Both Bieber and Richards lost a friend in the terrorist attacks in Paris last week. Thomas Ayad, a Mercury Records executive, was killed in the Bataclan concert hall, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Thomas Ayad. Words cannot express the horror of what happened in Paris. I am horrified by the tragic events that took place in Paris last Friday night,” Richards wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of himself with Ayad.
“Still thinking about Paris and my friend Thomas that we lost in the tragedy,” added Bieber in a post on Twitter. “He was a part of the team for years and I wish I would’ve had more time to thank him.”
“Make sure to appreciate people while you have them. Thanks Thomas for everything you did for me,” Bieber continued. “You are appreciated and missed. Thoughts and prayers are with your family & friends #PrayForParis”
At least 129 people from 19 countries were killed in the terror attacks on Friday night. The victims included a college senior from the United States, the British merchandiser for the band Eagles of Death Metal, and a French music journalist.
By Lesley Messer : Good Morning America
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SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AMONG THOSE KILLED IN PARIS
Among those killed during the Friday’s tragic terrorist attacks in Paris were several members of the music industry, all of whom were attending the sold-out Eagles of Death Metal concert at Le Bataclan when it was attacked. While all the musicians in Eagles of Death Metal (and their opener) were able to escape unharmed, others in attendance, including some who worked for the band or the band’s parent label, were less fortunate.
Nick Alexander
The 36-year-old Briton was the merchandise manager for Eagles of Death Metal as well as a few other bands. According to rememberances collected by Rolling Stone, Alexander absolutely loved being on tour. In a statement, Alexander’s family said, “Nick was not just our brother, son and uncle, he was everyone’s best friend – generous, funny and fiercely loyal… Nick died doing the job he loved and we take great comfort in knowing how much he was cherished by his friends around the world.” Some of those friends have set up a memorial fund for him at GoFundMe.
Guillaume B. Decherf
The 43-year-old father of two was a music journalist for Les Inrockuptibles, a French music and culture magazine, where he had worked since 2008. Decherf had recently written about Eagles of Death Metal’s new album.
Thomas Ayad
The 34-year-old resident of Amiens, France was an International Product Manager for Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music France. He was also an amateur hockey player.
Pascal Nègre, the president of Universal Music France, confirmed that two more Universal employees named Marie and Manu were also among the victims, but their surnames have not yet been released.
By Greg Cwik
http://www.vulture.com/2015/11/members-of-music-industry-among-paris-victims.html#
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EAGLES OF DEATH METAL’S MERCH MANAGER NICK ALEXANDER AMONG CONFIRMED CASUALTIES OF PARIS ATTACKS
Nick Alexander, a London-based crew member for California rock band Eagles of Death Metal, is among the confirmed dead following Friday’s terrorist attack on Paris, France’s Bataclan concert hall, where Eagles of Death Metal were playing a sold-out show before tragedy struck.
As previously reported, all five members of the band were able to escape once they heard gunshots ring out about an hour into their set, but Alexander, who was in the venue manning the merchandise booth, was not so fortunate. He is the first reported British citizen to die in the various attacks that occurred in Paris on Friday.
Alexander, 36, was a veteran merch manager who had worked for rock bands like Sum 41, Forever the Sickest Kids, Panic! At the Disco, and Underoath. Although as of this writing Eagles of Death Metal have not issued any comment since a Friday evening Facebook post saying they were “still currently trying to determine the safety and whereabouts of all our band and crew,” Alexander’s family has released the following official statement:
“It is with huge sorrow that we can confirm that our beloved Nick lost his life at the Bataclan last night. Nick was not just our brother, son and uncle, he was everyone’s best friend – generous, funny and fiercely loyal. Nick died doing the job he loved and we take great comfort in knowing how much he was cherished by his friends around the world. Thank you for your thoughts and respect for our family at this difficult time. Peace and light.”
Alexander’s girlfriend, Polina Buckley, who had been trying to find her boyfriend via a series of panicked Twitter messages, posted a heartbreakingly captioned photo of her and Alexander on Saturday afternoon.
Helen Wilson, an American ex-pat who was with Alexander at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and was shot in both legs, gave her eyewitness account of the horrifying scene to U.K. paper The Telegraph: “Nick was shot in front of me… Nick was in front of me when we were lying on the ground and somebody moved and they just turned ‘round and started shooting us. His back was to me and I couldn’t see what happened and I tried to keep him talking and then I tried to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and [the gunmen] were just sort of in the shadows and they would shoot if anyone said anything. Then he couldn’t breathe anymore and I held him in my arms and told him I loved him.“
A GoFundMe memorial page for Alexander has been set up by an acquaintance of the band, Miguel Benavides [See Thoughts and Prayers]. The page’s message reads: “Today or tonight raise a glass to the memory of Nick Alexander – a guy doing a simple job of touring with a band and selling t-shirts – going new places and making new friends. Last night he ended his journey in a small theater in Paris along with many others whose lives were cut short by hate, by misguided religion, by ignorance. Here’s to you, my friend: May you and the others from this tragic event find peace.”
By Lyndsey Parker, Managing Editor
https://www.yahoo.com/music/s/eagles-of-death-metals-merch-manager-nick-210040390.html
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JARED LETO: FORMER THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS CREW MEMBER AMONG PARIS SHOOTING VICTIMS
With musicians taking to social media to spread prayers and signs of support following the Paris shootings, Jared Leto shared some potentially devastating news.
According to the Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman, a former member of the band’s crew may have been among the hostages and victims tonight (Nov. 13) at Paris’ Le Bataclan venue.
The shooting at the sold out Eagles of Death Metal Concert at the 1,500-capacity venue has taken the lives of at least 100 attendees.
Leto also shared the following showing of support to the victims:
Thoughts + prayers to friends / family in Paris and everyone at Le Bataclan – a venue we played recently. A senseless and horrible tragedy.
— JARED LETO (@JaredLeto) November 14, 2015
[…] By Barb Dye […]