Fred Freak Smith was an American guitarist from Washington DC. After quitting a job with the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1983, he joined hardcore band Beefeater. Following Beefeater’s split in 1986, Smith joined post punk/Goth band Strange Boutique.
Changing his name to Freak, Smith relocated to California where he fronted his own metal bands, Blaxmyth and American Corpse Flower. While semi-homeless, Smith was stabbed to death on 8 August, 2017, in San Fernando, California. Smith was 55 years old.