Slayer 66 2/3: The Jeff & Dave Years. A Metal Band Biography.

by Ferris, D. X.

  Hanneman passes away late in the morning; for the rest of the day, many touching tributes follow from fans and members of the metal community.

  The night of Hanneman’s death, Revolver Magazine holds its annual Golden Gods Metal awards. Many metal notables offer fond remembrances on the black carpet, many of them hailing Hanneman as “a riff master.”

  “Word traveled fast,” recalled Howell. “Jeff Hanneman was on everyone’s mind.”

  Standing on Revolver’s black carpet, Metallica bassist Rob Trujillo says, “He was a sweetheart, and he was always super cool to me. A really great person. And also, really progressive in his music. He turned us on to a lot of various types of music, and he was always forward-thinking and progressive in that way.”

  Phil Anselmo offers, “Jeff Hanneman was creative… He was always this guy that was stoic when he wanted to be. But when he would cut up, he wouldn’t leave you alone. He would put you in chokeholds and come grab you and pull you off the bus. He was the best… He would just destroy every night.”53-6

  Bad news be damned, King is in attendance, in the VIP section, inscrutable behind wraparound sunglasses, his portable privacy fence. While King’s attendance at the metal bash seems insensitive to the casual observer, it is consistent with the guitarists’ relationships. The members of Slayer may be brothers, but they haven’t been close for decades. King eventually takes the stage and waves away all calls for a sentimental moment.

  “I thought, ‘Should I do a moment of silence?’,” says King, a shot of Jägermeister in each hand. “Then I thought… ‘Fuck no. This is the Golden Gods. Jeff fuckin’ Hanneman, he played in Slayer. Jeff doesn’t want a moment of fucking silence. Jeff wants a moment of fucking noise. If you got a drink, raise it up… and tip one back to our fallen brother.”

  [Two shots and a one “Slayer/Slayer” crowd chant later]

  “Alright,” says King. “The show must go on, let’s rock.”

  Fans rush to criticize King for not being more emotional about the loss — and generally not being closer to Hanneman. To a civilian, it might seem odd, not talking to a longtime friend and coworker for months at a time. But Slayer has its own interpersonal dynamics. And if they operated like regular people do, it’s a safe bet nobody would care about any of them. True, King wasn’t constantly texting Hanneman. But Hanneman, who had more than a little time on his hands, wasn’t constantly calling Araya and King to see how they were doing, either.

  “I thought it was really strong of Kerry to appear at the Golden Gods,” Rob Halford tells radio host Full Metal Jackie later. “I think that may have been the best thing for him to do rather than stay at home, because he was just surrounded by people that were expressing their love for Jeff and reminiscing on all the great things he created throughout the years of Slayer.”53-7

  King eventually reveals that he hasn’t been to Hanneman’s house since January 2003.

  “He might have lived only 45 minutes away, but unless you were part of his inner circle, it was hard to stay in touch with him,” King tells Guitar World. “And it took me a few years to understand that. For a while I was just like, ‘Why isn’t this guy calling me back?’ But as I got older I just realized that was who Jeff was…. I think we were probably the closest in the band, but never best friends…. We were like business partners. Was he my friend? Of course he was my friend. But we didn’t really act like that.”53-8

  The day of Hanneman’s death, the metal community loses no time eulogizing the fallen titan. As more fans, friends and peers offer their thoughts on his passing, a new picture of Hanneman emerges: His life had been a good one — not without its challenges, and with much to be proud of. But not always happy.

  “I met Jeff Hanneman several times during his life, and he was always grumpy, withdrawn, and antisocial,” writes eminent metal scholar and radio host Ian Christe. “Although extremely sharp, he didn’t seem to remember major events in his life and Slayer’s career, he was hyper into the present moment… We once went to a [T.G.I.] Friday’s in Times Square, and when the waitress handed us menus, Jeff handed his straight back to her, announcing that he had the offerings memorized already. The server looked blankly back at Jeff; turned out they didn’t offer what he wanted at that location. He sulked the rest of the night!”53-9

  Hanneman’s devastating demise even entraps the Westboro Baptist church into harnessing the power of metal. Members of the hateful congregation take a respite from picketing military funerals to rewrite Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” as a mocking memorial to Hanneman.

