Mike Smirnoff
Drums & Percussion - Los Angeles, CA
About
Mike Smirnoff is a Los Angeles, CA, based drummer. He can be seen performing everything from bebop jazz to rock, soul to heavy metal, Cuban traditional to electronic dance pop, and everything in between.
He has played formerly for artists such as Justin Jones (930 Records), Who Needs a Pulse (Warner/Chappell), Polkadot Cadaver (Razor to Wrist Records), and We Were Kings (2011, 2012, & 2013 WAMA award winners). He has performed with Low Stars (feat. members of the Counting Crows), Schiavone McGee (Fighting Gravity), No Second Troy, Pat McGee Band, Spirit Animal, The Vita Ruins, Bellflur (Scenic Route Records), Adrian Hardkor Krygowski & The Bad Decisions, The Blackjacks (DC101's Last Band Standing Winners), and Welbilt. Mike has a Bachelor's Degree in Percussion and a Master's Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Maryland. Mike's drumming has been featured on MTV's Buzzworthy, ESPN's Baseball Tonight, PBS' Roadtrip Nation, Modern Drummer Magazine, CSI:NY, and The WB's The Lake.
Other groups Mike is a substitute/back up for are are Young Summer (Ready Set Records), Honor By August, Juneau Sky, Baby Bry Bry and The Apologists, Taylor Carson, Alex Vans, DC Composers Collective, Danni Rosner, Honey County, Justin Trawick Band, Tiffany Thompson, The Junior League Band, Rome in a Day, and Citizen.
Mike has played as an opening act for: Ray LaMontagne, Coldplay, Charlie Daniels Band, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Live, Staind, Bam Margera's F***face Unstoppable, The Minutemen, Frank Turner, Foreigner, KD Lang, Joan Jett, Bowling For Soup, Seether, Chevelle, Finger 11, Everclear, The Spin Doctors, The Hackensaw Boys, Papa Mali, Smash Mouth, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Jimmies Chicken Shack, Flogging Molly, Carbon Leaf, Virginia Coalition, Holy F***, Dam Funk, Low, Amos Lee, Eric Hutchinson, Josh Ritter, Billy Idol, Dwight Yoakam, and The Gin Blossoms.
DISCOGRAPHY
The Deadmen - Eponymous
The Reverend Shawn Amos "Breaks It Down"
Drums/percussion on Freedom Suite: Does My Life Matter, & Ain't Gonna Name Names
No Second Troy "Live at the 930 Club"
No Second Troy "Colors"
"There's something very charming about the melancholy that permeates No Second Troy's latest release, "Colors." The D.C.-based quintet effortlessly conveys the ennui of early adulthood without sounding mopey or solipsistic. These songs are, at their core, sweet pop-rock tunes; they're just infused with a sense of realism and truth."
-The Washington Post
Katie Ferrara "When Stars Collide"
Mike Smirnoff "Photovoltaic"
We Were Kings "Ghost"
This Winter Room "Losing the Paper Moon"
Fading Light has been received with positive reviews. Catherine P. Lewis of the Washington Post writes, “Jones’ greatest asset is the worldliness of his voice” and that Jones, “understands the importance of the spaces between notes to create poignant moments.” Bob Boilen of NPR’s All Songs Considered describes Fading Light as “a powerfully magnificent Americana album.” Trevor Stewart of The Grateful Web says it is “an Americana opus, full of deep emotion, musical mood swings, and heartfelt playing” and “a damn good album.”
Jane Sheldon "One for Mrs. Clause"
Spirit Animal "Kingdom Phylum"
Spirit Animal (now Record Heat) - This is a Test
https://open.spotify.com/album/3wG5PjT7qo1XUaVKAnkc28
Bellflur - Twelve Vagrant Monologues From The Last Living Star
Brad Sanzenbacher "Fear and Drought"
Adrian Krygowski "Hope For Us"
Dan Fisk "Drifting"
Adrian "Hardkor" Krygowski - Road on the Left
Sarah St. Germain "Fairytale"
Juneau Sky "Intersecting Destinies"
Hannah Vo-Dinh "The Secret Blue Air of Dreams"
Chick Hall Jr. "Nuke the Juke"