Memorial for Slayer's Jeff Hanneman set for May 23 in Hollywood

By Randy Lewis

May 15, 2013 12 AM PT

A public memorial for Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died May 2 at age 49, has been set for May 23 at the Hollywood Palladium, and fans are invited to the free event on a “first-come, first-in” basis, according to event organizers.

The Jeff Hanneman Memorial Celebration is slated to run from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Palladium, which has a capacity of about 4,000.

Hanneman started the thrash-metal band in 1981 in Huntington Park with guitarist Kerry King, bassist Tom Araya and drummer Dave Lombardo. Among songs Hanneman wrote for the group are “Angel of Death,” “Raining Blood,” “South of Heaven” and “War Ensemble.”

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He was the group member least likely to give interviews, and generally kept out of the public eye when the band was not on tour.

Hanneman died of liver failure while hospitalized for an ailment thought to have been the result of a spider bite. The memorial celebration is open to all ages. The Palladium is at 6125 Sunset Blvd.

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