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Richard Smith obituary Richard Smith obituary
(4 months later)
David Smith
Thu 12 Oct 2017 17.18 BST
Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 15.32 GMT
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My former colleague Richard Smith, who has died of a haemorrhage aged 49, was one of the brightest stars of gay journalism. His passionate and often merciless pop music criticism was expressed in a sparkling style full of humour, humanity and literary allusion. It was also a vehicle for examining his personal journey from loneliness and isolation to fulfilment and comradeship. He laid his life on the page and it won him legions of fans.My former colleague Richard Smith, who has died of a haemorrhage aged 49, was one of the brightest stars of gay journalism. His passionate and often merciless pop music criticism was expressed in a sparkling style full of humour, humanity and literary allusion. It was also a vehicle for examining his personal journey from loneliness and isolation to fulfilment and comradeship. He laid his life on the page and it won him legions of fans.
Richard was born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, to Marion (nee Scourfield), a probation officer, and Terence Barriston Smith, head of computer services at the BBC, and attended Dr Challoner’s grammar school in Amersham. He spent two years studying English literature at Sussex University and was active in the student LGB society, particularly during the campaign against section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which prohibited local authorities from “promoting” homosexuality. It was repealed in 2003.Richard was born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, to Marion (nee Scourfield), a probation officer, and Terence Barriston Smith, head of computer services at the BBC, and attended Dr Challoner’s grammar school in Amersham. He spent two years studying English literature at Sussex University and was active in the student LGB society, particularly during the campaign against section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which prohibited local authorities from “promoting” homosexuality. It was repealed in 2003.
Richard cut his journalistic teeth on the groundbreaking, Brighton-based magazine A Queer Tribe. He began to write reviews for Gay Times in the early 90s; within five years he had become its leading arts features writer, and in 1998 he joined the staff as associate editor. He also contributed to Melody Maker, the Guardian, Time Out, Capital Gay, MixMag, Musik and Deadline. Seduced and Abandoned, a collection of his articles, was published by Cassell in 1995 and reissued in 2016 by Bloomsbury.Richard cut his journalistic teeth on the groundbreaking, Brighton-based magazine A Queer Tribe. He began to write reviews for Gay Times in the early 90s; within five years he had become its leading arts features writer, and in 1998 he joined the staff as associate editor. He also contributed to Melody Maker, the Guardian, Time Out, Capital Gay, MixMag, Musik and Deadline. Seduced and Abandoned, a collection of his articles, was published by Cassell in 1995 and reissued in 2016 by Bloomsbury.
Two memorable articles about recreational drug use by gay men won him a media awards commendation from the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence, and he was shortlisted for the Mike Rhodes award, the UK’s most prestigious gay media award. Richard went on to write drugs education material for the Health Education Authority, Release and Project LSD. He also worked as a consultant on three series of programmes for lesbians and gay men broadcast by BBC Radio 1.Two memorable articles about recreational drug use by gay men won him a media awards commendation from the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence, and he was shortlisted for the Mike Rhodes award, the UK’s most prestigious gay media award. Richard went on to write drugs education material for the Health Education Authority, Release and Project LSD. He also worked as a consultant on three series of programmes for lesbians and gay men broadcast by BBC Radio 1.
In 2002, he became senior associate editor of Gay Times, but returned to freelancing in the noughties, reinventing himself as the controversial and provocative blogger Fagburn, mixing tributes to his pop, literary and political heroes with bursts of invective against declining standards in the gay media. In 2013 Fagburn was shortlisted for publication of the year in the awards given by the campaigning organisation Stonewall.In 2002, he became senior associate editor of Gay Times, but returned to freelancing in the noughties, reinventing himself as the controversial and provocative blogger Fagburn, mixing tributes to his pop, literary and political heroes with bursts of invective against declining standards in the gay media. In 2013 Fagburn was shortlisted for publication of the year in the awards given by the campaigning organisation Stonewall.
Richard’s health declined dramatically after a fall last year in which he broke several ribs and suffered a punctured lung.Richard’s health declined dramatically after a fall last year in which he broke several ribs and suffered a punctured lung.
He is survived by his sister, Justine.He is survived by his sister, Justine.
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