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Where is Smash Mouth now? How the band changed after its late frontman left

Steve Harwell, former Smash Mouth frontman and founder, died on Sept. 4 after battling a variety of health issues including cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart, and liver failure.

The 56-year-old had performed in the pop band for more than 27 years. He retired in 2021 following a concert in New York where he was captured slurring his speech and making threatening gestures, Variety reported .

After Harwell's retirement in 2021, Smash Mouth replaced the singer with new lead vocalist, Zach Goode.

Here's everything to know about the band's history, new frontman and what's next for Smash Mouth.

How did Smash Mouth become famous?

Smash Mouth has been around for nearly three decades, but it's the animated children's movie "Shrek" that made them a household name back in 2001.

Formed in San Jose, California, founders Paul De Lisle on bass, Kevin Coleman on drums, Greg Camp on guitar, and lead vocalist Steve Harwell began their music journey playing rock and first charted in 1997 with the single "Walkin' On The Sun," a retro, guitar-heavy tune that landed on Billboard's Hot 100.

Two years later, the band found even greater success with "All Star," a release from their second album "Astro Lounge."

In a 1999 interview with Rolling Ston e, Harwell said of the band’s Double Platinum record, “A lot of people said that we weren’t talented enough to do that type of s---. Well, we did it, and I want them to eat their words,” before continuing on to say, “We built this team and nobody’s going to take it away from us.”

A popular radio tune in the summer of 1999, "All Star" earned a Grammy nomination for best pop performance for a duo or a group in 2000, but lost to Santana's "Maria Maria."

But Smash Mouth still won big when "All Star" was picked up for the soundtrack of a new Dreamworks film about an ogre and donkey.

“We had no clue how big ‘Shrek’ was going to be,” Harwell said in a 2019 interview with  Rolling Stone . “We sold millions of records off that alone."

Along with "All Star," the band also charted with their remake of the Monkees hit song "I'm a Believer."

Fame after 'Shrek'

In the years following "Shrek," Variety reports that Smash Mouth went through some changes with various members leaving, including co-founder Greg Camp, the band's guitarist and main songwriter.

Despite personnel changes, the band continued working, touring and releasing music.

However, they remained forever linked to the 2001 animated film that catapulted them into stardom, with bassist Paul De Lisle telling Newsweek in 2016 that, "Our singer, Steve, he gets addressed as Shrek a lot: ‘Hey Shrek!’ or ‘Hey Smash Mouth!’ Our fans find it funny. They come to shows wearing Shrek glasses and whatnot."

By 2013, Harwell was dealing with medical and other issues, according to Variety.

Shortly before announcing his retirement, Harwell had been in the news for other reasons, including an episode where the singer "was seen dropping a drink and swaying onstage, punctuating his slurred singing with inscrutable comments," among other, more unsavory acts, according to a Los Angeles Time s article.

Upon the frontman's retirement in 2021, De Lisle told Variety of Halwall's departure, “Whatever he had to do, his health was the most important thing. Steve retired. We moved on. It was sad after so many years, but we did see it coming.”

Smash Mouth starts a new chapter in 2022 by introducing a new lead singer

After Halwall left the group, Smash Mouth announced in 2022 that they'd replaced the singer with Zach Goode, a native New Yorker with a "rough-and-tumble ... yet pitch-perfect and rangy ... vocal style," according to the band's website.

An actor, writer and singer, Goode wrote on his website that he left home at the age 16 to perform in rock bands while finishing high school on his own.

Of their newest recruit, Smash Mouth's De Lisle said, "This year welcomes a shockingly improved and utterly re-energized Smash Mouth with the proud introduction of their hugely-talented new frontman Zach Goode."

The band currently has U.S. shows scheduled throughout September and October.

How Smash Mouth honored Steve Harwell after his death

On their former frontman and bandmate, Smash Mouth posted a warm Instagram tribute writing, "Steve Harwell was a true American Original. A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle. Steve should be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom."

Sarah is a lifestyle and entertainment reporter for TODAY who covers holidays, celebrities and everything in between.

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Smash Mouth (formed in 1994) is an American rock band from San Jose, California, U.S. Known for the songs “Walkin’ on the Sun” (1997) and “All Star” (1999).

Smash Mouth formed in 1994 when lead singer Steve Harwell, formerly of the rap group F.O.S., was introduced to guitarist Greg Camp and bassist Paul De Lisle by his manager Kevin Coleman. The trio along with Coleman on drums played under the moniker Smashmouth mainly playing ska and punk music getting their first break when a demo of their song “Nervous in the Alley” was played on local radio. Soon after the band signed to Interscope Records, changed the band name to Smash Mouth and released their debut album “Fush Yu Mang” in 1997. The album has since gone double platinum thanks to the singles “Walkin’ on the Sun” and “The Fonz”.

