New Jersey Hall of Fame power pop act The Smithereens will return December 7 to Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center for a homecoming concert. Guest vocalists and longtime friends Robin Wilson of Gin Blossoms and Marshall Crenshaw will join the Carteret-raised guitarist Jim Babjak, drummer Dennis Diken, and bassist Mike Mesaros.
Inducted in the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2018 with Pat DiNizio – their late, great, co-founding singer-songwriter-guitarist –The Smithereens also have been inducted into the Long Island Hall of Fame and the White Castle Hall of Fame. (The latter is because of the song “White Castle Blues” that Jimmy wrote with Carteret High School friend Bob Banta.)
The first time The Smithereens played the Carteret Arts Center was for the state-of-the-art venue’s grand opening in December 2021. Since then, the center’s schedule has included other New Jersey Hall of Fame acts, such as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Max Weinberg, and Gloria Gaynor.
Tickets to the 8:00 p.m. Smithereens show at Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center are $39.50 to $59.50. Enjoy the following chat with Dennis, who, in addition to be a sought-after drummer, is a DJ and a music historian.
What are you looking forward to most about the homecoming gig at Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center?
Every time we play Carteret, it is a homecoming. Fortunately, a lot of friends come out for it. It makes us feel good. It’s almost like going to a high school reunion. Typically, we have at least 12 to 20 old friends show up, so that’s always something I look forward to very much.
We had great time in high school, and grammar school, too. We were really fortunate – and I say this lot – that the class we went through school with was an exceptionally talented, bright, witty, and fun-loving group of kids. We fed off the creative energy and are thankful for attending school in Carteret. I went to Lincoln School, where I met Mike Mesaros, and Carteret High School, where I met Jimmy. We’ve maintained quite a few friendships with those ties. I guess life gets in the way, but we speak to people all over the place who weren’t as fortunate or just didn’t make the opportunity to stay together with old friends, but we did.
That block where the PAC is now is where once stood place called Little Klein’s, a candy store that sold magazines and models, and you could build stationary and school supplies. It’s a place where we rode our bikes to buy Mad magazine and fan magazines. It was a real mainstay for us. The fact that we’re going back to that block and performing – fulfilling our childhood dreams – really is remarkable. It’s never lost on me every time I go there that it was a place where we would hang out as kids dreaming of being in band, and here we are doing it in that spot.
When Peter Noone played there, I brought a copy of 16 Magazine that I had bought at Little Klein’s. I bought it to show him the meaning of that location for us. It was a cool moment of coming full circle, I guess I would say.
What do you like most about Carteret PAC?
There’s a lot to like. When they were first talking about building a performing arts center in Carteret in that area, I thought of Benny the Barber, which was right there, and the bakery. Back then, Carteret had so many bakeries. It’s a very cool spot. When I first heard the news, I thought, “Well, that’s good,” but my boyhood image of that area made it somewhat of a surprise or an eye opener to use that this wonderful theater could be built there. But then, the Ritz Theatre was a movie theater there, too.
What I like most is that it’s state-of-the-art, as good as it gets really. They did right with the acoustics. There are no bugaboos there that don’t sound good. They really did it right. Even the side boxes sound great and there are great site lines. As a performer, you always get treated really wonderfully there. Everything from the backstage to crew people who work there is the way it should be. It’s like a dream gig – and I’m not just saying that out of school spirit. I mean that the monitors are great, the PA is great, the crew is the way it should. Performers should know that if coming to Carteret, they are going to have a good time. Audiences appreciate that, as well. In addition to playing there, I’ve seen a number of shows, and it’s always pleasure for me and a pleasure for the entire audience.
I’ve seen Peter Noone there and a fifties kind of show with multiple acts, like an oldies show. I’m also hoping to see Engelbert Humperdinck.
What’s your most fond memory of growing up in Carteret?
