Remembering JEFF HANNEMAN, Riff King & The Cause We Fell In Love With SLAYER

Ten years in the past as we speak, Could 2, 2023, the world misplaced certainly one of metallic’s biggest guitarists and lyricists, Jeff Hanneman. And by all accounts, Jeff Hanneman, was additionally an extremely type and happy-go-lucky human who has been remembered fondly for these very attributes. I imply, who else would stuff pancakes into Dave Lombardo’s pockets simply to make sure he had one thing to eat within the morning?

Lombardo has instructed the story of that particular incident in 1985, and plenty of different Hanneman shenanigans he and Jeff shared whereas they had been part of Slayer, through the years. In his tribute to his late good friend, he spoke about how Hanneman was a “novice” musician when he joined Slayer, and what it was like to look at him change into extra expert with none formal coaching whereas a member of the band. Hanneman created his very personal atonal type of enjoying which turned certainly one of Slayer‘s calling playing cards. In Lombardo‘s phrases, Hanneman “solid a path” all on his personal whereas growing as a musician with Slayer. This path would lead Hanneman to create a number of the biggest guitar riffs not simply in Slayer‘s historical past, however in all of metallic historical past.

There is a purpose the music “Raining Blood” has, and all the time will resonate so strongly. From the far-off squeals of Hanneman‘s guitar at the beginning of the observe, to the second Hanneman rips into the opening and the aggressive stampede that’s the first 60 or so seconds of “Raining Blood” is probably Hanneman at his riff-crushing greatest. Although he would solely get higher, particularly technically later creating the riffy tapestry for 2 of Slayer‘s most influential albums, South of Heaven (1988), and Seasons within the Abyss (1990).  

Jeff Hanneman was born in Oakland, California in 1964. Later the Hanneman household would transfer to the Lengthy Seaside space and Jeff would begin enjoying the guitar across the age of twelve. It has been stated by many near Hanneman that he had by no means had any formal musical instruction and was purely self-taught. Rising up, Hanneman was influenced by his father’s experiences preventing the Nazi’s throughout WWII, in addition to his brothers, Michael and Larry, who each did excursions in the course of the Vietnam Conflict. His solely sister, Kathy, shared her love of Black Sabbath together with her little brother.

As a freshman in highschool, Hanneman briefly performed soccer, solely to be sidelined after injuring his shoulder. The harm was so dangerous it required surgical procedure and ended his soccer days. It additionally by no means healed correctly as Hanneman didn’t cease enjoying guitar as instructed by his physician. The consequences of the harm stayed with Jeff for the remainder of his life, and other people near Hanneman had recognized the guitarist to “power his shoulder again into place” after it will dislocate usually. 

Whereas in highschool, Hanneman turned obsessive about hardcore punk and bands like Black Flag, TSOL, Wasted Youth, and Useless Kennedys. These influences had been formative to Hanneman‘s private ethos and enjoying type for throughout his profession. In 1981, Hanneman, simply seventeen, was attempting out for a spot within the native California band Ledger the place he would meet Kerry King. Based on King, on the warehouse the place the auditions had been going down, he heard Hanneman messing round outdoors the audition area enjoying bits from jams he cherished like “Wasted” from Def Leppard, and a few chords from AC/DC and Judas Priest. After the tryouts had been over, King and Hanneman had been chatting, main King to ask Hanneman if he “needed to begin a band” (on the time, King was already jamming with Dave Lombardo in King‘s dad or mum’s storage).

So, simply outdoors of a warehouse area in 1981, Slayer was born and a band known as Ledger had no thought they’d simply performed a crucial position in Slayer‘s formation. In staying true to his upbeat angle, Jeff‘s response to forming a band with King consisted of two simply two phrases, “FUCK YEAH!” The ultimate connection on Slayer‘s formation pentagram was looping in Tom Araya who was fronting one other band on the time. On the time, Araya additionally had no thought heavy metallic existed till he met his Slayer bandmates. 

