Not every veteran band can survive and still thrive after the loss of their lead singer/songwriter, but in the case of the Smithereens — that’s the frequency, Kenneth. Founded back in 1980 in New Jersey, the Smithereens have delivered bristling, British Invasion-style pop/rock for 45 years now. With the death of leader Pat DiNizio in 2017, the remaining original bandmates, Jim Babjak on guitar, Dennis Diken on drums and Mike Mesaros on bass, rallied and have used guest vocalists since then.
Marshall Crenshaw and Robin Wilson (Gin Blossoms) both traded guest turns touring as lead singer for the Smithereens — and now John Cowsill, from his ’60s family band namesake the Cowsills, has joined as this tour’s guest vocalist. This makes sense since the Smithereens’ relationship with Cowsill goes back to the early ’90s when they met and Cowsill sang harmony vocals on their Blow Up record.
Early in the college radio ’80s scene, the Smithereens melded the jangle pop of their British heroes, like the Beatles and the Kinks, with a harder-edged, alt-rock sound to create an inimitable Mersey by way of Jersey music.
In their prime, the Smithereens toured and held their own with classic acts like the Ramones, Tom Petty and Lou Reed. The quartet even basked in some Top 40 hit success in that era with “A Girl Like You” and “Too Much Passion,” vital singles still played live today.
But after losing DiNizio, their main songwriter, almost a decade ago, the Smithereens have since released a few covers compilations featuring songs by the Beach Boys, Springsteen and other influences.
With their 45th anniversary in mind this year, Diken recently spoke to The Sharp Notes about their legacy and remembering DiNizio: “Yes, I still think he’s with us in a certain sense. I think we’re keeping his music, our music alive. Every time we hit the stage, we’re keeping his memory alive. We’re keeping his spirit going, and the songs deserve to live on, and they still resonate with our audience. … We’re grateful that after 45 years of doing this, there still is a very dedicated and loyal fan base that come out to our shows.”
The Smithereens play the Ludlow Garage on Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. More info: ludlowgaragecincinnati.com.
This story is featured in CityBeat’s Aug. 6 print edition.
This article appears in Jul 23 – Aug 5, 2025.