DISPUTED

Eagles of Death Metal: Jesse Hughes Was Not Kicked Out of Bataclan

Claims Paris venue lied about contronting the frontman.

Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes was not denied entry to the Bataclan’s re-opening concert this weekend, despite claims from the venue’s co-director, according to the band’s manager. Hughes “never even tried entering the club for Sting’s show” on Nov. 12, the band’s general manager Marc Pollack told Billboard after the venue claimed it had removed him from the concert hall because of his controversial statements alleging a conspiracy among security guards to allow the terror attack that killed 89 people during an Eagles of Death Metal show last fall. Hughes later apologized for the remarks, but later reiterated them, resulting in his band being dropped from multiple French rock festivals and effectively becoming personae non gratae at the Bataclan. In a statement, Pollack wrote, “Jesse is in Paris to share in remembering the tragic events of a year ago with his friends, family and fans.” He also called the Bataclan’s director a “coward” who “feels the need to soil his own club’s reopening by spreading false tales to the press, and tainting a wonderful opportunity that could’ve been used to spread peace and love, to further spread mean spirited words of hate.”