(A detailed history of the New Jersey quartet, from a long-time fan...)
The Smithereens, a four-member rock band hailing from central New Jersey, have built their cult following on the quintessential 3-minute pop song, built around guitar, bass and drums. When coming of musical age at a time when synthesizers and electronic drums were the rage, the Smithereens looked back to their jukebox heroes and the way classic rock tunes of the 1950s and 1960s were structured.
The roots of the Smithereens date back to the early 1970s, and childhood of drummer Dennis Diken. Diken and bass player Mike Mesaros were grammar-school friends, and Diken later attended high school with guitarist Jim Babjak. The Carteret, N.J.- based trio was involved in a variety of garage bands and impromptu groups, but found themselves in need of a lead vocalist and songwriter.
In the late 1970s, Diken answered an "drummer wanted" ad in a local musicians weekly, The Aquarian. The ad was placed by future Smithereens lead vocalist and songwriter Pat DiNizio of nearby Scotch Plains, himself the veteran of many various local, and mostly metal-edged, bands.
Diken impressed DiNizio, who offered Dennis a gig with his fledging band. However, the two briefly parted ways when - like countless other struggling bands and starving musicians - success and steady gigs seemed to elude them. DiNizio a short time later again contacted Diken with an invitation to drum on some demos. Diken took the opportunity to introduce Babjak, and later, Mesaros.
DiNizio was inspired to choose music as a career after seeing "The Buddy Holly Story." After missing the final train to his New Jersey home, DiNizio killed time in an NYC record store while waiting for his father to pick him up. DiNizio purchased a Buddy Holly album, and upon listening to it, was reintroduced to the simple grace of a perfectly structured three-minute pop song.
Officially forming the band in early 1980, the Smithereens then embarked on a series of central-New Jersey gigs. The independently-produced (and financed) GIRLS ABOUT TOWN was released on the D-Tone label on Halloween 1980. Containing three DiNizio originals and one Brian Wilson cover - each with "girl" prominently in the title, the 7-inch 45-rpm extended play earned fairly heavy airplay on local college-radio stations. Legend has it that very few were actually sold -- most reportedly were given away and left for the taking at the counters of local businesses.
The band frequently appeared at a wide variety of New Jersey clubs (Bloomfield's Dirt Club, New Brunswick's Court Tavern) and New York landmarks (Kenny's Castaways) while a college-student fan base started to grow. However, the members were forced to keep their day jobs: Babjak owned a New Brunswick, N.J. video/record store; Diken ran a mail-order T-shirt company; DiNizio was the sound and light man at New York's Folk City club; and Mesaros found warehouse work.
Eventually, the band toured more extensively and eventually served as backup to legendary songwriter OTIS BLACKWELL, appearing on two of his independently produced and distributed albums.
The band again saved, borrowed and begged the needed funds to return to the recording studio. BEAUTY AND SADNESS was released in June 1983 on the New York-based Little Ricky label, containing four more DiNizio originals (and an instrumental version of the title track). This 12-inch won even more extensive airplay than its predecessor, as attendance at concerts continued to grow. The band appeared on NJ-produced TV programs such as "The Uncle Floyd Show" and "The Joe Franklin Show" and was profiled on IRS's "The Cutting Edge," broadcast on MTV.
As the touring continued and extended to Europe, the band tried to lure a major-label contract. After being virtually turned down - at least - by all of the major recording companies by 1985, DiNizio sent a demo tape - with only his name and phone number - to Enigma Records. In a twist of fate, Scott Vanderbilt, the Enigma A&R official who ended up listening to the tape was already a Smithereens fan who had played the band's earlier work on his college radio show.
The band signed a contract and headed into the studio with producer Don Dixon (REM, Marshall Crenshaw, Marti Jones). ESPECIALLY FOR YOU was released in July 1986 - and was up to that time - essentially a greatest-hits collection. Ten DiNizio originals, one DiNizio collaboration with Steve Forbert and Mark Johnson and a cover from band pal Jimmy Silva made for one of the most dynamic debut albums in recent memory. (The cd also included a Babjak-co authored tune, "White Castle Blues," a concert favorite).
