Steve Harwell, the former frontman of the famous rock band Smash Mouth, known for their hit song “All Star,” tragically passed away at the age of 56 in his Boise, Idaho home. The band’s manager, Robert Hayes, confirmed that the cause of death was liver failure.
Smash Mouth was formed in 1994 in San Jose, California, and consisted of Steve Harwell, guitarist Greg Camp, drummer Kevin Coleman, and bassist Paul De Lisle. They gained initial success with their debut album “Fush Yu Mang” (1997) and the popular single “Walkin’ on the Sun,” a vibrant tune with a touch of darkness that drew inspiration from The Doors and ska-punk. The song, written by all four band members, received heavy rotation on MTV and reached the top of Billboard’s alternative chart.
The music video for “Walkin’ on the Sun” showcased the band’s distinct style and attitude. Dressed in fedoras, shades, short-sleeve shirts, and donning soul patches, the band members appeared as edgier versions of the fashion-conscious retro hipsters portrayed in the movie “Swingers” (1996). The video featured a lively dance party reminiscent of 1960s beach movies and concluded with a drag-race crash, with Steve Harwell confidently behind the wheel, sporting muscular arms adorned with tattoos.
In a 1997 interview, Steve Harwell expressed the band’s desire to avoid being labeled under a specific genre or style. They aimed to simply be themselves, Smash Mouth, leaving it up to the audience to interpret their sound.
Smash Mouth’s major breakthrough came with their next album, “Astro Lounge,” in 1999, which featured their smash hit “All Star.” This anthem for outsiders, backed by more intense guitar riffs, showcased Steve Harwell’s slightly sneering vocals, encouraging listeners to ignore ridicule and reach for greatness. “All Star,” written by Greg Camp, reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 singles chart, marking the band’s highest position on the charts. It gained further popularity through its inclusion in movie soundtracks such as “Inspector Gadget” and “Mystery Men” in 1999, and during the opening credits of the animated hit film “Shrek” in 2001. The “Shrek” soundtrack, including Smash Mouth’s energetic cover of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer,” achieved double platinum status and earned an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. “All Star” became an enduring phenomenon, inspiring countless online parodies. To this day, the song has accumulated nearly a billion streams on Spotify alone, and Steve Harwell’s distinct, slightly raspy voice remains synonymous with the iconic opening lines of the song: “Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me…”
Steve Harwell, born on January 9, 1967, and raised in San Jose, embarked on his musical career as a rapper with the group F.O.S. (Freedom of Speech) in the early 1990s. However, he soon expressed his desire to start an alternative rock band, influenced by the West Coast hip-hop scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s. After the release of “Astro Lounge,” Smash Mouth released five more albums until 2012, with gradually decreasing success.
In recent years, Steve Harwell faced health issues and occasionally exhibited erratic behavior. He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a heart condition, and Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a neurological disorder affecting speech and memory, in 2013. In August 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Smash Mouth performed at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, where mask-wearing and precautions were noticeably absent. Steve Harwell’s comments on stage received cheers from the crowd but drew widespread criticism due to his dismissive attitude towards the viral threat.
In 2021, Steve Harwell left the band and retired from performing after a live show in upstate New York, where he displayed slurred speech, profanity, and allegedly made a Nazi salute. Despite these challenges, Smash Mouth recruited a new lead singer, Zach Goode, in 2022. The band has upcoming concerts scheduled, including one in Madera, California. In a statement, Zach Goode expressed his love for performing and his commitment to honoring Steve Harwell’s legacy and the spirit of rock ‘n roll.
Steve Harwell is survived by his fiancée, Annette Jones, his brother Mark, and his sisters Carla Crocker, Michelle Baroni, and Julie Harwell.
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