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Biography
Refimprove|date=July 2008Infobox musical artist|name = The Smithereens|image = TheSmithereens3.JPG|caption = Three of the original members, Diken, Babjak, and DiNizio in 2009|background = group_or_band|alias =|origin = Carteret, New Jersey , USA |genre = Alternative rock Power pop College rock |years_active = 1980–present|label = d-tone (1980-1985) Capitol Records|Capitol / Enigma Records|Enigma (1985-1991) RCA Records|RCA (1992-1994) Koch Entertainment|Koch (1998-Present)| website = http://www.officialsmithereens.com/|associated_acts =|current_members = Pat DiNizio Jim Babjak Severo Jornacion|Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion Dennis Diken |past_members = Mike Mesaros The Smithereens are a rock band from Carteret, New Jersey , United States .Allmusic|class=artist|id=p5465|pure_url=yes The Smithereens' All Music Guide Listing The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio ( lead vocals|vocals & rhythm guitar|guitar ), Jim Babjak ( lead guitar|guitar & backing vocals|vocals ), Mike Mesaros ( bass guitar & backing vocals|vocals ), and Dennis Diken ( drumkit|drums & percussion ). This lineup continued until 2006, when Mesaros left the band and Severo Jornacion took over on bass guitar.
The Smithereens have collaborated with numerous musicians, both in the studio ( Suzanne Vega and Belinda Carlisle ) and live ( Graham Parker and The Kinks ). The band's name comes from a Yosemite Sam catchphrase, "Varmint, I'm a-gonna blow you to smithereens!" http://www.sugarbuzzmagazine.com/bands/smithereens/smithereens.html
Career
Babjak, Diken, and Mesaros are all from Carteret, New Jersey and graduated from Carteret High School in 1975. In 1980, they formed the band with DiNizio, who is from Scotch Plains, New Jersey .cite news |work= The New York Times |date=2004-10-10 |url= http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9806E7DC143BF933A25753C1A9629C8B63 |title=Not Fade Away: The Smithereens' Monument to Persistence |first=Kevin |last=Cahillane |quote=The band formed in 1980 when three Carteret High School graduates (class of 1975) and childhood friends (Mr. Babjak, Dennis Diken on drums and Mike Mesaros on bass) met Pat DiNizio, a Scotch Plains singer-songwriter-garbage man. |accessdate=2007-11-03
The Smithereens are known for writing and playing catchy 1960s-influenced power pop . The group gained publicity when a single (music)|single from its first album , "Blood and Roses", was included on the soundtrack for, and as the theme song of the 1986 Albert Pyun film|movie , Dangerously Close , and the music video|video got some moderately heavy rotation on MTV . "Blood and Roses" was also featured on the 1980s TV show Miami Vice during the episode 'The Savage' (first aired February 6, 1987).
The group spent some time in its initial semi-celebrity phase defending itself in Rolling Stone against thinly-veiled accusations of sounding too much like The Byrds and The Beatles , pointing out that its Marshall Amplifiers|Marshall Amplifier -heavy live sound was closer to heavy metal music|heavy metal than it was to The Beatles. The Smithereens have always worn their inspirations proudly, but the band also influenced other musicians, most notably Kurt Cobain during the period he was writing Nevermind . Ironically, some feel the Smithereens (like many early 1990s bands) were hurt by the rise of grunge .
Along with a basic Eastern-coast roots-rock sound that owed much to the inspirations of DiNizio, including Buddy Holly , The Who , The Clash , Elvis Costello , and Nick Lowe , the Smithereens deployed a uniquely retro obsession with Mod (subculture)|Mod , the late British Invasion pop of John's Children and The Move , and other artifacts of fifties and sixties culture that lent its music substance. The title and lyrics of their song, "In a Lonely Place," appear to be based on the In A Lonely Place|1950 Humphrey Bogart film of the same name, including the lyrics, "I was born the day I met you, lived a while when you loved me, died a little when we broke apart." The title and artwork for the album 11 (The Smithereens album)|11 were a nod to the original 1960 '' Ocean's Eleven (1960 film)|Ocean's Eleven film.
The Smithereens starred as themselves and were featured as the entertainment in the indoor beach party scene of the Troma film '' Class of Nuke 'Em High , playing the song "Much Too Much".
The highest position a Smithereens album attained on the Billboard (magazine)|Billboard pop charts was in 1990, when 11 peaked at #41 on the strength of the single "A Girl Like You" (which hit #38). "A Girl Like You" was originally written to be the title track for the 1989 Cameron Crowe film Say Anything... .
The group is still active and tours frequently. The basic tracks for their latest studio album of original material, titled 2011 (The Smithereens album)|2011 , were recorded in early October 2010 and the album was released on April 5 , 2011 .
Members
Pat DiNizio — lead vocals|Vocals , rhythm guitar
Jim Babjak — Lead guitar , backing vocals|vocals
Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion - Bass guitar , backing vocals|vocals
Dennis Diken — Drum kit|Drums , percussion
Former members
Mike Mesaros - Bass guitar , backing vocals|vocals
Discography
Studio albums
Girls About Town (EP)|Girls About Town , 1980 ( d-tone )
Beauty and Sadness , 1983 ( Little Ricky Records / Capitol Records|Capitol )
Especially for You (The Smithereens album)|Especially for You , 1986 ( Enigma Records|Enigma /Capitol)
Green Thoughts , 1988 (Enigma/Capitol)
11 (The Smithereens album)|11 , 1989 (Enigma/Capitol)
DEFAULTSORT:Smithereens, The Category:Musical groups from New Jersey Category:Jersey Shore musical groups Category:Alternative rock groups from New Jersey Category:Musical groups established in 1980 Category:Jangle pop groups
