Lost and Found

In the 80s, the UK had The Smiths – America had The Smithereens: an emblematic fourpiece 60s-referencing college radio/alt-indie band combining elements of girl group pop and beat-era rock; melodic with hints of mayhem. And, as Bill Kopp reports, New Jersey’s forgotten heroes are still out there, doing it…

- By Bill Kopp

Beginning with their major-label debut, 1986’s Especially for You, New Jersey quartet The Smithereens enjoyed widespread critical acclaim and a degree of commercial success. The band’s trademark synthesis of diverse influences – beat-era rock, girl group pop and heavy metal thunder a la Black Sabbath – came together to create a distinctive, powerful, and melodic sound. Especially For You rose to No 5 on the UK indie chart; its follow-up, 1988’s Green Thoughts, made it to the No 7 spot.

But as the record industry (and popular tastes) changed, the group found themselves dropped by one label, and signed with another. They went from self-released records to deals with Enigma, then Capitol, RCA, Velvel, Koch and eOne. And during a period between labels, the group recorded an album’s worth of topnotch material that would languish in the vaults for nearly 30 years. Finally released late last year, The Lost Album shows a band without a record deal that’s nonetheless writing and playing at the top of their game.

With more than a dozen superb albums to their credit, the core band continues to the present day. Bassist Mike Mesaros left the group in 2006 but returns on occasion; the rest of the time, longtime Smithereens fan, Severo “The Thrilla” Jornacion, takes over on bass. Lead singer Pat DiNizio passed away in 2017; since then, the band has enlisted longtime friends Marshall Crenshaw or Robin Wilson (Gin Blossoms) to fill the lead vocal spot. Along with live dates, The Smithereens are currently working on new material. And while the group have been together for more than 43 years, their musical beginnings extend back much farther.