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Founded in New Jersey in 1980, The Smithereens have been creating electrifying, original rock’n’roll for 45 years. Jim Babjak (guitar,) Dennis Diken (drums,) and Mike Mesaros (bass) grew up together in Carteret and lead singer, the late Pat DiNizio, hailed from Scotch Plains. The Smithereens’ take no prisoners sound, reflecting their Garden State roots, has resonated with fans worldwide over the course of 17 albums and 2500 plus live shows.
The band paid its dues in clubs all over the NYC tri-state area from Kenny’s Castaways in Greenwich Village to the Court Tavern and Stone Pony in NJ. 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 to the Meadowlands Arena in NJ to Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, and internationally from Europe to Australia. Tour mates have included Tom Petty, Squeeze, The Pretenders, Lou Reed, and Ramones, among others.
Among their most beloved songs are the rock radio staples “Blood and Roses,” “Only a Memory,” “Behind  the Wall of Sleep,” and “A Girl Like You” while studio albums include Especially for You, Green Thoughts, 11, A Date with The Smithereens, and 2011. The band’s records for Capitol, RCA, Sony, Koch, and eOne have sold over 5 million copies worldwide. The Smithereens have also been called the architects of the Alternative Scene and their music has inspired a generation of musicians, including the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, who cited The Smithereens as a major influence in his diaries.
Sadly, The Smithereens lost Pat DiNizio who passed away unexpectedly in 2017. The three surviving bandmates, Babjak, Diken, and Mesaros, who have been together since high school, and with the encouragement of their fans, decided to persevere and carry on their shared musical legacy.
In October 2019, the band was honored by their home state and inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame, Class of 2018, in the “Performing Arts” category. Previously, Babjak and Diken were inducted into the White Castle Hall of Fame for The Smithereens’ rendition of the Jim Babjak/Bob Banta composition “White Castle Blues."
Recent Smithereens’ releases include the COVERS album on CD and red vinyl, which features 22 of the band’s favorite songs first recorded by other artists.        And 2022 saw The Lost Album, available on gold vinyl and CD, a collection of 12 unreleased songs recorded in 1993. An album of all new material is in the works for later in 2025.
Using alternating special guest vocalists, such as John Cowsill (The Cowsills/The Beach Boys,)  they continue to tour and rock fans all over the U.S.
And in 2025, The Smithereens reach a major milestone as they celebrate their 45th continuous year as a band. The adventure continues!