“Steve Harwell was a larger than life character.” On the social networks of the Smash Mouth group, a few words of tribute to Steve Harwell. The singer of the musical formation, who became known in particular thanks to his All Star title, used in the soundtrack of Shrek, died Monday at the age of 56.
“Steve Harwell was a pure product of America,” begins the message posted on Instagram, to which is attached a photo of the singer. “Let us remember him for his unwavering focus and passionate determination to achieve pop star status (…) The fact that he achieved this near impossible dream with very little musical experience makes this accomplishment even more more remarkable. His only tools will have been his irresistible charm, his charisma, his fearless ambition and his enormous c ******.
The causes of death are still unknown, reports BFMTV. However, the training manager announced to the CNN television channel on Sunday that the singer had been placed in palliative care.
Born in California in the late 60s, the singer co-founded the band Smash Mouth in 1994 with drummer Kevin Coleman, guitarist Greg Camp and bassist Paul De Lisle. Prior to the band, his only musical experience was a single released on vinyl. Together, they released their first album in 1998, Fush Yu Mang. The album is carried by a first hit, Walkin’ on the Sun.
Fame comes with the album Astro Lounge in 1999 and its flagship title, All Star. The song, used in particular in the cartoon Shrek, is used many times in the cinema.
For ten years, the group continued to perform on stage and release singles, without ever devoting themselves to a new album. Heart problems and alcoholism had led the singer to retire from public life in 2021. The latter had been dismissed from musical training after performing on stage drunk. According to the BBC, he had been battling alcoholism for about ten years and suffered from a neurological condition that affected his memory and speech. He died Monday at his home in Boise, Idaho.
