The Smithereens fashioned in 1980 in Carteret, New Jersey. Recognized for his or her catchy, guitar-driven sound that blends parts of energy pop, rock, and different rock, The Smithereens gained recognition within the Eighties and early Nineties with hits like “A Woman Like You,” “Solely a Reminiscence,” and “Blood and Roses.”
The band’s core lineup included Pat DiNizio on vocals and rhythm guitar, Jim Babjak on lead guitar, Mike Mesaros on bass, and Dennis Diken on drums. DiNizio’s distinct, soulful voice and the band’s easy rock sound, influenced by bands like The Beatles, The Who, and The Kinks, gave The Smithereens their distinctive attraction. Their music usually explored themes of affection, loss, and longing, combining melancholic lyrics with energetic melodies.
All through their profession, The Smithereens launched a number of well-received albums, together with Particularly for You (1986), Inexperienced Ideas (1988), and 11 (1989), which showcased their knack for memorable hooks and rock sensibility. Regardless of the altering music panorama, The Smithereens maintained a devoted fan base and continued to tour and launch music over the many years.
In 2017, the band suffered a significant loss when Pat DiNizio handed away. Since then, they’ve continued performing, with visitor vocalists together with Marshall Crenshaw and Robin Wilson of the Gin Blossoms. The band is presently on a tour with Wilson behind the mic.
Music Life Journal lately caught up with Diken, forward of the band’s Nov. twentieth present at West Herr Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda, NY.
You guys are occurring 45 years and counting. Congratulations. I need to return a bit. How did you guys get collectively within the first place? And did you ever suppose it might final so long as it has and nonetheless be going at present?
I’ll begin with the primary query. How we obtained collectively. We’ve identified one another an extended, very long time. Mike Mesaros is our bass participant. Jimmy and I each knew him since like second or third grade, although we weren’t taking part in music collectively. I knew Mike from grammar college. Jimmy went to in Carteret, New Jersey. And Jimmy went to a unique grammar college, completely different college zone. However he knew Mike as a result of they attended the identical church. So, I met Jimmy in highschool, the primary day of highschool. It’s humorous as a result of it was the primary interval of the primary day of freshman yr. And it was the primary row and the primary seat. There’s Jimmy sitting. And my thought was I actually wished to type a band.
And if I may, my thought was if I may discover a guitarist who may play, I Can’t Clarify by The Who, that may be
a wonderful start line. So, this child within the first row opens up his unfastened leaf and he’s obtained coloured photos of The Who plastered in there from Hit Parader journal. My eyes sort of lightened up and I believed to myself, “I’m going to speak to this child.” And I launched myself after class. It seems he did play guitar and we began taking part in collectively that week in September of 1971. So, the roots of the band goes again fairly a methods.
After which Mike finally realized to play bass. The three of us actually wished to have a band. We had been looking for a lead singer. Within the late 70s, we met Pat via a categorised advert. By 1980, we had joined forces and Pat was writing quite a bit.
We began taking part in round. Our first gig was in March of 1980. So, it was an extended haul. After which it was an extended haul to get signed after that, too. But it surely was one thing that we actually wished to do. And like something in life, when you actually need to do it and you persist, likelihood is you’ll get it. You’ll do it.
And the second query is, did we expect it might final this lengthy? You understand, I feel you set your horse blinders on when you’re doing one thing you’re keen on. And also you don’t even take into consideration that an excessive amount of. I feel you simply carry on maintaining on. As a result of if there’s no cause to cease, you retain going. And there was by no means a cause for us to cease what we do. We love what we do. It’s the one factor we all know how one can do, actually.
If you guys first began out, did you set targets for your self, saying if we don’t do one thing in two, three years, no matter, we’re going to go and do one thing else in life? What was your thought course of? Do you bear in mind?
Effectively, I feel we didn’t actually set tangible targets. We put out our first seven-inch EP in 1980. And that put us on the native scene, New York and New Jersey, slightly bit in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. And truly, in Ohio, too. And so, we simply sort of rolled with the punches. In 1983, we put out our Magnificence and Unhappiness EP. And after that, it was slightly little bit of a discouraging time, as a result of we weren’t getting a lot motion. However I don’t know. I don’t suppose we ever really verbalized something, saying that if we don’t do that by then, we’ll grasp it up. I feel we had been simply too blind to something.
