Foo Fighters Drop Surprise EP ‘Saint Cecilia’ In Honor Of Paris Attack Victims

The Foo Fighters released a surprise EP entitled Saint Cecilia last night, and it’s free for all fans to stream and download from the band’s website. It started with a countdown clock being added to their website back in October, letting fans know that something was coming but not what it was. The Foo Fighters have been planning this release for a couple of months now, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, but in light of recent events, they decided to dedicate Saint Cecilia to the Paris attacks victims.

By now, most of the world is familiar with the tragic events that occurred on November 13. Terrorist attacks have been happening in several parts of the world this month, but the attacks in Paris on that night, specifically, have been gaining a lot of attention. Several musicians had strong responses to the events that killed over 100 innocent people. The Inquisitr reported that U2, The Deftones, and the Foo Fighters canceled shows in response to the attacks, while others, like Coldplay and actress Natalie Portman, either canceled or postponed special events because of the tragedy.

The Foo Fighters cut their world tour short after finding out what had happened. They were supposed to play shows in Spain, France, and Italy, but instead issued a heartfelt apology along with the cancellation of the remainder of their tour.

Now, they are further showing that they care about this issue by honoring all of the victims of the attacks in Paris with the Saint Cecelia EP. In a recent article, the USA Today shared the letter that currently appears on the Foo Fighters website, along with meaningful imagery and links that can be used to download, stream, or pre-order a vinyl copy of the EP. The letter was written by Foo Fighters’ front man, Dave Grohl.

Saint Cecilia was originally meant to be released at the end of the Foo Fighters’ world tour and was symbolic of that, but USA Today goes on to say that the EP took on a new meaning after news of the attacks in Paris spread. In his letter, Grohl describes the events of November 13 as “heartbreaking,” and says that he believes that music is very much a part of the healing process. He then goes on to address those directly affected by the attacks.

“Now, there is a new, hopeful intention that, even in the smallest way, perhaps these songs can bring a little light into this sometimes dark world… To all who were affected by the atrocities in Paris, loved ones and friends, our hearts go out to you and your families.”

The EP contains a total of five songs, some of which contain lyrics that do, indeed, take on new meaning when placed within the context of the November 13 tragedies. The phrase “bring me some healing” can be heard in the chorus of the eponymous track, for example.

Beneath the links to download or stream the five new songs on the Saint Cecilia EP is a link that can be used to donate to the Paris victims. The link brings users to a donation page run by The Sweet Stuff Foundation, which is a foundation normally dedicated to helping musicians in need and their families. Those who follow the link from the Foo Fighters site will find, however, a message stating that all donations to The Sweet Stuff Foundation from now until the end of the year (December 31) will be sent to victims of the attacks in Paris and the family of Nick Alexander.

Alexander was the merchandise manager for the band Eagles of Death Metal and was killed in Paris on November 13, during the terrorist attacks.

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia]