‘Eclectic’ but Overloaded Host Will Leave KCRW

Chris Douridas, who as music director of KCRW-FM (89.9) and host of its influential “Morning Becomes Eclectic” was pivotal in boosting the careers of such esteemed artists as Beck, is leaving the Santa Monica public station at the end of March.

Station manager Ruth Seymour says that while several current members of the KCRW on-air staff could become candidates for the job--including Mike Morrison, former program director of KSCA-FM (101.9) when it was an adult alternative music outlet, and longtime KCRW hosts Tricia Halloran and Liza Richardson--there is no “heir apparent” and a nationwide search will be conducted before the job is filled.

The move, to be officially announced today by Douridas on his 9 a.m.-noon show, is being made because of the increasing demand of his other jobs, most notably the position of artists and repertoire executive for DreamWorks Records that he took last year. He also serves as music supervisor and consultant for movies and last year hosted the PBS music and interview show “Sessions at West 54th,” for which talks are underway about a possible second season.

“I’d been thinking about this for a long time,” says Douridas, who came to KCRW from Dallas in late 1990 to replace “Morning Becomes Eclectic” creator Tom Schnabel. “The time was going to come, I knew that. I was just waiting for the instinct to tell me when. It’s just been growing to a point where I could foresee my attention getting pulled away from the station to a point where it would be bad for the show, and I want to leave while it’s in good shape.”

An example was last week, when Douridas flew to Australia to scout bands for DreamWorks at a music festival. His KCRW shows were pre-taped rather than live.

Douridas’ exit leaves open what is arguably the most coveted and visible position in public radio music programming. After Schnabel established the “eclectic” format--which embraced a wide range of music from pop and rock to folk, jazz, classical and international styles--Douridas aggressively championed independent and distinctive artists, giving many, most notably Beck, their first significant exposure to radio audiences and record executives.

Under his watch, KCRW embraced new directions in music, including the various electronic pop forms that in the past year started to draw notice on such commercial outlets as KROQ-FM (106.7). Among the acts that are currently making commercial radio headway after long being KCRW staples are Cornershop, Ben Folds Five and Loreena McKennitt.

Mike Simpson, who as half of the Dust Brothers team produced Beck’s “Odelay” album and is also a DreamWorks A&R; executive, says he was surprised when Douridas told him he planned to leave KCRW.

“It’s good to leave on top--he’s done such an amazing job with that show,” Simpson says. “But it’s kind of sad. The acts he’s helped, including many we’ve worked with, are countless. He’s really responsible for a whole music scene. And I think it will be hard for anyone to fill his shoes, because anyone who tried will be accused of copying him.”

Among the KCRW regulars who might be considered for the job, Morrison, who hosts the “Weekend Becomes Eclectic” music show, brings the most experience. Before his KSCA stint, he had a decade as program director of a public radio station in Philadelphia where the music programming was compatible with KCRW’s. Halloran would bring continuity, having served as Douridas’ administrative assistant for several years in addition to hosting the weeknight “Brave New World” show, while Richardson has been a frequent guest host of “Morning Becomes Eclectic.”

Other potential in-house candidates are Jason Bentley, host of the electronic-oriented “Metropolis,” though his duties as A&R; executive at Maverick Records are also very demanding, and Sunday evening host Gary Calamar, who is also a music administration assistant.

Douridas’ move also follows controversy over possible conflicts of interest between his KCRW job--a Civil Service position paid by Santa Monica College, which operates the station--and his record business, film and television roles (a charge also leveled against some other KCRW hosts). Seymour consistently said she had no concerns of any impropriety, and Douridas said he was conscientious about avoiding airing music that he had a personal stake in or disclaiming the connection when it was unavoidable.

“It was getting to the point where the scale could be tipped,” Douridas says. “Obviously, if I’m working on projects I believe in, I want to support them, but on the air I’d have to leave them alone or give them only slight support.”