Nick Alexander, Eagles of Death Metal Merch Manager, Killed at Le Bataclan Attack in Paris

11/14/2015 by Ashley Iasimone

Marc Piasecki/Getty Images
A memorial left near the scene of the Bataclan Theatre terrorist attack on Nov. 14, 2015 in Paris, France. At least 120 people have been killed and over 200 injured, 80 of which seriously, following a series of terrorist attacks in the French capital. on Nov. 13, 2015 in Paris, France.  

Nick Alexander, who was a merchandise manager on Eagles of Death Metal’s European tour, has been identified as one of the 118 victims killed in the Nov. 13 terrorist attack at Le Bataclan in Paris. He was 36 years old and from London.

Alexander’s death has been reported by Rolling Stone, the BBC and other news outlets, along with a statement from his family.

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"It is with huge sorrow that we can confirm that our beloved Nick lost his life at the Bataclan last night,” a family member wrote. “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."

Polina Buckley, who -- according to her Twitter account -- was Alexander's girlfriend, remembered him as "the love of my life."

According to The Telegraph, Helen Wilson -- who says she is one of Alexander’s friends -- was with him at the time of his death. She described the scene as “mayhem” and said that Alexander was shot right in front of her. “I held him in my arms and told him I loved him,” Wilson, who was shot in both of her thighs and taken to Saint-Antoine Hospital in Paris, said.

Although he was on tour with Eagles of Death Metal, Alexander has also worked with bands like the Black Keys, Panic! at the Disco, Sum 41 and MGMT.

“Just found out Nick Alexander was one of the people murdered last night in Paris. Great guy. I'm horrified,” Fall Out Boy’s Joe Trohman tweeted.

The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney, speaking to Rolling Stone, remembered Alexander: "I spent a lot of time with Nick, but the thing about the touring merch job, it’s one of the more thankless jobs,” Carney said. “You do it because you just want to travel and you're interested in meeting new people and it's really hard work. It's not the job you take if you’re into partying. So he was a really organized, super hard worker, really funny. I remember him always very content with being on tour. It was what seems to make him the happiest. After shows, when everyone would go wild or whatever, he would also be really reserved. He was just a sweetheart, that guy.”

"I remember he looked more like a rock star than anyone else on the tour, in the best possible sense," he continued. "He never complained. He was more interested in touring than anybody else that was on tour at any given point."

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Dan Auerbach, Carney’s bandmate -- who was in Paris at the time of the terrorist attacks but remained safe -- added, “We'd been working with him for years. He was just a familiar face. He was part of our family basically, one of those guys we'd see every time we come over here for these big European experiences we'd been having for 10-plus years. He was always there, really nice guy, always with his mod haircut and his big smile ... He was just a really nice guy. Always. Just loved rock and roll. He was just an absolute rock and roll guy. Lived for it."

In a note posted to Facebook, MGMT also paid tribute to Alexander: "We also just found out Nick Alexander, who was one of the top crew members and merch sellers MGMT has had and one of the nicest guys in rock. He sold merch for us on our two European tours in the Fall of 2010, including those three nights at Le Bataclan. We are crushed to find out Nick is one of the victims of last night’s insanity who didn’t make it. If you have a T-shirt from that tour, wear it proudly to honor Nick."