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Especially for You: The Smithereens Thread (split from GWD)

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 13 2017 05:46 AM

Pat DiNizio, singer and songwriter for the great, GREAT Smithereens. I'm sad.

Frayed Knot Dec 13 2017 07:23 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

The Smithereens were a 'Greatest Hits' type of band, but they were a Great greatest hits band.

Edgy MD Dec 13 2017 07:45 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

Yeah, I saw them about three times, always opening for somebody I was really there to see. But then, late in their run, circa 1992 or so, I heard an interview with DiNizio, and in between excerpts, they played their singles from across their career to date. And I realized that they had a really impressive Phil Spector/Brian Wilson ethic with their singles, treating them with the gravity and concern that singles used to get, but was later transformed to albums. If they wanted strings, they got the guy who arranged the strings on the Temptations records. If they wanted echo, they went to Phil Spector's studio and used his old engineers. If they wanted sax, they got Steve Berlin from Los Lobos. All their guests were awesome: Marti Jones, Suzanne Vega, Del Fucking Shannon for a falsetto. I can't tell you who Maria Vidal is, but she sure stole the show on "A Girl Like You," and they produced a record to let her do it. They didn't just play rock 'n' roll. They championed it. DiNizio sang like a guy from New Jersey. I don't mean that as a stereotype. His baritone swagger certainly seemed to come from a tradition alongside Felix Cavaliere, Steve Van Zandt (if he could, you know, sing a little better), and Dion DiMucci (Bronx, I know). And the way he tried to keep the band going through his health crises, when they were long past their sell-by date, was heroic. There was no way there was going to be any stardom in their future, but, you know, people still needed to be rocked, damn it.

Ashie62 Dec 13 2017 08:07 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

Terrifying. I knew Pat and will say he was fighting an immune disorder and got very large and of late had lost the ability to use his hand on the guitar. The Smithereens were the best band I saw break from the village in the era of Marshall Crenshaw, Willie Nile and Steve Forbert. Pat told me once the one song he wished he had written was "I'm a loser" by the Beatles. He use to like to say "Everything changes. And it does. R.I.P Pat Gone, but not ever forgotten. Love Ashie

Ashie62 Dec 13 2017 08:15 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

Yeah, I saw them about three times, always opening for somebody I was really there to see. But then, late in their run, circa 1992 or so, I heard an interview with DiNizio, and in between excerpts, they played their singles from across their career to date. And I realized that they had a really impressive Phil Spector/Brian Wilson ethic with their singles, treating them with the gravity and concern that singles used to get, but was later transformed to albums. If they wanted strings, they got the guy who arranged the strings on the Temptations records. If they wanted echo, they went to Phil Spector's studio and used his old engineers. If they wanted sax, they got Steve Berlin from Los Lobos. All their guests were awesome: Marti Jones, Suzanne Vega, Del Fucking Shannon for a falsetto. I can't tell you who Maria Vidal is, but she sure stole the show on "A Girl Like You," and they produced a record to let her do it. They didn't just play rock 'n' roll. They championed it. DiNizio sang like a guy from New Jersey. I don't mean that as a stereotype. But his baritone swagger certainly seemed to come from a tradition alongside Felix Cavaliere, Steve Van Zandt (if he could, you know, sing a little better), and Dion DiMucci (Bronx, I know). And the way he tried to keep the band going through his health crises, when they were long past their sell-by date, was heroic. There was no way there was going to be any stardom in their future, but, you know, people still needed to be rocked, damn it. Band born in Scotch Plains N.J. 1976. Saw them at RU a year later. Yes they did reach out in their work. Never lazy. The cover art for "Blow Up" was done by, I forget the name. The artist who did Hitchcock's Psycho art. As of now Jim Babchak's mom just passed. He can still swing the guitar Townsend style. Founding member Mike Mesaros returned from Cali to return for a reunion a year ago. He had burned out about 1992 from touring and took off with his wife. Drummer Denis Diken, my favorite drummer this side of Keith Moon is touring with Kinks Dave Davies. I believe there is an intention to drop an LP with Mike back in the band. Time will tell.

Ashie62 Dec 13 2017 08:20 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

This is pretty accurate, one member from Carteret NJ and three from Scotch Plains NJ. [url]http://variety.com/2017/music/news/pat-dinizio-smithereens-dead-1202638793/

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 13 2017 08:23 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

I think I've seen the Smithereens like 5 times. They were so good when we saw them once I talked it up on the CPF so much that the famous Dog C was interested in attending the next time they came around but they were so crazy loud he got up and left. Really smart writer great melody and lyrics and style to them. One time I made the mistake of writing a question to him or something online and for a long time got solicitations for money from him that didn't seem so legit. That and the alarming weight gain you could tell by looking at him there was something wrong. For a time I thought he was going to go Donald Fagen on us with the jazz thing but he was really best at writing British Invasion singles, and singing behind the awesome power of the band.

41Forever Dec 13 2017 08:25 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

I am always amazed by Ashie's music knowledge. Tip of the cap, my friend.

Frayed Knot Dec 13 2017 08:44 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

Ashie62 wrote: Pat told me once the one song he wished he had written was "I'm a loser" by the Beatles. And there was their (sorta) recent MEET THE SMITHEREENS Beatles tribute album, definitely a good mixture of tribute band and subject.

41Forever Dec 13 2017 08:52 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

I loved his deep, rock and roll voice and the band's big, fat guitar sound. They even made "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" sound good.

Ashie62 Dec 13 2017 11:02 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

41Forever wrote: I am always amazed by Ashie's music knowledge. Tip of the cap, my friend. Thank you. Last thought here. They say the music you liked at age 17 is where you are headed. For me: NY Dolls Sex Pistols Clash, Iggy, Beatles Stones and Kinks. There are others. I would say that is a common vein to many here and Pat. Be well all.

