Eagles Of Death Metal Speak To Vice About The Night Of The Paris Attacks

Just ten days ago, on November 13, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks later claimed by ISIS killed 130 people and injured 368 more in Paris, France. One of the key targets was the Bataclan Theatre, where American band Eagles Of Death Metal were playing to an 1500-strong audience. Around an hour into the show, three dark-clad men entered the hall and open-fired on the crowd for 20 minutes, killing 89; witnesses reported they also threw hand-grenades, while reloading their guns three or four times. When police raided the venue, two attackers died by detonating explosive vests; the third’s vest blew up when he was hit by police, and fell.

In a Facebook post after the attacks, which also killed employees at the band’s label and their merchandise manager Nick Alexander, the group announced all upcoming shows would be on hold until further notice. “We are horrified and still trying to come to terms with what happened in France,” they wrote. “Although bonded in grief with the victims, the fans, the families, the citizens of Paris, and all those affected by terrorism, we are proud to stand together, with our new family, now united by a common goal of love and compassion.”

And overnight, video was released of two band-members speaking publicly about the attacks for the first time.

In a one-minute clip promoting the full interview, which is due out this week, the visibly shaken lead singer Jesse Hughes talks with Vice’s cofounder/CEO Shane Smith. Sitting next to band member Josh Homme, he details what happened backstage at the venue.

“Several people hid in our dressing room and the killers were able to get in and killed every one of them, except for a kid who was hiding under my leather jacket,” Hughes says. “People were playing dead and they were so scared. A great reason so many were killed was because so many people wouldn’t leave their friends. So many people put themselves in front of people.”