Smash Mouth is an American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band from
San Jose, California
San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...
. The band was formed in 1994, and was originally composed of
Steve Harwell (lead vocals), Kevin Coleman (drums),
Greg Camp
Gregory Dean Camp (born April 2, 1967) is an American songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. He is best known as the founding guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Smash Mouth (1994–2008, 2009–2011, 2014, 2018–2019). Camp is credited as ...
(guitar), and
Paul De Lisle
Paul Gerald De Lisle (born June 13, 1963) is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He is the bassist and the only consistent member of the pop rock band Smash Mouth since their formation in 1994.
Early life and education
De Lisle was born in Exet ...
(bass). With Harwell's departure in 2021, De Lisle remains the only original member. They are known for their songs "
Walkin' on the Sun
"Walkin' on the Sun" is a song by American rock band Smash Mouth from their first album, ''Fush Yu Mang'' (1997). Released as their debut single in June 1997, the song was Smash Mouth's first major single, reaching 1 on the US '' Billboard'' M ...
" (1997), "
All Star" (1999), and "
Then The Morning Comes" (1999), as well as
a cover of
The Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...
' "
I'm a Believer
"I'm a Believer" is a song written by Neil Diamond and recorded by the Monkees in 1966 with the lead vocals by Micky Dolenz. The single, produced by Jeff Barry, hit the number-one spot on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for the week endi ...
" (2001).
The band adopted retro styles covering several decades of
popular music
Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...
. They have also performed numerous
covers of popular songs, including
War
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
's "
Why Can't We Be Friends?",
Rick Astley
Richard Paul Astley (born 6 February 1966) is an English singer, songwriter and radio personality, who has been active in music for several decades. He gained worldwide fame in the 1980s, having multiple hits including his signature song " Ne ...
’s “
Never Gonna Give You Up
"Never Gonna Give You Up" is the debut single recorded by English singer and songwriter Rick Astley, released on 27 July 1987. It is one of Astley's most famous songs. It was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, and was released as ...
”,
Simple Minds' "
Don't You (Forget About Me)
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a song by the Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released as a single in 1985. It was written and composed by the producer Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff, a guitarist and songwriter from the Nina Hagen band. Forsey ...
",
? & the Mysterians' "
Can't Get Enough of You Baby
The English modal verbs are a subset of the English auxiliary verbs used mostly to express modality (properties such as possibility, obligation, etc.). They can be distinguished from other verbs by their defectiveness (they do not have participle ...
",
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' "
Getting Better
"Getting Better" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. It was written mainly by Paul McCartney, with some of the lyrics written by John Lennon, and credited to the Lennon ...
", and "
I Wan'na Be Like You" from ''
The Jungle Book
''The Jungle Book'' (1894) is a collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling. Most of the characters are animals such as Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear, though a principal character is the boy or "man-cub" Mowgli, w ...
''. They also composed two songs for the South Korean animated film ''
Pororo, The Racing Adventure'': "Beside Myself" and "Everything Just Crazy".
History
1990–1997: Formation and ''Fush Yu Mang''
Smash Mouth's roots trace back to 1990 when
Steve Harwell and Kevin Coleman met. Smash Mouth was then formed in 1994 by Harwell, who had formerly played in a
rap
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
group called F.O.S. (Freedom of Speech). Coleman, who was Harwell's manager, knew guitarist
Greg Camp
Gregory Dean Camp (born April 2, 1967) is an American songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. He is best known as the founding guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Smash Mouth (1994–2008, 2009–2011, 2014, 2018–2019). Camp is credited as ...
and bassist
Paul De Lisle
Paul Gerald De Lisle (born June 13, 1963) is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He is the bassist and the only consistent member of the pop rock band Smash Mouth since their formation in 1994.
Early life and education
De Lisle was born in Exet ...
, who had both played in a local
punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
band, and introduced the three musicians to each other. They began rehearsing together, along with Kevin Coleman as drummer. They soon developed into a band, and named themselves
Smashmouth, an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
term. During their early years, the band played largely
rock music
Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
.
