Howard Paar Biography
Howard Paar is a British Grammy Award nominee music supervisor who has worked on over sixty films and television series, most notably Monster, Dogtown and Z-Boys (do*entary film), Bully, and The L Word (television).
Life and career
Paar first worked in Los Angeles as a club creator/DJ/promoter with such legendary artists as The Specials, The Clash, The English Beat, The Go-Go’s, The Psychedelic Furs, The Cure, The Bangles, Echo & The Bunnymen, and Lydia Lunch. Known for developing emergent new music scenes particularly ska and the Paisley Underground his club, The ON Klub, in collaboration with Sugarhill Records, was also the first locale to play a rap show in Los Angeles. He subsequently became an independent publicist representing clients including MTV, Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson, N.W.A, Bunny Wailer, Jimmy Cliff, Eric Burdon, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Michelle Shocked while also booking a TV show that featured Russell Simmons and Run-DMC.
He went on to become Vice President, Media & Artist Relations at Polygram Records working with a diverse range of artists including INXS, Def Leppard, Chuck D, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Vanessa Williams, Joan Osborne, James, The Robert Cray Band featuring the Memphis Horns and X before transitioning to the role of Vice President, Soundtracks at the same company. In this role, Paar worked on many soundtracks including The Coen Brothers’ The Big Lebowski and Gregg Araki’s Nowhere, as well as placing numerous songs in films and creating opportunities for Polygram artists to write themes for TV shows including King of the Hill and Ellen.
Paar next joined Richard Branson’s V2 Records as Head of Film & TV where he worked closely with artists such as Moby until 1999 when he became an independent music supervisor. He continued to work with Moby whose album Play, became the first in history to have media placement for all tracks. In 2001, Paar was nominated for a Grammy Award for the soundtrack for the do*entary Dogtown & Z Boys.
Paar continues to music supervise a wide range of critically acclaimed independent films including Monster, Bully, and Mysterious Skin as well as TV shows such as The L Word. His work with a diverse range of film makers including Larry Clark, Quentin Tarantino, and Mark Waters have helped to earn Paar a reputation for independent vision and authenticity to character, time, and place.
A member of the Board for The Guild Of Music Supervisors, Paar values opportunities to elevate music and visual media.
Novelist
His first novel, "Once Upon A Time In LA", was a noir thriller about the music business, and was published in 2015.
Filmography (as music supervisor unless otherwise noted)
- Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
- Overboard (2018)
- Wonderwell (2018)
- Private Life (2018)
- Measure Of A Man (2018)
- Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017)
- Sun Dogs (2017)
- How To Be A Latin Lover (2017)
- The House Of Tomorrow (2017)
- Fun Mom Dinner (2017)
- Before I Fall (2017)
- 20th Century Women (2016)
- The Last Laugh (2016)
- Dance Camp (2016)
- Embers (2015)
- Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)
- The Prophet (2015) -
- The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015) -
- The Smell of Us (2014)
- Electric Slide (2014) -
- Road to Paloma (2014)
- Date and Switch (2014)
- Vampire Academy (2014)-
- The To Do List (2013) -
- Rapture-Palooza (2013)
- Curse of the Sunset Starlet (2012)
- Would You Rather (2012)
- Girl in Progress (2012) -
- Get the Gringo (2012) -
- Girls Against Boys (2012)
- A Love Affair of Sorts (2011)
- Rebirth (2011)
- Choose (2010)
- London Boulevard (2010) -
- Lost Boys: The Thirst (2010)
- Ceremony (2010) -
- Lifted (2010)
- Sympathy for Delicious (2010) -
- The Blind Video (2009)
- While She Was Out (2008)
- The Ramen Girl (2008)
- August (2008)
- The Man Who Souled the World (2007) -
- What We Do Is Secret (2007) -
- Daltry Calhoun (2005) -
- Embedded (2005) -
- Sueño (2005) -
- Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) -
- What If? (2005)
- Round Three (2004)
- Mysterious Skin (2004)
- D.E.B.S. (2004) -
- Monster (2003)
- Easy (2003)
- Party Monster (2003) -
- Kiss the Bride (2002)
- Garage Days (2002)
- Ken Park (2002)
- Opinion: To Each His Own (2001)
- Down and Out with the Dolls (2001) -
- Bully (2001) -
- Southlander: Diary of a Desperate Musician (2001)
- Things Behind the Sun (2001)
- Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001) -
- The Independent (2000)
- Psycho Beach Party (2000) -
- Splendor (1999) -
- The Big Lebowski (1998) -
- Another Day in Paradise (1998) -
- Nowhere (1997) -
- Girls Town (1996) -
Television series (as music supervisor)
- Graves (10 episodes) (2016)
- Betrayal (7 episodes) (2013)
- Hung (2 episodes) (2010)
- The L Word (32 episodes) (2007-2009) -
- Alias (2 episodes) (2003)
- Oliver Beene (2003)
- Miss Match (18 episodes) (2003)
- Greg the Bunny (13 episodes) (2002)
- Freaky Links (13 episodes) (2000-2001)