A statement says: "When punk rock broke and bands cashed in on fashion trends, Down By Law stayed true to their ideals. While everyone else wrote songs about farts, Smalley was penning songs about feeling lonely and out of place, afraid and uncertain.

"He wrote about finding strength in being apart from the larger culture, and turning the loneliness and alienation of individuals into unity and mutual respect.

"All politics are personal, and everything personal is political. This is why Down By Law is one of the few bands that matter - the personal and political are inseparable in their music. If you open your heart these songs will reveal truths that no one else has enough guts to say."