The group of kids we went to school with was really great, and even the teachers sensed it. After this class graduated, a teacher intimated that things wouldn’t quite be the same. I fell into place with this group of kids. The spirit in the town always has been for me that I experienced openness and fun, and the people got along. I have great memories of having great kids to hang out with. Even the kids who didn’t go to our school – the kids who went to parochial schools — everybody just got along and had fun. There was a sense of fun and optimism.
The only thing we didn’t’ have was a record store. That was a little bit of a downer. I don’t think Woodbridge had one either. Rahway did, but I couldn’t just ride my bike to the local record store. Although we did have W.T. Grant, which was a large five-and-dime store that had a large record department. It was by the entrance to the Turnpike, where CVS is now. They had records. I always accompanied my Dad whenever he went grocery shopping so I could check out the records and coerce him to buy for me a 45 or an LP.
How old were you when you started playing drums?
I started teaching myself around two or three. I picked up Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs; part of the building kits started as my drumsticks. I would watch American Bandstand every day. That was coming out of Philadelphia every afternoon. I was captivated by rock and roll bands. I remember Christmas 1959 and getting my first toy tom-tom. I would use coffee cans with lids. I desired when I was very young to be a drummer watching American Bandstand and listening to “The Twist” and other hits of 1960 or 1961. I was really drawn to the rhythm of the records. I kept teaching myself, and, in 1968, I got my first kit.
I was so fortunate to have a garden of delights on American radio. There was so much diversity in the programming from country music to easy listening. Stuff like “A Taste of Honey” by Herb Albert with Hal Blaine, who was part of The Wrecking Crew, on drums. He was a great drummer, had such tasty groove, and his fills on there are so swinging. So there were all these different things on the radio to learn from and be inspired by. It was a great time to be a young musician.
When you started playing drums, did you think you’d still be playing at 67?
Absolutely! I knew when I was kid that by hook or by crook, that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to play drums, but I thought I was gonna be a DJ. I loved playing records. There were so many very witty and cool DJs on New York radio. Dan Ingram – he was the king, so quick-witted, imaginative, and funny, and he presented records we loved.
Cousin Brucie would be on. (Bob) ‘Bob-a-loo Lewis. When Dan Ingram was on, I’d switch on the transistor. I didn’t drink coffee because that was my adrenal ignitor: listening on the way to school on my transistor with the little ear buds. I really wanted to be a DJ and wanted to play drums, too.
I met Jimmy in high school. Coming from Lincoln School to Carteret High School was a much larger student body. I was looking for a guitar player for my band. The first day of school in September 1971 in the first period in Earth Science class, he was in the first row and I was in the second row. Here was this kid with the Beatle-ly haircut, and he had this notebook with color photos of The Who. I was thinking, “Maybe this guy plays guitar. I should introduce myself.” We started playing together that week. There’s nothing cooler than playing in a band with friends, playing music you knew was going to take you anywhere you needed to go. We didn’t need any training. We just had the spirit and desire to learn together.
Both of us knew Mike in grammar school. I went to the same grammar school going back to third grade. Jimmy went to Nathan Hale, but he knew Mike because they attended St. Elizabeth Church together. That’s where Jimmy got married. I had my first date with my wife-to-be at Jimmy’s wedding!
Why have The Smithereens endured?
There’s really only one clear answer: people still want to hear us. We couldn’t do it without the audience. It’s as simple as that. That music still has meaning for people who come out and support us. There’s no reason not to play.
The other part is, I don’t know how to do anything else, but that’s true of any band or performer or comedian or anyone in arts in any business. We offer something to the public that nourishes. It has meaning for them, and that’s what they want to survive. I guess it’s in the music, the way we play.
The real essence of The Smithereens sound, to me, is I hit the snare and Jimmy strikes a chord – there’s something inherent in that sound. That’s true of any band for my money that has a unique sound that has something to offer. It’s part of the appeal. We do still play like we’re kids. If we’ve have had a tough day or we’re not feeling well or traveling is wearing us down, as soon as it’s show time, we hit the stage, it all drifts away, and we feel like we’re 14 again. We play that way, and I don’t think that comes without having spirit.
