American singer Steve Harwell, best known as the founder and former lead vocalist of the rock band Smash Mouth, succumbed to acute liver failure on Monday, September 4, at his home in Boise, Idaho. He was 56 years old at the time of his demise and was surrounded by loved ones during his last moments. The news of his death was confirmed to the Associated Press (AP) by his representative, Robert Hayes.
“Steve’s iconic voice is one of the most recognisable voices from his generation. He loved the fans and loved to perform … Steve lived a 100 percent full-throttle life. Burning brightly across the universe before burning out," Hayed said in a statement to Rolling Stone.Steve Harwell had been in hospice care for quite some time before he passed away. As per AP, the musician will be cremated in Boise and later buried in San Jose, California, alongside his mother, as was his last wish.
As soon as the news of Steve Harwell’s death surfaced on social media, instead of sending him tributes, netizens got reminded of his last performance in 2021, when he allegedly gave a Nazi salute on stage and also threatened to kill a member of the audience and their family.
However, a Reddit user defended him, saying that he was under the influence of alcohol and that it was just "one time" when he got involved in the controversial act, and calling him a white supremacist based on that was not right. Here’s what he said under @r/Destiny’s post.
Steve Harwell’s Nazi salute controversy happened in October 2021
Steve Harwell founded the rock band Smash Mouth in 1994 and was its lead singer until October 2021, when he abruptly retired following a shocking performance at New York’s Big Sip Festival. Footages from the show that had circulated on social media revealed the All Star singer using slurs while addressing the audience, threatening to kill them, and making crude gestures to the crowd, such as giving a Nazi salute and pulling out his middle finger.
Back then, it created quite a scandal across the internet, and soon after the performance, a spokesperson for the band announced to several media sources, including The Insider, that Harwell would be retiring from the band and that it was his final performance. They also blamed his deteriorating mental and physical health as the cause of the trouble on stage. The statement read as follows:
“Steve has been dealing with long-term medical issues over the last eight years and during his last performance at the Big Sip stage, he suffered numerous symptoms directly linked with his current medical situation. As of today, Steve will be retiring from Smash Mouth to focus on his physical and mental health.”Another insider source told the New York Post that Harwell suffered a medical issue on stage and made no offense. They also insisted that his controversial words and acts on stage were "taken out of context" and that his ailments were being used against him "to paint him as someone who he isn’t."
Later, it was also revealed that Harwell had been suffering from various diseases for many years, including cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, acute liver failure, and acute Wernicke encephalopathy. The last neurological disorder greatly impacted his motor functions, including speech and impaired memory. He also struggled with alcoholism.
In fact, after his headline-making final performance, Steve Harwell issued a statement thanking his fans for their support and explaining that he “tried so hard” to continue performing despite his mental and physical setbacks.
“Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a rock star, performing in front of sold-out arenas, and have been so fortunate to live out that dream. To our loyal and amazing fans, thank you, all of this was possible because of you. 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,” he said.Born in California in 1967, Steve Harwell was part of a rap group called F.O.S. (Freedom of Speech) before finding Smash Mouth in 1994. The rock band’s first album was Fush Yu Mang in 1997, from which the song Walkin’ on the Sun became a worldwide hit.
The group's second album, Astro Lounge, featured some of the band’s biggest hits, including the Grammy-nominated All Star and the cover of The Monkees’ I am a Believer which was later featured in the 2001 animated film Shrek.
During Steve Harwell’s 27 years of being associated with the band, they sold over 10 million albums globally, along with two Number 1 singles that later went on to become platinum hits. After his exit from the band in 2021, he was replaced by vocalist Zach Goode.
While little was known about the singer’s personal life, he was at one point in a long-term relationship with Esther Campbell. However, the couple split in 2019 after she filed a restraining order against him. Steve Harwell was also a COVID-19 denier.
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