Slayer‘s first massive break got here when, after seeing them open a present for Bitch in Orange County, heavy metallic hero and founding father of Steel Blade Data Brian Slagel went backstage to ask the band to look on certainly one of his upcoming compilations, Steel Bloodbath III, which they did. After recording with the band within the studio, Slagel was “amazed” by Hanneman‘s beyond-his-years method to enjoying heavy metallic, including that “historical past” would present Jeff to be among the best “guitarists and composers” in heavy metallic historical past. Like he’s about a number of issues, Slagel is true on about this Hanneman reality as nicely.

Slayer‘s debut album, Present No Mercy would observe and have become Steel Blade’s highest promoting report so far. Hanneman‘s talent as a lyricist can be entrance and heart on tracks reminiscent of “The Antichrist,” “Die By The Sword,” and “Struggle Until Loss of life,” the latter being an early reflection of the affect his father’s and siblings’ navy expertise had on Hanneman lyrically. Haunting the Citadel, a 3 music EP would observe in addition to their second full-length, Hell Awaits.

It was across the time of Hell Awaits that Hanneman put down his Les Paul and went again to enjoying a black B.C. Wealthy Bich. Hanneman switched out the unique bridge and pickups with a Kahler Professional bridge and DiMarzio Tremendous Distortion humbuckers. Hanneman was fairly keen on this Wealthy Bich and would hold it round for a number of years utilizing it on the ‘Hell Awaits Tour (1985), for the recording of Reign In Blood, and the subsequential tour for the album. Throughout his time with the B.C. Wealthy Bich, Hanneman‘s sound nonetheless contained punk overtones and much and plenty of treble. Flashing ahead to the early Nineties would discover Hanneman immune to enjoying the album’s title observe, which he wrote, reside, citing that lyrically it had “too many phrases.” Because it stands, “Hell Awaits” is among the longer jams on the album, clocking in at 6:16 and tells the story of killing God and descending into Hell with Devil. One other Hanneman basic. 

A part of Hanneman‘s inventive course of was considerably insular and included placing collectively demos of songs he was writing on his personal. Dave Lombardo remembered Jeff would program a drum machine and report a demo, then convey it to him so he may get a way of what the percussion ought to sound like. For Jeff, it was a strategy to sideline any form of “typical rock beat” Lombardo may need provide you with, which Hanneman would classify as “tacky.” To make it onto a Slayer report, Hanneman needed Lombardo‘s drum beats to be “tasty.” Talking of Hanneman‘s demos, let’s hearken to Jeff‘s demo model of “Raining Blood.”

A group of beforehand unreleased Jeff Hanneman demos the guitarist (in response to the liner notes), recorded at dwelling on cassette appeared in 2013. Along with “Raining Blood,” there are tough tracks for “Criminally Insane,” “Altar of Sacrifice,” “Reborn,” and “Jesus Saves.” No vocals or bass, simply Hanneman‘s guitar tracks and the drum machine attempting to maintain the fuck up with him. Nevertheless, this unofficial launch of Hanneman goodness additionally comes with a bonus–4 tracks from Hanneman‘s band Pap Smear with Dave Lombardo and Rocky George (Suicidal Tendencies) on guitar. What’s moreover cool about this very transient interval (that obtained Def Jam producer Rick Rubin frightened it will break up Slayer), is that Hanneman performs the bass and supplies the direct as fuck punk vocals for all 4 tracks. 

One other factor about Jeff Hanneman, that you simply won’t know, is he hardly ever, if ever, did interviews. And as soon as Slayer had been performed with touring and recording, he would go radio-silent, preferring to spend time together with his spouse Kathryn who he met in 1983. If you do come throughout interviews with Hanneman, it is an actual deal with. Jeff participated in an interview on the Monsters of Rock Present on European TV’s Sky Channel in 1986 with Tom Araya. Controversy was presently swirling round a music written by Hanneman, the misunderstood observe “Angel of Loss of life” on account of its lyrical content material which led folks to consider Slayer had been one way or the other “glorifying” the Nazi’s. Or extra particularly, Hanneman himself who wrote the lyrics. Jeff admits that folks positively “misunderstand” the music because it doesn’t “glorify” the Nazi’s. To Hanneman, it “put them (the Nazi’s) down a bit,” including that “it is proper there within the lyrics.” A yr later he would inform the Guardian that “Angel of Loss of life” was form of a “historical past lesson.”

