Credit: Chapman BaehlerEagles of Death Metal were having a good year before November 13. The band, founded by Jesse Hughes and Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, released their fourth album, Zipper Down, their first in seven years. Like the three albums before it, Zipper Down was full of goofy, fun-loving rock n' roll songs, such as "Complexity" and "I Love You All the Time." In support of Zipper Down, Eagles of Death Metal headlined a North American tour, followed by a trip to Europe. As per usual with EODM, Homme didn't join the group on the road, and Hughes was backed by a four-piece band.
The night of November 13, Eagles of Death Metal were playing the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, France when terrorists stormed the venue as a part of a series of coordinated attacks on the city. While the band was able to escape the Bataclan with their lives, 89 people were killed in the attack, including crew member Nick Alexander, who sold merch.
In the immediate wake of the Paris attacks, many bands cancelled shows in France and throughout Europe, including Foo Fighters, Papa Roach, Marilyn Manson, Deftones, Twenty One Pilots, and WALK THE MOON. U2 canceled their HBO live special, U2: iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Live in Paris, which was scheduled to air on November 14. Additionally, Five Finger Death Punch was forced to postpone a concert in Italy after rumors spread of a similar planned attack on their show in Milan.
The members of Eagles of Death Metal stayed mostly silent following the attacks, save for a brief statement in which they said they were "home safe" and that all shows would be put on hold "until further notice." Then on November 25, VICE released an emotional interview with the band, in which they went into great detail about what happened on November 13. In the interview, EODM also asked members of the music community who wished to honor the Paris victims to cover "I Love You All the Time." The band promised to donate any publishing proceeds they received from other artists covering "I Love You All the Time" to those affected by the attacks, through Homme's The Sweet Stuff Foundation. They also urged digital retailers and streaming services to do the same. Bands including Florence + the Machine, Kings of Leon, Imagine Dragons and My Morning Jacket have since covered "I Love You All the Time."
Independent of the band, a group of fans launched a campaign to make EODM's cover of Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer" -- also featured on Zipper Down -- the number-one single in the U.K. When they got wind of the campaign, Duran Duran promised to donate any proceeds they received from sales of the cover. While "Save a Prayer" didn't make it to number-one on the U.K. singles chart, it did reach the top of the iTunes Rock Chart in 11 different countries.
December 7, Eagles of Death Metal made their return to the live stage for the first time since the Paris attacks. They joined U2 for their rescheduled Live in Paris special and performed "I Love You All the Time," and a cover of Patti Smith's "People Have the Power." The next week, EODM announced dates for their rescheduled European tour, including a show in Paris February 16.
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