The Smithereens are an American rock band from Carteret, New Jersey, United States. The group was formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio (vocals & guitar), Jim Babjak (guitar & vocals), Mike Mesaros (bass guitar & vocals), and Dennis Diken (drums & percussion). This lineup continued until 2006, when Mesaros left the band and Severo Jornacion took over on bass guitar. A Date with the Smithereens was released in 1994 and is the band’s fifth album. It was seen as a stylistic departure being mainly influenced by hard rock and heavy metal, while previous albums leaned more towards straightforward pop rock. The album title is based on the 1959 album A Date with Elvis and the cover is based on a picture of four thugs standing on a street in New York featured in a book Dennis Diken owned. The album came out on cassette, CD, and a box set of four seven-inch vinyl records. The group is still active and tours frequently.