Smash Mouth

SMASH MOUTH

Formed: 1994, San Jose, California

members: greg camp, guitars (born west covina, california, 2 april 1967); paul delisle, bass (born exeter, ontario, 13 june 1963); steve harwell, vocals (born santa clara, california, 9 january 1967); michael urbano, drums. former member: kevin coleman, drums (born san jose, california, 21 october 1965).

genre: rock

best-selling album since 1990: astro lounge (1999)

hit songs since 1990: "walkin' on the sun," "all star," "then the morning comes"

Tagged by many critics as a likely one-hit wonder, Smash Mouth instead evolved into one of the most successful mainstream pop rock acts of the late 1990s, consistently scoring hits with its party-flavored fusion of 1960s rock and 1980s punk.

Prior to 1994 Steve Harwell had been rapping in a San Jose band called F.O.S. ("Freedom of Speech"); F.O.S. drew inspiration from House of Pain, the early 1990s Caucasian rap group that enjoyed a crossover smash with "Jump Around." After House of Pain fell out of vogue, Harwell gave up on F.O.S. and instead began jamming with local drummer and longtime friend Kevin Coleman. Harwell and Coleman eventually hooked up with guitar player Kevin Camp and bass player Paul DeLisle; the quartet became known as Smash Mouth.

Smash Mouth subsequently recorded two demo tracks, which earned significant airplay at local radio station KOME in April 1996. That summer Smash Mouth played a KOME festival along with high-profile acts such as Beck and No Doubt. Interscope Records quickly scooped up the rising band and, in 1997, released Smash Mouth's debut album Fush Yu Mang. Fush Yu Mang owed much to the contemporary California punk sound of bands such as the Offspring, NOFX, Green Day, and Rancid, but it was the song "Walkin' on the Sun" that foreshadowed the formula that Smash Mouth would ultimately ride to the top of the charts. An ode to 1960s hippies, "Walkin' on the Sun" boasts a bright and decidedly retro instrumental sound, with splashy organs and fuzzy guitars reminiscent of 1960s garage and surf rock. Delivered in a half-sung, half-rapped style by Harwell, the song's lyrics eulogize 1960s idealism: "Twenty-five years ago they spoke out and they broke out / Of recession and oppression and together they toked / And they folked out with guitars around a bonfire / Just singin' and clappin' man what the hell happened." Smash Mouth's fusion of 1960s rock with the sensibilities of modern punk had major appeal, and "Walkin' on the Sun" became a number one modern rock hit.

Smash Mouth further refined its commercial formula with its cover of "Can't Get Enough of You Baby," featured on the soundtrack to the 1998 movie Can't Hardly Wait. "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" was a garage-rock classic made popular by ? and the Mysterians. Liberal in its use of retro organ flourishes and driven by Harwell's raspy vocals, Smash Mouth's "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" retains the party spirit of the original, while smoothing out the rough edges for commercial appeal.

Critics were skeptical that Smash Mouth could carry its successful formula across a second full-length album, but the band proved its doubters wrong with the even more successful follow-up, Astro Lounge (1999). The lead single "All Star" reached the top five on the singles charts. Propelled by Camp's snappy guitars and Harwell's unique quasi-rap delivery, "All Star" was omnipresent in the summer of 1999. The song's catchy chorus ("Hey now, you're an All Star, get your game on, go play") made it a favorite at sporting events, including Major League Baseball's All-Star Game, at which Smash Mouth performed in 1999. The follow-up single "Then the Morning Comes" had a darker vibe than previous Smash Mouth hits, but its infectious chorus ("The way that you walk / It's just the way that you talk like it ain't no thing / And every single day is just a fling") made the song a staple on radio as well as on MTV. On the strength of its two successful singles, Astro Lounge sold more than 3.5 million records.

For the second time between album releases, Smash Mouth struck gold with a movie soundtrack appearance; in 2001, the band appeared on the soundtrack for the DreamWorks film Shrek, covering the Monkees' "I'm a Believer." The song benefited not only from its inclusion on the soundtrack of the high-profile animated film featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz, but also from its use as a musical number for the final scenes of the movie. Crooned by Eddie Murphy's donkey character in the film, "I'm a Believer" abounded with familiar Smash Mouth energy—a fitting end to the climax of the fairytale film. The movie as well as its unofficial theme song both became major hits. "I'm a Believer" also appeared on Smash Mouth's self-titled third album released in 2001.

Smash Mouth's repeated success with movie soundtracks scored the band further high-profile gigs, including the Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) soundtrack, for which Smash Mouth offered up the new "Ain't No Mystery," recorded with the Tower of Power's famed horn section. Smash Mouth also appeared on Disneymania (2002), a collection of popular Disney soundtrack favorites reinterpreted by contemporary artists; Smash Mouth offered a funked-up version of "I Wanna Be Like You" from Disney's animated film The Jungle Book (1967).

Much to the consternation of its critics, Smash Mouth was anything but a one-hit wonder by the early 2000s, having cemented its place on mainstream radio with its retro-influenced sound and string of hits.

SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:

Fush Yu Mang (Interscope, 1997); Astro Lounge (Interscope, 1999); Smash Mouth (Interscope, 2001). Soundtracks: Shrek (DreamWorks, 2001); Austin Powers in Goldmember (Warner Bros., 2002); Disneymania (Disney, 2002).

scott tribble