Nearly two weeks after the devastating terrorist attacks in Paris, Julian Dorio – the drummer for Eagles of Death Metal, whose show at the Bataclan saw almost 90 casualties – had released statement on his Instagram about the event. The following day, VICE released a 26-minute video interviewing the band, where each member gave their own account of that horrific night. Watch the video below:
Each member detailed their own thought process and escape route as the gunfire carried on for 10 to 15 minutes: Eden Galindo said that he first thought the sound of the shots was a result of the PA cracking; Dorio said he was shocked that the shots could be heard over the band’s signature loud sound and that he “immediately knew something was wrong.” Galindo and EoDM founder Jesse Hughes ran off stage and upstairs to find Hughes’ girlfriend, Tuesday – however, one of the gunmen had made it there, so the band members turned around and eventually made it out of the side door and onto a small street outside.
Matt McJunkins made it off the other side of the stage and into a small room, where other fans – some of whom were severely injured – had hidden out. A leak in the ceiling slowly began to fill the room with water as they waited and listened to the gunfire and final explosion outside. Dorio said when he first noticed the gunfire, he immediately got on the ground and crawled across the stage to safety. Hughes said that when some of the members finally got outside, several other people had made it out with them and just sort of stood there – “People just didn’t seem to know what to do.”
Dave Catching, who was out at the back of the venue doing sound for the show, said: “These kids were having a blast, they were having a great time. I mean, the smiles, the dancing, the singing along to each song, it was heartfelt. And then, out of nowhere, I just heard these – what i thought were firecrackers – directly behind me…they came in the door, instantly walked in and just started blasting.” He said he was still standing when one of the gunman turned and looked directly at him – he shot and missed, so Catching immediately dropped to the ground and hid among the sound equipment with a few fans – again, some of whom were already injured – and waited until the gunman had to reload to make their escape.
The band members made it to the police station and Hughes said he immediately called Joshua Homme, the co-founder of EoDM. Homme said when he found out, he immediately went to the band’s office to get started on “anything, everything” to get the band members home. Hughes broke down when he said he thought about feeling guilty that he might have left the other members onstage, but he said that Hommes comforted him and told him not to think about it.
In a separate interview with Hughes and Hommes, Hommes said a common sentiment the band had talked about was a shared heroism: “People came out of their homes to help – the fans that were in there, even when injured, were attempting to help each other and the band.” Hommes and Hughes talked about Nick Alexander, who was running merchandise for the band at the Bataclan, who lost his life trying to help others. Hughes then said, “A great reason why so many people were killed was because so many people wouldn’t leave their friends. So many people put themselves in front of people.”
I cannot wait to get back to Paris. I cannot wait to play, I want to come back,” Hughes said. “I want to be the first band to play in the Bataclan when it opens back up…because I was there when it went silent for a minute. Our friends went there to see rock and roll and died. I’m going to go back there and live.
When asked if EoDM would finish the tour, Hommes and Hughes both said that they had to. The band said at the end of the interview that French fans turned their cover of Duran Duran’s “Save a Prayer” into a statement of solidarity, where the royalties of that cover would benefit the victims families. EoDM decided to follow suit and urge artists from any genre to cover their song “I Love You All the Time,” the profits of which the band will also donate. They also urged music outlets like iTunes, Spotify and TIDAL to get involved.
Leave a Comment