No matter the timeframes or surrounding trends, The Smithereens have always stayed committed to straight up rock and roll, crossed with the best of the British Invasion and American power pop.

It’s no wonder why singles from the 1980s and 90s, such as “A Girl Like You,” “Blood And Roses,” “Only A Memory,” “Top Of The Pops,” “Blues Before And After” and “Behind The Wall Of Sleep,” still sound great today and are the subject of a new show at the North Shore Center For The Performing Arts in Skokie on Friday, April 25. 

Here’s more from original guitarist Jim Babjak during an email exchange with Chicago Concert Reviews, including the decision to carry on with guest singers after the premature passing of Pat DiNizio, standing out from the rest of the radio and what he recalls about regularly coming to the Windy City.

Give us a glimpse of what to expect when The Smithereens come to Genesee Theatre. 

Jim Babjak: You’ll hear hits and some deep cuts from a band that gives 100% passion to its audience. We love to play!

Do you have any previous Chicago memories? 

Babjak: We’ve played in the Chicago area consistently since 1986! It’s always been one of our favorite cities! The audiences are just so great! We played several New Year’s Eve concerts there and many summer festivals. The temperatures ranged from 104° to below freezing! There was a New Year’s Eve concert on Navy Pier where my flight was delayed and I just made it. I went straight from the airport to the venue and took the stage as soon as I got there!

What made you decide to go with guest singers after the passing of Pat? 

Babjak: We played a tribute concert for Pat in January 2017, which consisted of about 20 different lead singers who were all friends of ours. After the show, we realized that people still want to hear our songs. It’s also our passion. We’re not ready to retire.

Tell us a bit about what John Cowsill brings to the band.

Babjak: We’ve known John and his siblings since 1991 from when they sang on a song called “Now And Then“ from our “Blow Up” album. He’s a good friend and has a great voice. He brings a fresh energy and good vibes to the band.

How would you describe the period from the mid-1980s into the ‘90s when The Smithereens were basically unstoppable on the radio and MTV? 

Babjak: It was a very exciting time! We toured constantly and made some great records! We traveled the world and have great memories!

What do you think made the group stand out from so much of what was happening at the time?

Babjak: The charts were topped by people like Michael Jackson, Duran Duran and Madonna. I didn’t think we’d stand a chance. We made records for ourselves and hoped some people would like it. Once our songs were played on rock radio stations, it opened up the doors. Our music was just so different than what was played on the radio at the time that it was refreshing for many people. We were and still are a guitar based rock ‘n’ roll band.

What made you switch gears towards covers collections throughout the 2000s? 

Babjak: Frankly, no record company, including many of the smallest labels, were willing to take a chance on an original album from us. Nobody wanted us. Making those cover records kept us in the game. They were well received and enabled us to and make a living. 

How did you discover “The Lost Album” and what are your hopes for that project? 

Babjak: We were just looking through our archives and were happy to discover a pristine DAT tape of the sessions. Our hope was that it would be well received, and it was!

Does the band have any future projects? 

Babjak: Absolutely, we’ve been working on new material. We’re very excited about recording brand new songs. We also have more unreleased recordings in our archives that will make the light of day.

What do you consider to be your ultimate moments with The Smithereens thus far? 

Babjak: There are so many! Touring the world, appearing on “Saturday Night Live,” “MTV Unplugged” and all the talk shows. Ultimately, it’s all the fans and friends we’ve made on this ride. We’re so happy to continue on this passionate journey!

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The Smithereens perform at the North Shore Center For Performing Arts on Friday, April 25. For additional details, visit OfficialSmithereens.com and NorthShoreCenter.org.