Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell’s sad final performance before death

Late Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell immediately retired from the band after this disastrous, headline-making final performance.

Former Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell’s death this week comes almost two years after he abruptly quit the band after a disastrous live performance made world headlines.

Harwell, 56, “passed peacefully and comfortably” at home in Boise, Idaho “surrounded by friends and family”, according to a statement released to media outlets today.

It comes days after his manager revealed in a statement that the All Star rocker had entered hospice care at his home due to liver failure.

Harwell retired from Smash Mouth in October 2021 following a shocking performance at the Big Sip festival in New York.

Clips from the event filmed by audience members showed Harwell slurring his words, threatening the audience and making some crude gestures to the crowd, one of which appeared to be a Nazi salute.

Harwell slurred his words …

… and appeared to make a Nazi salute.

As the concerning clips circulated on social media, a representative for the band announced that it would be Harwell’s final performance.

“Steve has been dealing with long-term medical issues over the last eight years and during his last performance at the Big Sip stage, he suffered numerous symptoms directly linked with his current medical situation,” the rep said. “As of today, Steve will be retiring from Smash Mouth to focus on his physical and mental health.”

Another source close to Harwell told the New York Post that Harwell was suffering a medical incident on stage and meant no offence.

“This unfortunate recording has now been taken out of context and his ailments used against him to paint him as someone who he isn’t,” the insider said.

Harwell (second from right) with his Smash Mouth bandmates.

Harwell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy eight years ago and suffered from heart failure and acute Wernicke encephalopathy. The latter condition had greatly impacted his motor functions including speech and impaired his memory.

“Despite Steve’s best efforts to work through these ailments, he is heartbroken to share that it has become impossible for him to continue doing what he loves most, performing in front of the band’s millions of fans around the world,” his representative said after the headline-making performance.

Harwell himself thanked his fans for their support at the time, explaining that he’d “tried so hard” to continue performing despite his mental and physical setbacks.

“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,” he said in a statement released after his final performance.

“To our loyal and amazing fans, thank you, all of this was possible because of you. I’ve tried so hard to power through my physical and mental health issues and to play in front of you one last time, but I just wasn’t able to,” he said.

Little is known about Harwell’s personal life, though his fiancee Esther Campbell – whom he was thought to have broken up with in 2019 after she filed a restraining order against him – was reportedly by his side during his final days.

Harwell’s cause of death has not yet publicly been released.

Originally published as Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell’s sad final performance before death