ESPECIALLY quickly won rave reviews from Rolling Stone and other mainstream (and alternative) rock press. "Behind the Wall of Sleep," "Blood and Roses," "Groovy Tuesday," and "Strangers When We Meet" earned regular airplay on such major rock stations as WNEW 102.7 FM in New York, and the band won an influential backer in famed DJ Scott Muni.
The band's first music video - and chart hit - was through a twist of fate. The wife of a Cannon films executive just happened to hear "Blood and Roses," the third track on side two of ESPECIALLY, and suggested to her husband that the driving tune, with its dark overtones, would be the perfect theme song to the major motion picture DANGEROUSLY CLOSE. By landing the theme song to the film, the band also was able to shoot its first promotional video, which later earned repeated showings on MTV. The band capped a very successful 1986 by being profiled in MTV's live concert series LIVE FROM THE RITZ, which captured an October gig. Highlights of the concert appeared on the CD "LIVE," released in late 1987 on Restless. Other radio and TV appearances followed, such as FOX's "The Late Show."
By the time the ESPECIALLY tour wound down in late 1987, the band opened for such major acts as Lou Reed, The Ramones and The Pretenders and had garnered a continuously growing - and dedicated - legion of fans.
In early 1988, Dixon and the band the returned to the studio. On March 16, 1988, GREEN THOUGHTS was released under the Enigma/Capitol banner. "Only a Memory," "Drown in My Own Tears," and "House We Used To Live In," fueled an extensive tour in late 1988 and additional TV and radio appearances, including videos for those songs. Reviews were positive and press attention growing.
By mid 1989, the band teamed with producer Ed Stasium, who Pat had known socially years before. And while a movie gave the band their chance to make their first video, NOT being involved with a major motion picture resulted in one of the band's biggest hits.
Pat was asked to write a theme song for the John Cusak film "SAY ANYTHING." After viewing a rough cut of the film, Pat composed "A Girl Like You." However, studio officials objected, claiming the lyrics revealed too much of the plot. The band kept the song and released it in early October 1989 as the first single off "11," which was released by Capitol Oct. 18, 1989.
The band embarked on a tour into late 1990 of theater-sized arenas, a marked increase from previous tours. Guest shots on "Arsenio!" and "Saturday Night Live" and videos for "Girl," "Blues Before and After," "Yesterday Girl" and "Blue Period" and strong reviews helped make "11" the band's highest- charting album to date. "11" is also noteworthy for Babjak co-writing "Cut Flowers" with DiNizio, the first intraband collaboration.
"BLOW UP" was released September 3, 1991 and marked a departure from the band's previous albums. String and horns were sprinkled throughout. Babjak wrote "Now and Then," while an outside writer (Diane Warren) was paired with DiNizio. More videos and TV appearances followed. "Top of the Pops," "Too Much Passion," "Girl In Room 12," and "Get A Hold Of My Heart" with a spate of mixed reviews lifted "BLOW UP" in the charts. The tour lasted into mid 1992.
The band spent 1993 writing and preparing demos for the follow-up release, and performing a few summer and autumn shows. Capitol unceremoniously dropped the band during this time. However, within weeks, the band signed to RCA.
"A DATE WITH THE SMITHEREENS" was released April 26, 1994. While initial hopes were for a string of TV appearances and a strong national publicity push from their newfound bosses, only a few minor TV shots resulted, culminating with a blistering appearance on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."
Although some fans rated DATE above the two previous efforts, sales were disappointing and RCA did little to promote the band's label debut. By this time, MTV had dropped support for the band and a video for "Miles from Nowhere" was shown primarily on Canadian TV.
By spring of 1995, Capitol released "BLOWN TO SMITHEREENS" (the best of The Smithereens) for which the band toured selected areas of the U.S. and appeared on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." The band also was composing new tunes for their next RCA release, tentatively set for January 1996. However, RCA dropped the band shortly after "BLOWN" was released.
The band continues to tour and is currently working on songs for their next release while considering what label to join.