Jim Babjak (The Smithereens)

Podcast: Caropop · Mark Caro

Opublikowano: 2026-10-01

Smithereens guitarist Jim Babjak shared a love of the British Invasion and Beach Boys with classmate and drummer (and previous Caropop guest) Dennis Diken when they teamed up with bassist Mike Mesaros and signed on singer-songwriter-guitarist Pat DiNizio. Babjak describes this New Jersey power-pop group’s rise, fall and current resurgence as a live band featuring a rotating roster of lead singers substituting for the late DiNizio, including previous Caropop guests Marshall Crenshaw, John Cowsill and Wesley Stace. Who wrote the indelible riffs for songs such as “Only a Memory” and “A Girl Like You”? How did Babjak gain confidence...