Dear Uncle Creepy

Brett Fugate just informed me that my good friend and musickal cohort from years past, Ty Smith, has just passed away a few days ago.  I have no idea what happened, but Ty and I were close for a few years, he was an awesome person, and my thoughts go to his family and friends.

I haven't been in touch with Ty for many, many years.  I first met Ty when LEVIATHAN (he was their drummer at the time) played the infamous outdoor park show in Decatur, IL with SGT. ROCK back in 1987.  He was a skinny kid with super-long and mega-thick hair who was a monster behind the kit.

A short time later, Ty started "Poison Planet" zine and, among other things, was a founding and instrumental part of the legendary NAMLAND with members of IMPULSE MANSLAUGHTER, through whom I met my great friend John Tolczyck (later of EYE-GOUGER).  Ty and I corresponded profusely and traded tapes exhaustively, whenever I went to Peoria I regularly visited him at his folks' house (if we were in Peoria right now, I could still take you there).  When I lived at 1602 Circle Ave in Bloomington (circa 1990) Ty visited often and for a short time, we were both in a crust-core band called DETESTATION (how many of you remember that?!?).  He eventually moved to Bloomington for a bit, and worked for me at the gas station I managed.

Then he moved to Portland, where he became a member of the crushing RESIST...we swapped letters occasionally and then I lost track of him altogether.  Now he's gone, and I have no idea what happened.  If anyone knows anything, please reach out to me...you know how to do that.

RIP, bro...