Pop
United States
Smash Mouth
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About Smash Mouth
Hometown
San Jose, CA, United States
Formed
1994
Genre
Pop
Smash Mouth isnât so much a band as a state of mindâan endless-summer fantasia where thereâs always beer in the cooler, sausage on the grill, and loose-fitting bowling shirts for everyone. Though the San Jose group formed in 1994 at the dawn of the SoCal ska-punk explosion, they swiftly ditched the mosh pit for the beach party. While their peers were making the kids pogo, Smash Mouth were going to the go-go on their 1997 breakout hit âWalkinâ on the Sun,â where lead singer Steve Harwellâs surfer-dude rasp coasts on a cool hip-shaking drumbeat and groovy garage-rock organs. That affinity for feel-good, pre-punk sounds would only become more deeply entrenched through their ska-sped rendition of Warâs âWhy Canât We Be Friendsâ and a faithful reading of ? and the Mysteriansâ 1967 nugget âCanât Get Enough of You Baby,â both of which became late-â90s alt-rock-radio staples. But to this day, any word-association game involving Smash Mouth will immediately yield the answer âAll Starâ: The bandâs bouncy motivational anthem not only thrust their 1999 album, Astro Lounge, to triple-platinum status, it became a certified cross-generational bop when it appeared on the soundtrack to the 2001 kid classic Shrek (which also featured the groupâs Top 40-cracking cover of The Monkeesâ âIâm a Believerâ). If Smash Mouthâs greatest successes seemingly crystallize a more innocent, pre-9/11 era, the band have continued to spread the good cheer well into the 21st century, embracing their destiny as â90s alt-rockâs pre-eminent golden-oldies touring act. Even though they only released one new album in the 2010s, Smash Mouth still abide by the life-coach philosophies of their biggest hit: get the show on and get paid. After retiring from the group in 2021, Steve Harwell died at age 56 in September 2023.
Musical InfluencesSmash Mouth's musical influences include INXS, Beastie Boys, Joe Jackson and more.
Influenced by Smash MouthSmash Mouth has influenced the music of Robert Hinrichs, Avital Shtapura, Znitra and more.
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