Amery Smith

Amery “AWOL” Smith (born August 3, 1964) is a drummer from Los Angeles, California. He is best known for playing drums in the Venice punk band “Suicidal Tendencies.”

Amery Smith played on the 1983 debut album on Lisa Fancher’s Frontier Records for Suicidal Tendencies and at the time, Smith, being influenced by drummers such as Rush’s Neil Peart, used rototoms 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 band’s 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 lead guitar, Anthony Gallo on rhythm guitar, and Mike Muir on vocals.