PAT DiNIZIO,
1955-2017

Pat DiNizio, singer, songwriter and guitarist for power-pop rock band The Smithereens, died Tuesday. He was 62.

The group announced his passing on their web site but gave no details. DiNizio had several health problems including a debilitating nervous disorder that had led to multiple falls the last few years. They were scheduled to resume live performances in January.

The band formed in Carteret, N.J., where DiNizio met bandmates Jim Babjak, Mike Mesaros and Dennis Diken while in high school. DiNizio was a Beatles fan who became enamored of Black Sabbath after the release of their debut in 1970; in the early days of The Smithereens they jammed on songs by The Kinks and The Who.

The melodic sense they scooped up from British Invasion band—coupled with a New Jersey- bred street-wise toughness—gave The Smithereens a uniquely brash sound and lyrical darkness that contrasted with much of mid-‘80s college rock radio where DiNizio and the band built an audience on songs such as “Blood and Roses,” “Behind the Wall of Sleep” and “Only a Memory.”

The three musicians, who would be in The Smithereens for more than two decades, released a statement that read: “Today we mourn the loss of our friend, brother and bandmate Pat DiNizio. Pat had the magic touch. He channeled the essence of joy and heartbreak into hook-laden three minute pop songs infused with a lifelong passion for rock & roll. Our journey with Pat was long, storied and a hell of a lot of fun. We grew up together.”

They released EPs in 1980 and 1983 before signing with Enigma, which was then aligned with Capitol. Their debut, Especially for You, went Top 5 on the indie charts soon after its release in 1986 on the strength of “Blood and Roses” and “Behind the Wall of Sleep.”

They had their greatest commercial success with their third album, 11, produced by Ed Stasium and featuring the Modern Rock hits “Girl Like You,” “Blues Before and After” and “Yesterday Girl.” The album hit #41.

The Smithereens moved to RCA or an album before intermittently making records for independent labels.

DiNizio released his first of four solo album in 1997, Songs and Sounds, on Walter Yetnikoff’s Velvel label. He spent the early 2000s in a variety of newsworthy efforts: He ran for Senate in New Jersey; he did solo shows in fans’ homes; was a programmer for XM satellite radio; and created a Buddy Holly tribute act.

He also tried out for a minor league baseball team as an attempt to recover from his nervous disorder and become the oldest rookie ever in baseball. His story was captured in the documentary 7th Inning Stretch.