HARD ROCK LIVE'S

In 1997, Smash Mouth came out from nowhere and hit big with the distinct brand of surfy lounge music.

KEVIN: We don't adhere to any genre, we're not trying to fit in. I think it's a pop band with a punk rock attitude.

Their single "Walkin' On The Sun" took the California-based band to the top of the charts.

Now with the release of their second album, SM is ready to establish themselves as pop mainstays.

STEVE: It's, basically, the ultimate record for us--I don't know if we could top it.

Smash Mouth was started in San Jose, California in 1994 by childhood friends Steve Harwell and Kevin Coleman.

Prior to the band, Steve had released a rap single under the name FOS.

STEVE: It was just a little rap thing I was doing when I was younger and didn't know which direction I want to go in...what I wanted to be...a rapper for one day.

Steve and Kevin eventually met songwriter/guitarist Greg Camp and bassist Paul Delisle who played together in a local cover band.

STEVE: I was always been a big fan of Greg's cover band.....

KEVIN: ...So we got drunk and we said "We want to be rock stars"...so we see these two amazing players and we lied to them, we cheated, we stoled, and bribed them to join our group.

In 1997, after 3 years together, the band recorded a new ten song demo and brought it to Los Angeles to secure label interest.

STEVE: We went to go have lunch with our manager then our attorney called us and said, "Label's been calling me, everybody's been freaking out." It just happened like in a two-day period. It was amazing.

The song that ultimately got Smash Mouth signed to Interscope Records was one that almost wasn't even recorded. Kevin discovered the song on one of Greg Camp's old cassettes.

GREG: He had heard an early version of "Walkin' On The Sun" and he was just totally out of it that we played the song. I think everybody thought that he was crazy.

PAUL: He wouldn't shut up. I mean for a week, he was like, "We gotta play, we gotta play." I mean, okay dude let's try the song.

With the release of the "Walkin' On The Sun" single and the subsequent "Fush Yu Mang" album, Smash Mouth's career took off.

After a whirlwind year of non-stop touring and promotion, the band recorded their follow-up album. Released in 1999, "Astro Lounge" continues Smash Mouth's unique mixture of musical styles.

STEVE: We listened to it through the night. We just giggled with each other for like 3 hours. Over and over listening to it...It's just amazing to us.

 

BACK TO BILL'S SMASH MOUTH FANPAGE