As long as we maintain that spirit even after all these years – and it’ll be 45 years in 2025 that we’ve been together – I don’t think we could have kept this going if we didn’t have that desire, that spirit to play music like we did when we were kids. I’m just hoping we’ve gotten better since then.
How did it feel to be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame?
Great! I wish my parents were alive to see it. There I was every day banging away in the basement. Eventually, we did have success. In the summer of 1988 we were opening for Squeeze on tour, and one of the dates was at Brendan Byrne Arena. Even though Squeeze was the headliner, it was a homecoming show for us. Our second album, Green Thoughts, was out. Our parents were there and old school mates. It was a golden moment for the band, really.
The New Jersey Hall of Fame seemed like validation, to be recognized, seeing our picture on the Parkway in rest stops, being inducted along such great people, like The Four Seasons, Leslie Gore, Albert Einstein, and Frank Sinatra. It’s validation, and it just feels great.
I love New Jersey. It’s such a misunderstood state. A lot of people don’t realize that it has everything: beautiful forests, farmland, beaches, mountains, and then it’s got its industrial side, too, which I dig. There’s a lot of ethnicity, which is great. There are great people in Jersey. They’re no nonsense. Carteret was a microcosm about what is great about New Jersey. Looking back, and still to this day, Carteret Park is such a wonderful respite. It’s such a nice large hunk of land – more than I think a town the size of Carteret typically has. I love Carteret Park and grew up within reach of it. There are still so many people there to enjoy it because it’s so great on so many levels.
In addition to having great kids we grew up with, we actually had really cool teachers who encouraged our creativity and gave us a lot of leeway to help with projects that weren’t just book learning. They helped us write plays and film projects, many of which I’ll never forget as long as I live.
Do you think The Smithereens will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
No, I don’t think so. We can live in hope, and that would be great. As long as we keep hope alive.
Jimmy and I also are inducted to the White Caste Hall of Fame. He wrote “White Castle Blues” with Bob Banta from Carteret. We’re also in the Long Island Hall of Fame because we have a presence there. It’s a bit of a stretch, but I’ll take whatever I can get.
All those things are wonderful ways of reaching people as artists and musicians. The goal is to have a career where you make money, but ultimately, what you want is to reach people with what you do, inject joy in their life, and hopefully make them forget their troubles. All these recognitions are achievements, and they’re a great thing, but when we hit that stage, we have fun, and it’s that sense of fun that we connect with people, that we’re in the same boat as a lot of our audience.
Another cool thing is that a lot folks who come to see us attended our shows in their college days. They since grew up, had careers and families and many empty nesters come back to see us. Sometimes they bring their kids – or grandkids, in some cases – and have the time of their lives. It’s a beautiful thing.
What impact have Marshall and Robin had on The Smithereens?
While recordings and live performances of our songs with Pat’s vocals will always remain definitive, we learned from working with Marshall and Robin that The Smithereens catalog can be artfully interpreted by other voices. I think that’s a testament to the enduring quality of the material.
When will The Smithereens be releasing a next album and/or single?
We’re working on material. Jimmy and I are writing a lot. We recorded a few tracks already and are going to get back into the studio in November or early next year. We’ll have an album out in 2025 for sure.
These days, it’s pretty easy to do it yourself. With a record company, the main thing you want is some promotion, so we’re going to hire people to do that. It remains to be seen. Most likely, we’ll put it out through our own energy and our own auspices.
Will you be playing any new songs on December 7 in Carteret?
No, but we do plan to have some surprises, so we’ll keep it at that.
You sometimes play in Hoboken legend James Mastro’s band. What do you enjoy most about playing with James?
