PARIS ATTACKS: Members of Eagles of Death Metal ‘horrified’ by Paris bloodbath

Members of Eagles of Death Metal say they’re home safe after the Paris attacks and “are horrified and still trying to come to terms with what happened in France.”

The California rock band, in its first full statement since Friday’s bloodbath, said it was “horrified” and “still trying to come to terms with what happened.

The US band was appearing at the Bataclan when the deadly attacks occurred. Last Friday’s night of terror in Paris killed 129 people and wounded over 350 others.

The band itself left safely but the statement mourned Nick Alexander, a British merchandise vendor for the group who was killed.

“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,” the band said in a statement released.

Eagles of Death Metal released a new album, Zipper Down, last month and were on a European tour. The band said all shows are on hold until further notice.

“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.

Eagles of Death Metal was formed in 1998 in Palm Desert, California. Josh Homme, one of the founders of the band and leader of the band Queens of the Stone Age, wasn’t performing in Paris with Eagles of Death Metal.

The band closed its statement by thanking “the French police, the FBI, the US 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.”

“Vive la musique, vive la liberte, vive la France and vive EODM,” the band wrote, playing with France’s slogan of “liberty, fraternity and equality.”

Eagles of Death Metal are known for free-spirited garage rock and raunchy humour but are not generally known for politics.

While it remained unclear whether the band was singled out, Eagles of Death Metal had earlier defied boycott calls and performed in Israel.

Fans of the band mounted a social media campaign to boost downloads of the band’s newly recorded track ‘Save a Prayer.’

A Facebook page titled “Eagles of Death Metal for No. 1” was launched last weekend, according to the site, by a handful of British-based “regular gig-goers” with no ties to the band’s organisation, its management, marketing or music label.

A companion Twitter page was also established.

They urged fans to show solidarity by purchasing ‘Save a Prayer,’ a cover version of a 1982 Duran Duran single.