Amery Smith

Amery "AWOL" Smith (born August 3, 1964)^[1] is a drummer from Los Angeles, California. He is best known for playing drums in the Venice punk band "Suicidal Tendencies."^[2][3]

Early Life

Amery Smith spent the first year of his life in Venice then moved 3 miles south with his Father to Playa Del Rey, where he eventually met Suicidal Tendencies frontman Mike Muir. “Neighborhood Watch played a backyard party at the house in Playa Del Rey and they had a Suicidal/Venice following. My band opened for Neighborhood Watch at the party and the next day I got a phone call from Mike Muir asking me if I wanted to try out for Suicidal Tendencies. And I said yes”.^[4]

Suicidal Tendencies

Amery Smith played on the 1983 debut album on Lisa Fancher’s Frontier Records and then in 1984 on the newly forming SUICIDAL RECORDS “Welcome to Venice” album on the song Look up...(The Boy’s are Back). At the time Smith being influenced by drummers such as Rush’s Neil Peart used rototom's which can be heard in the classic drum intro to “Institutionalized.” Smith had an original and refreshing drum style compared to most punk drummers of 1983. He was also singer Mike Muirs first choice for the band "Los Cycos," which was created during the bands four year recording hiatus and at the time included his long time friend Bob Heathcote (who later joined Suicidal Tendencies on their 1989 “How Will I laugh...” album) on bass, guitarist Grant Estes on Leads, Anthony “Bob” Gallo on rhythm, and Mike Muir Vocals. Bassist Louiche Mayorga replaced Heathcote and No Mercy drummer Sal Troy replaced Smith for the recordings. Though he played only a few rehearsals before permanently leaving Los Cycos to form The Brood with guitarist Jon Nelson. Los Cycos did record one song “It’s Not Easy” on the “Welcome To Venice” album.

Other Projects

Amery Smith became "AWOL" A nickname bestowed upon him by band mate DJ Hurricane from the Beastie Boys in the early 90′s. “I was never where I was supposed to be. So Cane just said I was awol.”^[5] was one of the forming members of Uncle Slam , The Brood and forms BS 2000 together with Beastie Boys, Ad Rock and has also worked for the band The Mars Volta as production manager and as a drum tech for Queens of the Stone Age, Rage Against the Machine, One Day As A Lion, Jimmy Eat World and Green Day. In May 2006, he reunited with his old Suicidal Tendencies bandmates Louiche Mayorga and Grant Estes to create a band named AgainST with Excel vocalist Dan Clements and former No Mercy singer Kevin "The Jerk" Guercio.

Discography

• Suicidal Tendencies
  • Suicidal Tendencies- (1983) Frontier Records
  • Institutionalized - (1984) Repo Man Soundtrack; Fontana / MCA Records
  • Welcome to Venice- (1985) played drums on the track "Look Up...(The Boy's Are Back)" SUICIDAL RECORDS

• Uncle Slam
  • Say Uncle 1988; Caroline Records
  • Will Work for Food 1993; Restless Records

• Buccinator
  • The Great Painter Raphael 1995; Basura! Records

• Beastie Boys
  • Ill Communication 1994; Grand Royal / Capitol Records
  • Aglio e Olio 1996; Grand Royal Records

and other various B sides and compilations

• F-Minus
  • No Time - Give 'em the Boot Compilation 1997; Hellcat Records
  • Methadrine - Old Scars and Upstarts Compilation 1999; Disaster Records

• BS 2000
  • BS2000 1997; Grand Royal Records
  • Simply Mortified 2000; Grand Royal Records

• .001 Losers Club
  • Wont Break Me Down 7" 1998; A+ Records

• Felix
  • Staying Stagnant 7" 2002; New Hit Records

• Timmy Goes Boom
  • Fast Enough - Every Dog Will Have Its Day Compilation 2002; Adeline Records

• Leftöver Crack
  • Crack City Rockers - Give 'em the Boot 2 Compilation 1999; Hellcat Records
  • Rock the 40 Oz. 7" 2000; Bankshot Records

• U.S. Bombs
  • American Made - Covert Action 2003; Hellcat Records

• AgainST
  • Camarillo, Roll the Dice -
  • Welcome 2 Venice Compilation 2007; Built on an Ounce Records

References