David Smith (22)

American hardcore bass player and drummer from the 80's US punk scene .

In 1984 David Smith was playing drums in a band called Freak Baby when the band decided to add a second guitarist, who bassist Brian Samuels had recently met at a local gig. Freak Baby had rehearsed with the new guitarist before so there would be no problems getting used to the band.

And, so the band went into Laundry Room Studios to record a demo with the new line up of David Smith on drums, Bryant Mason on guitar, Brian Samuels on bass, Chris Page on vocals and new guitarist Dave Grohl.

This line-up was only to last 6 months. It was during one rehearsal that Grohl decided to pick up the sticks to play drums, for a while. With his head down he didn't hear or see his band mates telling him to get off the stool. Samuels , who had been trying to prove his dominance in the band, then proceeded to remove Grohl from the stool, by his hair, and throwing him on the ground. This was the last straw for the other of the band who kicked Samuels out of the band.

This new start get the band the chance to shuffle the line-up and moved Smith on to bass, and placed Dave Grohl behind the drums. The four guys were happy with the way things went and reformed as the four piece known as Mission Impossible.

The new lineup was a vast improvement, and they began playing more shows. Mission Impossible went into Laundry Room studios and re-recorded some of the Freak Baby songs and recorded some new tracks. Soon after they recorded a demo, with fellow D.C. based band, Lunch Meat. They ended up playing some shows together and remained in Washington D.C. Mission Impossible continued up until Mason and Page graduated from high school and continued education at college.

At this point Reuben Radding entered the scene and after an infamous first jam session in Grohl's living room in Springfield, Virginia the threesome became Dain Bramage. Inspired by Television and postpunk bands such as Gang of Four and Mission of Burma, they were not received too kindly in DC's hardcore scene.

Dain Bramage broke up in March 1987 when Grohl quit without any warning to Scream. Reuben and Smith tried to form a new band but Reuben later commented, "After you've spent a couple years with Dave Grohl as your drummer it's easy to feel like no other drummer exists."