The sound of the follow-up album titled “Astro Lounge” represented a shift towards accessible pop and led to a huge increase in publicity for the band. “All Star” the band’s biggest selling single, which featured has featured in several movie soundtracks including Shrek, helped the album be certified as triple platinum. Soon after the release drummer Kevin Coleman departed the group due to back problems who was replaced by Mitch Marine for the “Astro Lounge” tour, after which Michael Urbana filled the position.

Smash Mouth’s self-titled third full-length album was released in 2001 and featured the well-received cover of The Monkees’ song “I’m a Believer”, the album however didn’t chart as well as the first two albums. The band was dropped from Interscope Records shortly after the releasee of their fourth album “Get the Picture?” released in 2003, it featured the singles “You Are My Number One” and “Hang On”. Shortly after Smash Mouth signed to Universal Records and released a greatest hits compilation and a Christmas album titled “Gift of Rock” and covered artists from the Kinks to the Ramones.

After many delays and setbacks, the band’s fifth studio album, intended to be titled “Old Habits” was eventually shelved and replaced with “Summer Girl” which got its release on September 19, 2006 on Universal Records. The band experienced a plague of line-up changes from then on and the release of their sixth full-length album “Magic”, after signing with 429 Records, did little to null the changing membership.

Live reviews

While this band has been in the industry long enough to be celebrating their 20th Anniversary, these guys can in no way be described as has-beens. There is something very unique and distinctive that makes anyone stemming from California instantly just that much cooler than the average Joe, without having to do much, and these guys are no exception to that unwritten rule. Maybe it's the year round intake of vitamin D they get from their ever present amazing Californian weather that makes this rock band able to withstand 20 years in an industry that others barely manage to break into, or maybe it's something else. Whatever it is, these dudes know what it takes to be a success and they sure are taking full advantage.

Faced with a plethora of multicoloured glow sticks, Smash Mouth performed live at the Ford Centre in Evansville, Indiana where they definitely did not need the crowds glow sticks to shine. Kicking off the night with one of their absolute hits, 'Everyday Superhero', then following with an epic guitar solo in only the first seven minutes, it was shaping up to be an awesome night. They then continued with more crowd pleasers such as 'All Star', then topped off the night with one that every Shrek fan knows, 'I'm A Believer'. If this West Coast band has picked up a thing or two during their time in the industry, it's how to make a crowd roar.

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Smash Mouth have been touring as a unit for over fifteen years and they perform as one slick, well practiced piece of rock machinery. Despite having not achieved major chart success, since their incarnation they have amassed a loyal and devoted following who adore the participatory way in which they conduct their live show.

You know that lead singer Steve Harwell is going to be continuously moving around the stage and continuously making sure the whole crowd is involved in the performance throughout. They thrash out throughout the whole setlist whilst adding extra energy to fan favourites and international hits 'All Star' and 'Can't Get Enough Of You, Baby'.

The whole audience bellows the lyrics to the entire setlist to the amazement of the performers and proves the cult like mentality of the fan base. The audience in its entirety gets involved for the finale singalong of 'Walkin' On The Sun' and Smash Mouth leaves to huge applause knowing that they have well and truly performed this evening.

So glad I was able to ring in the New Year with this band. Smash Mouth is consistently strong after 20 years!!! They played all their hits and then some! I love their version of WAR'S- "Why can't we be Friends". Enjoyed their show from start to finish! Steve Harwel's voice is in fine form- this band is professional from beginning to end- they are tight and strong and can't wait to see them again-

They should do a festival show- I would love to see them mix it up with some other musicians!!

Happy New Year Smash Mouth- You ROCKED IT HARD in Corona, CA!

The guys rocked! It was one of the best sounding shows I have heard in awhile. Steve Harwell is charismatic. The band carry the energy. If you get a chance, don't miss seeing them!

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Smash Mouth’s Steve Harwell retires, citing ‘physical and mental health issues’

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Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell announced his retirement following the uproar over a concert performance that one attendee described as “the most chaotic show I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

Representatives for Smash Mouth said Tuesday that Harwell, 54, has left the band to focus on what they described as longstanding medical issues.

“Despite Steve’s best efforts to work through these ailments, he is heartbroken to share that it has become impossible for him to continue doing what he loves most, performing in front of the band’s millions of fans around the world,” they said.