The band's first publicity came when a demo of the song "Nervous in the Alley" was played by a San Jose radio station,
KOME
KOME was a commercial FM radio station in San Jose, California, broadcasting at 98.5 MHz. KOME was on the air from 1971 through 1998. Currently, the 98.5 FM frequency is home to KUFX "K-Fox," a classic rock station.
An unrelated FM statio ...
. Soon after,
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
signed the band, and the group's debut album, ''
Fush Yu Mang
''Fush Yu Mang'' is the debut studio album by American rock band Smash Mouth, released on July 8, 1997 by Interscope Records. It includes their first major hit, "Walkin' on the Sun", which was the last song to be added onto the album. The title ...
'', was released in 1997, featuring another member: the keyboardist Michael Klooster. Also, upon signing to Interscope Records, the band changed their name from Smashmouth to Smash Mouth. The album eventually went
double platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
led by the band's first major single "
Walkin' on the Sun
"Walkin' on the Sun" is a song by American rock band Smash Mouth from their first album, ''Fush Yu Mang'' (1997). Released as their debut single in June 1997, the song was Smash Mouth's first major single, reaching 1 on the US '' Billboard'' M ...
". The singles "The Fonz" and a cover of "
Why Can't We Be Friends
''Why Can't We Be Friends?'' is the seventh studio album by American funk music, funk band War (American band), War, released on June 16, 1975 by United Artists Records. Two singles from the album were released: Why Can't We Be Friends? (song), ...
" from the 1998
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. His films include the musical-drama film '' Footloose'' (1984), the controversial historical conspiracy legal thriller '' JFK'' (1991), the legal drama '' A Few Good Men'' (1992), t ...
film ''
Wild Things'' were also subsequently released.
1998–2004: Rise to fame, ''Astro Lounge'', ''Smash Mouth'', and ''Get the Picture?''
The band's second album, ''
Astro Lounge
''Astro Lounge'' is the second studio album by American rock band Smash Mouth, released on June 8, 1999, by Interscope Records.
It includes the single " All Star", arguably the group's most well-known song, which nearly topped the US ''Billboard ...
'', was released in 1999 and marked a change in direction, as it had less of the previous
ska
Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
influence and more of a pop sound. It led to more publicity for the band, and ended up being one of the most critically acclaimed albums from the group. Supported by the hit singles "
All Star" (which was featured in several film soundtracks, most notably the
first ''Shrek'' film although the official
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
references ''
Mystery Men
''Mystery Men'' is a 1999 American superhero comedy film directed by Kinka Usher (in his feature-length directorial debut) and written by Neil Cuthbert, loosely based on Bob Burden's ''Flaming Carrot Comics'', and starring Ben Stiller, Hank Azari ...
'') and "
Then the Morning Comes", ''Astro Lounge'' was eventually certified as triple platinum.
Also in 1999, ''The East Bay Sessions'' was released as a collection of early songs. Shortly after the release of the album, drummer Kevin Coleman left the band due to back problems. He was initially replaced by
Michael Urbano
Michael Urbano (born March 19, 1966 in Sacramento, California, USA) is a musician, programmer, and record producer.
Career
One of Urbano's first gigs was as a member of Bourgeois Tagg, a 1980s band that was fronted by Brent Bourgeois and Larr ...
, who was quickly replaced by Mitch Marine for the tour supporting ''Astro Lounge'', who was subsequently replaced by Michael Urbano at the conclusion of the tour.
In 2001, Smash Mouth covered
the Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...
' hit song "
I'm a Believer
"I'm a Believer" is a song written by Neil Diamond and recorded by the Monkees in 1966 with the lead vocals by Micky Dolenz. The single, produced by Jeff Barry, hit the number-one spot on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for the week endi ...
". It was featured on both the soundtrack for ''
Shrek
''Shrek'' is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 book of the same name by William Steig. It is the first installment in the ''Shrek'' franchise. The film was directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenso ...
