Krasnodar governor hopes Russia is closed to Bloodhound Gang rock band for life
MOSCOW. Aug 3 (Interfax) - Krasnodar region Governor Alexander Tkachyov has suggested that any performances of the U.S. rock band Bloodhound Gang in Russia should be canceled following a recent incident in Odessa involving what he sees as the defiling of a Russian flag.
"I hope anyone related to the organization of concerts of these Americans in our country will declare a lifelong boycott to them. Such things can't be forgiven," Tkachyov said on Twitter on Saturday.
"Everyone has taken this disgusting act as a personal insult," Tkachyov said. "It is good that even those who have arrived at Kubana [a rock festival in the Krasnodar region] only to hear this group have booed the bastards. Our patriotism is higher than our musical preferences," he said.
Some media reported earlier that a Bloodhound Gang bassist performed a stunt at a concert in Odessa that was perceived as the defiling of a Russian flag.
Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky said on Twitter late on Friday that the Bloodhound Gang's planned performance at a festival in the Krasnodar territory had been canceled following the incident.
"Talked to Krasnodar territory leadership. Bloodhound Gang packing suitcases. These idiots won't perform in Kuban [Krasnodar territory]," Medinsky said.
Bloodhound Gang bassist 'Evil' Jared Hasselhoff later apologized for the incident. Speaking at a press conference, Hasselhoff said it was a pure coincidence that a Russian flag appeared onstage. At the end of the show, the bassist wished to give it to the audience but did it in a weird way. A video available on YouTube shows Hasselhoff tucking the Russian white-blue-red tricolor into the front of his pants and then pulling it out of the back before throwing it to the crowd. He explained the stunt by a tradition existing in the band, according to which anything going from the stage at their concerns is supposed to pass through the bassist's pants.