We nearly willed ourselves to reach a method. Once we did our first album, we didn’t have enormous expectations. We thought after we did Particularly for You, and it got here out on Enigma Information, we thought, effectively, if we promote 10,000 copies, perhaps we are able to maintain gigging. It was simply we rolled with each step. And naturally, that album ended up doing quite a bit higher than 10,000 copies. However that’s simply the best way it occurred. I don’t suppose we had been good sufficient to make targets.
With the passing of Pat in 2017, did you guys discuss amongst yourselves as a band whether or not or not you wished to proceed as The Smithereens? Or did you speak about perhaps persevering with music in different methods?
Effectively, it was fascinating how issues transpired. It’s exhausting to imagine that in December, it will likely be seven years since Pat left us. However that was December of 2017. And at the moment, clearly, we had been shell-shocked when Pat died. And it took us a couple of beats for us to catch our breath and work out what we wished to do.
We knew that we wished to play collectively as a result of that’s what we’ve been doing for thus a few years. We’re good mates, and we favored hanging out with one another in addition to taking part in collectively. The fascinating factor is already at that time, we had a gig scheduled for January of 2018, only a month later after Pat’s passing. It was a present that was being produced by Little Steven Van Zandt. And there have been another artists on the invoice, too.
He (Van Zandt) urged that we maintain the date and have the Smithereens carry out and produce on a bunch of singers to sing with us, and we might flip it right into a tribute evening to Pat. And that’s precisely what we did. And it actually felt proper that evening. There was such a way of affection within the viewers and within the room.
It was a really particular evening that we’ll always remember. And two of the singers of all the parents that sang with us that evening, Marshall Crenshaw and Robin Wilson, simply felt proper. We had identified Marshall for the reason that early 80s. We opened reveals for him going again to 81, 82. We shared a file producer. We sat in with him from time to time.
And he even performed some keyboard on our first album, Particularly For You. And I don’t suppose he ever sang with us previous to that, however it simply felt like outdated dwelling week when he did. It felt proper. And he felt like a part of the household. In order that appeared like which may work shifting ahead. And in addition, Robin Wilson of Gin Blossoms, unbeknownst to us, was an enormous fan of the Smithereens.
Seems that the place he got here from, Tempe, Arizona space, Gin Blossoms and different bands from there have been closely influenced by the Smithereens. So, he made it very clear to us that we had been one in every of his favourite bands. And if there was ever a chance to sing with us shifting ahead, that he could be all about it.
So, each of these artists interpreted the music. We definitely weren’t considering of looking for anyone that was a lookalike or a sound alike for Pat. However being that we had these fellas who can interpret the music in their very own method, but nonetheless keep the integrity of it, that, OK, this would possibly work. And fortunately, it did.
Since 1980, you guys put out 12 studio data, reside data, cowl data. So, what does the setlist seem like for this tour? Apart from the frequent stuff, A Woman Like You, Solely A Reminiscence, Miles From Nowhere, Blood and Roses, what can followers count on to listen to once they see you this month?
Yeah, we clearly do the acquainted songs that individuals know from the radio. And if anyone was round watching MTV again within the day, we do all of the songs you talked about and different well-known titles. However we additionally wish to dig into the catalog and pull out some deeper album cuts, throw in some covers. You understand, the entire thought is to have enjoyable.
When Jimmy and I take the stage, we actually really feel like the youngsters we had been in his storage after we had been practising taking part in Who songs, Kinks songs and Beatles songs. We really feel like youngsters once more. And I feel it’s that angle and that really feel that we now have that comes via and interprets to the viewers. And we’re fortunate that our followers and our viewers has remained so loyal and loving and supportive all these years. It’s actually unbelievable. We definitely couldn’t have made it 45 years with out them being there.
Do you may have a favourite tune you wish to play reside? Is there a sure tune that you simply look ahead to or that the viewers responds to greater than others that you simply like?
For me, I assume it relies upon. My reply would depend upon if you ask me. However I’ve a sure fondness for a tune known as Spellbound from the Inexperienced Ideas album. I simply love the temper. I really like the groove on that. And it’s one of many songs the place I attempt to really replicate what I did on the file. And I don’t try this with each tune.