'' (along with "All Star") and their
self-titled album.
The album sold fewer copies than the band's earlier works, eventually being certified
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
. Also in 2001, the group appeared as themselves in the climactic scene of the film ''
Rat Race
A rat race is an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. The phrase equates humans to rats attempting to earn a reward such as cheese, in vain. It may also refer to a competitive struggle to get ahead financially or routinely.
The term is ...
''.
In 2003, ''Get the Picture?'' was released, featuring the singles "You Are My Number One", "Hang On" and "Always Gets Her Way". Smash Mouth was dropped from
Interscope shortly after the release of ''Get the Picture?''. That same year, the band performed a cover of the
Sherman Brothers song "
I Wanna Be Like You" for the animated film ''
The Jungle Book 2
''The Jungle Book 2'' is a 2003 animated adventure film produced by the Australian office at DisneyToon Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution. The theatrical version of the film was released in France on Febr ...
''.
2005–2011: New label, fluctuating lineup, ''Summer Girl'', and ''Magic''
Following the band's signing to
Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
, Smash Mouth released the greatest hits compilation ''
All Star Smash Hits
''All Star Smash Hits'' is a compilation album by the American rock band Smash Mouth, released on August 23, 2005 by Interscope Records. It includes tracks from their first four albums and non-album material.
Track listing
References
Exter ...
'' in 2005. The album contains some more popular songs from previous Smash Mouth albums, as well as songs from soundtrack albums which were not on the band's own releases. On certain networks and time slots, the album was advertised as having 18 tracks, including an edited version of "Flo". Smash Mouth played at
Gumby
''Gumby'' is an American clay animation franchise, centered on the titular green clay humanoid character created and modeled by Art Clokey. Gumby stars in two television series, the feature-length '' Gumby: The Movie'', and other media. He im ...
's Birthday Celebration in August 2005.
In December 2005, the band released a Christmas album ''
Gift of Rock''. It featured covers of Christmas songs by many artists, such as
the Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyt ...
and
the Ramones
The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United S ...
, and one original song, "Baggage Claim".
Smash Mouth's fifth studio album, originally to be titled ''
Old Habits'', was recorded in 2005 and expected to be released in early 2006. The band had said that the album was much more like the ska punk featured on ''Fush Yu Mang'' and ''The East Bay Sessions''. In September 2005, the band performed what was tentatively going to be the album's first single, "Getaway Car", on ''
Last Call with Carson Daly
''Last Call with Carson Daly'' is an American late-night television series that was broadcast by NBC from 2002 to 2019. Hosted by former MTV personality Carson Daly, the series was initially formatted as a late-night talk show in line with ''T ...
''. The album was delayed many times, in the hope of gaining publicity with Harwell's appearance on the reality show ''
The Surreal Life
''The Surreal Life'' is an American reality television series that records a group of celebrities as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks. The format of the show resembles that of '' The Real ...
''. Smash Mouth returned to the studio intent on improving the record. ''Old Habits'' was shelved, replaced by ''
Summer Girl'', which included some remixed ''Old Habits'' tracks as well as new songs. After being delayed in much the same way ''Old Habits'' was for several months, the album was released on September 19, 2006. Smash Mouth let Sony Pictures use much of their music from ''Summer Girl'' and other songs for the movie ''
Zoom
Zoom may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Zoom (software), videoconferencing application
* Page zooming, the ability to magnify or shrink a portion of a page on a computer display
* Zooming user interface, a graphical interface allowing for image ...
'', whose opening titles credit the film's music to the band.
Before the release of ''Summer Girl'', drummer Michael Urbano left the band without warning on February 14, 2006 due to creative differences. He was initially replaced by former drummer Mitch Marine, and then by Jason Sutter, best known for his work with
American Hi-Fi
American Hi-Fi is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1998. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Stacy Jones, lead guitarist Jamie Arentzen, bassist and backing vocalist Drew Parsons, and drummer Brian Nolan. Prior t ...
and
the Rembrandts
The Rembrandts are an American alternative rock duo, formed by Danny Wilde and Phil Solem in 1989. They had previously worked together as members of Great Buildings in 1981. The Rembrandts are best known for the song " I'll Be There for You", ...
