Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Hillel Slovak


 

Hillel Slovak was an Israeli-American musician who was famous in the rock scene and had many fans and supporters. The musician was born in Haifa, Israel in 1962 and then moved to Nahariya and then Kibbutz before relocating to the United States of America. He was the lead guitarist of a band known as the Red Hot Chilli Peppers which was a group of friends that came together and formed a band that rocked the hard rock scene. The band delivered songs that were liked by the fans and thus made them a national sensation.

Slovak was active in the music industry until the time of his death. Therefore, this article will look at the ten fascinating facts about Hillel Slovak.

1. His music career started while he was in high school

While studying at Fairfax High school, Slovak and his friends Alain Johannes and Todd Strassman formed a band known as Chain Reaction which they later changed to Anthem and the Anthym. The band took the second position during a local music contest which allowed them to participate in various events along the California coast.

Their newfound footing made them start creating their own music which they would perform at these events as they hoped to strike gold and become famous.

2. He played hard rock

Hillel Slovak-Wikimedia

Slovak played the guitar and his work was rooted in funk and hard rock which meant that that genre of music was what he majored in. although he often experimented with other genres like speed metal and reggae, his main work often incorporated elements of hard rock and funk. It is said that he often played the guitar until his fingers were bruised.

3. He had a huge following in Los Angeles

Starting out, the band played in several events and clubs along the California coast including Los Angeles. Therefore, they gained popularity around the area because of their energetic performances and excellent stage presence. Their following in the city can be attributed to the fact that punk rock was the genre that was trending in the city at that time.

4. He had a major influence on the band’s sound

Being among the founding members he was instrumental in determining the sound that the band would take. He was the lead guitarist of the band and this means that he was part of the decision-making process as they were discussing which sound and genre of music they would play.

Additionally, punk rock was thriving at that moment and they may have wanted something that people would relate to and in doing so create a fan base.

5. He left Red Hot Chilli Peppers for a while but he returned

 

Band members of What is This-Wikimedia

Although Hillel Slovak was part of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, he saw it as a side project and not his main focus. Therefore, he left the group with Fleas and concentrated on What Is This? The group released a self-titled album in 1984. They went back to Chilli Peppers not long after the albums were released and in 1987, they released Uplift Mofo Party Plan which inched the band towards a little success.

6. His heroin addiction

Slovak became addicted to heroin early in his career but attempted to hide it from his family and friends. While on a tour that was organized to support Freaky Styley, Hillel’s health deteriorated and he was not able to perform. When his brother was called, he was not aware that his brother was addicted to heroin. Before the European tour, Slovak and his Kiedis who was also addicted to heroin decided to quit and help each other achieve sobriety.

7. He died at 26

After doing the European tour, Slovak returned home but struggled with maintaining his sobriety as he isolated himself and therefore did not have support from his friends. He also stopped painting and writing in his diary and therefore not much is known about this time of his life. After a few weeks, the band returned on tour and they attempted to contact but were unable to do so for several days. Hillel Slovak died at his Hollywood apartment at 26 years old.

8. Many Red Hot Chilli Pepper’s songs are written as a tribute to him

Hillel Slovak perfoming-Wikimedia

After Slovak’s death, Kiedis and Flea decided to carry on but Irons quit the band. Replacements were searched and the band released Mother’s Milk in 1989 which was a tribute as they even recorded it with an incendiary cover of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Fire’ as he was one of his motivators and role models. The art done by Slovak was also incorporated into the theme of the song and thus made it popular among hard rock enthusiasts.

9. His music style

Hillel Slovak’s music was heavily influenced by artists like Santana, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. His method of playing mostly featured improvisation but as he grew in the music industry, he adopted a fluid style of playing that was different from his previous hard rock techniques. His bandmates wrote the songs around his guitar riffs to ensure that they complemented each other. Additionally, this shows that he was a valued member of the team.

10. The book titled: Behind the Sun

Slovak’s brother wrote a book that was titled Behind the Sun: The Diary and Art of Hillel Slovak. This book featured his paintings, photos, notes from his bandmates and diary entries that were made by the artist. This gives the fans and readers a glimpse into the life of an artist that was heading towards greatness.