This, after facing a barrage of attacks for a post on Twitter praising journalist Andy Ngo's book about Antifa.
In an interview with The Sunday Times (U.K.), Marshall celebrated being free to speak what's been weighing his heart since leaving Mumford & Sons after both he and his friends faced immense pressure over a tweet. He still stands by the tweet because it was innocuous, he asserted. The tweet was posted after he read Ngo's book, Unmasked, and said: “Congratulations, @MrAndyNgo. Finally had the time to read your important book. You’re a brave man.”
Although Marshall told UnHerd last year that he'd much rather be playing music in a rock'n'roll band than not, he feared the band would suffer for his views. After going through this experience in which he even saw his Wikipedia page changed to identify him as being a "fascist," he now feels liberated and freed because his voice isn't constrained by PR or gatekeepers. Because "words are important," Marshall said he's now even more careful to make sure he's "speaking the truth."
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"I got my soul back. I felt I could sleep again," he told The Sunday Times, speaking about the ordeal and his feelings after leaving the band in 2021. "It's amazing the effect that had on the ordeal me. It has been completely liberating. I feel like it was the right decision."
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Earlier this year, Marshall launched a Spectator podcast named "Marshall Matters," where he regularly shares his thoughts regarding cancel culture.
Prior Matters posting the tweet that upended his career, for years, the musician enjoyed life on the road with his band, earning money and winning numerous awards, including a Grammy.
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"Your initial reaction is, 'I'm so sorry I've offended you. I apologized because I felt like maybe I don't understand this topic fully, and I need to understand it," Marshall said, adding that after reflecting on his tweet and the backlash that ensued, he did more research into the matter and later came to realize he wasn't in the wrong.
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His bandmates also dealt with the backlash from the comments, encouraging the musician to apologize. Nevertheless, after giving it some thought, the banjo player questioned his decision to apologize publicly.
"As I continued to research, I felt more and more that I'd participated in a lie," Marshall said. "That really affected my conscience."
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Through this process and introspection, as well as looking more into radicalization, Marshall told the Times: “Through that I found a higher appreciation for my own cultural background, for the Judeo-Christian tradition and belief system.”
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As per the U.K. Times, Marshall has returned to his Christian faith "after a long hiatus" that caused him to question the wellbeing of his soul. And he walked away from the band because he didn't want his public comments to impact his bandmates.
Leaving the band, he expressed, was an "incredibly difficult" decision.
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