A lot of things. First of all, James is a dear friend and a great songwriter; one of the coolest guys I’ve ever known, so much fun to be around. I love playing his songs. They feel and groove differently than The Smithereens. The band is great with Tony Shanahan on bass. I love playing with him. Chris Robinson is on guitar. There’s great camaraderie with that band. It gelled quickly, and we hit the ground running. It come off really well. It’s fun, good music, fun to play. The songs are great.
Are you still working with Dave Davies?
No, I haven’t heard from Dave. I don’t know if he’s performing these days. I did do a couple of tours with him. Talk about fun and coming full circle – I remember buying “You Really Got Me” at Grants when it came out in ’64. Getting to play with Dave was a real thrill. We played a gig in 2015, and Ray Davies joined us on one song. It was the first time they’d played together in 19 years. My wife was there in the audience, snapped a photo, posted it to Facebook just as it was happening, and the Internet went ablaze. The Smithereens played with both Ray and Dave back in ’91 or ’92 at a show in Boston Garden. We learned so much from The Kinks. I admire them so much. To actually immerse myself in their world as a performer is stuff you dream about when you’re a kid.
Are you touring and/or recording with anyone else?
Not so much. I did a fun session with singer-songwriter Ed Seifert. Syd Straw was singing.
I love playing with musicians I don’t normally play with in regular gigs. I was the house drummer at the Trouser Press 50th anniversary party. We were early fans of the magazine. I bought the first issue outside the Garden when The Who were playing in 1974. Ira Robbins called to put a band together to play the party. It was a lot of fun.
Do you have any music history projects coming up, like liner notes or books?
I’ve contributed to books. I’m co-producing what promises to be an epic series for the podcast Discografitti, an amazing podcast hosted and created by Dave Gabroe. We are embarking on a 100-plus episode deep dive into The Beach Boys. We’re calling it ‘The Emotional History of Beach Boys.’ I don’t know how many people we’re interviewing from the Beach Boys universe. It’s a labor of love and really turning into quite an expedition that be pretty illuminating. We’re talking to people about how they were involved in The Beach Boys, the band, their lives, and careers – trying to get more to the emotional side of how things came together. I’m really excited about it.
We’re only getting rolling now. We have a few interviews done. I imagine the first couple of episodes might drop at the end of year or early next year. You can heart it wherever you hear podcasts.
I do have a duo called Two Guys that was inspired by the dearly department store. Ed Alstrom and myself play keyboards and drums. Ed is an insanely talented musician who can play anything from liturgical church music to be-bop. On the weekends, he’s the organist at Yankee Stadium. We play mostly fifties and sixties and some seventies. We both sing. He has a knack for making his keyboard sound like orchestra, which is something I really love. We should book the venue downstairs at the Carteret Performing Arts Center!
Are you still DJ on WFMU?
No. I started a show, Denny’s Den, on the Rock ‘n’ Soul stream of WFMU. That fulfilled a childhood dream. I was a staff member as a fill-in and then I got my own show, which was really fun, but I had to take a break because it was time consuming, but I’d like to get back to it. For right now, people can find the archives.
I get calls to do it, but I’ve been too busy. One of these days, I’ll go back to it. I really do miss it. It’s an outgrowth of the love I had for records as a kid. I never stopped loving records, learning about new music.
WFMU is a great radio station that’s completely free form. I still learn new things every week, new music that’s not known. I get excited listening to the station.
That’s so cool you got to fulfill both of your childhood dreams to be a drummer and a DJ.
It really is. I’m really grateful for everything. If The Smithereens didn’t have an audience, there’s no way we could continue, but we’re doing what we do thanks to them. It’s something I don’t take lightly. We grew up being fans so we know what it’s like being in an audience enthralled by the music and art that we love. The fact that people really dig us, and what we do has meaning for them, is really gratifying.
We do our best to keep Pat’s spirit alive in each show. We feel him with us, his spirit, by virtue of the songs we play. We put that feel in the music that always shared with him.
Is there anything I didn’t ask on which you would like to comment?
Louis Prima is a sax player who summed it up: “It’s nice to be important, but much more important to be nice.”
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