Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Absolutely awesome video, all-Rick lineup:

Very impressive. Is all of the Smithereens' material this strong? Strong melody, well crafted lyrics. And Rickenbacker.

JimK

jimk wrote:Very impressive. Is all of the Smithereens' material this strong? Strong melody, well crafted lyrics. And Rickenbacker.

Absolutely Jim, you really need to check them out. I like the "Especially for You" album (which this song is on), but I know their other albums have some killer material on them as well.

Well, in that case, I think I could get to be a real fan.

JimK

Nice job digging that one up JB! Great cut, well performed, and all Rickies up front!

My favorite Smithereens tune!

Saw them at some long gone club in Windsor Plaza in Houston around then. For you NYC members, it was the same spot, though a different incarnation, where a few Mets were arrested during 1986 playoff series with the Astros.

Some other favorites by the Smiterheens: Blood and Roses, Only a Memory, and A Girl Like You...just to name a few...
I was playing Only a Memory with some friends just last weekend. A 330 and an AC15CC1 did it quite nicely.

Very nice! There's a good bit of video available on YouTube for them. Between this clip and the recent Susanna Hoffs auction, I'm really jonesing for a 350. There's a sweet mapleglo ending tomorrow on ebay that may be worth the effort if the price doesn't rocket in the next 30 hours. (http://cgi.ebay.com/RICKENBACKER-350-MG ... dZViewItem)

Gawd, I miss my 350 jetglo Liverpool. (Casualty of divorce finances...sold it to Bobkat in the late 90's, tho' I doubt he'd remember except it had the HB bridge pu like the SH). But the SH is the ultimate goal: Some people want to be a CEO or US Senator. I just want a pristine Susanna Hoffs Rickenbacker. At the end of the day, when the amp's warmed up and the tone rings out, I have no doubts who the happier person would be.

Speaking of the Smithereens, they're appearing in Philly on 12/21 at the World Cafe Live on Walnut Street. Billed as "Christmas with the Smithereens," I'm a little nervous about the novelty twist they seem to have taken lately. While their "Meet the Smithereens" Beatles cover album was fun, it was sort of unnecessary. (I thought it would have been better if the lead vocals were in the right speaker and the backing track was in the left like the old Capital stereo mixes.) But, they're superb musicians and hopefully the RIckenbackers will make an appearance. (Though it appears that recently Pat Dinunzio has been endorsing Fenders, despite their appearance at last year's RIC 75th party...partial clip below.)

.....Lordy, If I were to jump around like that I'd bring a 6.7 on the Richter scale.....

I've been a Smithereens fan ever since I saw them in Boston in 1991. Great song and some lovely Rickenbackers on display!

Thanks for resurrecting an old thread with the awesome video and their triple Rickenbacker line-up !
I hadn't seen that video in awhile and they are fantastic.

I think Pat Dinizio play a Strato nowadays

I saw them around this time probably at the Chestnut Cabaret in Philly. They tune to Eb and they were quite powerful and loud. Jim Babjak is a tasty wailer who never overplays, in and out and supportive. First time I ever heard a Rickenbacker through a Marshall. Meeting them later, they were all sweethearts and willing to share their encyclopedic knowledge on music and the arts in general.

I recommend the first EP "Beauty and Sadness, its lower fi and amazing, very Beatlely. I am also the proud owner of a 45rpm called "Girls about Town" a 4 song ep with a version of "Girl don't tell me" (Beach Boys) on it.
I saw them a few years ago, and Jim was using a butterscotch Tele and Pat had a Silver sparkly Casino with a Bigsby.

Mike Mesaros bass intro in Blood and Roses, is probably as important as Graham Mabe's line in "Is she Really going out with him" he he

tristanbacker wrote:I think Pat Dinizio play a Strato nowadays

Yes, I played his Strat, it has big heavy flatwounds on it, some kind of hot rail pickup at the bridge, and a piezo.

I was lucky enough to see them FOR FREE at the local casino, just a few months back!

I was blown away, they played a TINY BAR in the casino, it only sat like 75 people!

Never saw them before, but they played butts off.

It was weird, it wasn't promoted. If the Mrs wasn't on the mailing list, we'd have missed them. They only gave like a 24 hour notice!

The ONLY way to see a show!