  Elsewhere on the internet, musicians from Slash to Dave Mustaine note his passing. They remember him as a character and a talent.

  Testament’s Alex Skolnick describes Hanneman’s lighter side for PremierGuitar.com, writing, "Jeff had a subtle sense of humor that was all his own, and though he was a bit more reserved than the rest of the Slayer camp, he viewed life as a party to be enjoyed to its fullest. Much of what Jeff's loved ones and fans appreciated about him was his steadfast and genuine style — the fact that he didn't stray from his own vision.”54-10

  Closer to home, Dave Lombardo issues brief memorials on his Twitter page:

  “I'm deeply saddened shocked and speechless. It's difficult for me to write my feelings at this moment. My heart goes out to ‪#KathyHanneman.”54-11

  And, on Facebook: “Our brother Jeff is gone. I'm speechless.”54-12

  Then later on Facebook, Lombardo recalled Hanneman’s pivotal influence on the band: “My drumming was getting faster and Jeff was writing original songs with a Punk attitude. The fusion of Heavy Metal and Punk took over Slayer’s early mediocre style, hence a new force was born. Thank you Jeff for your inspiring discovery of Punk rock that has continued to shape my personal drumming style.”54-13

  As the days go by, King and Araya remember Hanneman in a statement. King fondly recalled watching Full Metal Jacket on the road with Hanneman until they could recite the movie.

  Araya offers funny stories, and flashes back to the early days: “When we first formed Slayer, we used to rehearse all the time, religiously, 24/7. Jeff and I spent a lot of time hanging out together, he lived in my father's garage, which was also our rehearsal space. When he got his own apartment, he had an 8-track and I would go there to record songs I'd written, not Slayer songs, other stuff I'd written. At a certain point, you still have the band but you start your own lives outside of the band, so that 24/7 falls to the side, you don't spend as much time together as you once did. I miss those early days."54-14

  A week later, Slayer announce a memorial event. And the Slayer organization eulogize their fallen comrade with a collective recollection:

  “For more than 30 years, Hanneman was the band member who stayed out of the spotlight, rarely did interviews, amassed an impressive collection of World War II memorabilia, was with his wife Kathy for nearly three decades, shut off his phone and went incommunicado when he was home from tour, did not want to be on the road too late into any December as Christmas was his favorite holiday, and, from the time he was about 12 years old, woke up every, single day with one thing on his mind: playing the guitar.

  “It was once suggested to Slayer that if they would write ‘just one mainstream song that could get on the radio,’ they would likely sell millions of records and change the commercial course of their career, similar to what had happened to Metallica with 1993's ‘Enter Sandman.’ Jeff was the first to draw a line of integrity in the sand, replying, ‘We're going to make a Slayer record. If you can get it on the radio, fine, if not, then fuck it.’”54-15

  “He was such a quiet, to-himself guy,” says Goodman. “He was always to himself. It wasn’t that he didn’t like people; I always attributed it to him being shy. He was nice…. We could all see it, but there was nothing that any of us could do.”

  Chapter 54:

  Interlude I

  A moment of noise for the late, great Jeff Hanneman, please.

  Chapter 55:

  Interl
ude II:

  11 Top Memorial Tributes to Hanneman:

  11. Gazelle Amber Valentine

  The Jucifer singer sends a tweet that’s short and to-the-point:

  “A great musician+ good guy to have a beer with.”55-1

  10. William Yardley

  The piece isn’t revelatory, but the New York Times notes Jeff Hanneman’s passing.

