Dennis Diken Explained

Dennis Diken
Birth Date:February 25, 1957
Birth Place:Belleville, New Jersey, U.S.[1]
Genre:Rock
Years Active:1980–present

Dennis Diken (born February 25, 1957) is an American drummer, DJ, author, music historian,[2] 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.[3] Besides playing with the Smithereens, Diken is a fill-in DJ on WFMU as well as a liner notes author and reissue project researcher.[4] As a musician, Diken has recorded or toured with, among others, Ronnie Spector, Dave Davies, Nancy Sinatra, Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las[5] and Ben E. King,[6] and worked with musicians such as Dave Amels and R. Stevie Moore.

Diken graduated from Carteret High School in 1975, together with Jim Babjak.[7]

Career

Diken has been a constant member of the Smithereens since 1980 but has also worked as a session drummer since the 1980s. He toured with former Shangri-La Mary Weiss in the late 2000s[5] and has since 2014 toured with former Kinks guitarist Dave Davies' solo band.[8] [9] On December 18, 2015, during Dave Davies’ concert at Islington Assembly Hall in London, Diken was drumming while Ray Davies joined his brother Dave on stage for "You Really Got Me". It was the first time the two Kinks had performed together in nearly 2 decades. Diken also toured with Ronnie Spector in the late 2010s.

In 2002, Diken collaborated with keyboardist Dave Amels forming the band Husky Team, which released the album Christmas in Memphis on the Confidential Recording label.[10] [11] The album consists of instrumental Christmas songs recorded with Memphis soul/R&B-style grooves.[12] In 1997, Diken and Amels had produced the track "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" for Ben E. King on the tribute album One Step Up/Two Steps Back: the Songs of Bruce Springsteen.[6]

Credited to "Dennis Diken with Bell Sound," Diken released the album Late Music in 2009 on Cryptovision Records. Written and recorded with long-time friend Pete DiBella,[13] the 1960s influenced album features contributions from 1960s girl group the Honeys on backing vocals, and musicians Andy Paley and Jason Falkner.[14] Dennis Diken with Bell Sound recorded a version of "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" for a fund raising CD titled Super Hits of the Seventies for radio station WFMU in 2012. Diken also recorded two singles in 2014 with the punk rock supergroup Osaka Popstar, "Hopping Ghosts" and "O Holy Night".[15]

As a liner notes author and researcher, Diken has contributed to numerous compilation albums, including collections of the Four Freshmen, Louis Prima, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Four Seasons, and the Beach Boys.[2] He has also had articles published in USA Today and EQ magazine and has contributed to the Billboard Encyclopedia of Record Producers.[16] Diken was also a judge for the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.[17] In 1996, he guest starred in the Cartoon Network show , in the episode "Surprise", playing himself.[18]

Awards and honors

• In 1987 and 1988, the Smithereens won New York Music Awards for best rock band.[19]

• On June 7, 1990, the Smithereens' album 11 was certified gold (500,000 copies sold) by the RIAA.[20]

• On October 27, 2019, the Smithereens were inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in the Class of 2019.[21]

Selected discography

See also: The Smithereens.

Dennis Diken with Bell Sound

Husky Team

Solo

As session drummer

With Jimmy Silva

With Scott McCaughey

With Chris Von Sneidern

With Bingo Gazingo

With Bibi Farber

With Michael Shelley

With the Minus 5

With Buzzed Meg

With Marykate O'Neil

With Nancy Sinatra

With Jamie Hoover & Bill Lloyd

With Ronnie Spector

With the Brandos

With Joey Ramone

With Jeffrey Foskett

With Dave Davies

With Richard Barone

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: You Say It's Your Birthday: The Smithereens' Dennis Diken. https://web.archive.org/web/20150103064904/http://www.mtv.com/news/509151/you-say-its-your-birthday-the-smithereens-dennis-diken/. dead. January 3, 2015. MTV News. February 25, 1997. December 22, 2014.
  2. Web site: Guest Artists: Dennis Diken . . February 26, 2020 . February 27, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200227122612/https://www.una.edu/summertheatre/guest-artists/dennis-diken.html . dead .
  3. News: Cahillane . Kevin . Not Fade Away: The Smithereens' Monument to Persistence . . October 10, 2004. February 26, 2020.
  4. Web site: Interview: Dennis Diken – Ear Candy That Matters. Kopp. Bill. Musoscribe. 9 November 2009. February 26, 2020.
  5. Web site: Mary Weiss. The Ponderosa Stomp. February 26, 2020.
  6. Web site: From Jersey It Came!. Zimmerman. Bob. Backstreets.com. October 23, 2019. February 26, 2020.
  7. http://www.ci.carteret.nj.us/controls/NewsFeed.aspx?FeedID=129 The Smithereens to perform 30th anniversary concert in Carteret
  8. Web site: An Unofficial Dave Davies Solo Tour FAQ. Ravingdavefans.com. 21 January 2021.
  9. Web site: LIVE: Dave Davies at Various NY-Area Venues (11/21/14-11/28/14). Cunningham. Jen. Rebeat Magazine. February 26, 2020.
  10. Web site: Paddy power roulette results — How to Win at Blackjack . 2021-01-21 . 2020-08-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200802144931/http://confidentialcds.com/ . dead .
  11. Web site: HUSKY TEAM - Christmas in Memphis - Amazon.com Music . Amazon . 2017-08-30 . 2020-07-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200729202931/https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Memphis-Husky-Team/dp/B000079QA4 . dead .
  12. Web site: Soul of the Season Holiday groovin' with Husky Team. GigCity.com. 9 November 2009. February 26, 2020.
  13. Web site: Dennis Diken's Rich And Vibrant 'Late Music'. Tucker. Ken. NPR. October 6, 2009. February 26, 2020.
  14. Web site: Album Review: Dennis Diken with Bell Sound – Late Music. Kopp. Bill. Musoscribe. August 5, 2009. February 26, 2020.
  15. Web site: About Osaka Popstar. osakapopstar.com. February 26, 2020.
  16. Web site: Hey Smithereens fans – drummer Dennis Diken is speaking/playing at Morris Museum in Morris Township. Coughlin. Kevin. MorristownGreen.com. August 1, 2011. February 26, 2020.
  17. Web site: Independent Music Awards - Past Judges. independentmusicawards.com. February 26, 2020.
  18. Web site: Space Ghost Coast to Coast: Surprise on IMDb. IMDb. February 26, 2020.
  19. Web site: SMITHEREENS -- '60S POP FOR THE '80S - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA) HighBeam Research. https://web.archive.org/web/20171213201852/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8058576.html. dead. December 13, 2017. December 13, 2017. February 26, 2020.
  20. Web site: Gold & Platinum. RIAA. en-US. 2019-01-18.
  21. Web site: New Jersey Hall of Fame Event Draws Jon Bon Jovi, George R.R. Martin, Jason Alexander. Angermiller. Michele Amabile. Variety.com. October 28, 2019. February 26, 2020.

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