R.I.P Jeff Hanneman
Written by Craig Armstrong
Jefferey John Hanneman sadly passed away from liver failure in a local L.A hospital in Southern California, on May 2nd this year.
Jeff Hanneman was a personal hero of mine who, along with fellow musician Kerry King founded Slayer in 1981. The band would go on to be known as one of the 'big four', which revolutionized American heavy metal music in the 1980s.
Jeff Hanneman was heavily influenced by Punk music growing up. It was this influence that made it possible for Slayer to create some of the energetic riffs, along with some fast, unpredictable drumming, which gave Slayer a sound that still stands the test of time to this very day.
Jeff wasn't just a guitar player though. He was also a very good songwriter. He personally penned some of Slayers most revered songs, such as Raining blood, War Ensemble, South of Heaven, Seasons in the Abyss and Angel of Death. As the band got bigger in the late 80's he even had a guitar sold with his name put to it. As you true Slayer fans will know though, don't rush out and buy it. The ESP model does not feature the Oakland Raiders or Dead Kennedys stickers, or the controversial SS runes inlays that Hannerman's stage guitars had.
Jeff was born in Oakland in 1961, into a family full of war veterans; his dad a veteran of WWII, and his brothers fought in the Vietnam war. This upbringing was a massive factor in the apocalyptic sound to the music he was to grow up and play. As a young child he had a keen interest in anything to do with war, be it sitting on the couch and watching the old war films with his old man or constructing model planes and tanks with his brothers. Jeff Hanneman's father and grandfather were both German, though his father fought for the allied side in WWII.
Slayer was formed by chance in 1981 when Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King were having a bit of a jam together before trying out for another band. They were talking and playing Maiden and Judas Priest songs and Hanneman said 'Hey!! Why don't we make our own band!' to which Kerry King replied 'Yeah man. Let's do it!' and Slayer was born.
Jeff Hanneman married the love of his life, Kathryn in 1997. The couple had met in the early to mid 1980s. Kathryn, though, rarely toured with the band, only doing so twice, and is largely credited with saving Jeff's life by helping him reform from a massive Cocaine and pill addiction.
It was in early 2011 when Jeff Hanneman first contracted the illness that would eventually kill him. He contracted Necrotizing Fasciitis from a spider bite to his arm, which he received in a friend’s hot tub. It is a flesh eating disease which spreads quickly across the facial plane. It is strongly believed, though not proven, that this is not what caused his death however. There is a large understanding that MRSA, picked up while in hospital for treatment, is what caused the lung failure that eventually killed him.
Jeff also had a very controversial side. He was, as mentioned earlier, always interested in war, and as he grew into an adult he developed a keen interest in German war medals and Nazi Germany. Some people called him and the band Nazi sympathizers. Let me put that straight now. You’re wrong. In fact you couldn't be farther from the truth. He first developed this interest when his father gave him some old German war medals, taken from a dead German soldier. The medal he cherished the most, however, was his Knight's cross, which he bought from a Slayer fan for $1000.
While touring with Motorhead Jeff developed a great friendship with guitarist Lemmy, when he realized he collected war medals. They sat up night after night, drinking beer, sharing medals and discussing war tactics. It was not his German medals which led to Slayer being accused of being Nazi sympathisers. It was the lyrics to the song Angel of Death that led people to say this. To be honest though, these people just don't understand the song or its meaning so I will speak no more of them.
Jeff, you will be missed my man. The music you helped create completely changed music in America and the wider world, and gave a generation of teenagers music to annoy their parents with.
Peace out brother.
Jefferey John Hanneman sadly passed away from liver failure in a local L.A hospital in Southern California, on May 2nd this year.
Jeff Hanneman was a personal hero of mine who, along with fellow musician Kerry King founded Slayer in 1981. The band would go on to be known as one of the 'big four', which revolutionized American heavy metal music in the 1980s.
Jeff Hanneman was heavily influenced by Punk music growing up. It was this influence that made it possible for Slayer to create some of the energetic riffs, along with some fast, unpredictable drumming, which gave Slayer a sound that still stands the test of time to this very day.
Jeff wasn't just a guitar player though. He was also a very good songwriter. He personally penned some of Slayers most revered songs, such as Raining blood, War Ensemble, South of Heaven, Seasons in the Abyss and Angel of Death. As the band got bigger in the late 80's he even had a guitar sold with his name put to it. As you true Slayer fans will know though, don't rush out and buy it. The ESP model does not feature the Oakland Raiders or Dead Kennedys stickers, or the controversial SS runes inlays that Hannerman's stage guitars had.
Jeff was born in Oakland in 1961, into a family full of war veterans; his dad a veteran of WWII, and his brothers fought in the Vietnam war. This upbringing was a massive factor in the apocalyptic sound to the music he was to grow up and play. As a young child he had a keen interest in anything to do with war, be it sitting on the couch and watching the old war films with his old man or constructing model planes and tanks with his brothers. Jeff Hanneman's father and grandfather were both German, though his father fought for the allied side in WWII.
Slayer was formed by chance in 1981 when Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King were having a bit of a jam together before trying out for another band. They were talking and playing Maiden and Judas Priest songs and Hanneman said 'Hey!! Why don't we make our own band!' to which Kerry King replied 'Yeah man. Let's do it!' and Slayer was born.
Jeff Hanneman married the love of his life, Kathryn in 1997. The couple had met in the early to mid 1980s. Kathryn, though, rarely toured with the band, only doing so twice, and is largely credited with saving Jeff's life by helping him reform from a massive Cocaine and pill addiction.
It was in early 2011 when Jeff Hanneman first contracted the illness that would eventually kill him. He contracted Necrotizing Fasciitis from a spider bite to his arm, which he received in a friend’s hot tub. It is a flesh eating disease which spreads quickly across the facial plane. It is strongly believed, though not proven, that this is not what caused his death however. There is a large understanding that MRSA, picked up while in hospital for treatment, is what caused the lung failure that eventually killed him.
Jeff also had a very controversial side. He was, as mentioned earlier, always interested in war, and as he grew into an adult he developed a keen interest in German war medals and Nazi Germany. Some people called him and the band Nazi sympathizers. Let me put that straight now. You’re wrong. In fact you couldn't be farther from the truth. He first developed this interest when his father gave him some old German war medals, taken from a dead German soldier. The medal he cherished the most, however, was his Knight's cross, which he bought from a Slayer fan for $1000.
While touring with Motorhead Jeff developed a great friendship with guitarist Lemmy, when he realized he collected war medals. They sat up night after night, drinking beer, sharing medals and discussing war tactics. It was not his German medals which led to Slayer being accused of being Nazi sympathisers. It was the lyrics to the song Angel of Death that led people to say this. To be honest though, these people just don't understand the song or its meaning so I will speak no more of them.
Jeff, you will be missed my man. The music you helped create completely changed music in America and the wider world, and gave a generation of teenagers music to annoy their parents with.
Peace out brother.
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