According to a new report, the bandmates of the iconic Smash Mouth were not allowed to bid farewell in person to the All Star singer Steve Harwell.
This was because of the singer’s wish while in hospice care.
It was not a slight towards his legendary bandmates but a request of no visitors while he spent his last days on his deathbed.
The band manager for the rock band Robert Hayes informed TMZ of the details, explaining that Harwell wanted privacy with his immediate family during his final tour in life.
The request assisted in preventing large gatherings within the singer’s home.
The site says that everyone in the band was on good terms with each other, and the Smash Mouth crew sent their prayers and final goodbyes over the phone.
More about the final days of Steve Harwell from Smash Mouth
During the All Star singer’s final days, Harwell requested that the only people allowed to visit his home in Boise, Idaho, were his family, his fiancee and her family, and the rock singer’s manager.
The 56-year-old singer died Monday of liver failure, which TMZ said could have directly resulted from continual alcohol abuse. A tragic result considering the frontman announced retirement a few years back following a problematic performance where the singer appeared inebriated to an extreme.
At the time of his departure in 2021, Harwell issued a sentimental statement saying, “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.”
The Walking on the Sun singer added, “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.”
In the wake of Harwell’s passing, the band plans to march forward with touring with newly established frontman Zach Goode. Their next stop is the Table Mountain Concert Series in Madera, California, on September 7, followed by the World Chicken Festival in London, Kentucky, on September 23.
Reflecting on the success of Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth was one of the most prominent rock groups of the past few decades. Their pop-rock anthems touched almost every corner of media and entertainment culture.
One cannot think of Shrek without hearing Harwell’s voice in their heads.
The same goes for All Star, which started out as an anthem for the comedy Mystery Men and became so much more, impacting other films and TV shows, such as The Masked Singer.
Since forming in 1994, at the height of alternative and pop rock, the iconic band sold 10 million records internationally and garnered one Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo or Group with Vocal for the track All Star.
As the years start coming, may Steve Harwell’s legacy endure.