. The band released their new album, ''
Summer Girl'', later that year. In early 2007, one year after joining the band, Sutter left Smash Mouth to play drums for former
Soundgarden
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yama ...
and
Audioslave
Audioslave was an American rock supergroup formed in Glendale, California, in 2001. The four-piece band consisted of Soundgarden's lead singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell with Rage Against the Machine members Tom Morello (lead guitar) ...
frontman
Chris Cornell
Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave ...
; fill-in drummer Marine returned to Smash Mouth.
Greg Camp left the band in the summer of 2008. Smash Mouth recruited
Leroy Miller to play guitar. Leroy left in 2009 and Camp returned to the band, but in 2011 Camp left once again and this time the band recruited Sean Hurwitz. Hurwitz stayed until 2012, and was replaced by Mike Krompass. Later in 2012, Hurwitz returned. In 2009 Mitch Marine left once again and was replaced by Urbano, who left again after only one year in 2010, and was replaced by Marine once again. Marine left yet again after a brief spell in 2010 and was replaced by
Randy Cooke
Randy Cooke is a Canadian drummer, percussionist, session musician, and touring musician.
Biography
Influenced by his drummer father, Cooke picked up the drums as a child, learning and playing as part of a local drum corps before starting his ow ...
. Cooke was briefly replaced by Jason Sutter in 2011, then Charlie Paxson.
In June 2011, a writer at
Something Awful
''Something Awful'' (SA) is an American comedy website hosting content including blog entries, Internet forum, forums, feature articles, digitally edited pictures, and humorous media reviews. It was created by Richard Kyanka, Richard "Lowtax" K ...
offered $20 if the band's lead singer, Steve Harwell, would eat 24 eggs. Others on the site and on Twitter began offering additional sums, eventually targeted to various charities. In July 2011, Harwell accepted the challenge if fans could gather pledges of $10,000 for
St. Jude Children's Hospital. The fundraising goal was reached in less than a week's time. A self-styled "reality TV fan," Harwell requested that his friend celebrity chef
Guy Fieri
Guy Ramsay Fieri (, ; ''né'' Ferry; born January 22, 1968) is an American restaurateur, author, and an Emmy Award winning television presenter. He co-owns three restaurants in California, licenses his name to restaurants in New York City, Las ...
prepare the eggs. The event was held at Johnny Garlic's restaurant, in
Dublin, California, on October 11, 2011. With about 150 people attending, Harwell was able to finish the eggs with the help of audience members as well as the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
mascot, Sharkie. $15,000 was raised for charity.
2012–2019: ''Magic'' and live album
After parting ways with
Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
and signing with 429 Records, Smash Mouth released their sixth studio album titled ''
Magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
'', on September 4, 2012. The album was primarily produced by new band member Mike Krompass. The first single, also entitled "Magic", debuted on the
Billboard Adult Contemporary
The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by stat ...
chart at No. 22. The band spent the rest of 2012 touring behind the new project as well as promoting the release of their musical book of food recipes and things of the like — ''Recipes from the Road''. Cooke left permanently toward the end of 2012, replaced by Paxson. In 2013 the band took part in the Under the Sun tour with Gin Blossom and Sugar Ray. Paxson left in July during the tour, and was initially going to be replaced by a returning Cooke; however, he was replaced by Sutter once again. Tod Burr, former drum tech of
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), ...
and drummer of Merle Jagger, came on board in 2012 as drum and keyboard tech of Smash Mouth.
On February 1, 2013, Smash Mouth headlined the
AutoNation
AutoNation is an American automotive retailer based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which provides new and pre-owned vehicles and associated services in the United States. The company was founded by Wayne Huizenga in 1996, starting with twelve A ...
