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Hillel Slovak
הלל סלובק
Slovak performing in 1985
Background information
Also known as
Slim, Pick Handle Slim, The Israeli Cowboy, Mr. Huckleberry
Born
(1962-04-13)April 13, 1962 Haifa, Israel
Origin
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died
June 25, 1988(1988-06-25) (aged 26) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Funk rock
punk rock
funk metal
alternative rock
Occupation(s)
Musician
songwriter
Instrument(s)
Guitar
vocals
sitar
Years active
1976–1988
Labels
MCA
EMI
Formerly of
Red Hot Chili Peppers
What Is This?
Musical artist
Hillel Slovak (Hebrew: הלל סלובק; April 13, 1962 – June 25, 1988) was an Israeli-American musician, best known as the founding guitarist of the Los Angeles rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he recorded two albums. His guitar work was rooted in funk and hard rock, and he often experimented with other genres, including reggae and speed metal. He is considered to have been a major influence on Red Hot Chili Peppers's early sound.
Born in Israel, he later moved to the United States. Slovak met future bandmates Anthony Kiedis, Flea, and Jack Irons while attending Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. There, he formed the group What Is This? with Irons, Alain Johannes, and Todd Strassman; Flea later replaced Strassman.
Slovak, Flea, Kiedis, and Irons founded Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1983, gaining popularity in Los Angeles through their energetic stage presence and spirited performances. Slovak eventually quit to focus on What is This?, which had been signed to a record deal, leaving the Red Hot Chili Peppers to record their 1984 debut album without him, including five songs he co-wrote. Slovak rejoined the Chili Peppers in 1985 and recorded the albums Freaky Styley (1985) and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987) with them.
During his career, Slovak developed a serious heroin addiction. He attempted to rehabilitate several times but died of an overdose on June 25, 1988, at age 26. Several Red Hot Chili Peppers songs have been written as tributes to Slovak, including "Knock Me Down", "Otherside" "My Lovely Man", and "Feasting on the Flowers". In 1999, his brother James published a book, Behind the Sun: The Diary and Art of Hillel Slovak, which features Slovak's diaries and paintings. Slovak was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on April 14, 2012, with his brother accepting the award on his behalf.
HillelSlovak (Hebrew: הלל סלובק; April 13, 1962 – June 25, 1988) was an Israeli-American musician, best known as the founding guitarist of the Los Angeles...
Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, guitarist HillelSlovak and drummer Jack Irons. This is also the last album with Slovak before his death from a drug overdose...
attending Fairfax High School, Kiedis befriended students Flea and HillelSlovak, who were members of a band called Anthym. After high school, Kiedis...
Angeles by Kiedis, Flea, guitarist HillelSlovak and drummer Jack Irons. Due to commitments to other bands, Slovak and Irons did not play on the band's...
through EMI America Records. Freaky Styley marks founding guitarist HillelSlovak's studio album debut, following his return to the band earlier in the...
American cultural historian, poet and translator Hillel Cohen (born 1961), Israeli historian HillelSlovak (1962–1988), Israeli-American guitarist and founding...
the group originally consisted of vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist HillelSlovak, bassist Flea (real name Michael Balzary) and drummer Jack Irons. The...
joined the Chili Peppers at the age of 18 after the death of guitarist HillelSlovak, and first appeared on their album Mother's Milk (1989). His second...
known as the second guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, between HillelSlovak's departure and return. He played on the band's debut album, and co-wrote...
briefly as guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers after the death of HillelSlovak in 1988 before being replaced by John Frusciante. He also played briefly...
it charted at number five. "Otherside" refers to former band member HillelSlovak, who died of a heroin overdose in 1988. The video was directed by Jonathan...
album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, released the same year, guitarist HillelSlovak started to experiment with sounds other than punk rock/hard rock, including...
from Stille Im Meine Hamburg/Clothesline, Kendra Smith/Keith Levene & HillelSlovak (1990) Overzealous Editions "Bold Marauder" from All Virgos are Mad...
tour to feature the four founding band members: Anthony Kiedis, Flea, HillelSlovak and Irons. It was the band's biggest tour at the time and featured their...
all 4 founding members and featured the single 'Fight Like A Brave'. HillelSlovak died and Jack Irons departed. They were eventually replaced by John...
years, Johannes formed the band Chain Reaction (later Anthym) with HillelSlovak, Todd Strassman, and Jack Irons. This band was later renamed What Is...
Gene Simmons, guitarist and singer-songwriter from KISS, Israeli-born HillelSlovak, original guitarist of the band Red Hot Chili Peppers, Israeli-born...
Frusciante, Jack Irons, Anthony Kiedis, Josh Klinghoffer, Cliff Martinez, HillelSlovak, and Chad Smith. 1 (2010) Chris Rock The Small Faces / Faces Kenney...
Michael "Flea" Balzary and HillelSlovak. He then went on to attend Fairfax High School in Los Angeles alongside Balzary and Slovak, as well as future bandmates...
for the recording of their eponymous first album after Jack Irons and HillelSlovak left the band to concentrate on their other project at the time, What...
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