Barry Smolin
Encyclopedia
Barry Smolin is an American radio host, teacher, composer, and writer.
He is best known as the longtime host (since 1995) of The Music Never Stops, a psychedelic radio show on KPFK
in Los Angeles, California
for which Smolin won the first ever Jammy Award for "Best Radio Show" in 2000. Smolin's program was also nominated for an LA Weekly
Music Award in 2004 in the "Best Radio Show" category. The Music Never Stops began as a program featuring live recordings of the Grateful Dead
, but after the death of Jerry Garcia
Smolin expanded the scope of the show to include contemporary jam-rock and miscellaneous psychedelia, paying special attention to music being made by musicians in Los Angeles. The program has been covered in Relix
magazine and Jambands.com.
Smolin is also a noted teacher who has been featured in articles in Time
and the Los Angeles Times
. as well as in the Larchmont Chronicle. From 1987-1992, Smolin taught English at Fairfax High School
(the school Smolin himself graduated from in 1978) in the Los Angeles Unified School District
. Since leaving Fairfax in 1992, he has been on the faculty at Hamilton High School
, teaching English in the Hamilton Humanities Magnet program.
As a songwriter, Smolin has composed music featured in the Showtime television series Weeds
, with his song "The Earth Keeps Turning On" appearing in Season 3's Episode 7, entitled "He Taught Me How To Drive By." as well as on the Weeds Season 3 Soundtrack album. Under the performance moniker Mr. Smolin he has released three albums, At Apogee (2004) and The Crumbling Empire Of White People (2007) (both produced by Tony Award
winning composer/dramatist Stew
, best known for his musical Passing Strange
), as well as a Los Angeles
song-cycle entitled Bring Back The Real Don Steele (2009). Smolin's songs typically feature complex lyrics set to catchy pop melodies. He is also known for his postmodern explorations of historical/cultural incidents and figures, such as World War I espionage legend Mata Hari
and Hollywood actress Veronica Lake
, as well as the fictional The Guns of Navarone
.
Smolin's journalism work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, as well as in Rhino Entertainment
's online journal Rhino.com, and Jambands.com. In 2004, Smolin wrote the foreword to the book Dumb Luck, a retrospective of the work of artist Gary Baseman
published by Chronicle Books.
On May 28, 2011, Smolin released a volume of selected poetry covering the years 1988-2010 entitled Always Be Madly In Love. Earlier in 2011, he published the experimental prose project Wake Up In The Dreamhouse, composed one sentence at a time on Twitter
. Currently, Smolin is working on a story-cycle entitled The Miranda Complex, a series of episodes that follow the romantic misfires of two teenagers in 1970s Los Angeles.
He is best known as the longtime host (since 1995) of The Music Never Stops, a psychedelic radio show on KPFK
KPFK
KPFK is a listener-sponsored radio station based in North Hollywood, California, United States, which serves the Greater Los Angeles Area, and also streams 24 hours a day via the Internet...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
for which Smolin won the first ever Jammy Award for "Best Radio Show" in 2000. Smolin's program was also nominated for an LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
Music Award in 2004 in the "Best Radio Show" category. The Music Never Stops began as a program featuring live recordings of the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, but after the death of Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
Smolin expanded the scope of the show to include contemporary jam-rock and miscellaneous psychedelia, paying special attention to music being made by musicians in Los Angeles. The program has been covered in Relix
Relix
Relix magazine was launched in 1974 as newsletter devoted to connecting people who recorded Grateful Dead concerts. It rapidly expanded into a music magazine covering a wide amount of artists...
magazine and Jambands.com.
Smolin is also a noted teacher who has been featured in articles in Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
and the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
. as well as in the Larchmont Chronicle. From 1987-1992, Smolin taught English at Fairfax High School
Fairfax High School (Los Angeles)
Fairfax High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located in Los Angeles, USA, near the border of West Hollywood in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles...
(the school Smolin himself graduated from in 1978) in the Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
. Since leaving Fairfax in 1992, he has been on the faculty at Hamilton High School
Alexander Hamilton High School (Los Angeles, California)
Alexander Hamilton High School is a public high school within the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is in the Los Angeles Unified School District.-History:...
, teaching English in the Hamilton Humanities Magnet program.
As a songwriter, Smolin has composed music featured in the Showtime television series Weeds
Weeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
, with his song "The Earth Keeps Turning On" appearing in Season 3's Episode 7, entitled "He Taught Me How To Drive By." as well as on the Weeds Season 3 Soundtrack album. Under the performance moniker Mr. Smolin he has released three albums, At Apogee (2004) and The Crumbling Empire Of White People (2007) (both produced by Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
winning composer/dramatist Stew
Stew (musician)
Mark Stewart , known by his stage name Stew, is a singer/songwriter/playwright from Los Angeles. In the early 1990s, he formed a band called The Negro Problem and later went on to release albums under his own name...
, best known for his musical Passing Strange
Passing Strange
Passing Strange is a rock musical about a young African American's artistic journey of self-discovery in Europe, drawing on heavy elements of existentialism, metafictional comedy, and the Künstlerroman. The musical's lyrics and book are by Stew with music and orchestrations by Heidi Rodewald and Stew...
), as well as a Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
song-cycle entitled Bring Back The Real Don Steele (2009). Smolin's songs typically feature complex lyrics set to catchy pop melodies. He is also known for his postmodern explorations of historical/cultural incidents and figures, such as World War I espionage legend Mata Hari
Mata Hari
Mata Hari was the stage name of Margaretha Geertruida "M'greet" Zelle , a Dutch exotic dancer, courtesan, and accused spy who was executed by firing squad in France under charges of espionage for Germany during World War I.-Early life:Margaretha Geertruida Zelle was born in Leeuwarden, Friesland,...
and Hollywood actress Veronica Lake
Veronica Lake
Veronica Lake was an American film actress and pin-up model. She received both popular and critical acclaim, most notably for her role in Sullivan's Travels and her femme fatale roles in film noir with Alan Ladd during the 1940s, and was well-known for her peek-a-boo hairstyle...
, as well as the fictional The Guns of Navarone
The Guns of Navarone (film)
The Guns of Navarone is a 1961 British-American Action/Adventure war film based on the 1957 novel of the same name about the Dodecanese Campaign of World War II by Scottish thriller writer Alistair MacLean. It stars Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn, along with Anthony Quayle and Stanley...
.
Smolin's journalism work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, as well as in Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
's online journal Rhino.com, and Jambands.com. In 2004, Smolin wrote the foreword to the book Dumb Luck, a retrospective of the work of artist Gary Baseman
Gary Baseman
Gary Baseman is a contemporary artist who works in various creative fields, including illustration, fine art, toy design, and animation. He is the creator of the Emmy-winning ABC/Disney cartoon series, Teacher’s Pet, and the artistic designer of Cranium, a popular board game...
published by Chronicle Books.
On May 28, 2011, Smolin released a volume of selected poetry covering the years 1988-2010 entitled Always Be Madly In Love. Earlier in 2011, he published the experimental prose project Wake Up In The Dreamhouse, composed one sentence at a time on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
. Currently, Smolin is working on a story-cycle entitled The Miranda Complex, a series of episodes that follow the romantic misfires of two teenagers in 1970s Los Angeles.