Nadine Shah apologises for calling U2’s Adam Clayton “a fucking spenk”

Nadine Shah has apologised for calling U2‘s Adam Clayton “a fucking spenk” in 2021.

Shah initially made the comments when pointing to a clip from Clayton’s appearance in the documentary Phil Lynott: Songs For While I’m Away.

In the clip that Shah tweeted, Clayton speaks on Lynott’s work as a bassist – in particular his role playing the instrument in Thin Lizzy. “One thing you need to know about the bass is it’s that big, heavy thing that hangs down between your legs,” Clayton said in the documentary.

“The bass is this secret weapon. It’s where the power comes from. It looks in a groove with the drum kit – the drums and the bass gives you that nice, kind of sexy wiggle of the hips. And then all the other kind of girly stuff sits on top, but we are the men of the band.”

Shah took aim at the last sentence in particular, responding to Clayton’s quip: “My ‘girly stuff’ shits on what you do.”

Yesterday (November 16), Shah apologised on social media for her comments, writing: “I had a point here but my language was immature. I could’ve just pointed out the sexism and left it there. I was very angry in 2021 and I upset a lot of his fans, I’m sorry for that.

“I don’t take down posts where I’ve been an arsehole and totally accept the criticism.”

You can see the post here:

I had a point here but my language was immature. I could’ve just pointed out the sexism and left it there. I was very angry in 2021 and I upset a lot of his fans, I’m sorry for that. I don’t take down posts where I’ve been an arsehole and totally accept the criticism. ✌🏽 https://t.co/d0PZGx66E8

— Nadine Shah (@nadineshah) November 16, 2023

Shah has addressed themes of sexism in several of her songs, including tracks from her last album, ‘Kitchen Sink’, such as ‘Buckfast’ and ‘Trad’.

That album landed in June 2020. In a four-star review, NME said: “Despite a recurring fixation on forked roads and untrodden paths, ‘Kitchen Sink’ is ultimately rooted in the vague flicker of hopefulness and compassion that Shah embodies so often, and so skilfully; though it dispels the myth that it’s possible to be the woman who truly has it all, she embraces choice, rewriting narratives and multitudes instead.”

Shah recently announced details of a new album, ‘Filthy Underneath’, and shared its lead single ‘Topless Mother’.

The follow-up to 2020’s ‘Kitchen Sink’ is set to be released on February 23, 2024, and marks the first release on the brand new EMI North label, which is based in Leeds and is the first major British label operating a physical space outside of London.