Eagles of Death Metal fans take to Twitter following Vice interview
Jesse Hughes, left, and Joshua Homme of the group Eagles of Death Metal.
Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of family, fun and turkey. But for the members of Eagles of Death Metal, whose Paris concert was interrupted when gunmen entered the venue and opened fire on the crowd, leaving at least 90 dead, the day undoubtedly means something more. In an interview with Vice released Wednesday, members of the Palm Desert band detailed the horror of the attack as well as their harrowing escape and the grief that has since pushed them forward.
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.
Many were overcome -- some unexpectedly -- with emotion, much like the members of the band who recounted their experiences.
“At first I thought it was the PA [system] cracking up, and then I realized real quick that it wasn’t,†guitarist Eden Galindo said, describing the first wave of gunfire that tore through the Bataclan concert hall an hour into the band’s sold-out show.
During the interview, Matt McJunkins, the band’s bass player, spoke about being trapped in a room with fans attempting to avoid gunfire.
“Everybody started going up into this room … to just escape the gunfire, naturally, instinctively,†he said. “From my perspective I see the shooting, I see the pops go off, the lights flashing … and I have to make the decision: Do I really want to run across the stage or do I want to go in this room, and hope for the best.â€
But as the holiday continues, the Paris attacks and EODM’s first-person accounts have driven some to reflect.
Despite the tragedy, the band intends to finish its tour. Frontman and band cofounder Jesse Hughes wants Eagles of Death Metal to be the first band that plays at Bataclan when it reopens.
“I cannot wait to get back to Paris. I want to play again,†he said. “I was there when it went silent. Our friends went there to see rock ‘n’ roll and died. I want to go back there and live.â€
Get your life! Follow me on Twitter: @TrevellAnderson.
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