However I similar to what I did on the recording so I do play the identical method I did on the file each time. There’s one thing about that sample that I exploit that basically speaks to me. And I simply dig it a lot. And it’s a little bit of a departure too. It’s a bit softer. It’s a ballad so it’s slightly extra downhead. But it surely’s a tune that individuals dig. In order that’s the one which involves thoughts. There’s plenty of them. However that’s the one which springs to thoughts if you ask that query.
In 2022, you set out the Misplaced Album, which was your first studio file in 11 years. However this was one thing you guys had accomplished over 25 years in the past. I feel, 1993? What made you guys resolve to lastly launch it? What are you able to inform me about that?
Yeah, in 1993, we had been between labels. We had been not with Capitol. And later that yr, we did signal with RCA. However within the interim, we had a bunch of tunes. About 24 songs, really, thereabouts. So, we dipped into our pockets and went to a studio in New York Metropolis known as Crystal Sound on West nineteenth Road. And we arrange camp there for 2 completely different units of classes, really, a couple of month at a time, and recorded all these tunes, 12 of which we ended up re-recording for the Date with the Smithereens album.
However the different 12, we didn’t launch or re-record. They only sat in our vault for all these years. And I assume it was round COVID time after we had been all hanging out at dwelling. We had been going via our cabinets. And I’ve a DAT tape. You bear in mind DAT tapes? Digital Audio Tapes. Perhaps among the youthful listeners don’t know what I’m speaking about. However that was the best way you’ll, earlier than you possibly can burn a CD, this was the best way you possibly can digitally archive or grasp, in some circumstances, your file. So, I had a DAT of those 12 songs. And sadly, the DAT performed, generally they had been a bit temperamental. However the tunes held up, we thought.
They had been well-recorded, and so they had been good songs, and our performances had been fairly good, we thought. So, we thought it held collectively as an album. We had plenty of pictures from these classes. We put collectively a bundle and determined to place it on the market. And lo and behold, it obtained a extremely superb response. However we had been fairly stunned.
We thought it was a top quality album. However some individuals had been saying, it’s our greatest album, and why’d you wait so lengthy? We had been very, very stunned and happy on the response that that album obtained. Yeah, it was enjoyable to see that album come to life in any case these years.
Is there the rest within the archives you suppose you would possibly put out?
Yeah, there’s tons of stuff. It’s simply obtained to make the time to cope with it. However there are plenty of archival releases that may come out from us. And we’re gearing as much as make a brand new studio album of all unique new materials.
When can we count on that?
Subsequent yr, in ’25. We began recording a couple of tracks already, and we’ll be doing extra. And it’s only a matter of discovering the time proper now. It’s been sort of a busy yr for us, professionally and personally. So, we’re hoping to clear the deck and refocus on it early within the new yr.
Are you going to have Marshall or Robin singing?
Yeah, we hope to have each of them. And Jimmy and I can be singing. And in addition, we’re going to be performing some reveals in ’25. We’ve accomplished one already with John Cowsill of the Cowsills singing lead with us. So, he would possibly take part on that as effectively. So yeah, we’re enthusiastic about it.
You guys have been influenced by many artists – The Beatles, The Who, Kinks, Springsteen. However for you as a drummer, who do you look as much as as a drummer?
Oh, my goodness, there’s so many. I imply, I at all times need to say Ringo. He’s nonetheless anyone I hearken to for inspiration. I really like the best way he addresses a tune. I really like his really feel, his sense of swing, and his sense of his type. He’s actually the last word rock and roll drummer. Then there’s guys like Earl Palmer from New Orleans who invented rock and roll drumming. Hal Blaine, one other nice studio drummer.
Buddy Saltzman, a New York Session drummer who performed on the 4 Seasons data. Roger Hawkins from Muscle Shoals, the large inspiration to me. Dino Danelli from The Rascals.
Kenny Jones from The Small Faces. Charlie Watts, Keith Moon, Mitch Mitchell. I can go on and on. We may in all probability discuss for an hour about that.
Just about everyone you grew up with.
