Jeff Hannerman Memorial Celebration Announced

Jeff Hanneman Memorial Celebration Announced-

A public memorial to commemorate the life and legacy ofSlayer guitarist Jeff Hannemanhas been announced and is scheduled to take place on May23rd.

The Jeff Hanneman Memorial Celebration will be anopportunity for Hanneman's family, friends, and fans to reflectover the guitarist's colourful personality and considerable musicalaccomplishments in the field of thrash.

In a statement to their fans, Slayer said:

"Jeff Hanneman helped shape Slayer's uncompromisingthrash-metal sound as well as an entire genre of music. His riffsof fury and punk-rock attitude were heard in the songs he wrote,including Slayer classics 'Angel of Death,' 'Raining Blood,' 'Southof Heaven,' and 'War Ensemble.'

The Jeff Hanneman Memorial Celebration will go ahead atthe Los Angeles' Hollywood Palladium from 3:30 to 7:30 onMay 23rd. Fans wishing to attend should bear in the mind that theywould be admitted on a first come, first-in basis until the venueis full.

Slayer shared the information for thecelebration on  Facebook.Read the full text below:

The Jeff Hanneman Memorial Celebration will take place onThursday, May 23 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles from3:30 - 7:30PM. Hanneman passed away on May 2 at the age of49.

The Memorial Celebration will be free and open to the publicon a first-come, first-in basis (subject to venue capacity). Allages are welcome, and paid parking will be available around thevenue.

Jeff Hanneman helped shape Slayer's uncompromisingthrash-metal sound as well as an entire genre of music. His riffsof fury and punk-rock attitude were heard in the songs he wrote,including Slayer classics "Angel of Death," "Raining Blood," "Southof Heaven" and "War Ensemble." Hanneman co-founded Slayer withfellow-guitarist Kerry King, bassist Tom Araya and drummer DaveLombardo in Huntington Park, CA in 1981. For more than 30 years,Hanneman was the band member who stayed out of the spotlight,rarely did interviews, amassed an impressive collection of WorldWar II memorabilia, was with his wife Kathy for nearly threedecades, shut off his phone and went incommunicado when he was homefrom tour, did not want to be on the road too late into anyDecember as Christmas was his favorite holiday, and, from the timehe was about 12 years old, woke up every, single day with one thingon 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 wouldlikely sell millions of records and change the commercial course oftheir career, similar to what had happened to Metallica with 1993's"Enter Sandman." Jeff was the first to draw a line of integrity inthe sand, replying, "We're going to make a Slayer record. If youcan get it on the radio, fine, if not, then fuck it."