Yo bros, turn down your Sony Walkman, take your inhaler out of your JNCO jean shorts, and put down your Surge soda. I have some scary news that you need to inform your pimple-faced 16-year-old self of: the lead singer of the band that took over every 8th grade dance reportedly collapsed on stage during their headlining act of the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival on Saturday night in Urbana, Illinois.
Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell had to be taken away in an ambulance, forcing the remaining band members to sing ‘All-Star’ aka the song we’ve all got rough OTPHJ’s to, without the angelic voice of Harwell.
But before that happened, this did:
Forget everything bad I said about Smash Mouth, they smoke weed so they’re chill and well-adjusted as fuck in my book.
Anyway, right in the middle of their set, for an undisclosed reason, Harwell dropped faster than Smash Mouth’s popularity. A redditor named junkinthehatchback who was at the concert, perfectly described the scene, courtesy of Consequence of Sound:
So, we’re watching the mendoza line of bands, live at our hick ass corn festival, and Steve Harwell, that Guy Fieri looking mofo, sits his fatass down and waves over the roadies, who then proceed to carry him off stage. The remaining band members finish, first by playing “I’m a Believer” because the crowd kept screaming “Shrek” when there was a break (which made me feel incredibly old, because I realized 90% of the crowd grew up on that movie, then they played “All Star”. The crowd went wild.
No one cared that the lead singer left. Seriously.
Then the show was over and a couple ambulances showed up.
Overall, the show exceeded my expectations. Good show.
Edit: Got his last name wrong.
Not a bad rendition of ‘All-Star’ without the main man himself.
According to a Smash Mouth representative, Harwell is alive and well. Phew.
Not trying to be that “told ya so” guy, but I wasn’t surprised by this news. Last picture I saw of Steve Harwell, he looked about one UV ray away from turning into a wax candle.
P.S. I just learned that Smash Mouth headlined the concert last year and Harwell launched into a verbal tirade and threatened to fight concert-goers after being pelted with slices of bread.
I laughed out loud when I learned that for no less than 6 minutes.
[h/t Consequence of Sound]