Whether or not they like it, the Eagles of Death Metal will always be linked to the horrific attacks in Paris at The Bataclan on November 13, 2015. Frontman Jesse Hughes has made most of the public statements since those attacks and ahead of their show at The Olympia, their first in the city as a headlining act since November, Hughes gave an interview with iTELE. He talked about the attacks and commented that he didn't think France's policy of gun control helped to prevent the deaths in the venue.
Hughes, an outspoken gun advocate was emotional as he posed the question about whether or not gun control failed to prevent deaths at Le Bataclan.
"Did your French gun control stop a single f-ng person from dying at the Bataclan?" Hughes said. "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."
"I know people will disagree with me, but it just seems like God made men and women, and that night guns made them equal," he continued. "And I hate it that it's that way. I think the only way my mind has been changed is that maybe that until nobody has guns, everybody has to have them. Because I don't ever want to see anything like this ever happen again and I want everyone to have the best chance to live."
The concept of a good guy with a gun has been touted by many conservatives, especially the NRA, though the FBI recently released statistics calling into question the theory's validity. Of the 160 active shooter incidents in the United States between 2000 and 2013, only 5 (3.1 percent), were neutralized by armed individuals, including armed security guards, who aren't members of law enforcement.
The Eagles of Death Metal will return to the stage in Paris tonight at L'Olympia for the first time since they were invited by U2 to perform alongside them in December. Watch the interview here.