Coast to Coast rebranding event (which combined all AutoNation dealerships into a single brand) at
Wayne Huizenga
Harry Wayne Huizenga Sr. (; December 29, 1937 – March 22, 2018) was an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He founded AutoNation and Waste Management Inc., and was the owner or co-owner of Blockbuster Video, the Miami ...
Park in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale () is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and largest city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth ...
with Michela Paige from Season 3 of ''
The Voice
The Voice may refer to:
Fictional entities
* The Voice or Presence, a fictional representation of God in DC Comics
* The Voice (''Dune''), a fictional ability in the ''Dune'' universe
* The Voice, a character in the American TV series ''Cleo ...
''. The event also served as a final round in the AutoNation Culture of Caring Contest.
On October 6, 2014, Smash Mouth composed two songs for the English version of the South Korean animated film,
Pororo, The Racing Adventure including "Beside Myself", and "Everything Just Crazy" which plays at the end credits.
On June 14, 2015, Smash Mouth was playing a set at the Taste of Fort Collins food festival in
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Larimer County, Colorado
Larimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 359 ...
, when singer Steve Harwell broke from his set and went into an angry three-minute, expletive-laden tirade, threatening to beat the audience members responsible for hitting him with
bread. The band played the opening chords of "All Star" throughout a significant portion of Harwell's rant. The incident was covered by major media outlets, including ''
TMZ
TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 202 ...
'', ''
Gawker
''Gawker'' is an American blog founded by Nick Denton and Elizabeth Spiers and based in New York City focusing on celebrities and the media industry. According to SimilarWeb, the site had over 23 million visits per month as of 2015. Founded in ...
'', and ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
''. Harwell later apologized for the incident in an interview with ''
The Herald-Mail
''The Herald-Mail'' is a newspaper serving the cities of Hagerstown, Maryland, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and Martinsburg, West Virginia and the surrounding counties.
History
''The Morning Herald'' was the first daily newspaper in Hagerstown, b ...
''. Event organizer Jason Ornstein explained that he asked Harwell if he wanted him to have the DJs make an announcement instructing the crowd not to throw bread but according to Ornstein, Harwell "stormed on
tage
Tage is a masculine given name with Danish origins. People with the name include:
* Tage Åsén (born 1943), Swedish artist
* Tage Aurell (1895–1976), Swedish journalist and novelist
* Tage Brauer (1894–1988), Swedish athlete
* Tage Danielss ...
and took matters into his own hands". He continued "It wasn't like anyone was going to be getting hurt by throwing bread up in the air ... We just had to laugh at it, because he just really made a fool of himself."
In May 2016, Smash Mouth released their first
live album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
titled ''Playlist: The Very Best of Smash Mouth'' through
Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
. The recordings were harvested from shows in Rapid City, South Dakota and
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
.
2016 saw the band gain a new member in Sam Eigen and the return of Cooke. Eigen is a long-time friend of both Steve Harwell and Paul De Lisle, and has played with
Alanis Morissette,
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
, and
John Fogerty. He can also be heard playing guitar on several of Harwell's solo recordings over the years.
Greg Camp rejoined Smash Mouth in early 2018. An acoustic re-recording of Smash Mouth's first album, ''Fush Yu Mang'', funded through
PledgeMusic
PledgeMusic was an online direct-to-fan music platform, launched in August 2009. It was started to facilitate musicians looking to pre-sell, market, and distribute projects; such as recordings and concerts. It bore similarities to other artist p ...
was released in 2018 for the album's 20th anniversary.
On November 1, 2018, Smash Mouth released the single "Unity". It features hip-hop artists
Kool Keith
Keith Matthew Thornton (born October 7, 1963), better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper and record producer from The Bronx, New York City, known for his surreal, abstract and often profane or incomprehensible lyrics. Kool ...
and
Darryl McDaniels
Darryl Matthews McDaniels (born May 31, 1964), better known by his stage name DMC, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Run-DMC, and is considered one of the pioneers of hip hop culture.
