The Smithereens

Rock-music veterans whose careers span almost thirty years, The Smithereens' members combine the sounds of Buddy Holly and The Beatles with shades of metal and prog-rock.

Pat DiNizio started The Smithereens in New Jersey in the late '70s, and the band became a staple of the New York bar scene with its mixture of Britpop, classic oldies and hard rock. Finally, in 1986, the group enjoyed a major breakthrough with the hit single "Blood and Roses" from Especially for You. Shortly thereafter, The Smithereens signed a major-label deal and scored a hit with "Smithereens 11." They released Meet the Smithereens, an album covering Meet the Beatles in its entirety in 2007. Their new album, Smithereens 2011, was released in April on Entertainment One Music.

Hear the band in concert, recorded live from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia in 2007 at NPR.org/music.