Eagles of Death Metal frontman blames gun control for Paris deaths

  • 17/02/2016
Singer of Eagles of Death Metal, Jesse Hughes (Reuters)
Singer of Eagles of Death Metal, Jesse Hughes (Reuters)

The Eagles of Death Metal (EODM) will return to the Bataclan theatre in Paris tonight (local time), to finish the show that was interrupted by November's deadly attacks.

The band was playing at the Bataclan when it was attacked by gunmen.

Frontman and founder Jesse Hughes gave emotional interviews with French media before the show.

He said he still has nightmares about the shooting  and took the opportunity to reiterate his well-known opposition to gun control.

The band played at a U2 concert in Paris in December, but today's show will be their first time playing at the Bataclan since the shooting on November 13.

"Not returning to finish our set was never an option," the band said in a statement last December announcing the dates of their rescheduled European tour.

In a 19 minute interview with I-Télé, Hughes said that France's tight gun control laws played a part in the attack.

"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. 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."

If anything, the attack had furthered his belief in the necessity of access to firearms, Hughes said.

"I know people will disagree with me, but it just seems like God made men and women, and that night guns made them equal. And I hate it that it's that way."

Hughes is a supporter of US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who is also against gun control.

"I think the only way that my mind has been changed is that maybe that until nobody has guns everybody has to have them. Because I've never seen anyone that's ever had one dead, and I want everyone to have access to them, and I saw people die that maybe could have lived, I don't know," he said.

Psychologists will be on standby at the concert today to offer help to survivors of the attack, who have been given free invitations.

Some survivors of the attack told reporters that attending would help them gain closure.

EODM were playing to a crowd of 1500 at the Batclan when the venue was stormed by men armed with assault rifles who starting shooting.  It was part of a series of attacks across Paris that night. 130 people died in total, 90 of them at the Bataclan.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Newshub.