  “Slayer began creating some of the darkest music and imagery in metal, conveyed with the furious finger work and nearly nonstop down-strumming that are often part of the subgenre known as thrash metal.”55-2

  9. Iann Robinson

  Robinson grew up punk and later hosted MTV’s metal showcase Headbanger’s Ball. Writing for Crave, he tells what Hanneman meant to him through it all, giving the guitarist credit for crossover appeal.

  “Hanneman’s frenetic guitar playing and ability to write memorable riffs were a large part of what elevated the band to legendary status. When fans think of Slayer they tend to focus on the more flamboyant members.”55-3

  8. Alex Skolnick

  In this Premier Guitar piece, the Testament guitarist — one of metal’s more diverse and talented musicians — praises Hanneman’s technique.

  "What separated Jeff from the rest of the metal pack was his rhythm technique, his songwriting, and that for which he will be most remembered — his riffs. But his frenzied, turbulent solos were also an important part of the package. They weren't about showing off. They served a greater artistic purpose — to sonically channel the qualities of Slayer’s lyrical content.”55-4

  7. Dave Lombardo

  This short Facebook post by Hanneman’s old pal features a hilarious picture from the early days, an unforgettable image of one of metal’s most extreme bands making over-the-top metal faces.

  “Thank you Jeff for your inspiring discovery of Punk rock that has continued to shape my personal drumming style.”55-5

  6. Howie Abrams

  Writing for Myspace, the co-author of The Merciless Book of Metal Lists echoes the central theme in Hanneman’s work: Death always wins.

  “It is so terribly sad to face the reality that our heroes are the ones leaving us now… Like Jeff Hanneman, they won't be here forever, and deserve better than us bitching and proselytizing about their latest album.”55-6

  5. Ian Christe

  The veteran metal DJ, author and publisher offers some moving and funny anecdotes on his Bazillion Points press blog:

  “This recalcitrant and ugly-minded California blond engineered the band’s twisted guitar approach and borderline reprehensible lyrical direction. He will be missed more as each day passes… Jeff had a malevolent sense of humor, he delighted in the misfortune of others, just as we all do, but unlike many he didn’t keep his delight a secret.”55-7

  4. Kerry King

  Speaking at Revolver magazine’s Golden God Awards, King mourns his fallen brother.

  “I thought, ‘Should I do a moment of silence?’ Then I thought… ‘Fuck no. This is the Golden Gods. Jeff fuckin’ Hanneman, he played in Slayer. Jeff doesn’t want a moment of fucking silence. Jeff wants a moment of fucking noise.”55-8

  3. The Los Angeles Kings

  Saturday, May 4, the reigning National Hockey League’s champions play Slayer’s “Spirit in Black” as warmup music in game 3 of the first round of the playoffs55-9. Hanneman wrote the music, not the lyrics, but hey: To pump up a pro team before a key game, it beats the hell out of any clichéd jock jam.

  2. Justin M. Norton

  Decibel magazine puts a stunning Andrew Watson photo of Hanneman on the cover of its July 2013 issue (no. 105). Inside, the staff assemble nine pages of multifaceted tributes from Hanneman’s peers, heroes, and fans. Justin M. Norton pens the long lead piece, one of the best-written Hanneman memorials. When the news first breaks, Norton writes a shorter, equally insightful piece for the magazine’s Deciblog.

  “Those destined to make a mark never compromise on their vision, their integrity or their standards… That’s the mark of art: to craft an intensely individual vision that resonates on a deeply personal level with each listener, to burrow into someone’s heart and soul and stay.”55-10

  1. Robb Flynn

  Machine Head’s frontman reveals how much Hanneman had to suffer to bring his music to the fans. In the post on his band’s website, he eulogizes the guitarist as a true artist.

  “…that man wrote both the music and lyrics to a large goddamn portion of my favorite Slayer songs…. The one thing Slayer always had over so many other bands is they were all over the guitar neck when it came to key changes. Leads would be in some of the most random keys ever, but somehow it made it all that much more frantic, and when the chorus kicked back in, BOOM! CRUSHING! Set up perfectly.”55-11

  Chapter 56:

  Interlude III:

  Six Things Hanneman Hated.

