Hillel Slovak

Hillel Slovak (April 13, 1962 – June 25, 1988) was the original guitarist for the band Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Related Topics:
April 13 - 1962 - June 25 - 1988 - Red Hot Chili Peppers

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Hillel was born in Haifa, Israel and moved to California in 1967. At Fairfax High School, he learned to play guitar. Around the same time he met Anthony Kiedis and Michael Balzary (also known as Flea), whom he taught to play bass guitar. They formed a band and for their first show dubbed themselves "Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem;" in 1983 they would rename themselves the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Related Topics:
Haifa - Israel - California - 1967 - Guitar - Anthony Kiedis - Michael Balzary - Bass guitar - 1983

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Hillel, as well as Anthony, soon developed a heroin addiction and left the band for his side project What Is This? After returning to the Red Hot Chili Peppers for the albums, Freaky Styley and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, Slovak died of a heroin overdose on June 25, 1988 at the age of 26.

Related Topics:
Heroin - What Is This? - Freaky Styley - The Uplift Mofo Party Plan - Overdose

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John Frusciante replaced Hillel as guitarist. The songs "Knock Me Down" and "My Lovely Man" from subsequent Chili Peppers albums were dedicated to Hillel. Nicknamed "Slim Bob Billy", "Slim", or "Huckleberry"

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Hillel was interred in Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Hollywood Hills, California.

Related Topics:
Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery - Hollywood Hills - California

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