Edgy MD Dec 14 2017 01:32 AM Re: Guess who died in 2017

Ashie, what are your top 10 Smithereen traxx? Lunchburger, same question.

Ashie62 Dec 14 2017 02:33 AM Re: Guess who died in 2017

OK, From the NJ Retro mod rockers, 1. Only a Memory from Green Thoughts, the tune just keeps turning and winding like a yo-yo 2. A Girl like You from 11, was going to be the signature song for the Say Anything movie but got dumped as producers thought song revealed plot 3. Blood and Rose 1st Album, you all know and it made their biggest paycheck. General Motors bought the song lol. 4. Groovy Tuesday 1st album with Forbert/Mark Johnson (Mt. Tabor) Pure Beach Boys 5. Behind the Wall of Sleep 1st record "She had eyes like Jeannie Shrimpton." Covered well by a snarling Graham Parker 6. Top of the Pops from Blow Up. Very very Kinks three chord loud. Anthem chorus. 7. Yesterdays Girl from 11. My girl left me and I'm clickin my heels. Very Lennon. 8. Just a little Attack of the Smithereens, The band backing the remaining Beau Brummels and it will make you cry. 9. Milk Cow Blues Compilations. Used as a 10 minute encore blowout with all members playing with full chops. Early Kinks did same thing. 10. Sparks from The Tommy cover album. Pretty much a true guitar clinic with a clean mix coming you as if your were in a 3000 seater row 10. And many more.

Rockin' Doc Dec 14 2017 03:07 AM Re: Guess who died in 2017

Sad to hear of Pat DiNizio's passing. I always liked the Smithereens. They were a band that never seemed to gain the popular acclaim they deserved. Tom Petty's passing really shook my world. Tom Petty (and the Heartbreakers) were one of the constants of my music universe, going back to my college days and moving forward through the years until the time of his recent passing. The last few months have not been kind to the musicians that produced so much of the music I listened to for so many years. Their music still populates the playlists and soundscapes I listen to now.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 14 2017 01:11 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

Top of my head: 1. Drown in My Own Tears: Pound for pound as fearsomly powerful as "Girl" but a little less played out. 2. Strangers When We Meet: Side A, Song 1 of the EFY cassette that was passed around among the guys on my floor when the 'reens were still something of a big secret. 3. Wall of Sleep: The desire in words, music and delivery is just so legit. If there was any justice in this world this song would knock off "Stairway" as the greatest song of all time; I mean it's probably the Reens best candidate for that. 4. Beauty and Sadness: It's got a ticket to ride and I don't care. Fantastic opening. 5. Yesterday Girl: Also wastes no time 6. Girl Like You: It's such a good song most people overlook what an obscene display of power it is. AC/DC could cover this. 7. Top of the Pops: Tough and tuneful. 8. Crazy Mixed Up Kid: It hurts to love a girl when she don't even wanna know you 9. Miles from Nowhere: They kinda swung and missed in the grunge era but this would fit anywhere 10. Blue Period: In my life, I love you more

Fman99 Dec 14 2017 01:38 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

I went and listened to a bunch of these songs on the Youtoobs and they're pretty good. Catchy stuff.

Edgy MD Dec 14 2017 02:10 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: 6. Girl Like You: It's such a good song most people overlook what an obscene display of power it is. AC/DC could cover this. If there was any justice in the world, every garage band everywhere would start their career by learning this. The bass fills on the turnarounds in the second half of the song get me every time. Somehow peaked at #38.

Ashie62 Dec 14 2017 03:35 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

Yes it does. JCL picked all winners. I overlooked a couple. I have a version of that "casette" and what he says is true. It was recorded in the Lounge of a Rutgers dormitory. They got paid by the entertainment budget for the dorm. It was fun. They used to hang out at Douglass College at RU so Mesaros could pick up girls. And he did, many lol. My brothers future wife and Ashie1 are the witnesses to this.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 15 2017 03:05 AM Re: Guess who died in 2017

Smithereens deserve their own thread

d'Kong76 Dec 15 2017 01:17 PM Re: Guess who died in 2017

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Smithereens deserve their own thread Net Neutrality too! Hard for me to believe that Especially for You is over thirty years old already. I was thinking yesterday, throwing out my staple go to bands, it's probably the most re-listened-to album I have.

Ashie62 Dec 16 2017 11:50 AM Re: Especially for You: The Smithereens Thread (split from G

Girls About Town was a staple during their time at Kenny's Castaways.

Ashie62 Dec 16 2017 04:29 PM Re: Especially for You: The Smithereens Thread (split from G

Project for 2018. Cover and record and download the Smithereens first record. My chops are finally back. I can do this. Be well.

Ashie62 Dec 18 2017 05:04 PM Re: Especially for You: The Smithereens Thread (split from G

Only A Memory transposed. [url]https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/smithereens/only_a_memory_chords_1129128

Edgy MD Dec 18 2017 10:29 PM Re: Especially for You: The Smithereens Thread (split from G

John Borack of Goldmine adds a top ten of his own that digs pretty deeply after "BtWoS" and "B&R." He includes the particularly obscure (though particularly Beatlesque) "The Long Loneliness," which shares it's title with Dorothy Day's autobiography, and while it may be inspired by that, it seems to be about divorce. [youtube]-WRdrbrjyKs[/youtube]

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 21 2017 12:12 PM Re: Especially for You: The Smithereens Thread (split from G

[youtube:2v1qlr7q]4kvKr1fdhEc[/youtube:2v1qlr7q] This was from their "newest" album. Its as though they're influenced by the Smithereens.