“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,” Harwell added in a statement, saying he expects the band to continue without him. “I cannot wait to see what Smash Mouth accomplishes next.”

@doesthisfeelgood the most chaotic show I’ve ever been to #smashmouth #heynow #allstar #shrekisloveshrekislife ♬ original sound - haley in france

Video of the concert showed Harwell slurring words, threatening audience members (“I’ll f— kill your whole family, I swear to God,” he told one fan) and giving what appeared to be a Nazi salute to the crowd.

A spokesperson for the group said Harwell “has suffered profusely over the years with several types of addiction leading to medical and mental health issues,” including cardiomyopathy and Wernickes encephalopathy, a condition that “has greatly impacted his motor functions including speech and impaired memory.”

Regarding the apparent Nazi salute, they said that the singer “regrets his actions, but this Tik Tok video is not an accurate representation of the man Steve is.”

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Eve 6 singer Max Collins, a contemporary of Smash Mouth’s, said on Twitter Monday that “i just want this guy to get clean cuz this is sad pull him off the road 90 meetings in 90 days or ur gonna have another dead rockstar on ur hands.”

Smash Mouth is best known for hits “All Star” and “I’m a Believer,” a cover of the Monkees’ classic.

The band was widely criticized for performing at last year’s Sturgis motorcycle rally, a likely COVID-19 superspreader event.

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Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell retires after disoriented New York concert

Smash Mouth’s lead singer Steve Harwell is apparently retiring after a controversial concert in upstate New York on Saturday that found him slurring his words and making vaguely threatening comments toward the audience. The singer has been battling health problems for several years and the band had played some recent shows with a stand-in vocalist.

The singer, 54, apparently made the announcement to TMZ , although there was no message on his or the band’s socials at the time of this article’s publication (Harwell’s Instagram account is private) and a rep for the group did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment.

“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. 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.”

According to TMZ, Harwell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy eight years ago, which led to other medical setbacks like heart failure and Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which impacts his motor functions, including speech and memory, and presumably contributed to his disoriented performance at the concert, which took place Saturday afternoon in Bethel, New York. Clips from the performance circulated widely online over the past few days.

Harwell had announced earlier that he intended to take some time off from performing, but apparently he has retired altogether.

“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 concluded, according to TMZ. “I cannot wait to see what Smash Mouth accomplishes next and am looking forward to counting myself as one of the band’s newest fans.”

Smash Mouth's Steve Harwell Rushed to Hospital, Band Cancels Concert

The 50-year-old rocker reportedly had trouble breathing during sound check.

Smash Mouth's leading man was reportedly struggling with a health issue that led him to canceling one of the band's shows. 

According to TMZ ,  Steve Harwell went to the hospital on Thursday after complaining of having breathing problems during a sound check, and told the tour manager that he would be unable to take the stage that night.

PHOTOS: Stars Post Pics From Hospitals

Harwell spoke to the website, and said that doctors informed him that he was suffering the effects of his cardiomyopathy, which is a condition that makes it hard for the heart to deliver blood to the body, and can lead to heart failure.

According to the 50-year-old musician, he has been on oxygen and IVs since being admitted to the hospital and doctors have also prescribed him steroids and inhalers. Harwell also claimed that he has been feeling unwell for the past four days, but it only got really bad on Thursday, leading him to cancel Smash Mouth's show. 

MORE: Smash Mouth Singer Steve Harwell Just Went on an Insane NSFW Rant at Their Show

Harwell told  TMZ that he still plans to perform tonight at the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Illinois.

ET has reached out to Smash Mouth and Harwell's reps for more on this story.

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Smash Mouth’s Steve Harwell ‘Just Fine’ Following Hospitalization & Concert Cancelations

Smash Mouth called off its Memphis, Tenn., show Aug. 31 when frontman Steve Harwell paid a visit to the hospital due to difficulty breathing, according to reports.

By Ashley Iasimone

Ashley Iasimone

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Smash Mouth  called off its Memphis, Tenn., show Thursday night (Aug. 31) when frontman Steve Harwell paid a visit to the hospital due to difficulty breathing, TMZ reports.

Harwell’s manager confirms to Billboard that he was taken to the hospital, but says it “was not an emergency situation.” The singer was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle that can makes it hard for the heart to deliver blood to the body, two years ago.

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“Whenever he is not feeling great we take precautionary measures just to make sure everything is OK, especially while he is on the road touring,” he explains. “The doctor is running some tests but he appears to be just fine and intends to resume the tour tomorrow night in Portsmouth, Ohio. We are rescheduling the show for tonight in Edwardsville, Ill.”

