Episode notes
Dennis Diken, drummer of The Smithereens joined us for a joyous chat about things we have in common like our love of The Beach Boys (recorded two weeks before Brian Wilson died), Beatles, and Kinks. And more.
Secret Monkey Weekend are a family power pop trio from Durham NC. They have been playing live since sisters Ella and Lila were 13 and 8 years old. Papa Jefferson Hart (Jeff Hart) is a longtime mainstay in the NC Americana music scene. They have recorded two albums with producer Don Dixon (REM - Smithereens - Tommy Keene), the second one just released in June 2025.
PBS recently profiled the band. More on that below.
The Emmy Award winning PBS mini-feature on Secret Monkey Weekend https:/ ...
Keywords
Secret Monkey WeekendDennis DikenBeatlesBeach BoysBrian WilsonThe KinksThe SmithereensJefferson Hart