Former lead singer Steve Harwell passed away at 56 from acute liver failure at his home in Boise, Idaho. Steve founded the iconic band Smash Mouth in 1994 after playing in a rap group named F.O.S. (Freedom of Speech).

The roots of Smash Mouth began when Steve Harwell and Kevin Coleman met in 1990, while Smash Mouth was later formed in 1994. Kevin knew musicians Greg Camp, guitarist, and Paul De Lisle, bassist. He used to play in a local punk band named The Gents. At first, Greg declined the offer to join the newfound band from Steve and Kevin, but they kept persistent, harassing him by banging on his window until he looked over the songs they wrote, eventually joining the band.

In 1999, Smash Mouth released their hit song named “All-Star” with just under one billion streams. All-Star blew up because of its feature in the 2001 film “Shrek”. This explosion of popularity brought the song to a #1 record and has gone 3x platinum.

Smash Mouths band manager said that Harwell “had many health issues”. Harwell quit performing with the band about 2 years ago and passed away after a short stay in the hospital. Steve Harwell suffered from cardiomyopathy when the heart muscles can’t efficiently pump blood. Cardiomyopathy can later lead to heart failure, blood clots, and cardiac arrest. Harwell left Smash Mouth in 2021 to “focus on his physical and mental health”

While it’s not entirely confirmed, Steve Harwell’s acute liver failure could be associated with long-term alcohol use. Acute liver failure can be prevented and cured if caught soon enough. In many severe cases, a liver transplant is the only practical option. But liver transplants aren’t easy to get there are wait lists of people who need the surgery. For example, if you need a liver transplant due to alcohol consumption and you are still drinking alcohol currently you probably won’t be able to qualify for the surgery. This is because if the patient still drinks alcohol currently, the new liver they give you will eventually fail.

After Steve Harwell retired in 2021, the band hired a new lead singer. Zack Goode joined the group in 2022 the band currently has US concerts planned throughout September and October. Zack Goode is a native New Yorker with a “rough-and-tumble … yet pitch-perfect and rangy … vocal style,”  according to the band’s website.