Eagles Of Death Metal have said they are “still trying to come to terms” with the Paris terror attacks, in a new statement posted on the California rock group’s Facebook page.

The band, who were onstage at the Bataclan concert venue when the attack began, paid tribute to those who died, and praised French law enforcement agencies and those who helped “during this unimaginable ordeal”.

“Although bonded in grief with the victims, the fans, the families, the citizens of Paris, and all those affected by terrorism, we are proud to stand together, with our new family, now united by a common goal of love and compassion,” the band said.

One hundred and twenty-nine were killed and 352 injured when three teams of gunmen struck at six different sites across Paris on Friday. Eighty-nine victims were killed at the Bataclan.



The band members were unharmed in the attack, which began around 9.40pm when three gunmen entered the lobby and opened fire.

The musicians exited backstage, but the group’s merchandise manager, Nick Alexander, 36, and three executives from the band’s parent record label, Universal Music Group, were killed in the shooting.

Band co-founder Jesse Hughes and other group members were in the middle of a European tour promoting the recent release of their fourth album Zipper Down. Josh Homme, the band’s other co-founder, who rarely tours, was not in Paris on the night of the attack.



The band had been scheduled to end its 32-city European tour in December with a stop in Portugal. They had played only 11 of those dates before the attacks on Friday, but in the statement, said that all future concerts were on hold.

The band’s Facebook statement in full:



While the band is now home safe, we are horrified and still trying to come to terms with what happened in France. Our thoughts and hearts are first and foremost with our brother Nick Alexander, our record company comrades Thomas Ayad, Marie Mosser, and Manu Perez, and all the friends and fans whose lives were taken in Paris, as well as their friends, families, and loved ones. Although bonded in grief with the victims, the fans, the families, the citizens of Paris, and all those affected by terrorism, we are proud to stand together, with our new family, now united by a common goal of love and compassion. We would like to thank the French police, the FBI, the U.S. and French State Departments, and especially all those at ground zero with us who helped each other as best they could during this unimaginable ordeal, proving once again that love overshadows evil. All EODM shows are on hold until further notice. Vive la musique, vive la liberté, vive la France, and vive EODM.

In the hours after the attac, EODM posted a brief statement on Facebook, saying that they were “trying to determine the safety and whereabouts of all our band and crew.”

Eagles of Death Metal were founded in the late 1990s in Palm Desert, California, by Hughes and Homme, lifelong friends and the only two permanent members.



Other notable names among EODM’s rotating roster of members have at times included actor-musician Jack Black and Dave Grohl, frontman of the American rock band Foo Fighters.

Following Friday’s attack, fans of the band launched an online campaign to push the rock act to the top of the UK singles chart.

According to the Official Charts Company, the single in question – a cover of Duran Duran’s Save A Prayer – leaped a 52 places this week and was placed at No 44 on 17 November. Duran Duran have confirmed that they will donate proceeds from the single to charity.