Eagles of Death Metal Give First Interview After Paris Attacks

In the Eagles of Death Metal’s first recorded interview since the Paris attack on the Bataclan theater, lead singer Jesse Hughes emotionally detailed the events of the night breaking down in tears a number of times along with accounts from the rest of the band.

“I was there when it went silent for a minute”, he said.

His voice choking with emotion, Mr Hughes described how the gunmen shot and killed everyone who had escaped into a dressing room, apart from “a kid who was hiding under my leather jacket”.

The members of the band, founded in 1998, spoke with Vice founder Shane Smith in the magazine’s Los Angeles office. He says some band members ran off the stage while one of the gunman was reloading.

London told Vice he ran away as a gunman fired toward him, with a bullet shattering the glass door he passed through to escape.

After getting out of the building, Hughes observed that many people exiting of the venue looked confused about what just happened.

Dorio said the band plays especially loud, but “the initial shots were so powerful for me that I immediately, I knew something was wrong”.

The band’s bassist, Matt McJunkins, did not leave the venue with the rest of the group.

Taking to social media, fans of the band and others concerned about the attacks that hit the French capital reacted to the 26-minute interview. People propped chairs against the door to keep intruders out.

“We have to finish the tour”, said Homme, who wasn’t at the venue when the attack took place.

He said: “I opened up the hallway door and that’s when I saw the shooter. I want to spend my life smiling with my friends and entertaining them”, Jesse Hughes, the band’s vocalist, told Vice in an interview.

All the bandmates made it out alive, except for their British merchandise manager Nick Alexander, who was among 89 people killed at Batalcan.

“As soon as we get there [the room], there’s a few people who’ve been shot and who were bleeding”.

Most of the people killed were at the Bataclan theatre, where fans were gathered to watch the Eagles of Death Metal perform. “I want to go back and live”, said Hughes.

‘People were playing dead and they were so scared.

McJunkins said: “Her blood was running out on the ground”.

Drummer Julian Dorio said he hit the floor as soon as he heard gunshots and peered through his drums.