Friday, May 3, 2013

R.I.P. Jeff Hanneman & SLAYER

R.I.P. 1964-2013
Jeff Hanneman, the pioneering guitarist of metal icons Slayer, died of liver failure yesterday in Southern California. He was 49 years old. Jeff had been sidelined from active duty in Slayer since 2011, after he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a gruesome flesh eating disease, from an apparent spider bite. Jeff had been recovering at home while Slayer continued touring with a replacement guitarist (Jeff's friend Gary Holt of Exodus) until he could rejoin the band. Now that is an impossibility. You might recall how upset I was when Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo had been ousted from the band in February. This is something else entirely.

Jeff Hanneman was more than just a guitar player. By all accounts, Jeff was Slayer. Jeff and Kerry King are championed as twin guitar heroes and rightfully so. Their discordant dueling guitar solos are a trademark of Slayer's sound. However, the Hanneman/King duo whose collaborations fill the liner notes of Slayer's catalog can't hold a candle to the songs Hanneman wrote on his own. Yes, Jeff Hanneman wrote the bulk of Slayer's greatest songs alone. "Angel of Death," "South of Heaven" "War Ensemble" "Dead Skin Mask" and the band's magnum opus, "Raining Blood." There simply is no Slayer without Jeff Hanneman.

I was crushed by the news of Jeff's passing yesterday. Slayer was hands down, one of the most important bands/influences of my life. I'll share my Slayer story another time. This is for Jeff. May he reign in blood, somewhere south of heaven. You are missed sir.

5 comments:

  1. Aw man I am so sorry to hear about this and that they were such a big influence on you and now one of your heroes is gone, that sucks so much. I remember your post about the drummer and how gutted you were then so I can only imagine how much things must suck now. I've heard some Slayer songs before and they were all pretty badass. They were set to perform in a club in Belfast in like June but it definitely won't be the same now and it's a real shame, rest in peace Jeff Hanneman.

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  2. Damn man. Of all the metal bands I know I think Slayer are one of the more prominent ones. This is a massive shame.

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  3. It was sad to hear. It was worse to know not many of the people I'm in contact with cared.

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  4. I saw them at Leeds a couple of years ago and they were amazing, like a wall of sound. I've been a fan for twenty years. Gutted.

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  5. I heard the Westboro Church was going to try and picket the funeral.

    I hope the fans just murder the entire family right there.

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