Hillel Slovak (April 13, 1962–June 25, 1988) was an Israeli-American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of the Los Angeles rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Prior to his death of a heroin overdose in 1988, Slovak recorded two albums with the band, Freaky Styley (1985) and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987).
Slovak was born in Haifa, Israel to Jewish parents who were survivors of the Holocaust. His mother was of Polish...
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Hillel Slovak (April 13, 1962–June 25, 1988) was an Israeli-American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of the Los Angeles rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Prior to his death of a heroin overdose in 1988, Slovak recorded two albums with the band, Freaky Styley (1985) and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987).
Slovak was born in Haifa, Israel to Jewish parents who were survivors of the Holocaust. His mother was of Polish descent and his father of Yugoslavian descent. The family emigrated to the U.S. when Hillel was four. They settled in Queens, New York, then in 1967 relocated to Southern California. Slovak attended Bancroft Jr. High School in Hollywood, where he met future bandmates Jack Irons and Michael "Flea" Balzary. The three then attended Fairfax High School. While at Fairfax, Slovak learned how to play guitar. He, Irons, and Balzary, whom he introduced to rock music, met future bandmate Anthony Kiedis. Slovak formed a band with Irons on drums and two...
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