As we have talked about, Hanneman was very influenced by the occasions of WWII and was nicely learn on the period. One factor that notably bent Hanneman‘s thoughts was how Hitler had been in a position to “hypnotize” a nation and elevate a health care provider (Joseph Mengele, generally known as the “Angel of Loss of life”) to the place of “butcher” in entrance of the complete world. And the music tells the story of simply that, bluntly and with out an oz. of reward.

One other factor price mentioning relating to “Angel of Loss of life” is Hanneman was accountable for getting Tom Araya to ship the bloodcurdling, high-pitched scream firstly of the music. Hanneman introduced it as a easy request to Araya as he felt that the intro wanted to incorporate Tom screaming–although he could not put into phrases what the “scream” wanted to sound like. Araya would take a number of stabs at matching a scream to the darker than darkish subject material of “Angel of Loss of life.” The scream you hear (and might by no means unhear) on the observe was Araya‘s second try and nail it. I convey this up as a result of it as soon as once more demonstrates Hanneman‘s efficient involvement in Slayer‘s music growth–particularly on the band’s most well-known songs. Lastly, the guitar face-off in “Angel of Loss of life” between Hanneman and King is among the sickest shredding battles ever recorded. Based on King, it solely took a few takes for he and Jeff to get it proper for the album. 

As Hanneman‘s contributions to the world of heavy metallic have been, as they need to be, written about at size for the previous 4 many years, I will depart this tribute to a real innovator of guitar shredding, with just a few cool info about Jeff from Jeff you won’t know, and a few well-deserved phrases of reward from his inner-circle quoted by means of the years. 

Jeff Hanneman: “Within the summertime, I love listening to early music from the B-52s hanging out the pool or on the seashore. I imply ‘Rock Lobster,’ the sand, the water! (queue Hanneman‘s infectious snicker).”

See Also

The Flaming Lips’ Yoshimi Battles…twentieth Anniversary Field Set: Stream

“Angel of Loss of life” and “Raining Blood” had been favorites of Hanneman’s to play reside. And never simply because he cherished the songs (and wrote them each), however as a result of the “children simply go nuts” for them. On enjoying ESP’s and his lengthy partnership with the guitar maker: “They’ve all the time felt like part of me. ”

On “Raining Blood” being embraced by the sports activities world: “They performed it in a hockey area. I could not consider that. I like hockey, and I’m going to a number of the video games. And I used to be like, ‘Why do not they ever play Slayer?’ After which they lastly performed ‘Raining Blood,’ and I used to be like, “Sure!”

Tom Araya: “By all accounts, he (Jeff) was the band.” 

Dave Lombardo: “If there’s a single Slayer music that actually defines Jeff, it’s ‘Necrophobic’ from Reign in Blood. That was one of many quickest songs we’d performed. It had this aggressive, brutal, nearly monotonous sound. He’d stroll round, simply mimicking that sound. I keep in mind him going, ‘This one’s quick, it’s brutal, we’re going to take it to the restrict, to the purpose the place we will’t play it any sooner.’ And that’s what we did.”

Anthrax’s Frank Bello: “In case you’ve ever heard Jeff snicker — it’s wonderful. It makes you snicker when he laughs. He’s a really fun-loving man, an incredible author…The entire above — love him, nice participant, you recognize — nice stuff. However, he was a type of guys who all the time needed to make you snicker, and he would. He would. He’s obtained that — you see, I nonetheless discuss him like he’s right here ’trigger I don’t suppose he’s ever gone. He’s all the time with me.”

Robert Trujillo of Metallica: “Though he might have been the quietest member of the band personally, he was the guts and soul of the band musically. He was an innovator, an authentic and a inventive power who we’ll all miss on a regular basis going ahead. Fortunately he left us with recordings we will hearken to anytime we wish to really feel his presence.”

Dino Paredes of American Recordings: “Jeff all the time did no matter Jeff needed to do. It may very well be irritating, however he all the time stood by what he believed in. Return and hearken to World Painted Blood, there was a lot of Jeff’s coronary heart and soul in that.”

Relaxation in Energy, Jeff Hanneman. You might be all the time with us. All we’ve to do is simply press play.