Trending on Billboard

“Sorry to inform we have to postpone tonight’s show at the Wildey Theatre/Edwardsville due to an illness. New date will post soon,” the band had tweeted on Friday . A few hours later came a brief update : “Doing better folks!”

Rescheduled dates for the postponed concerts have not been announced as of press time.

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Smash Mouth Cancels Tour

L A S   V E G A S, July 31 -- The rock group Smash Mouth has canceledimmediate tour dates after the death of its lead singer's infantson.

Presley Scott Harwell, the only son of Steve Harwell and MichelleLaroque, died Saturday of complications from acute lymphocyticleukemia, tour manager Scotty Haulter said.

The child, born Jan. 26, became ill Thursday, Haulter said.

The San Jose, Calif.-based group was in Minot, N.D., whenmembers learned that Harwell's son was critically ill at SunriseChildren's Hospital in Las Vegas. Presley died early Saturdaymorning.

'All Star' Singers Delay Tour

Monday night's performance in Great Falls, Mont., and tonight'sappearance in Kellogg, Idaho, were canceled. The group did not knowwhen it would resume its schedule.

"They're taking it one day at a time," said Terry Wang, theband's tour representative. "They were mainly scheduled to doradio shows and summer fair-type appearances."

Smash Mouth recently covered the Monkees' "I'm A Believer" forthe Shrek soundtrack and has toured with Sugar Ray, Third EyeBlind and Blur. The band's hits include "All Star" and "Walkin'On The Sun."

A memorial service was scheduled for today in Las Vegas, whereHarwell lives.

© 2022 Smash Mouth Music, Inc.

Smash Mouth's Steve Harwell Was Never The Same After The Tragic Loss Of His Infant Son

T he founder and former lead singer of the band Smash Mouth, Steve Harwell, died of liver failure on September 4, 2023, at 56. Though he achieved a successful career over several decades, the rock star also struggled with difficult times, including being diagnosed with illnesses such as cardiomyopathy and Wernicke encephalopathy, as well as a public battle with alcohol abuse. However, one of the musician's most tragic experiences was losing his infant son in 2001.

According to The U.S. Sun , Harwell was in a relationship with a woman named Michelle Laroque in the early '00s. The pair welcomed a son named Presley in January 2001. Sadly, the little boy died in July of the same year due to complications from acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).

Smash Mouth was performing out of state when frontman Steve Harwell got the news that his son was sick. He explained to The Morning Call that he and Presley's mom barely had time to wrap their heads around their son's diagnosis before he succumbed to the illness. "It all happened so quickly ... I got a call in Minneapolis that he had leukemia. Within a day and a half, he was gone," the singer said.

Read more: '90s Musicians You Might Not Know Died

Steve Harwell Tried To Stay Positive After His Son's Death

Understandably, Steve Harwell struggled following his son's death. He told The Morning Call, "It was so shocking. I thought I was invincible until that happened to me. It happened to Steve Harwell, lead singer of Smash Mouth, the rock star. All the money in the world couldn't save him," he said. The band canceled their ongoing tour promoting the release of their self-titled album, so Harwell and his family could grieve their loss. Shortly afterward, the 9/11 terrorist attack occurred, only heightening their pain.

However, the "Believer" singer did his best to maintain a positive outlook for the future. With an outpouring of empathy, Harwell said, "I had just been through a tragedy too, and what I can tell everybody is that it gets easier. But it is so hard. It's even hard to talk about this," adding, "We have to recover. The one thing we have to do is get back into the swing of life." The musician did that himself by returning to playing live shows with his band and leaning on Smash Mouth's uplifting songs to help ease his heartbreak.

Steve Harwell Created A Leukemia Research Foundation

After the death of his son Presley, Steve Harwell wanted to do something to help other families going through similar experiences. He told The Morning Call, "I needed to do something positive. So I set up the Presley Scott Research Foundation for Leukemia."

According to the Mayo Clinic , acute lymphocytic leukemia is a quickly progressing cancer that often begins in the bone marrow and spreads to the blood. It is the most common type of cancer in children. Fortunately, research into the disease has greatly improved treatment options and increased the possibility of remission. The five-year survival rates for pediatric ALL have increased from 3% to 85% in the last 50 years, per the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society .

For Harwell, seeing others beat the illness that killed his son was a healing experience. "I love kids. When I see parents with healthy children, I don't get sad. I just thank God they have healthy, happy children," he once said. We share our deepest condolences with the Harwell family and anyone affected by Steve's loss.

Read the original article on Nicki Swift .

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Smash mouth singer steve harwell retires after ‘chaotic’ onstage rant.