Early life
McDaniels gre ...
of
Run-DMC. They then toured Australia in the same year during November to sell out crowds around the country, which consisted of a mix of theater, festival and pub shows. During the Arlie Beach Festival of Music in Queensland, Steve Harwell became ill and had to leave the stage. However, Nicky Bomba, Frankie J Holden, Wilbur Wilde from
Melbourne Ska Orchestra
Melbourne Ska Orchestra are an ARIA Award-winning Australian ska band formed in 2003 in Melbourne. The group has up to 34 members, and is led by bandleader Nicky Bomba, formerly of the John Butler Trio. The band are signed to FOUR FOUR, an impr ...
and the remainder of Smash Mouth continued the set without him. Harwell recovered the next day and the Australian tour continued without any further incidents.
2020–present: Further projects and Harwell's departure
On August 8, 2020, the band performed at the 2020
Sturgis Rally and vocalist Harwell said things such as "fuck that COVID shit" during the performance. A report from the
IZA Institute of Labor Economics
The IZA - Institute of Labor Economics (german: Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit), until 2016 referred to as the Institute of the Study of Labor (IZA), is a private, independent economic research institute and academic network focused o ...
later cited the event as being a
superspreading event
A superspreading event (SSEV) is an event in which an infectious disease is spread much more than usual, while an unusually contagious organism infected with a disease is known as a superspreader. In the context of a human-borne illness, a super ...
.
In October 2021, the band performed at The Big Sip beer and wine festival in
Bethel, New York :''This is the article about the Sullivan County, New York town. For the Dutchess County, New York hamlet, see Bethel, Pine Plains''
Bethel is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was estimated at 4,255 in 2010. The ...
. Harwell appeared to be intoxicated, threatening audience members and performing what looked like a
Nazi salute
The Nazi salute, also known as the Hitler salute (german: link=no, Hitlergruß, , Hitler greeting, ; also called by the Nazi Party , 'German greeting', ), or the ''Sieg Heil'' salute, is a gesture that was used as a greeting in Nazi Germany. Th ...
. Following the performance, Harwell announced his retirement due to ongoing health issues. Prior to Harwell's last show, the band was already performing with a substitute singer ostensibly filling in while Harwell dealt with his health issues.
In January 2022, it was announced upon Steve Harwell's departure, that the band has recruited new lead singer Zach Goode (formerly of Ghoulspoon, Divided By Zero and The Secret Seven). On March 2, 2022, the band released a cover of
Rick Astley
Richard Paul Astley (born 6 February 1966) is an English singer, songwriter and radio personality, who has been active in music for several decades. He gained worldwide fame in the 1980s, having multiple hits including his signature song " Ne ...
's song "
Never Gonna Give You Up
"Never Gonna Give You Up" is the debut single recorded by English singer and songwriter Rick Astley, released on 27 July 1987. It is one of Astley's most famous songs. It was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, and was released as ...
". Smash Mouth released a new single, "4th of July", on July 1, 2022.
Musical style
The band has been described as
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
,
power pop
Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...
,
pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
,
ska punk
Ska punk (also spelled ska-punk) is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music together. (sometimes spelled skacore) is a subgenre of ska punk that mixes ska with hardcore punk. Early ska punk mixed both 2 tone and ska with hardc ...
,
pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti- suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other p ...
,
surf rock, and
new wave.
Band members
Current members
*
Paul De Lisle
Paul Gerald De Lisle (born June 13, 1963) is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He is the bassist and the only consistent member of the pop rock band Smash Mouth since their formation in 1994.
Early life and education
De Lisle was born in Exet ...
– bass, backing vocals
(1994–present); lead vocals
(due to Harwell's absence in 2016)
* Michael Klooster – keyboards, programming, backing vocals
(touring member 1997–2008; 2008–present)
*
Randy Cooke
Randy Cooke is a Canadian drummer, percussionist, session musician, and touring musician.
Biography
Influenced by his drummer father, Cooke picked up the drums as a child, learning and playing as part of a local drum corps before starting his ow ...
– drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2010–2011, 2011–2012, 2013, 2016–2018, 2018–present)
*
Sean Hurwitz
Sean Hurwitz is an American musician known as the guitarist of Smash Mouth (2011–2012, 2012–2016, 2019–present) and Enrique Iglesias. Hurwitz is also a producer, singer, and songwriter based in Los Angeles, United States.
Early life
Born ...
– guitar, backing vocals
(2011–2012, 2012–2016, 2019–present)
* Zach Goode – lead vocals
(touring member 2021–2022; 2022–present)
Touring members
* Mark Cervantes – percussion, theremin, backing vocals
(1999–2008, 2014, 2018)
Touring substitutes
* Rob Schwartz – guitar, backing vocals
(2012)
* Kristian Attard – bass, backing vocals
(2017)
* Danny Richardson – guitar
(2018)
* Steve Carey – drums, percussion
(2020)
Former members
*
Steve Harwell – lead vocals, piano, occasional keyboards
(1994–2021)
* Kevin Coleman – drums, percussion
(1994–1999)
*
Greg Camp
Gregory Dean Camp (born April 2, 1967) is an American songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. He is best known as the founding guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Smash Mouth (1994–2008, 2009–2011, 2014, 2018–2019). Camp is credited as ...
– guitar, backing vocals; occasional keyboards and turntables
(studio) (1994–2008, 2009–2011, 2014, 2018–2019)
*
Michael Urbano
Michael Urbano (born March 19, 1966 in Sacramento, California, USA) is a musician, programmer, and record producer.
Career
One of Urbano's first gigs was as a member of Bourgeois Tagg, a 1980s band that was fronted by Brent Bourgeois and Larr ...
– drums, percussion
(1999, 2000–2006, 2009–2010, 2014, 2018)
* Mitch Marine – drums, percussion
(1999–2000, 2006, 2007–2009, 2010)
*
Jason Sutter
Jason Sutter is an American musician and drummer based in Los Angeles, California. He is currently the drummer for Cher.
A well versed drummer, having studied and performed extensively across multiple genres, Sutter is most widely recognized wit ...
– drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2006–2007, 2011, 2013–2016)
*
Leroy Miller – guitar, backing vocals
(2008–2009)
* Charlie Paxson – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2011, 2012–2013)
* Mike Krompass – guitar, backing vocals
(2012)
* Sam Eigen – guitar, backing vocals
(2016–2018)
Touring guests
* Adam Young – lead vocals, guitar
(2011)
* Miles Zuniga – guitar
(2013)
Timeline
Discography
* ''
Fush Yu Mang
''Fush Yu Mang'' is the debut studio album by American rock band Smash Mouth, released on July 8, 1997 by Interscope Records. It includes their first major hit, "Walkin' on the Sun", which was the last song to be added onto the album. The title ...
'' (1997)
* ''
Astro Lounge
''Astro Lounge'' is the second studio album by American rock band Smash Mouth, released on June 8, 1999, by Interscope Records.
It includes the single " All Star", arguably the group's most well-known song, which nearly topped the US ''Billboard ...
'' (1999)
* ''
Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth is an American rock band from San Jose, California. The band was formed in 1994, and was originally composed of Steve Harwell (lead vocals), Kevin Coleman (drums), Greg Camp (guitar), and Paul De Lisle (bass). With Harwell's depa ...
'' (2001)
* ''
Get the Picture?'' (2003)
* ''
The Gift of Rock
''The Gift of Rock'' is the fifth studio album by American rock band Smash Mouth. Released in 2005 through Beautiful Bomb Records, the album contains mostly covers of Christmas songs by various artists including Louis Armstrong, Ringo Starr, t ...
'' (2005)
* ''
Summer Girl'' (2006)
* ''
Magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
'' (2012)
* ''Fush Yu Mang'' (acoustic) (2018)
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Alternative rock groups from California
American pop rock music groups
American power pop groups
American ska musical groups
Pop punk groups from California
Ska punk musical groups
Surf music groups
Musical quartets
Musical groups established in 1994
Musical groups from San Jose, California
429 Records artists