Crash Course was a skatecore punk band from Cape Cod, MA, USA starting in 1983, featuring John Santos, John Tkacik, Scott “Chi” Smith, Craig Johnson, and David Silver.
Crash Course went to high school with The Freeze, and both bands played their first show together. One of the fastest and tightest hardcore bands in the New England underground music scene, band members played shows under a couple names, including Pig Iron in 1983, before settling on Crash Course in 1984. Songs were written by incredible bassist John Tkacik (pronounced kay-sick) and blazing fast guitarist John Santos. Their live shows featured the insane acrobatics of singer Chi Smith, who later went on to front the bands E.a.r.s.h.o.t. and Iron Rite Mangle.
Briefly sponsored by Zorlac/Airwalk, the band was promoted by a local skateboard shop who funded the recording of their 27-track debut in 1985, which was initially released and sold by the skate shop. The band played frequently for years, touring in a borrowed school bus or their 1960s ambulance renovated by first drummer Craig Johnson, including epics shows with The Freeze, The F.U.s, Beefeater, Gang Green, Lost Prophets, Verbal Assault, The Outpatients, Th’Inbred, Vicious Circle, Toxic Reasons, Seizure, Strange Flesh, The Loud Ones, and many others at classic N.E. punk venues like The Channel, The Living Room, The Rat, Lupo’s, Club Rocket, the Cage, Anthrax, and Laconia Bike Week.

Second drummer David Silver was recruited in 1986, and produced many 4-track recordings of demos and their second album. Crash Course ultimately released three cassettes on guitarist John Santos’ Hellcore/Landlubber Records: “Pilgrimage to Hell” 1986, “The End” 1987, and “Overdosed on Life: Live” in 1992, selling most via mail order through reviews and ads in zines like Maximum Rock n Roll and Suburban Voice.

The band was heavily involved in the early DIY scene in Massachusetts, booking venues and putting on shows to feature other local bands, like Ganglion and Ghoul Squad. They also published the fanzine “American Defense of Justice”, printing and distributing several issues with reviews and interviews to help promote regional punk bands and including art by underground alternative artists.

In 1992-94, Pig Iron members John Tkacik (bass/vocals), John (guitar) and Pete Santos (drums) reunited for the punk band Glass Cross, which was never released. In 2008 drummer David Silver reunited with guitarist John Santos, and recorded music as The Antibodies, with brother Pete Santos on bass and singer Tony Debaggis.

www.discogs.com/artist/4618862-Crash-Course-3