Jeff Hanneman, Slayer Guitarist & Founding Member Passes Away; Forever Shall Be Missed
Photo Credit: Slayer band facebook
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As reported on the Slayer band facebook page, on May 2nd, 2013:
Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed.
Our Brother Jeff Hanneman, May He Rest In Peace (1964 – 2013)
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Metal Odyssey extends condolences to the family, friends, bandmates and fans of Jeff Hanneman. This is a profoundly sad day in the world of Metal and the entire music world. To say Jeff Hanneman will be missed is an obvious understatement. Jeff Hanneman was a young 49 years old. Rest In Peace, Jeff Hanneman.
Jeff Hanneman – live on stage at the Big 4! (2011)
Photo Credit: Slayer band facebook
I guess I’m like every other Slayer, Metal and Extreme Music fan right now. Saddened to see a mighty warrior of Slayer fall. I never thought about a member of Slayer leaving us for the other side. No one from Slayer is supposed to ever die! Metal icons like Slayer are invincible! Slayer is about being the baddest, strongest and most prolific Metal band on the face of the Earth. A day like today is another somber reminder as to how precious and fragile life is. Reality check, please. What allows me to make sense out of dying so young, is that Jeff Hanneman is no longer feeling any pain and struggle.
I’ve never hid my belief in heaven and I am a man raised on faith, therefore, my faith will always kick into high gear during times like this. If a Rock ‘N Roll heaven really does exist (and I believe it does) then Jeff Hanneman is raising some noise right about now with Ronnie James Dio, Buddy Holly, Randy Rhoads, Dimebag, Paul Gray and… the entire Metal and Rock ‘N Roll family.
It was back around 1987 when I first saw Slayer live. It was a medium-sized club then known as The West Hartford Ballroom, in West Hartford, Connecticut. Overkill and Motörhead opened for Slayer on that cold Winter night. Talk about a night of legendary Metal! Forget about The Big 4 for a second… that night was The Big 3 in my land of Metal memories!
Seeing Slayer take the stage and perform one blistering song after another made me spellbound. I never saw such a fast and heavy-ass band like this before and I had already seen Metallica live. Slayer and of course Jeff Hanneman left a lasting impression on me that night. I was already a fan of theirs; only this first experience of seeing them live made me realize how real they really were. No other band in the world like them. No other guitarist like Jeff Hanneman either. Metal memories are not bought, they’re made. Thank you Jeff Hanneman for the Metal memories.
Left To Right: Tom Araya, Jeff Hanneman, Dave Lombardo and Kerry King.
I bought this 1987 tour program from an independent record store; right after I saw Slayer in concert. I’m thrilled that I still own it. Metal be thy name.
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* For more info, click on the links below:
facebook: Slayer band
http://www.twitter.com/SlayerBand
REST IN PEACE, JEFF HANNEMAN.
SLAYER AND METAL ARE FOREVER.
January 31st, 1964 – May 2nd, 2013
Stone.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
May 2, 2013 at 11:24 pm
I was shocked that he passed away too!
May 3, 2013 at 5:51 am
Another Light gone out in the Metal Universe…RIP Jeff. A great tribute Stone \m/
May 3, 2013 at 9:13 am
Totally gutted about this news today. My first Metal gig was Slayer at the Edinburgh Playhouse on the Seasons in the Abyss tour. RIP Jeff.