Dave Smalley
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Dave Smalley (pop musician)
Dave Smalley is an American musician, best known as the punk bands DYS
, Dag Nasty
, All
and singer/guitarist with Down By Law
. He is known for his influence on pop punk
music and his early contributions to the emo
genre. He also founded a side project called The Sharpshooters, whose music is influenced by mod revival
bands such as The Jam
. Smalley has also produced and appeared on Canadian punk band Penelope's second album, Face au silence du monde, recorded at Inner Ear Studio in Virginia.
He received a bachelor's degree from Boston College
and a masters in political science
from California State University Los Angeles. He resides with his family in Fredericksburg, Virginia
, where he works as a features editor of the Weekender section of the town's newspaper, the Free Lance-Star. He previously worked as the youth editor for it!, a teen news supplement to the Free-Lance Star, and won several awards for that section.
The former straightedge singer with a master’s in political science now considers himself a "Gonzo Conservative", upsetting many of his former punk rock fans. Vocally supportive of the Iraq war, Smalley has alienated himself within the punk scene.
Most of Down By Law’s lyrics are politically ambiguous (although "This is the New Breed" attacks Bill Clinton). But in his column, Smalley describes the UN as a "poorly run, monolithic bureaucracy" and tax hikes as "demeaning to the human spirit." To illustrate his views on affirmative action, he uses a musical analogy: "The Beatles were four white men. Should they have had to hire 'someone of colour' to fill a quota?"
Dave Smalley is an American musician, best known as the punk bands DYS
DYS (band)
DYS is an American straight edge hardcore band from Boston, Massachusetts who were part of the notorious "Boston Crew" in the 1980s, along with contemporaries such as SSD and Negative FX...
, Dag Nasty
Dag Nasty
Dag Nasty was a Washington D.C. punk band formed in 1985 by guitarist Brian Baker of Minor Threat, drummer Colin Sears and bassist Roger Marbury, both of Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, and vocalist Shawn Brown...
, All
ALL (band)
All is an American punk band originally from Los Angeles, currently residing in Fort Collins, Colorado, formed by Descendents members Bill Stevenson, Karl Alvarez, and Stephen Egerton.-Formation and Cruz Records Years:...
and singer/guitarist with Down By Law
Down by Law (band)
Down by Law is a punk rock band formed in 1989 by former All frontman Dave Smalley, who is the their only permanent member. The band has recorded 7 studio albums. They stayed on Epitaph Records until 1998 and have since switched to labels. Down by Law has never achieved substantial commercial...
. He is known for his influence on pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
music and his early contributions to the emo
Emo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
genre. He also founded a side project called The Sharpshooters, whose music is influenced by mod revival
Mod Revival
The mod revival was a music genre and subculture that started in England in 1978 and later spread to other countries . The mod revival's mainstream popularity was relatively short, although its influence has lasted for decades...
bands such as The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
. Smalley has also produced and appeared on Canadian punk band Penelope's second album, Face au silence du monde, recorded at Inner Ear Studio in Virginia.
He received a bachelor's degree from Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
and a masters in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from California State University Los Angeles. He resides with his family in Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
, where he works as a features editor of the Weekender section of the town's newspaper, the Free Lance-Star. He previously worked as the youth editor for it!, a teen news supplement to the Free-Lance Star, and won several awards for that section.
The former straightedge singer with a master’s in political science now considers himself a "Gonzo Conservative", upsetting many of his former punk rock fans. Vocally supportive of the Iraq war, Smalley has alienated himself within the punk scene.
Most of Down By Law’s lyrics are politically ambiguous (although "This is the New Breed" attacks Bill Clinton). But in his column, Smalley describes the UN as a "poorly run, monolithic bureaucracy" and tax hikes as "demeaning to the human spirit." To illustrate his views on affirmative action, he uses a musical analogy: "The Beatles were four white men. Should they have had to hire 'someone of colour' to fill a quota?"
Discography
- 1983- DYS "Brotherhood" (Vocals)
- 1984- DYS "DYS" (Vocals)
- 1986- Dag Nasty "Can I Say" (Vocals)
- 1988- All "Allroy For Prez" (Vocals)
- 1988- All "Allroy Sez" (Vocals)
- 1989- DYS "Fire And Ice" (prior two records on one CD) (Vocals)
- 1990- Chemical PeopleChemical PeopleChemical People were a punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1986. The band toured the US, Canada and Europe and broke up in 1997.-History:...
"Right Thing" (Background Vocals) - 1991- Down By Law "Down By Law" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 1992- Down By Law "Blue" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 1992- Dag Nasty "Four on the Floor" (Vocals)
- 1993- Down By Law "D.C. Guns" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 1994- Down By Law "Yellow Rat Bastard" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 1994- Down By Law "punkrockacademyfightsong" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 1996- Down By Law "All Scratched Up" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 1997- Down By Law "Last of the Sharpshooters" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 1998- Two Man Advantage "drafted" (Producer, Background Vocals)
- 1999- Under The Gun "Nowhere to Run" (Producer, Guest Vocals on "The Mirror")
- 1999- Down By Law "Fly The Flag" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 2000- The Sharpshooters "Viva Los Guerillas" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 2002- Dag Nasty "Minority Of One" (Vocals)
- 2002- Penelope "Face au silence du monde" (Background Vocals)
- 2003- Down By Law "windwardtidesandwaywardsails" (Vocals, Guitar)
- 2009- PocketPocket (musician)Pocket is the remixer/producer alias for Richard Jankovich. Since 2005, he has released many "pocket mixes" for artists like Joanna Newsom, Beck, Kristin Hersh, Antony and The Johnsons, Radiohead, Cat Power, Of Montreal and more.-Biography:...
"Beautiful Gray" (Vocals) - 2010 - Marc Ganancias' acoustic album "Painted Walls" (Guest Vocals on "Rewind & Repeat")
External links
- Interview on Radio CPR, Washington, DC
- Interview @ Legends
- PMAKid Interview – Interview with Dave Smalley on PMAKid.com
- Punk Conservatives - Punk Conservatives