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Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell is no longer a part of the band.

The 54-year-old rocker is retiring from music to deal with his physical and mental health, Harwell’s rep told The Post Tuesday.

“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,” the rep said. “As of today, Steve will be retiring from Smash Mouth to focus on his physical and mental health.”

On Oct. 9, the band performed at the Big Sip festival in upstate New York where Harwell slurred his words, threatened the audience and  gave some crude gestures to the crowd . The video was taken by a TikTok user who goes by the name Haley, who called it “chaotic.”

A source close to Harwell told The Post that he had one of his “episodes” while on stage, as seen in the viral video.

“This unfortunate recording has now been taken out of context and his ailments used against him to paint him as someone who he isn’t,” the insider said.

Harwell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy eight years ago and has suffered from heart failure and acute Wernicke encephalopathy. The latter condition has greatly impacted his motor functions including speech and impaired his memory.

“Despite Steve’s best efforts to work through these ailments, he is heartbroken to share that it has become impossible for him to continue doing what he loves most, performing in front of the band’s millions of fans around the world,” his rep said.

Despite Harwell’s retirement, Smash Mouth will not be breaking up and will continue to perform as they search for a replacement.

“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,” Harwell said in a statement. “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.

“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. I am so grateful to each and every one of you who has helped Smash Mouth sell over 10 million albums worldwide, put us on top of radio charts and those who have kept ‘All Star’ relevant as one of the top memes on the internet today,” he continued.

Harwell concluded, “I cannot wait to see what Smash Mouth accomplishes next and am looking forward to counting myself as one of the band’s newest fans.”

The source also explained that Harwell has suffered over the years with several types of addiction that led to several medical and mental health issues. His appearance at the Big Sip show made it clear that Harwell could “no longer perform due to the symptoms from his diagnosis,” according to the insider, despite having “every intention of successfully continuing in the band.”

As for the video in which he curses and seemingly does a Nazi salute, the insider claimed that Harwell has been a supporter for minority groups and he regrets his actions at the festival.

“This TikTok video is not an accurate representation of the man Steve is. Steve had every intention of successfully continuing in the band but will be retiring to concentrate on his serious health issues,” the source said.

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Smash Mouth Announces First New Music Since Death of Cofounder Steve Harwell to Mark 30th Anniversary

"We wrote it as a continuation of our 2001 hit single, 'Pacific Coast Party,' with a similar good-vibe feel," explained bassist Paul Gerald DeLisle in a statement

Smash Mouth is ready to pay tribute to Steve Harwell seven months after his untimely death at age 56 .

The band will release its first single since the death of the co-founder and former frontman on Friday, April 12.

Titled "Ride On," the track marks the band's 30th anniversary since first forming in 1994 and has an infectious guitar melody previewed through a snippet shared by the band on Instagram .

Cindy Hayes

"We wrote it as a continuation of our 2001 hit single, 'Pacific Coast Party,' with a similar good-vibe feel," explained bassist Paul Gerald DeLisle in a statement. "It's a very Smash Mouth-California style of rock/disco custom song made just for summer, a respectful and loving homage to Pablo Cruise."

The single was a collective written by DeLisle and vocalist Zachary Goode, guitarist Sean Hurwitz, drummer Randy Cooke, and keyboardist Michael Klooster.

The band is making it the soundtrack to their summer tour with lyrics such as "We got the wheels/We got the weather/We got the right of way together."

The group summer shows begin on Friday, April 19 , with a performance at the Island Resort & Casino in Harris, Michigan. The band will tour the United States with stops also scheduled in New York, Arizona, and California until Tuesday, Aug. 20.

When Harwell died of acute liver failure on Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, the band remembered him as a "true American Original."

"A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle. Steve should be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom," wrote the band via a joint statement on Instagram .

Earl Gibson III/WireImage

"And the fact that he achieved this near-impossible goal with very limited musical experience makes his accomplishments all the more remarkable. His only tools were his irrepressible charm and charisma, his fearlessly reckless ambition, and his king-size cajones," the statement continued.

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The band added that Harwell "lived a 100% full-throttle life burning brightly across the universe before burning out."

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Smash Mouth Retires After TikToker Accidentally Cancels Steve Harwell With Insane Concert Video

Well, the years started coming and they didn't stop coming for Smash Mouth . On October 10th, TikToker @doesthisfeelgood left the Big Sip beer and wine festival at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts feeling completely shook by what she had seen. Smash Mouth reportedly gave a bizarre, boozy, and borderline disturbing performance full of threats toward fans and possible nazi salutes. Not only did @doesthisfeelgood 's video of the concert go viral, but the damning footage of singer Steve Harwell might have forced the band into retirement after a series of humiliating headlines . Is this really the end of Smash Mouth? Imagine being the one responsible for the video that cancelled one of the most legendary meme bands of the aughts. Though, to be fair, Smash Mouth was already under fire for playing at a super-spreader event back in 2020. We've collected the amusing series of videos posted by @doesthisfeelgood, including some funny responses from the comment section. 

