Eagles of Death Metal Dropped From French Festivals Over Jesse Hughes’ Questionable Remarks
After the terrifying terrorist attack on an Eagles of Death Metal show in Paris last year, EoDM frontman Jesse Hughes is understandably a little cagey and pissed. He’s made comments decrying gun control, and more recently suggesting that security at the venue had something to do with the attacks.
Well, Jesse has doubled down on those comments, and certain French festivals have responded by saying they want nothing to do with Hughes or his band.
In an interview with TakiMag, Hughes said the following:
Do you think political correctness is killing our natural instincts and making us vulnerable?
Definitely. There were two girls who were involved. They were at the venue and vanished before the shooting, and these women were in traditional Muslim garb. They knew people wouldn’t check them because of the way they were dressed. They got caught a few days later.
…We’d rather die than be called a bigot.
How is a faith being associated with racism? Just take out the word “Islam” and replace it with “communism.” It’s an ideology. The same way the Rosenbergs could sell nuclear secrets from within America is the same way Muslim terrorists can attack us from within. It’s okay to be discerning when it comes to Muslims in this day and age.
Sadly, French festivals Cabaret Vert and Rock En Seine aren’t pleased with Hughes’ comments, and have issued a joint statement announcing the cancellation of the EoDM shows they had planned for this summer. You can read the statement here, but the basic translation, provided by TeamRock, is:
“As we are in total disagreement with Jesse Hughes’ recent allegations given in an interview with an American media outlet, both Cabaret Vert and Rock en Seine festivals have decided to cancel the band’s performance.”
This is obviously tricky territory here. On the one hand, as I’ve said before, Hughes’ reaction is understandable given what he’s been through. On the other hand, “discerning when it comes to Muslims” is a slippery slope, and I’m sure French promoters are worried about Islamophobia spreading throughout their country following the Paris attacks, so their reaction is also understandable (though one also wonders if they’re just worried that Hughes has painted a giant target on his back, and they want nothing to do with a musician courting this kind of controversial and the potential repercussions that might follow it).
Then again, maybe these festivals just don’t want to deal with any ear-biting.
