Boy George has accused sound technicians of sabotaging his recent concert in Frankfurt, Germany, forcing him to abandon the performance after only two songs. The incident occurred Saturday during an 80s-themed concert at Waldstadion.
George, 65, stated that after the first song, which he described as a "car crash," the sound in his in-ear monitors progressively increased despite requests for it to be turned down. "You allow for a bit of mess in any opening song but by song two I had asked them to turn down the sound but it just got louder and louder. I had to bow out but I did what I could and that's all that matters," he explained.
These events follow recent controversy surrounding George's new pro-Israel song, "We Will Dance Again," released on July 27. The song, which features an AI-generated reggae backing track, has drawn criticism. George defended his use of AI in songwriting, stating it removes human interference and allows him greater creative freedom. He has also vowed to dismiss any band members who refuse to perform the song with him.
Lyrics in "We Will Dance Again" include lines such as "You say Genocide, I say war" and reference the October 7 attack on the Nova music festival. The phrase "we will dance again" has been used by Israelis to spread hope following the attack.
George likened his use of AI to the collaborative process of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, asserting that other musicians' input often hinders his creative process. "If I tried to write We Will Dance Again with a human being, they would have gotten in my way. So thank god for AI," he stated.
This controversy also led to his withdrawal from the role of King Herod in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium. His manager, PK Kemsley, who is Jewish, publicly supported George, stating he was "completely behind him. For better or worse. Always..."
Boy George, born George Alan O'Dowd, rose to fame in the 1980s as the frontman for Culture Club, known for hits like "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" and "Karma Chameleon."