short-lived band with Bailey and another friend in high school, he says he’d always considered it more of a hobby than a calling. In an interview with The Fader, he said “It was just something I knew how to do.” It wasn’t until 2010, after a couple years playing in the local psych rock band Soft Black and the well-liked jangle-pop outfit Beach Fossils, that Smith, then 26, decided to start writing his own rock songs. Smith was in a relationship with singer and model Sky Ferreira. On September 13, 2013—the night before DIIV was scheduled to perform at Basilica Soundscape, a three-day music festival held inside a renovated 19th century factory in Hudson, New York—Smith’s unregistered Ford pickup truck was pulled over in the nearby town of Saugerties. Smith had heroin on him, and Sky Ferreira reportedly had ecstasy—although her charges were later dropped entirely. After Ferreira made bail, she spent several traumatic hours waiting for Smith, completely alone inside the sparsely furnished one-floor Catskill house without food, heat, or internet. Smith was charged with "two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of possession of stolen property and one count of aggravated unlicensed driving, all misdemeanors". Additionally, he was charged with "violations of unregistered motor vehicle, driving without insurance, unlicensed driver, and having an inadequate exhaust system". Smith was in possession of "42 decks" of heroin and his bail was set at $2,500. He was ordered to go to rehab for 11 days in January 2014. Smith is currently a vegan. He recently lived in Catskill, New York until moving back to New York City in 2015. On February 3, 2017, Smith announced he was checking in for "long-haul" inpatient treatment. On February 9, 2020, Smith married his longtime girlfriend Dani Nelson. The ceremony was held at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Highland Park, CA. The ceremony was attended by their families and close friends, including members of DIIV, Beach Fossils, Deafheaven, Mac Demarco, and Launder. Andrew Bailey, current guitarist for DIIV and whom Smith has been best friends with since they were 13, served as Smith's best man. Bands Soft Black (Guitarist 2009) Beach Fossils (Drummer 2010, guitarist 2011–2012) Darwin Deez (Guitarist 2010) DIIV (Guitarist, vocals 2011–present) Launder (Live guitarist 2019) Discography with DIIV Oshin (2012) Is the Is Are (2016) Deceiver (2019) with Launder Pink Cloud EP (2018) Powder/Chew single (2019) References