Founded in New Jersey in 1980, The Smithereens have been creating electrifying, original Rock n Roll for 46 years. Jim Babjak (guitar), Dennis Diken (drums) and Mike Mesaros (bass) grew up together in Carteret and the late Pat DiNizio (lead singer) hailed from Scotch Plains.
The band paid its dues in clubs all over the N.Y.C. tri-state area, from Kenny’s Castaways in Greenwich Village to the Court Tavern and Stone Pony in N.J.
As The Smithereens’ fame escalated, they were in heavy rotation on MTV and appeared on The Tonight Show, Conan O'Brien and Saturday Night Live. They’ve since performed on stages coast to coast, from the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Cali., to the Meadowlands Arena in N.J. to Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, N.Y., and internationally, from Europe to Australia. Tour mates have included Tom Petty, Squeeze, The Pretenders, Lou Reed and The Ramones, among others.
The Smithereens’ take-no-prisoners sound reflects their Garden State roots and has resonated with fans worldwide over the course of 17 albums and more than 2,500 live shows. Their most recent release, The Lost Album, on CD and gold vinyl, features 12 previously unreleased songs recorded in the fall of 1993, when the band was in between contracts with Capitol Records and RCA. They've also inspired generations of musicians, including Kurt Cobain, who counted The Smithereens as a major influence on Nirvana.
With the 2017 passing of Pat DiNizio, the surviving members have decided to persevere and carry on their shared musical legacy. Using guest vocalist Marshall Crenshaw as they continue to entertain and rock fans throughout the world!
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