KUALA LUMPUR – Steve Harwell, the former lead singer of American rock band Smash Mouth, died on Monday (Tuesday Malaysian time) at his home in Boise, Idaho. He was 56.
Known for his chart-topping hits such as “All Star”, Harwell had retired from the band two years ago and was surrounded by close family members during his final moments, the band’s manager, Robert Hayes confirmed.
“Steve Harwell was a true American original,” Hayes said, as quoted by CNBC.
“A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle.”
Harwell’s retirement from Smash Mouth came following a concert in upstate New York two years ago, where he exhibited signs of slurred speech and made vaguely menacing remarks towards the audience, as reported by Variety.
During his time with Smash Mouth, Harwell played an instrumental role in the band’s global success, selling over ten million albums worldwide, achieving two #1 hit singles, and earning a Grammy nomination.
The band’s hits such “All Star” and their rendition of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” featured prominently in the “Shrek!” soundtrack.
Earlier reports had said that Harwell entered hospice care and was in the final stages of liver failure, with only a week or so to live, according to TMZ on September 3.
The musician’s lifelong struggle with alcohol abuse had taken a toll on his health, prompting friends and family to gather for heartfelt goodbyes over the past few days.
Harwell’s health issues were first publicly disclosed in 2021 when it was announced that he would be retiring from the band due to long standing medical problems.
According to TMZ, Harwell had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy eight years ago, which subsequently led to heart failure and Wernicke’s encephalopathy, affecting his motor functions, speech, and memory.
In a statement upon announcing his retirement in 2021, Harwell expressed his gratitude and love for his bandmates and the journey they had undertaken together.
“Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a Rockstar performing in front of sold-out arenas and have been so fortunate to live out that dream,” he said following his retirement.
“To my bandmates, it’s been an honour performing with you all these years, and I can’t think of anyone else I would have rather gone on this wild journey with.”
Following Harwell’s departure from the band, Smash Mouth introduced their new singer, Zach Goode last year. – September 5, 2023