Pat DiNizo Helps Bands During Their Lean Years

FEATURE

by Tom Lounges?

Pat DiNizo –– the Jersey-born and bred rocker who fronts The Smithereens and who penned such classic alt-rock foundation songs in the 1980s as “Blood And Roses,” “A Girl Like You,” “Behind The Wall of Sleep,” “Only A Memory” and “House We Used To Live In”  –– is one very busy man these days.     

What’s costing him sleep is not just the day to day business of being a rock star, but his diligent efforts to sharewith other musicians, the musical dream that has enriched his own life so much.  In short, to help make them “stars” in their own right.

 To that end, DiNizo hosts a groundbreaking music show (8 pm-12 am) Monday thru Friday on the revolutionary new radio format – XM Satellite Radio.  What makes his 24-hour station so unique is made clear in its name, “XM Unsigned.”    

 “We are the only radio station in the world devoted solely to the music of unsigned bands and wholly open to accepting unsolicited CDs.  We are there to expose the music of emerging artists and independent labels.  There’s no fees, no contracts, and no strings,” said DiNizio. 

 “I have unsigned bands as guests and we play live on the air almost every night,” he continued.  “I know how hard it is to get a break and how horrible [conventional] ‘terrestrial radio’ is today.” 

While XM Satellite Radio and may still not be affordable for everyone, DiNizio feels it soon will be embraced by the masses.  “GM cars are now coming standard equipped with XM radio receivers,” he crowed.  “What does that tell you?  XM is really growing very fast.  People love the variety and the fact that most stations are commercial free.”   

Add to his radio exploits, that DiNizio is a spokesperson and the Chairman of the Talent Advisory Board for B.E.A.M.  (Benefitting Emerging Artists in Music), a foundation funded by whiskey maker, Jim Beam. 

 “We give away $100,000 a year in grants to musicians and bands,” he explained.   “There was a case recently where a group used a lap top computer to keep in contact with their fans and it got stolen.  We bought them a new lap top and got them back in touch with their fan base.  If a band has finished recording and mixing their songs, but ran out of money to press up their CDs, we might help them out.  Or if a band gets their gear stolen, we might help them out.”

 Artists need only to petition DiNizio and his board members with their plight to be considered for B.E.A.M. assistance and snag one of the 50-60 free grants given out with no strings attached each fiscal year. 

  “We look carefully at every applicant and help the ones who seem to need the most help,” he said.  “Artists just need to log on the www.jimbeam.com web site to find the application and information.

 Of course, the singer/guitarist/songwriter is still passionately involved in his own musical career and performs about eight concerts a month with The Smithereens, the band he co-founded in 1980 with drummer Dennis Diken, bassist Mike Mesaros and guitarist Jim Babjak.   

     “The thought of traveling on a bus from city to city for months on end may sound appealing and fun, but I can tell you that it’s not,” said DiNizio on why his band usually limits it’s live shows to strictly weekends, except during festival season.  “Being on tour so much is not a very healthy way to live,” he adds. 

     The veteran rocker says he is always excited about coming to Chicagoland for gigs such as their July 2 performance at the Hobart Jaycee Fest, where fans will be treated to 90-minutes of the Smithereens’ catchy Beatlesque garage rock stylings.   

“The Chicago market has always been good to the Smithereens,” he said.  “We’ve always had a good time there and I expect we will again.”

 When he is not dusting off the old hits and fan favorites with his lifelong chums, DiNizio is out doing solo acoustic shows which are part of what he calls his “Living Room Tour.”    

For this he performs Smithereens music and assorted other songs that strike his fancy in the homes, living rooms, backyards and basements of Smithereens fans who request he visit them for “a quiet evening of good music and good cheer at home.”

 While he eschews the usual club grind that most musicians endure, he is still a frequent guest at venues in and around his stomping grounds of New Jersey and New York.  “I’m not too fond of playing clubs. I prefer doing the house parties where the people whose house it is can be my opening act, and where people can get up and sing with me and have fun.” 

     DiNizio says he is always jotting down ideas for new songs, which he sits down to write during the winter months. At the time of our interview, he was fine-tuning tunes for what will eventually become the next Smithereens album.  

     “I have no idea when we might actually get around to putting a new album out,” he said, “but I do know that when we do finally do it, the next album will be a little more upbeat and happier than the last couple we’ve done.  Those were kind of dark.” 

The Midwest BEAT welcomes The Smithereens to

Hobart Jaycee Fest on Tuesday, July 2 @ 6:00 p.m.

(Author’s Note:  Unsigned bands wanting to submit their music to XM Unsigned should send it to: XM Unsigned, 1500 Eckington Place N.E., Washington, DC 20002)

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