i’d like to see some of these “nasty emails”

Eric Burdon cancels concert in Israel, citing threats
Itamar Zohar, Haaretz, Jul 23 2013

Former lead singer of the Animals Eric Burdon on Tuesday announced he is cancelling his planned concert in Israel, citing threats. According to his personal manager Marianna Burdon, he was pressured not to perform in Israel and ultimately chose to cancel the concert, which was to take place Aug 1. His manager wrote in a letter to Israeli members of Tislam, the band Burdon was scheduled to perform with:

We are under increasing pressure, including many threatening emails that we are receiving on a daily basis. I wouldn’t want to put Eric in any danger.

Burdon told two of the band members who he met with in Vienna last week that he was subject to threats not to perform, but insisted:

People cannot be denied music. Everyone needs music and it has nothing to do with current politics. Everyone has the right to entertainment, regardless of their situation or the politics of their country.

Eric Burdon cancels Israel show following threats
David Brinn, JPost, Jul 23 2013

Eric Burdon has canceled a scheduled Aug 1 appearance of Eric Burdon and the Animals in Israel after receiving threats, his management announced Tuesday. A statement released by Burdon’s management said:

We’ve been receiving mounting pressure, including numerous threatening emails, daily. The last thing I intend do is put Eric in jeopardy.

Burdon, 71, and his reconstituted Animals were scheduled to appear at the Zappa Shoni Amphitheater on a bill with 1980s local favorites Tislam. Last week Tislam’s Izhar Ashdot and Yair Nitzani met with Burdon in Vienna ahead of the planned show, and Burdon revealed that he had received a number of online appeals to cancel his appearance. According to Ashdot and Nitzani, Burdon told them:

It’s impossible to prevent music. Everyone needs music and there’s no connection to current politics. Everyone has the right to be entertained.

Tislam issued a statement expressing regret over the cancellation. They said:

To appear with Eric Burdon, one of the founding fathers of rock & roll (sic! – RB), was an almost dream come true. We’re sorry that despite his personal assurance to us, that he bowed to pressure and cancelled his concert.

The show will take place as scheduled, without Burdon.

Eric Burdon caves to threats, cancels Israel concert
Times of Israel, Jul 23 2013

British rock veteran, who was set to play with Israeli veterans Tislam, was getting nasty emails ( sic – RB) every day. Eric Burdon, former lead singer of ’60s British band The Animals, on Tuesday cancelled an August 1 concert in Israel, because he had been receiving daily threatening emails, his manager said. Burdon was to have performed alongside Israeli legends Tislam at the Zappa Shuni Amphitheater in Binyamina. Tickets were already on sale. Days ago, Burdon met up with members of Tislam in Vienna, and told them he was under pressure from anti-Israel activists to cancel the show. At that time, though, he seemed set on going ahead with the concert, telling the Israeli musicians, “Everyone needs music and there’s no connection to current politics. Everyone has the right to be entertained.” But his manager later wrote to Tislam to state that the show was off. “We are under increasing pressure, including many threatening emails that we are receiving on a daily basis. I wouldn’t want to put Eric in any danger,” his manager wrote, in comments released by Tislam on Tuesday. In a statement, Tislam said, “To appear with Eric Burdon, one of the founding fathers of rock & roll, was an almost dream come true. We’re sorry that despite his personal assurance to us, that he bowed to pressure and cancelled his concert.” The Israeli band is to play the concert as scheduled.

Eric Burdon withdraws from Israel concert after email threats
Alistair Dawber, Independent, Jul 24 2013

Eric Burdon has decided to withdraw from a planned concert in Israel, following what his management said were threatening emails. The Animals frontman had been due to perform alongside local Israeli bands in Binyamina, in the north of the country. However, Burdon’s management said in a statement:

We’ve been receiving mounting pressure, including numerous threatening emails, daily. The last thing I intend do is put Eric in jeopardy.

The nature of the threats is unclear, but according to Israel Radio this morning, Burdon was not willing to risk his life to come to Israel. The issue of artists giving performances in Israel is controversial. In recent years, Jon Bon Jovi and Ladysmith Black Mambazo have cancelled concerts in support of the BDS movement. Writers such as Iain Banks, Henning Mankell and Alice Walker have also issued statements condemning Israeli policy. However, in Burdon’s case, it appears, at least on the face of it, that the decision to cancel his performance is on a perceived risk to his safety, rather than the 71 year-old’s political views.