The first interview with the band Eagles of Death Metal who were performing at the Bataclan theatre in Paris where 89 people were shot dead earlier this month, has been released by VICE.
Band members spoke to VICE founder Shane Smith about colleagues they lost, including band merchandise manager Nick Alexander, and what happened that night.
Gunmen entered the venue and opened fire on the crowd as part of a series of attacks on the city that night, which in total left 130 people dead and others critically injured.
The band managed to escape through a side exit door onto the street.
"Our friends went to see rock 'n' roll and died. I want to go back there and live," says frontman and band co-founder Jesse Hughes.
The interview is incredibly emotional, with their recounts detailing the bloodshed and moments of bravery and sacrifice.
"Several people hid in our dressing room and the killers were able to get in and killed every one of them except for a kid who was hiding under my leather jacket," Hughes says.
"People were playing dead and they were so scared. A great reason why so many were killed is because so many people wouldn't leave their friends."
Co-founder Joshua Homme says their label will donate all publishing proceeds from the covers to victims of the attacks, and urges streaming services to do the same.
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