Jeff Hanneman Memorial [VIDEO]: Mosh Pit Breaks Out at Funeral for Dead Slayer Guitarist, Westboro Baptist Church Doesn't Protest

Yesterday's public memorial service for Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman went off without a hitch despite threats of protest from the Westboro Baptist Church. The event was open to the public where fans could enjoy some music as well as guest speakers. Eventually a mosh pit broke out!

On their official Facbook page, Slayer pleaded with fans to ignore any possible Westboro Baptist Church protestors that might show up for the public memorial service. The message read:

MESSAGE TO FANS: Want to really piss off the Westboro Baptist Church at Jeff's Memorial Celebration? Do exactly what Slayer members and family are going to do - totally ignore them. They don't exist. And then come inside and celebrate Jeff's life with us.

Luckily, the protestors did not show up and the memorial service properly honored the late guitarist.

There were plenty of speakers who were there to share some stories of Hanneman but perhaps the best was Slayer's other guitarist, Kerry King. He talked about how Jeff introduced the band to punk rock, thus allowing Slayer to become the bridge between punk and metal. This of course added to their fame.

King said:

"Jeff was getting into punk, big time. I didn't understand it because I was more of a Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford kind of guy - the singers. And punk seemed like a cheaped-down version with s-ty singers. And that's what I thought for a long time, but Jeff was my doorway to punk and it really helped Slayer become kind of the bridge between the metal kids and the punk kids. I gotta tell you though, when he shaved his head I was pissed. How can you be in a metal band with a dude with a shaved head? But that's what Jeff did cause that was Jeff."

King also told a story about having too much to drink with Judas Priest.

"I'd had too much which usually isn't my style," said King. "It was that time and at least I had the window seat and I went to roll down the window and it was one of those child windows that only went down halfway. And luckily back then I didn't have all this (his beard) or it would have been much worse, so I'm doing my best to get the puke out of the car and you know, it didn't make it. It's on my arm, it's on my chin and Hanneman is sitting next to me and he looks at me and says, 'Dude, that's the best thing I've ever seen.' I'm all pissed off with puke all over me and he's like, '(laughing) that's the best thing ever.' He was soaked and it didn't matter he had puke on him because he had such a good time that day. And I'll never forget that story."

The memorial service also included a slideshow of Jeff Hanneman photos set to the music that made him a legend. Eventually, a mosh pit broke out. Check out a video of the tribute and the mosh pit right here: