''Attack of the Smithereens'' is a rarities

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

by The Smithereens, released in 1995 by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

. It contains a number of B-sides and rare tracks as well as previously unreleased demos and live recordings.

Track listing

Adapted from the album's liner notes. All songs by Pat DiNizio, except where noted. #"Here Come the Smithereens" – 0:28 #*1945

Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith (Smith College ...

women's choir #"

Girl Don't Tell Me "Girl Don't Tell Me" is a song written by Brian Wilson for the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on July 5, 1965, on the album ''Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)''. It was later included as the B-side of the group's single "Barbara Ann" ...

" (Live) (

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...

) – 2:32 #*Previously unreleased; recorded live in March 1980 at Englander's Bar,

Hillside, New Jersey Hillside is a township in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's population was 21,404, reflecting a decline of 343 (−1.6%) from the 21,747 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in ...

. #"Girls About Town" – 2:48 #*From the '' Girls About Town'' EP; released 31 October 1980; recorded August–September 1980 at Chelsea Sound Studios,

New York City, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. #"Time and Time Again" (Band demo) – 2:31 #*Previously unreleased; recorded February 1980 at Quality Sound Studio,

Plainfield, New York Plainfield is a town in Otsego County, New York, United States. The population was 915 at the 2010 census. The Town of Plainfield is located in the northwestern corner of Otsego County. History The town was first settled ''circa'' 1793, ...

. #" Don't Be Cruel" (Live) (

Otis Blackwell Otis Blackwell (February 16, 1931 – May 6, 2002) was an American songwriter whose work influenced rock and roll. His compositions include "Fever" (recorded by Little Willie John), "Great Balls of Fire" and " Breathless" (recorded by Jerry Le ...

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

) – 2:41 #*Otis Blackwell backed by The Smithereens; previously unreleased; recorded live 1983 at

Folk City Gerdes Folk City, sometimes spelled Gerde's Folk City, was a music venue in the West Village, part of Greenwich Village, Manhattan, in New York City. Initially opened by owner Mike Porco as a restaurant called Gerdes, it eventually began to presen ...

, New York City. #" Hang Ten High" (

Dominic Frontiere Dominic Carmen Frontiere (June 17, 1931 – December 21, 2017) was an American composer, arranger, and jazz accordionist. He composed the theme and much of the music for the first season of the television series '' The Outer Limits'', as wel ...

) – 2:15 #*From the various artists compilation album ''The East Coast 60's Rock & Roll Experiment''; released in 1986; recorded summer 1982 at Rock Bite Studios, New York City. #"Tracey's World" (Live) – 4:24 #*Previously unreleased; in-store live performance recorded 1 October 1983 at Capitol Records record store,

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

. #" Blood and Roses" (Demo) – 1:18 #*Previously unreleased; recorded January 1985 at Pat's apartment, New York City #"Blood and Roses" (Band demo) – 3:23 #*Previously unreleased; recorded 1985 at Pat's Dad's house,

Scotch Plains, New Jersey Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. The township is located on a ridge in northern- central New Jersey, within the Raritan Valley and Rahway Valley regions in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 201 ...

#" Just a Little" (Live) ( Ron Elliott, Bob Durand) – 2:43 #*

Sal Valentino Sal Valentino (born Salvatore Spampinato; September 8, 1942) is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter, best known as lead singer of The Beau Brummels, subsequently becoming a songwriter as well. The band released a pair of top 20 U.S. ...

and

Declan Mulligan John Declan Mulligan (April 4, 1938 – November 2, 2021) was an Irish-born American rock musician, singer and songwriter, best known as a guitarist of rock band The Beau Brummels in the 1960s. Life and career Mulligan was born in Fethard, Coun ...

The Beau Brummels The Beau Brummels was an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino (lead vocals), Ron Elliott (lead guitar), Ron Meagher (bass guitar), Declan Mulligan (rhythm guitar, bass, harmo ...

backed by The Smithereens; previously unreleased; recorded live autumn 1985 at

Irving Plaza Irving Plaza (known through sponsorship as Irving Plaza, powered by Klipsch and formerly known as the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza) is a ballroom-style music venue located within the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. ...

, New York City #" The Seeker" (

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townsh ...

) – 3:20 #*B-side to " Only a Memory", released 6 April 1988; recorded spring 1987 at the

Record Plant The Record Plant is a recording studio established in New York City in 1968 and currently operating in Los Angeles, California. Known for innovations in the recording artists' workspace, it has produced highly influential albums, including Blon ...

, New York City. #"

Yesterday Girl ''Yesterday Girl'' (german: Abschied von gestern, "Farewell to Yesterday") is a 1966 drama film directed and written by Alexander Kluge. The film is based on the short story "Anita G." (1962), which is also by Alexander Kluge. The film tells the ...

" ( 4-track home demo) – 2:08 #*Previously unreleased; recorded 1988 at Pat's house,

Upstate New York Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, Upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Is ...

. #"Poor Little Pitiful One" – 3:33 #*B-side to "

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

", released 23 September 1991; recorded during sessions for '' Blow Up'', spring 1991 at

A&M Studios The Jim Henson Company Lot, formerly A&M Studios, is a studio property located just south of the southeast corner of North La Brea Avenue and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Originally established by film star Charlie Chaplin, the property serve ...

and Brooklyn Recording Studios,

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a metonymy, shorthand reference for the Cinema of the United States, U.S. film industry and the people associated with i ...

. #"Maria Elena" (Acoustic) – 2:44 #*B-side to " Blues Before and After", released 24 January 1990; recorded summer 1989 at

Rumbo Recorders Rumbo Recorders was a recording studio in the Canoga Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. History In 1977, Daryl Dragon and Toni Tennille, the husband and wife team widely known as Captain & Tennille, began building the studio at 20215 S ...

, Los Angeles; original version from '' 11''. #" You Really Got Me" (Live) ( Ray Davies) – 3:46 #*Ray and Dave Davies backed by The Smithereens; previously unreleased; recorded live 22 November 1991 at

Boston Garden The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928, as "Boston Madison Square Garden" (late ...

, Boston, Massachusetts. #"

One After 909 "One After 909" (sometimes titled "The One After 909" in early recordings) is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album '' Let It Be''. It was written by John Lennon, with input from Paul McCartney, and was credited to the ...

" (

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

) – 3:36 #*B-side to "Top of the Pops", released 23 September 1991; recorded during sessions for ''

Green Thoughts ''Green Thoughts'' is the second studio album by the Smithereens, released in March 1988 by Enigma/Capitol Records.Capitol Studio B,

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

, Los Angeles. #"World Keeps Going 'Round" (Ray Davies) – 2:40 #*B-side to " Too Much Passion", released 10 February 1992; recorded during sessions for ''Blow Up'', spring 1991 at A&M Studios and Brooklyn Recording Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles. #" Behind the Wall of Sleep" (Live) – 4:02 #*B-side to "Yesterday Girl", released 20 June 1990; recorded 13 December 1989 at

National Video Center The National Video Center was a video production company with studios in Washington, DC, Boston, Atlanta, Connecticut and New York City until June 2002. National Recording Studios opened in 1959 in Manhattan at 730 Fifth Avenue between 56th and 5 ...

, New York City for MTV Unplugged. #" Something Stupid" ( C. Carson Parks) – 2:46 #*B-side to "Get a Hold of My Heart", released 18 May 1992; recorded during sessions for ''Green Thoughts'' in December 1987 at Capitol Studio B, Hollywood, Los Angeles. #" Shakin' All Over" ( Johnny Kidd) – 4:06 #*B-side to "Top of the Pops", released 23 September 1991; recorded during sessions for ''Blow Up'', spring 1991 at A&M Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles. #"

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer created by Robert L. May. Rudolph is usually depicted as the ninth and youngest of Santa Claus's reindeer, using his luminous red nose to lead the reindeer team and guide Santa's sleigh on C ...

" ( Johnny Marks) – 3:03 #*Released as promotion only CD single on 30 November 1992 and on the various artists compilation album, ''Classic Rockin' Christmas'', in 1993; recorded summer 1992 at the

Chicago Recording Company Chicago Recording Company, or CRC, is a recording studio in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1975. Boasting twelve studios, CRC is the largest recording company in the Midwest, and the largest independent studio in the country. History Early histor ...

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. #"Ruler of My Heart" (

Naomi Neville Allen Richard Toussaint (; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, describ ...

) – 3:03 #*B-side to " House We Used to Live In", released 1988; recorded during sessions for ''Green Thoughts'' in December 1987 at Capitol Studio B, Hollywood, Los Angeles. #"

It Don't Come Easy "It Don't Come Easy" is a song by English rock musician Ringo Starr that was released as a non-album single in April 1971. It was produced by Starr's former Beatles bandmate George Harrison, who also helped write the song, although only Starr is ...

" (

Richard Starkey Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

) – 3:12 #*B-side to "Too Much Passion", released 10 February 1992; recorded during sessions for ''Blow Up'', spring 1991 at A&M Studios and Brooklyn Recording Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles. #" Lust For Life" (

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

) – 5:08 #*B-side to " Only a Memory", released 1988; recorded during sessions for ''Green Thoughts'' in December 1987 at Capitol Studio B, Hollywood, Los Angeles. #"Like Someone in Love" – 3:59 #*B-side to " A Girl Like You", released 18 October 1989; recorded during sessions for ''11'', spring-summer 1989 at American Recorders and Rumbo Recorders, Los Angeles. #" A Girl Like You" (Strip Club Version) – 3:29 #*B-side to "A Girl Like You", released 18 October 1989; recorded summer 1989 at Crystal Studios, New York City.

Personnel

Adapted from the album's liner notes and

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

. ;The Smithereens * Pat DiNizio – lead vocals, guitar *

Jim Babjak Jim Babjak (born November 17, 1957) is an American guitarist and ex-banker. He is the lead guitar player and co-founder of The Smithereens. Babjak has written and sung several songs for the band. He also is the leader of the band ''Buzzed Meg''. ...

– guitar, vocals, co-lead vocals (16), lead vocals (17), drums (26) *

Dennis Diken Dennis Diken (born February 25, 1957) is an American drummer, DJ, author, music historian, and founding member of the band the Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Pat DiNizio, Jim Babjak, and Mike Mesaros in Carteret, New Jersey. Besides ...

– drums, vocals, lead vocals (2) *Mike Mesaros – bass, vocals ;Additional musicians *Ken Jones – bass (2, 4) *

– lead vocals (5) *

– lead vocals (10) *

– guitar (10) * Ray Davies – lead vocals, guitar (15) * Dave Davies – guitar (15) *Kenny Margolis – accordion (14), electric piano (16), piano (23) *

Graham Parker Graham Thomas Parker (born 18 November 1950) is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the British band Graham Parker & the Rumour. Life and career Early career (1960s–1976) Parker was born in Hackney, East L ...

– lead vocals (18) * Marti Jones – co-lead vocal (19) * Don Dixon – piano (22) * Ray Anderson – trombone (26) *Michael 'Tone' Hamilton – guitar (26) ;Technical *The Smithereens – production (3, 4, 6, 11, 13, 17, 20, 23, 26) *

Andy Shernoff Andy Shernoff (born April 19, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He is a founding member of The Dictators, one of the original New York punk bands, in which he wrote nearly all of the songs, played bass guitar and k ...

– production (6) *Jim T. Bradt – recorded by (7) * Ed Stasium – production (13, 14, 20, 25) *Don Dixon – production (16, 19, 22, 24) *Michael 'Tone' Hamilton – production (17, 23) *Kevin Reeves – mastering *Wayne Watkins – project director * Cheryl Pawelski – compilation producer, compiled by *Dan Stout – sonic restoration *Tommy Steele – art direction *Everett Peck – illustrations *Jeffrey Fey – design *Pat DiNizio – liner notes *Dennis Diken – liner notes

References

External links

''Attack of The Smithereens'' on Discogs.com
Retrieved on 30 January 2018. {{Authority control The Smithereens albums 1995 compilation albums Albums produced by Don Dixon (musician)