• 1 </lite-tiktok> "> Via @doesthisfeelgood
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• 2 </lite-tiktok> "> Via @doesthisfeelgood
• 3 </lite-tiktok> "> Via @doesthisfeelgood
• 4 </lite-tiktok> "> Via @doesthisfeelgood

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Tantrums of the rich and famous: nine acts that turned on their audience – from Elton to Bieber to Blur

This week, Damon Albarn took umbrage at a Coachella crowd who failed to sing along. But he is far from the worst offender

W hen Coachella 2024 comes to be remembered by future generations, the abiding image will be that of Damon Albarn attempting to engage the crowd in a game of call and response, and then failing, and then having a bit of a go at them.

In fairness to Albarn, it was a weird booking. Blur have always fared poorly in the US. Is this the band’s fault for writing all those songs about how much they dislike America? We may never know. Either way, by berating the crowd for their ambivalence – yelling “You’ll never see us again so you may as well fucking sing it” – Blur have joined the ranks of acts who have turned against their audiences.

Or, to be more specific, they’ve rejoined the ranks. In 2003, after Graham Coxon left the band, Blur played an intimate “secret” show in Madrid, which fell apart after Albarn lost some of his bracelets. This led to him dragging the whole show to a halt while he yelled at the crowd . “Unless they’re on that stage in fucking two minutes, I’m not going to do anything else fucking ever again in Spain,” he wailed. “So I want them back now!”

Still, at least Blur find themselves in good company …

Elton John, a man who is no stranger to tantrums, went berserk at a Las Vegas audience in 2018 when some members who’d been invited on to the stage made the mistake of getting too close to him. After attempting to sing Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting while screaming “Fuck off” off-mic between lines, John eventually abandoned the song and left the stage, only to return to ban people from coming on stage in future. “You fucked it up!” he growled.

• Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber is a man who for more than a decade has visibly bristled whenever he comes into proximity with overzealous fans. In Norway in 2015, an audience member spilled some water on his stage. “What are you doing? Stop it! Listen to me!” he yelled, before trying to wipe up the spill. But when they tried to grab the rag he used to clean up the spill, he stood up, huffed: “Never mind, I’m done, I’m not doing the show,” and left the stage.

Smash Mouth

Smash Mouth’s performance at a Colorado food festival in 2015 went off the rails when the band were pelted with slices of bread that had been given to the crowd as a free sample. This caused singer Steve Harwell to throw the mother of all tantrums. “You throw one more piece of shit on the fucking stage, I’m gonna find your ass, I’m gonna beat your ass, whoever the fuck you are out there,” he stormed. “Whoever is throwing shit at me, I will tell you right now, I will beat the fuck out of you. You’re a pussy punk bitch.” Harwell then tried to climb into the audience, presumably to fight everyone, only to be stopped by a security guard. He then went on to sing the song from Shrek like everyone wanted.

More in keeping with the Blur meltdown, Bebe Rexha found herself yelling at an audience for their lack of enthusiasm during a pre-Grammy party in 2019. During a performance of her song Meant to Be, Rexha stopped the song and shouted: “This song was No 1 for 50 fucking weeks. I work too fucking hard for this shit, OK?”

Perhaps we should have seen it coming with Kanye West . During a concert in 2014, West stopped the music because he was angry that some audience members were not standing up and dancing like everyone else. “This is the longest I’ve had to wait to do a song, it’s unbelievable,” he huffed while the crowd booed the seated members. With a horrible inevitability, it quickly became apparent that they were sitting down because they were in wheelchairs.

In 2012, during a performance for iHeart Radio, the Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong decided to end the band’s biggest song Basket Case early, only to throw a tantrum when a teleprompter informed him to clear the stage within one minute. “Give me a fucking break. One minute left. One minute fucking left. You’re gonna give me one fucking minute?” he whined to the crowd. “Let me fucking tell you something, I’ve been around since fucking 1980-fucking-8. And you’re gonna give me one fucking minute? You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me! You’re fucking kidding me. What the fuck! I’m not fucking Justin Bieber, you motherfuckers.”

