Smash Mouth Singer Steve Harwell Is Retiring Following “Chaotic” NY Gig
Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell is retiring from the band.
“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 in a statement to TMZ. “To my bandmates, it’s been an honor performing with you all these years and I can’t think of anyone else I would have rather gone on this wild journey with.”
The announcement comes the weekend after Harwell performed with Smash Mouth at The Big Sip beer festival in upstate New York. His behavior at the show, which included cursing at and threatening the audience, went viral on TikTok and was described by a user as “the most chaotic show I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Harwell’s actions at the show were attributed to complications relating to his health. Per TMZ, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy 8 years ago and has suffered side effects that impact his memory and motor functions. “To our loyal and amazing fans, thank you, all of this was possible because of you,” Harwell continued in his statement. “I’ve tried so hard to power through my physical and mental health issues, and to play in front of you one last time, but I just wasn’t able to.”
“Steve has been dealing with long-term medical issues over the last 8 years and during his last performance at the Big Sip stage, he suffered numerous symptoms directly linked with his current medical situation,” a representative for the band told The New York Post. “As of today, Steve will be retiring from Smash Mouth to focus on his physical and mental health.”
Earlier this month, Smash Mouth quietly hired a new singer to perform at some recent concerts while Harwell was recovering from some health issues. Now it looks like they’re in the market for a new lead singer.