Hillel Slovak (; April 13, 1962 – June 25, 1988) was an Israel-born 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). His guitar work was primarily rooted in
funk and
hard rock, although he often experimented with other genres including
reggae and
speed metal. He is considered to have been a major influence on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' early sound.