  And Six He Liked.

  Reading this list of five things Hanneman hated isn’t enough; watch the video to learn why. Delivered between hearty laughs and toothy smiles at ESP Guitars & Basses’ YouTube channel, Hanneman explained why he hated…

  1. Interviews

  2. Non-contact sports

  3. Happy music

  4. Travelling

  5. “Everybody I don’t know… and I hate you. ”56-1

  And one for the road:

  6. Faulty gear

  “Equipment failures really piss me off,” Hanneman told Guitar World’s Randy Howard. “I literally start throwing guitars. That gets me upset. You’re jamming along, checking out the crowd and having a good time, and then your equipment goes down. You can’t just stop the show and say, ‘Oh, Jeff’s got a guitar problem.’”56-2

  Six Things Hanneman Liked:

  1. Hockey

  2. Christmas

  3. Heineken

  4. Rottweilers

  5. Video games

  6. World War II history and memorabilia, including German uniforms — strictly to collect, not to wear.

  “I have some,” Hanneman told me. “They were good looking uniforms. What’s ironic about that: If you read or see any interviews with German soldiers, they hated those uniforms, because they were so tight-fitting. It was hard to fight in them.”

  Chapter 57:

  The Mosh Memorial

  America’s most infamous church backed down to the power of Slayer. Jeff Hanneman’s public memorial service was notable for its presences and absences.

  Once Slayer announced Hanneman’s memorial, the Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to stage one of their infamous pickets. The Kansas organization is known for staging protests at funeral services, where they carry signs with messages like “GOD HATES FAGS” and blame moral decline for America’s woes. The group has picketed funerals for Marines killed in action and Sandy Hook shooting victims. It appeared outside the funerals of Matthew Shepherd, Elizabeth Edwards, and Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder. It has picketed the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

  Westboro didn’t try that shit with Slayer.

  When thousands of sad Slayer fans gathered at the Hollywood Palladium, their mourning was uninterrupted. Westboro had promised to picket, but the church didn’t show.

  If anybody believed Westboro represented God, the score was Slayer 1, church zero. And if you regarded the organization as a hate group, you had some proof that Slayer fans’ collective hate was superior.

  Held Thursday, May 24, 2013, the event saw some other notable presences.

  Even what remained of Jeff Hanneman made a final public appearance at the event: His ashes were onstage, stored in a black box.

  Kerry King was there.

  Tom Araya was not.

  Dave Lombardo was, though he didn’t speak.

  Rick Rubin sent a message that was read by Metallica’s Rob Trujillo.

  Gary Holt attended.

  For the event, Slayer had commissioned a stunning graphic that adorned posters, souvenir laminates, and T-shirts. (Sales benefited a charity that would be named at a later
date.) Slayer’s merchandise company, GMS, build the image around an Andrew Stuart photo: Hanneman stands dressed in his Slayer-show war ensemble, face lost behind a mop of stringy hair, in front of the iconic Slaytantic Wehrmacht eagle and Slayer’s pentagram logo. The eagle’s wings flanking Hanneman, pentagram swords protruding over his shoulders, he looks like a fallen angel. In shin pads and a hockey jersey, Hanneman is suited up for one last battle57-1.

  Fans literally lined up around the block outside the 3,700-capacity Hollywood Palladium, for a bittersweet service that kicked off at 3:30 p.m. The crowd could have been drawn from 1988, when Slayer played last played there, which ended in the riot. Long hair and denim were the dress code of the day, for an ethnically diverse crowd of headbangers. The line was capped with a fan in an executioner’s hood, dressed like a satanic vicar. The front doors, smashed out during the ’88 riot, now stood solid and yellow, once again holding Slayer fans at bay as long as they could.