Steve Harwell left Smash Mouth last year due to “physical and mental issues” after footage of his alarming behavior during a performance went viral on TikTok. The band promised that, rather than calling it quits, they would find a replacement.
Hey now, they found their rockstar. Zach Goode will get his game on and go play with Smash Mouth as its new singer. Paul De Lisle, bassist and one of the founding members, broke the news to Audacy host Kevan Kenney and introduced Goode.
Goode was previously the frontman for Divided By Zero and Secret Seven, and chats about playing shows with Korn, Deftones, Blink-182, and other California-based bands back in the day.
According to his site, Goode comes from both a musical and acting background. He was part of an Off Broadway production of Runaways, and played leading roles in productions of Grease and Rent. He’s also the voice of the latest Taco Bell ads, and has done voiceovers for other brands’ ads like Mattel, Tostitos, and Dr. Pepper.
Just when you think his career has been random enough, there’s more. He’s also in Weezer/Beastie Boys parody band Geezer, and covered “smooth vocals for Yacht Rock titans WindBreakers, getting rad with 80's band Neon Jeans, rocking out at motorcycle rallies with 70’s cock rockers Cougar Getting, Jr. and bringing it all full circle performing a 50th Anniversary Abbey Road Beatles Tribute.”
Smash Mouth is basically sentient Shrek soundtrack, so having a new singer who is big on nostalgia acts is the way to go. Fittingly, Smash Mouth decided their first song with Goode on vocals would be a cover of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” His voice does sound vaguely like Harwell’s, so their remaining fans can sigh in relief that the new guy won’t butcher the big hit “All Star.”