Eagles of Death Metal Speak Out Ahead of Paris Return
Jesse Hughes says he's also since changed his opinion on gun control.
— -- The rock band Eagles of Death Metal, which was on stage performing at Paris’ Bataclan concert hall in November when terrorists stormed the venue, killing 89 people, is speaking out ahead of a return to the city Tuesday.
In a tearful interview with France’s iTELE, before the band's slated performance at Olympia Hall, frontman Jesse Hughes says he has yet to come to terms with the tragedy.
“I haven't had any nightmares and I've slept fine, but when I'm awake is when I see things that are nightmares,” he said. “I thought that talking about it would make it easier and I thought that expelling it from inside of me would make me less like this but it's not. There's really no frame of reference for this at all. I just wish it would go away."
Hughes, 43, said the California-based band’s fans have inspired him to keep performing.
"There's been just such an outpouring of support for us and love for us,” he said. “It's overwhelming. I just don't want to let anyone down.”
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s show, Hughes said, “We’re really just supposed to have fun there…I think that's what we really need to do, is just have fun together, so that we can put some of this s*** behind us, and really leave it there so it doesn't follow us around for the rest of our lives.”
Hughes also took the opportunity to speak out about the polarizing issue of gun control, which he’s changed his stance on, in light of the attack.
"Gun control really doesn't have anything to do with it, but if you want to bring it up I'll ask you: Did your French gun control stop a single f****** person from dying at the Bataclan? And if anyone can answer yes, I'd like to hear it because I don't think so," he said. "I think the only thing that stopped it was some of the bravest men that I've ever seen in my life charging head first into the face of death with their firearms.”
