. I will release it!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As well as its opening line, the song,\u00a0which George confirmed was made with the help of AI, references\u00a0the Hamas-led attack on the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023, including the lyric: \u201c<i>Musicians holding flags, mouthing like sheep \/\u00a0Propaganda\u00a0fuelled\u00a0by the internet feels so weak<\/i>\u201c.<\/p>\n<p>The singer later said it was inspired by a visit to\u00a0the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in London, where he met Michael and Lisa Marlowe, whose\u00a0British-Israeli\u00a0son Jake was killed during the attack.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-2\" class=\"lazy-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cMy song is pro-peace,\u201d he has said. \u201cThe suggestion that I feel no compassion for Palestinians is both untrue and absurd. I am devastated for the loss of the innocent lives on both sides of this war and I call for peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy personal opinion is that this is sadly a war, but not an attempt to wipe out Palestine,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I respect that everyone has their own opinions and believe we should all be allowed to have that right.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>The song was condemned by\u00a0Heaven 17\u00a0and\u00a0The Human League co-founder Martyn Ware as an \u201covertly pro-genocide, anti-Palestinian piece of musical propaganda\u201d. Actor Patrick Clanton, who previously appeared alongside George in the Broadway production of <i>Moulin Rouge!<\/i>,\u00a0also\u00a0said that he was \u201cembarrassed\u201d to have worked with him.<\/p>\n<p>A\u00a0United Nations-appointed Commission of Inquiry\u00a0concluded in September 2025 that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.\u00a0Amnesty International\u00a0has reached the same conclusion.<\/p>\n<p>Israel has repeatedly denied committing genocide or war crimes, maintaining that its military campaign followed the Hamas-led attacks of October 7 and was an act of self-defence. It rejected the UN Commission\u2019s findings as \u201cdistorted and false\u201d and a \u201clibellous sham\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Culture Club are currently due to return to the stage for\u00a0\u2018The Singles\u2019 UK arena tour with ABC and Haircut 100\u00a0this December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Boy George<\/li>\n<li>Culture Club<\/li>\n<li>Politics<\/li>\n<li>Reggae<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_89 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<div id=\"taboola-below-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span4 td-is-sticky\">\n<div 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class=\"td-image-container\">\n<div class=\"td-module-thumb\"><span class=\"entry-thumb td-thumb-css\" data-type=\"css_image\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/boy_george_2026-400x254.jpg\" data-img-retina-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/boy_george_2026-800x508.jpg\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Boy George shares pro-Israel song \u2018We Will Dance Again\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-image-container\">\n<div class=\"td-module-thumb\"><span class=\"entry-thumb td-thumb-css\" data-type=\"css_image\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/barack_obama-400x254.jpg\" data-img-retina-url=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/barack_obama-800x508.jpg\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Barack Obama announces 2026 UK arena tour<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>                    <span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span>                <\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Boy George\u00a0has parted ways with his record label manager after he refused to release the singer\u2019s pro-Israel song \u2018We Will Dance Again\u2019.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1262\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b>READ MORE:\u00a0<\/b><b>Culture Club\u2019s Boy George: the original gender-fluid pop icon versus the modern world<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The\u00a0Culture Club\u00a0frontman\u00a0shared the controversial pop reggae track on social media last week (July 26), but it has yet to appear on traditional streaming platforms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Its opening line, \u201c<i>You say genocide, I say war<\/i>\u201c, rejects descriptions of Israel\u2019s military campaign in Gaza as genocide, and the song goes on to\u00a0criticise\u00a0musicians who have publicly shown support for the people of Palestine.<\/p>\n<p>In the days since,\u00a0George has withdrawn from an upcoming run as King Herod in\u00a0<i>Jesus Christ Superstar<\/i>\u00a0at the London\u00a0Palladium, and\u00a0has issued a statement defending the song against criticism, insisting he comes \u201cfrom a place of peace\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the singer has said that the song has led him to cut ties with Tony Pontius, who had run his record label BGP for several years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn Buddhism we understand that every action comes with a consequence,\u201d George wrote on social media today (August 1). \u201cDue to\u00a0my\u00a0decision to stand up for my Jewish friends I am losing a few people from my life.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">In Buddhism we understand that every action comes with a consequence. Due to my decision to stand up for my Jewish friends I am losing a few people from my life. Today I parted company with Tony Pontius who has run my record label BGP for a number of years. I wanted to release\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/jOArrkCktF<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Boy George (@BoyGeorge) July 31, 2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cToday I parted company with Tony Pontius who has run my record label BGP for a number of years. I wanted to release \u2018We Will Dance Again\u2019 but he was unequivocal and\u00a0said\u00a0\u2018I want nothing to do with this song\u2019 and I responded \u2018ok, we are done\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>George added: \u201cWhen someone is\u00a0gutless\u00a0it really does not hurt to say goodbye. My faith in humanity will not diminish and the truth will always win. I will release it!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As well as its opening line, the song,\u00a0which George confirmed was made with the help of AI, references\u00a0the Hamas-led attack on the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023, including the lyric: \u201c<i>Musicians holding flags, mouthing like sheep \/\u00a0Propaganda\u00a0fuelled\u00a0by the internet feels so weak<\/i>\u201c.<\/p>\n<p>The singer later said it was inspired by a visit to\u00a0the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in London, where he met Michael and Lisa Marlowe, whose\u00a0British-Israeli\u00a0son Jake was killed during the attack.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span>  <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-article-2\" class=\"lazy-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cMy song is pro-peace,\u201d he has said. \u201cThe suggestion that I feel no compassion for Palestinians is both untrue and absurd. I am devastated for the loss of the innocent lives on both sides of this war and I call for peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy personal opinion is that this is sadly a war, but not an attempt to wipe out Palestine,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I respect that everyone has their own opinions and believe we should all be allowed to have that right.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>The song was condemned by\u00a0Heaven 17\u00a0and\u00a0The Human League co-founder Martyn Ware as an \u201covertly pro-genocide, anti-Palestinian piece of musical propaganda\u201d. Actor Patrick Clanton, who previously appeared alongside George in the Broadway production of <i>Moulin Rouge!<\/i>,\u00a0also\u00a0said that he was \u201cembarrassed\u201d to have worked with him.<\/p>\n<p>A\u00a0United Nations-appointed Commission of Inquiry\u00a0concluded in September 2025 that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.\u00a0Amnesty International\u00a0has reached the same conclusion.<\/p>\n<p>Israel has repeatedly denied committing genocide or war crimes, maintaining that its military campaign followed the Hamas-led attacks of October 7 and was an act of self-defence. It rejected the UN Commission\u2019s findings as \u201cdistorted and false\u201d and a \u201clibellous sham\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Culture Club are currently due to return to the stage for\u00a0\u2018The Singles\u2019 UK arena tour with ABC and Haircut 100\u00a0this December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/boy-george-parts-ways-with-gutless-record-label-manager-who-refused-to-release-pro-israel-song-3960240&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy_george_two.jpg&#8221;] NewsMusic News Boy George parts ways with \u201cgutless\u201d record label manager who refused to release pro-Israel song Tony Pontius reportedly told him he wanted &#8220;nothing to do with&#8221; the controversial &#8216;We Will Dance Again&#8217; By Max Pilley 1st August 2026 Boy George at Stonewall Inn on June 20, 2026 in New York [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-2073397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2073397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2073397"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2073397\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2073397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2073397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2073397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}