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Eagles of Death Metal’s Jesse Hughes Marks bataclan Anniversary with Paris Tribute Tattoo
Ten years after the November 13, 2015, terrorist attacks at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, Jesse Hughes, singer of Eagles of Death Metal, revealed a new tattoo honoring the city and the 92 people who lost their lives during the band’s performance. Hughes displayed the tattoo-the coat of arms of the City of Paris accompanied by its motto, “Fluctuat nec mergitur” (“It floats and never sinks”)-during a recent appearance on TF1.
The tribute comes as France prepares to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the attacks,a watershed moment that profoundly impacted the nation and sparked ongoing conversations about security,remembrance,and resilience. Hughes’s personal journey from survivor’s guilt to a renewed commitment to music embodies that resilience. Initially, he confessed to The Point that he “never wanted to go on stage again” in the weeks following the tragedy, grappling with a “strong feeling of guilt.” A banner signed by survivors from the front row, imploring him to continue making music, proved pivotal.
Hughes recounted witnessing ”some of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen” that night-individuals sacrificing themselves to protect loved ones. “Whatever the bad guys wanted to do, they failed miserably,” he told TF1. Less then a month after the attacks, U2 invited Eagles of Death Metal to perform with them in Paris on December 7, an invitation Hughes credits with helping him “remembering how incredibly lucky I am to do what I do.”
Despite the trauma,Hughes rejects the label of “survivor,” declaring to The Point,”We are not survivors.We are rock and roll warriors.” He expressed deep gratitude to the French people and all those present that night, stating he thinks of the victims “every day,” believing they “have earned the right that their sacrifice will not be in vain.” Hughes concluded, “What will never be forgotten is the French love of rock’n’roll which is a love of life. A love of freedom.”
