The brutal terrorist attacks that left 127 dead in Paris were “the first direct hit on music” in the war on terror says U2 frontman Bono, who vows to return to the French capital after being forced to cancel two gigs scheduled for this weekend.

The Irish rockstar said the band had been forced to cancel their gigs in Paris due to ongoing security concerns in the French capital, where 127 people were killed last night, including 80 at a concert.

“Our first thoughts at this point are with the Eagles of Death Metal fans,” Bono told the Dave Fanning Show on 2FM this morning.

“When you think about it, the majority of victims from last night’s attacks were music fans.

“So this really is the first direct hit on music we’ve had on this so called war on terror.

“We know that they don’t like music… and this and the cold blooded aspect of last night attacks are what are really upsetting because it means it could have been any of us.

"This could be me at a show, you at a show, in that venue."

In a statement posted online in French and Arabic, the media wing of Islamic State claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks in Paris.

Among its reasons for targeting the French capital, the jihadist group said it had killed those at the Bataclan theatre because they were “idolaters gathered together in a party of perversity”.

Three gunmen entered the nightclub and took more than a hundred people hostage before opening fire and killing 87 people.

The attackers blew themselves up as police attempted to storm the building.

“These people have robbed their own religion and run off with their own version that has nothing to do with Islam,” said Bono.



He told host Dave Fanning that extremism was “an illness in the world now" and not something that people can give into.

“They don’t like music, we know that. But I think music is very important and has a role to play in showing these people we wouldn’t allow them to stop us living our lives how we want.

“We can’t wait to get back to Paris because we’re hearing from our fans there that these people will not set their lives, their agendas.

“U2 was the first big act to New York after 9/11 and the feeling was the same – this isn’t going to changes us and nothing you do is going to turn us around in how we live our lives.”

Apologising for the cancelled gigs, Bono said U2 would be back as soon as French authorities gave the all clear.

Online Editors