That’s proper. And naturally, the Motown drummers, you realize, and Al Jackson. Yeah, precisely. It’s who I grew up with as a result of we’re all self-taught. We admire the individuals who taught us, which had been the individuals who performed on the data we listened to after we had been youngsters.
Have been you one in every of these youngsters who stayed in your bed room or in your basement practising on daily basis?
After I was a child, yeah, man. I couldn’t wait to get dwelling from college and throw my books down, run within the basement, placed on a Gary Lewis and the Playboys file or no matter, and play together with it. It’s, I imply, I actually began educating myself after I was about two or three years outdated. I picked up again then. There have been these toys known as Lincoln Logs, these picket sticks that you possibly can construct like log cabins with, little toy log cabins or Tinker Toys. I don’t know when you bear in mind these, however I’d take these and play on espresso cans.
And American Bandstand, an ideal TV present that was on on daily basis that Dick Clark would spotlight the highest songs of the day. And so, as slightly child from watching TV, I used to be turned on to this. I gravitated in direction of the rhythm of the songs. And actually, after I was very younger, I knew I used to be going to be a drummer. So, that is only a lifelong ardour for all of us.
Is there something in life that you simply haven’t accomplished but or that you simply’d wish to strive? Or are there any hobbies you do in addition to music?
Is there something? It’s largely music associated. I imply, after I was a child, when you requested me, what do you need to be if you develop up? I wished to play drums. And I wished to be a disc jockey. That was a giant factor for me after I was slightly child. And I did get to try this. And I nonetheless get to do it from time to time. I’m a employees member at WFMU, Freeform Listener Supported Station in New Jersey.
And I’ve been doing fill-ins on that station since 1996. After which through the lockdown, through the pandemic, I obtained to have my very own present known as Denny’s Den on one in every of their streams. It was a streaming present on the Rock and Soul stream. The archives are nonetheless up. If anyone goes to WFMU.org and goes to the Rock and Soul archives, you will discover Denny’s Den there and listen to all my reveals.
I should go test it out.
Yeah. So these had been the issues that I wished to do. And, you realize, I by no means have been into sports activities or searching, or issues like that. However my spouse is mostly a nice cook dinner and he or she’s a gardener. When she retires, I feel I’d wish to spend time along with her doing that sort of stuff. However these, you realize, these are my ambitions.
I wish to play drums. I like to jot down songs. And I wish to play data. That’s actually what I dig do. I wish to learn. However I don’t have any lofty ambitions past that, actually.
I reside on the Canadian facet, as I stated earlier. Do you guys have any plans on coming over right here?
I want. Nothing proper now. However I’ve at all times beloved taking part in in Canada. We began, I feel the primary time we performed in Canada was 1985 or perhaps 86. We performed Lee’s Palace in Toronto. Keep in mind that place?
And on our first main tour, our first tour to advertise Particularly For You, we did a fairly wild tour of Canada. We began on the East Coast and this was wintertime and we drove via the Rockies, making stops heading west. That’s a wonderful drive, man. We had an RV. It was slightly dodgy. However I bear in mind loving spending time in Canada.
And my spouse and I spent a very good a part of our honeymoon there. We went to Niagara Falls and went to Toronto and Montreal and some different locations. I’ve an actual delicate spot in my coronary heart for Canada. I actually do find it irresistible. I do hope we get to return again there.
We hope so too, as a result of that may be nice to see you guys coming over and even when it’s only a small tour of Southern Ontario or one thing, as a result of there’s plenty of locations you possibly can nonetheless play at. We might like to have you ever guys.
Effectively, that’d be nice. Do you bear in mind a spot, I don’t know if that is earlier than your time or not, however a spot in Oshawa known as The Star Membership. Do you keep in mind that?
I’ve heard of it, however I’ve by no means been there, so I couldn’t inform you if it’s nonetheless there or not.
Yeah, I’ve a sense it’s not as a result of I do know the proprietor handed away a couple of years in the past…Lee’s Palace and The Star Membership had been our first gigs in Canada. I feel that was 85 or 86. So these had been adventures for us again within the day. You understand, it was crossing the border and all that and going into it.
Thanks on your time. I’m wanting ahead to seeing you guys subsequent Wednesday on the Riviera Theatre.
Oh, nice. Come by and say hiya.
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