Royal Blood

Most recently, the band Royal Blood briefly became more famous than they had ever been after singer Mike Kerr embarked on an excruciating rant during a set at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Dundee . “I guess I should actually introduce ourselves seeing as no one actually knows who we are,” Kerr said. “We’re called Royal Blood and this is rock music. Who likes rock music? Nine people. Brilliant.” As his set ended, Kerr slammed down his guitar and stormed off giving everyone the middle finger, leaving his drummer to stand on stage and silently apologise.

Finally, although it might only squeak by as a technicality, there is Billy Joel . In Moscow in 1987, Joel had what must be the most impressive meltdown ever recorded. This is because, thanks to all his years as a trained professional, it was confined to the moments between each line of his songs. As such the transcript for his performance of Sometimes a Fantasy is basically: “When am I gonna take control, get a hold of my emotions STOP LIGHTING THE AUDIENCE! / Why does it only seem to hit me in the middle of the night STOP IT! / You told me there’s a number I can always dial for assistance LET ME DO MY SHOW FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!” Soon after, Joel flips his piano upside down and starts smashing up his microphone without missing a single lyric. It is, without doubt, the most impressive thing ever performed by a human.

• Damon Albarn

Most viewed

Smash Mouth's Steve Harwell Rushed to Hospital, Concert Cancelled

September 1, 2017

(TMZ) --  Smash Mouth 's scheduled concert Thursday was abruptly cancelled after lead singer Steve Harwell was rushed to the hospital ... TMZ has learned.

Steve tells TMZ the group was doing sound check at the venue when he had trouble breathing and told the tour manager he couldn't perform.  The 50-year-old got in an Uber and told the driver to get to the hospital, STAT.

He says doctors told him he was suffering the effects of cardiomyopathy ... a condition he's had for two years. Cardiomyopathy is a form of heart disease where the heart muscle becomes enlarged and weak, making it difficult to pump blood.

Steve says he's been feeling bad for four days but he was able to perform until last night. He tells TMZ he has been on oxygen and IV's since being admitted. Doctors also gave him steroids and inhalers. 

The condition often flares up because of a virus or drinking. Steve says he was not drinking.

He plans to get out of the hospital around noon Friday and says he'll be good to perform tonight.

Hopefully, he gave the Uber driver five stars. 

Photo: Getty Images

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Smash World Tour organizers blame Nintendo for championship’s sudden shutdown

The Smash World Tour Championships was days away

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Share All sharing options for: Smash World Tour organizers blame Nintendo for championship’s sudden shutdown

On Dec. 9, the best Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Smash Bros. Melee players planned to convene in Texas after a year’s worth of the competition circuit leading into the Smash World Tour Championships. But on Tuesday night, just over a week from the event’s kickoff, Smash World Tour organizers made a sudden announcement: The event is canceled , alongside the entire 2023 Smash World Tour.

Smash World Tour organizers published an official statement on Medium, blaming Nintendo for the event’s shutdown. “Without any warning, we received notice the night before Thanksgiving from Nintendo that we could no longer operate,” organizers said in a statement. “This was especially shocking given our discourse with Nintendo the past twelve months. Since then, we have been working around the clock to take the proper steps logistically, as well as to prepare this statement with proper legal guidance.”

Organizers said the Smash World Tour will lose “hundreds of thousands of dollars” due to the event’s sudden halt.

The group described a drawn-out licensing application with Nintendo — essentially applying for official permission to hold the event. Nintendo has targeted Smash Bros. tournaments in the past , largely events that use a modified version of Super Smash Bros. Melee that allows online play — necessary for an online event. Despite the sheer size of the competitive Smash Bros. scene, Nintendo hasn’t supported efforts in the past, and has downright restricted tournaments that use the modded version of the game. Nintendo surprised the community in 2021 when it partnered with esports company Panda Global in the first officially licensed tournament circuit.

Smash World Tour organizers said they were contacted by Nintendo to license their circuit and get official permission for their events. The process, however, left some things uncertain, leading into Tuesday’s abrupt cancellation announcement.

A Nintendo spokesperson disputed Smash World Tour’s characterization of the events in a statement to Polygon. Specifically, Nintendo said it did not ask Smash World Tour organizers to cancel the remaining events.

Unfortunately after continuous conversations with Smash World Tour, and after giving the same deep consideration we apply to any potential partner, we were unable to come to an agreement with SWT for a full circuit in 2023. Nintendo did not request any changes to or cancellation of remaining events in 2022, including the 2022 Championship event, considering the negative impact on the players who were already planning to participate.

