Opinion: Should Tom Meighan be headlining festivals?

Written by Dani Dodman

Trigger warning: this article discusses themes of domestic violence.

In 2020, former Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan was sacked from the band after it emerged that he had violently attacked his now-wife, Vikki Ager, while drunk.  Now, less than three years later, he is back at top-billing – headlining Sheffield’s Be Reyt Festival in May, as well as various other solo gigs throughout the year, including a stint supporting Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds.  Meighan’s brief expulsion from the limelight seems more like 10 minutes on the naughty step, and begs the question: Why isn’t violence against women taken seriously in the music industry?

Tom Meighan is not the only male musician who has been given a slap on the wrist for such behaviours, of course. This issue spans across all genres of music, with Megan Thee Stallion being subjected to two years of brutal, misogynistic online hate and harassment, and a struggle to be believed after she accused Tory Lanez of shooting her in 2020 (something he was eventually found guilty of). Chris Brown’s 2009 assault of Rihanna is well-documented, with horrifying pictures to accompany it. Yet, multiple high-charting albums and singles, as well as some sold-out tours later, his career has remained virtually unscathed – except, perhaps for the odd joke about it on Family Guy.

The ‘separating the art from the artist’ argument has its place; I fully intend to keep listening to the Kasabian songs I’ve loved for years that feature Meighan as a front man – why should I, as a consumer, be made to suffer for someone else’s faults? There is a difference, I feel, in giving people with known histories of violence a new platform to promote themselves and make music. Anything released post-assault is confusing, irresponsible, and dangerous to me. For example, I won’t be listening to anything R. Kelly comes out with any time soon.

Why does it seem like the industry is more worried about appearing bothered about domestic abuse allegations than the actual allegations themselves?  Why is giving Tom Meighan a ‘second chance’ to ‘better himself’ more important than creating a safe space for women performers who may, understandably, feel uncomfortable performing alongside men with a history of violence against women?  Arguably most crucial of all: How do we expect instances like this to stop if the violent individuals’ careers are unhindered by their actions?

In response to backlash that arose after the announcement of Meighan’s impending performance at Be Reyt, the festival released a statement which, in part, stated: “In no way do our companies believe domestic abuse or abuse of any type is acceptable.  Nobody should have to suffer any type of abuse”, a confusing remark, given the platform they have awarded an admitted perpetrator of that exact crime.