The members of Eagles of Death Metal are opening up for the first time about the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday, Nov. 13, in which fans and friends of the band were among those killed.
Terrorists killed 89 people at the band’s show at Le Bataclan, and in an interview with Vice, Jesse Hughes, the band’s lead singer, is speaking publicly about what he saw.
“Several people hid in our dressing room,” Hughes said as he choked back tears (a preview of the interview is below). “The killers were able to get in and killed every one of them – except for a kid who was hiding under my leather jacket.”
“People were playing dead,” he added. “A great reason why so many were killed is because so many people wouldn’t leave their friends. So many people put themselves in front of people.”
The American rock band was performing at Le Bataclan when terrorists stormed the venue with guns and grenades. They issued a statement on Wednesday, Nov. 18, offering their condolences to their fans, friends, and victims of the attacks.
“While the band is now home safe, we are horrified and still trying to come to terms with what happened in France,” Hughes and bandmate Josh Homme wrote. “Our thoughts and hearts are first and foremost with our brother Nick Alexander, our record company comrades Thomas Ayad, Marie Mosser, and Manu Perez, and all the friends and fans whose lives were taken in Paris, as well as their friends, families, and loved ones.”
Alexander, the band’s merchandise manager, and Ayad, the band’s project manager, were both killed in the attacks.
In total, 129 people died in six separate attacks across the French capital.
“Although bonded with 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,” the band concluded.
The full video of the Vice interview with Eagles of Death Metal premieres next week on Vice.com.
