My Insipid Record Collection – The Smithereens

I’m on my way out the door for a Christmas Party, but I felt like posting before  go.  I was having Green Thoughts.   If you are like me, you gotta love The Smithereens.   I remember when WBCN DJ Tami Heide came into a CD store I used to manage looking for a copy of The Smithereens’ Especially For You back in 1986.  I had yet to hear the single “Blood and Roses,” but I knew Tami somewhat from Emerson College and I had worked with her at WBCN on some remotes as well so I had a feeling she was onto something.  Tami went on to DJ at the legendary KROQ in Los Angeles for some 15 years beginning in 1991, but I kind of lost track of her career.   The reason I mention her at all is because she was the first person to tell me about The Smithereens and I remember having to tell her we didn’t have the CD in stock at the time.

I’m from New Jersey, as are The Smithereens, but that has nothing to do with my affinity for these guys.  Caught between Blues and Garage, Alternative and Classic Rock, The Smithereens have faded pretty badly over the years.  I guess you could say they had the “Blue Before And After” becoming a sensation in the late 80′s.  Ouch.  From 1986′s Especially For You through 1988′s Green Thoughts through 1989′s 11 and 1991′s Blow Up, The Smithereens fun and friendly garage rock was all over the radio.  WFNX and WBCN played the heck out of them locally, but they had quite a run.  I remember seeing them at least four times that I can verify.  The first was April 13, 1990 at The Orpheum Theatre in Boston.   The second was at Boston Garden November 22, 1991.  That was a WBCN sponsored show according to my ticket stub.  I then saw them play at The Orpheum again April 15, 1992.  The last time I saw them was on April 26, 1995 at the Aerosmith sponsored Mama Kin Music Hall.  I believe, if memory serves, that date turned out to be Opening Day due to the MLB work stoppage that year.  Nice double bill huh?  And get these ticket prices; $19, $0, $20, and $10.  Are you kidding me?  I’ve spent more than $50 on lesser bands.

The Smithereens rocked.   They were a lot of fun in concert.   Opening Day or not, I apparently witnessed a 9-0 white washing of The Minnesota Twins earlier that day.  No kidding, I just looked it up.  Aaron Sele over Scott Erickson.   Mike Greenwell had four hits.  Mo Vaughan had three.  Jose Canseco even had two.   The Twins?   Two hits.  I wonder how many beers I drank that day right?   ZZZZZ.   The Smithereens?   They were great.  The now defunct Mama Kin’s Music Hall was a long narrow bar that was tough to penetrate if it was busy.  I didn’t have to actually see lead singer Pat DiNizio for my $10 did I?   I can imagine not being entirely refreshed from such an exciting ball game, but I did live close enough at the time to go home, take a load off and shower so it’s hard to say what actually happened that day.  I do know I had fun.  I always do.  It was a no brainer to tack The Smithereens on that night.

“Blood and Roses” put The Smithereens on the map in 1986, but they had a killer track you’re all probably sick of called “Behind The Wall of Sleep” that hit the ground running like a bat out of hell.  I had to know who Jeannie Shrimpton was as soon as I heard the lyric.   The British 1960′s Supermodel impressed me as soon as I laid eyes on her photograph, but I had faith in my boys.   Sometimes I think black and white photos are sexier than color.  All those old photos of Mick and Britt…rock star has to be the best occupation on the planet no?   Male or female.  She held a bass guitar and she was playing in a band, and she stood just like Bill Wyman, now I am her biggest fan…I love everything about that tune though I’ve heard it many times.

By 1988 The Smithereens had a following of sorts.  Then they released Green Thoughts and three more hits rolled off the assembly line; “Only a Memory” was followed quickly by “Drown in My Own Tears” and “The House We Used To Live In” and “Green Thoughts.”  1989′s 11 produced “A Girl Like You, Blues Before And After, Baby Be Good, and Yesterday Girl.”  1991′s Blow Up gave us “Top of The Pops, Too Much Passion, Indigo Blues, and Girl in Room 12″  That is pretty solid production per release.   I’m a sucker for the Blues, Garage Rock and most anything that blurs the Alternative and Classic Rock line so these guys were always an easy sell for me.

The Smithereens are still kicking if you can believe it.  They just released a cover CD of The Who’s Tommy which I intend to pick up.  I was listening to their Christmas CD the other day when their version of The Who song “Christmas” from Tommy can bounding out of the speakers.   It was a bit too close to the original, but since I loved the original it’s hard to find fault here.  I have to run now, but I just wanted to say for a good time call or go see The Smithereens.  I’m sure they are still excellent live.

The Smithereens – Drown in My Own Tears.mp3

The Smithereens – Only a Memory.mp3

The Smithereens – Only a Memory.mp3 YSI

www.officialsmithereens.com

Buy or download The Smithereens’ Green Thoughts on Amazon here.