In response, organizers published a notice they received from Nintendo in which the company stated that “an approved license” is expected to be secured to run a tournament like the Smash World Tour. The statement, however, does not explicitly call for the event to be canceled. Nintendo also said Smash World Tour has not met “expectations around health & safety guidelines and has not adhered to our internal partner guidelines.” The full statement from Nintendo, via Smash World Tour, is below:

It is Nintendo’s expectation that an approved license be secured in order to operate any commercial activity featuring Nintendo IP. It is also expected to secure such a license well in advance of any public announcement. After further review, we’ve found that the Smash World Tour has not met these expectations around health & safety guidelines and has not adhered to our internal partner guidelines. Nintendo will not be able to grant a license for the Smash World Tour Championship 2022 or any Smash World Tour activity in 2023.

Over the past year, Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players have been qualifying for the main event, which offered a $250,000 prize — what organizers said would have been “the largest prize pool in Smash history.” There were more than 35 official stops on the Smash World Tour leading into the championships; players were required to attend these events to compete and earn points necessary for championship qualification. Players from across the world have invested a lot of time and money into attending these events in hopes of qualification.

Several players have tweeted about the investments they’ve made into the Smash World Tour. “I fucking took SWT seriously and traveled to 10 countries/3 continents just for this?,” Super Smash Bros. Ultimate pro player Santiago “Chag” Pérez Checchi tweeted . Enrique “Maister” Hernández Solís, a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate player from Mexico on pro team Luminosity, said he’s missed other events to prepare for the Smash World Tour.

Solís told Polygon that he sacrificed a lot to prepare, putting aside his regular streaming and YouTube schedule.

“It meant a lot to me specially considering the bad luck I had at the last tournament I tried to attend,” Solís said. “It felt like a chance to redeem myself from that situation and just use everything I have been preparing for throughout the year to secure at least a grand finals in the event. I felt extremely prepared and ready for it since long time ago.

“It definitely hurts to see it go, and it’s obvious I’m not the only one affected by the cancellation of this. People from Japan, Australia, Europe, literally all the world was coming to this event and it’s not happening anymore.”

On Tuesday, a second Smash Bros. tournament organizer, VGBootCamp , canceled two of its upcoming in-person events, according to a statement published to Google Docs . “At the moment, our future is uncertain in regards to running major tournaments — but as of right now, based on our recent communications with Nintendo, we would be putting ourselves at further risk if we continued forward with our current plans.”

Panda Global’s licensed Smash Bros. event, the Panda Cup Finale, is scheduled to begin Dec. 16 in Los Angeles. It’s offering a prize pool of $100,000. However, several players and community members have expressed contempt for the tournament and its organizers after Smash World Tour’s statement alleged Panda Global tried to hinder the competing circuit. Polygon has reached out to Panda Global for comment.

Update: This story has been updated to include comment from pro Smash player Enrique “Maister” Hernández Solís.

Update (Dec. 2): A Nintendo representative issued a second statement late Thursday night in an attempt to “explain to all Super Smash Bros. fans and interested parties” why it didn’t issue a license to Smash World Tour.

The full statement is reprinted below:

Nintendo would like to explain to all Super Smash Bros. fans and interested parties the background and rationale related to our decision to not grant a license to the Smash World Tour (SWT) for their upcoming activities. Nintendo’s decision was solely based on our assessment of the proposals submitted by the SWT and our evaluation of their unlicensed activities. This decision was not influenced by any external parties such as Panda Global. Any partner that we grant a license to has to meet the high standards we require when it comes to the health and safety of our fans. It’s also important that a partner adheres to brand and IP guidelines and conducts itself according to professional and organizational best practices. We use this same approach to independently assess all partners. If we discover that a partner is doing something inappropriate, we will work to correct it. When we notified the SWT that we would not license their 2022 or 2023 activities, we also let them know verbally that we were not requiring they cancel the 2022 finals event because of the impact it would have on players. Thus, the decision to cancel the SWT 2022 was, and still is, their own choice. We are open to partnering with other organizations and will continue to offer licenses for major tournaments outside of the Panda Cup. Panda Global will continue to be a key partner and we look forward to receiving proposals from other groups for tournament licenses. In the meantime, Panda continues to advocate on behalf of the Super Smash Bros. community, even to the point that Panda has advocated for other organizations and tournaments to work with Nintendo, such as The Big House and the organizers of the SWT to benefit the larger Super Smash Bros. community. Nintendo cares about Super Smash Bros. fans and its community very much, and we hope to continue to hear their passionate feedback. We are committed to working hard to bring joy and fun to the community through tournaments while also ensuring we and our partners are operating in a manner that is positive and responsible.

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