Hi Rams! Welcome back to Behind the Music! We are happy to announce that this segment will be a continued Corydon tradition, despite the graduation of our previous writer, Emma Lloyd. This month we will be discussing a death that shattered the media.
Steve Harwell, the lead singer of the band Smash Mouth, passed away on Sep. 4 due to acute liver failure.
Why is this relevant?
If you were born after 2001, then you are probably familiar with the movie “Shrek”. However, not everyone knows the band behind the most memorable songs on the soundtrack, “Allstar” and “I’m a Believer”.
In an Instagram poll, 96% of those who responded said that they had heard the song “Allstar”. However, when asked to name the band that sings it, Liv Swaney, an MBA senior said she did not know.
Smash Mouth is an American rock band that was formed in 1994 and has been featured in many popular movies from the 2000s. Besides Shrek, they have songs featured in “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, “Snow Day”, and “The Cat in the Hat”.
Not to worry 2000s kids, there is still time to see Smash Mouth live. The band announced their new singer Zach Goode in 2022, following Steve Harwell’s retirement after his controversial actions at a New York show in 2021.
When asked their opinion on the band touring with a new singer, Jade Martinez a PEACE 12th grader said, “I think that it could be okay. I think it can be done in a way that honors the original music.”
Zach Goode is from Los Angeles and before his participation in Smash Mouth, he was in a Weezer cover band called Geezer.
Although there is still an opportunity to see the band live, there is no denying that Steve Harwell was the soul of their music. He will be missed by fans all over the world.
As always Rams, keep listening to what makes you happy, and be sure to tune in to the next issue.
Andrew Oum • Oct 30, 2023 at 12:39 pm
On October 11, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Behind the Music: Smash Mouth.” I enjoyed this article very much because it provided an “escape from reality” as most articles are about serious topics. Although the learning of Harwell’s death was saddening, learning about the iconic band was an enjoyable read.
The use of the instagram poll statistic was nice to learn and I thought it was a clever way to gain data through a method that teenagers predominantly use. The comparison of Swaney’s knowledge of not knowing the band name allowed the article to flow well and keep me interested. I also found it pretty surprising that the MBA students didn’t know the band of Allstar’s origin and yet the author still provided many songs and movies that the band are featured in. In addition, the author also gave a modern perspective on the band now, detailing that you can still watch them live and that they are still creating new music with the addition of Zach Goode. This part of the article had me interested the most as, although I have not kept up with the band, learning that they are still going makes me curious on their new music.
At the end, the line “As always Rams, keep listening to what makes you happy, and be sure to tune in to the next issue,“ was a kind detail and has made me invested onto the next “Behind the Music” issue.
Isabel Antonio • Oct 24, 2023 at 10:14 am
On October 11, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Behind the Music: Smash Mouth”. This article is about the band Smash Mouth, which unfortunately lost their lead singer, Steve Harwell on Sep. 4, and what the band is doing now. This article was an entertaining read and I found myself engaged throughout the whole article. It was also very well written and included a good flow, lots of fun facts, and much input from other students via Instagram polls and students’ opinions, which I appreciated. I especially liked how all these elements meshed together which kept me interested and kept me wanting to learn more. Although, I would have liked to know more about Steve Harwell and what his controversial actions were leading to his retirement in 2021. Even Though I don’t have any corrections about the article, I would like to note that there could have been more mentioned about Zach Goode, who is going to be taking over as lead singer, and what fans think of his arrival to the band. I would also like to mention the pictures used in the article, which I believe were a great enhancement to the reader’s entertainment. One question I do have though is, what do the other members think of Zach Goode coming to the band? Overall this was a great article and I would definitely be interested in reading more segments of “Behind the Music”.
Caroline Gass • Oct 24, 2023 at 10:12 am
On October 11, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Behind the Music: Smash Mouth”. This informative article introduces Millikan students to a different type of segment that focuses on music. I really enjoyed the update on a band I haven’t heard from in a while. The writer also gives us context on Smash Mouth’s most memorable tracks, which helps the audience understand who the band is. I am very sad to hear that the previous singer has passed away and am glad the band has decided to bring another on to continue their amazing tracks.
In the article the writer mentions the band still being seen live, I think they should provide more information on upcoming tours and reviews from people that attend. I also feel that there were not enough quotes from students. I would have loved to hear more opinions of people who listen to the band. Overall, the article was very informative and I’m glad Corydon decided to continue the music segment.