Steve Harwell has officially stepped down as the frontman of Smash Mouth. The singer announced his retirement in a statement given to TMZ.
"Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a Rockstar performing in front of sold-out arenas and have been so fortunate to live out that dream. 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," he said.
The decision came after the band played a "chaotic" show in upstate New York last weekend where Harwell slurred his words and at points seemed completely disassociated with the event. A source close to the vocalist told TMZ that he knew it was time to call it quits after that concert and cited deteriorating health as the reason. Eight years ago, Harwell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, which has led to other issues like heart failure and Wernicke's encephalopathy — a condition that impacts motor functions, including speech and memory. In addition to these concerns, he's also battled substance abuse over the years. The source said he was going through an episode during the gig, which caused his erratic behavior.
"To our loyal and amazing fans, thank you, all of this was possible because of you," Harwell added. "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 concluded his message with a statement that made it sound like the band plans to continue on without him. "I cannot wait to see what Smash Mouth accomplishes next and am looking forward to counting myself as one of the band’s newest fans," he said.