No one who met Fred “FREAK” Smith ever forgot him. Loud, flashy and profane, he played guitar like no one else. But then it all went very, very wrong. Could it have ended differently?
Thanks for writing this article. Freak was a very original guy, a one of a kind persona. If you met him you would never forget him. He wore all black every single day that I saw him and he had all black clothes in his closet, save for one white button shirt. I knew that FREAK liked to party/indulge and he always has a brew at rehearsals. He was an absolute monster guitar player. I didn't know of a severe chemical dependency. I'm not sure who told FREAK, that he wasn't as good as D-Roc. I wasn't with everyone 24/7 but we were in BLAXMYTH together. Me personally, I would never shi& on anyone like that. He was a cool, talented dude!
I was really taken aback when I learned of his death and the nature in which it occurred. He was really a gentle guy and I couldn't conceive of him being aggressive towards someone, especially enough for them to take his life in such a brutal fashion. So many fond memories. May FREAK rest in Power!
Appreciate that so much, BRM. It's touching how many people here (I'm in D.C. right now) loved him deeply. Thanks for sharing your personal recollections here, it means a lot....
I totally remember him in the 80s, out in the old 9:30 hallway before a Beefeater show - he would just walk around talking to absolutely everyone - In his leather pants, bandanas, studs and jack boots. What a character!!! He was such an incredibly nice sincere guy. It's like he really needed that connection to people. And I remember him for it 100%.
I was absolutely devastated to hear he had been murdered, and even more devastated to hear of his decline in LA. He was a total fixture in the 80's DC scene and will be missed. The scene would not have been the same without him for sure.
That totally tracks with my memories of him. Most of all, I feel the tenderness of someone so unique finding a place he could belong…and then giving it up. Thank you for sharing this, appreciate it a great deal….
Thank you for sharing FREAK, Seth. It can be beautiful and tender to look into past versions of ourselves and the people we were entangled with then. It’s such a human thing, the way those of us who feel on the outside make and find spaces for each other.
Thanks for writing this article. Freak was a very original guy, a one of a kind persona. If you met him you would never forget him. He wore all black every single day that I saw him and he had all black clothes in his closet, save for one white button shirt. I knew that FREAK liked to party/indulge and he always has a brew at rehearsals. He was an absolute monster guitar player. I didn't know of a severe chemical dependency. I'm not sure who told FREAK, that he wasn't as good as D-Roc. I wasn't with everyone 24/7 but we were in BLAXMYTH together. Me personally, I would never shi& on anyone like that. He was a cool, talented dude!
I was really taken aback when I learned of his death and the nature in which it occurred. He was really a gentle guy and I couldn't conceive of him being aggressive towards someone, especially enough for them to take his life in such a brutal fashion. So many fond memories. May FREAK rest in Power!
BRM
Appreciate that so much, BRM. It's touching how many people here (I'm in D.C. right now) loved him deeply. Thanks for sharing your personal recollections here, it means a lot....
I totally remember him in the 80s, out in the old 9:30 hallway before a Beefeater show - he would just walk around talking to absolutely everyone - In his leather pants, bandanas, studs and jack boots. What a character!!! He was such an incredibly nice sincere guy. It's like he really needed that connection to people. And I remember him for it 100%.
I was absolutely devastated to hear he had been murdered, and even more devastated to hear of his decline in LA. He was a total fixture in the 80's DC scene and will be missed. The scene would not have been the same without him for sure.
I'm so close to crying now.. FML.
That totally tracks with my memories of him. Most of all, I feel the tenderness of someone so unique finding a place he could belong…and then giving it up. Thank you for sharing this, appreciate it a great deal….
Thank you for sharing FREAK, Seth. It can be beautiful and tender to look into past versions of ourselves and the people we were entangled with then. It’s such a human thing, the way those of us who feel on the outside make and find spaces for each other.
Thank you friend. It IS tender to accept that some of us won't be here for the long haul....
Hey, appreciate that so much, Tom! Tender to dig into such a wrenching story, but glad to finally share it as well....