Hillel Slovak

Hillel Slovak (Haifa, Israel, April 13, 1962 - Los Angeles, California, June 25, 1988) was an American-Isreali musician, known for being the original guitarist and founder of the funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he recorded the albums Freaky Styley (1985) and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987). He died on June 25, 1988 due to a heroin overdose.

Biography

Born in Haifa, Israel, at the age of five he immigrated with his family to the United States. In 1977 Hillel began attending Fairfax High School, along with Jack Irons, Michael Balzary, and Anthony Kiedis. Hillel and Jack Irons became the best of friends through their shared love of music; all they did was listen to music. Kiss and Led Zeppelin were his main influences. Jack played the drums and Hillel the electric guitar. Since he was very young, Hillel was drawn to the music of Jimi Hendrix, and he became his main idol.

She met a Chilean guitarist, Alain Johannes in Fairfax. Hillel had the idea of starting a band with Alain, Jack, his friend Tom Strassman on bass. The band was called Chain Reaction. At the end of the year, Chain Reaction changed its name to Anthym.

Tom Strassman left Anthym in 1979. Slovak, Irons and Johannes thought it would be a good thing to have Michael Balzary replace him. He didn't know how to play bass, but he had the attitude they were looking for. Hillel began teaching Balzary to play bass, and after just a few months, Michael, who changed his name to Mike B The Flea or just Flea, was ready to be with the band. Anthony Kiedis was Anthym's number one fan and always gave a speech before every Anthym concert. Anthony and Hillel became the best of friends.

In 1980 Hillel graduated from Fairfax High, as did Alain and Jack who decided to go to college, although Anthym would remain together. In 1981 Anthym changed its name to What Is This?. In 1983 a bar owner, Gary Allen, asked Anthony to do a show with the band. In April, Anthony, Flea, Hillel and Jack made their Rhythm Lounge debut under the name "Tony Flow And The Miraculously Majestic Masters Of Mayhem". Their performance was so good that they were asked to play again the next night, and they continued in other clubs.

They decided to change their name to Red Hot Chili Peppers. the band was offered a record deal with EMI. But Hillel and Jack had signed with the rival record company, with their group What is this?. Hillel and Jack decided to leave the RHCP and worry about What is this?. Hillel returned to the RHCP in 1984. He began experimenting with various drugs, eventually becoming addicted to heroin.

In 1985 the Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded their second album, Freaky Styley, which was produced by funk legend George Clinton. Jack Irons returned with the RHCP for the Freaky Styley tour.

In 1987, the RHCP released their third album, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan. This was an album with notable guitar solos from Hillel. In April, Hillel's drug problems became more serious, so Kiedis, Flea and Irons considered the possibility of him leaving the band, but in the end the friendship always prevailed.

In early 1988 the first RHCP compilation, The Abbey Road EP, was released.

On June 24, 1988, Hillel called his brother, James, and told him that he was having a hard time quitting heroin, and James noticed that Hillel was having a hard time talking. A few days later, the band returned from their tour (without Slovak since Hillel himself decided to isolate himself from his friends to stay clean of drugs) and tried to contact him, without success. On June 27 of that same year, Hillel Slovak was found dead by police in his Hollywood apartment. An autopsy was performed and revealed that Slovak had died two days before he was found (on June 25, 1988, one day after the call to his brother) and it was due to a heroin overdose. Slovak had been using this drug for more than 4 years and there were several concerts that he could not perform. This happened while the band was working on their fourth album, which was going to be called Rockin' Freakapotamus. The band had already recorded several songs like "Point Boy", "Blues for Meister", "Magic Johnson". The album was never made.

The band members reacted differently to Hillel's death. Flea, who had not spent much time with Hillel in the year prior to his abuse, felt that he could have saved his friend. Anthony, who had already taken heroin, took Hillel's death as a very strong event and subsequently helped him get off drugs. After this, Anthony decided to go live for a while in Mexico. Jack, who had known Hillel the longest, couldn't handle losing him. He had to be hospitalized after having severe nervous breakdowns. His remains are buried in the cemetery & # 34; Sinai Memorial Park & # 34;, Los Angeles, California, United States.

Legacy

Hillel Slovak was one of the main architects of the genuine sound of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He was also a great influence on a young John Frusciante, who would end up replacing him as guitarist for the Chili Peppers. Frusciante based much of his guitar playing style on Slovak's work, and would also fall into heroin addiction, though avoiding death and recovering years later. The songs "Knock Me Down" (from the album Mother's Milk), "My Lovely Man" (from Blood Sugar Sex Magik), "This is the Place" and "Dosed" (from By the Way), "Open/Close" (B-side of the album I'm with You and "Feasting on the Flowers" (from The Getaway) were written as a tribute to Hillel.

In 1999 the book entitled Behind the Sun: The Diary and Art of Hillel Slovak was published, written by his brother James, and containing Hillel's diary, his paintings, photos and texts to hand of his friends Anthony Kiedis and Flea.

Discography

• What Is This?
• Squeezed - (1984)
• What Is This? - (1985)
• 3 Out of 5 Live - (1985)

• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Freaky Styley - (1985)
• The Uplift Mofo Party Plan - (1987)
• The Abbey Road E.P. - (1988)
• What Hits? - (1992)
• Out in L.A. - (1994)
• Under the Covers: Essential Red Hot Chili Peppers - (1998)
• The Best of Red Hot Chili Peppers - (1998)