Smash Mouth Pivots From Rock Music To ... Sandwich Reviews?
Smash Mouth may have sung "I'm a Believer" on the "Shrek" soundtrack, but these days, what this band believes in most is finding the perfect sandwich. In the past, the minds behind the early aughts anthem "All Star" used their YouTube channel to share their music with fans. At the start of 2024, though, Smash Mouth's YouTube channel seems to be shifting its focus to the band members smashing sandwiches in their mouths.
On January 8, 2024, a video was uploaded to the official Smash Mouth YouTube channel titled, "THREE IDIOTS EATING SANDWICHES Stop#1 'The Best Sandwiches.'" The video featured Robert Hayes, Smash Mouth's manager; Paul DeLisle, the band's longtime bassist; and Ron Xeopoleas, the band's A&R manager. Together, the trio chronicled their search for the best sandwich in the San Francisco Bay Area. Indeed, they went to a restaurant aptly named "The Best Sandwiches," tried the food, and rated it.
The following day, they uploaded another video in the series, proving that this wasn't just a silly post — these sandwich lovers really do intend to discover the absolute best sandwiches out there. This is quite a pivot from the kind of content fans are used to getting from Smash Mouth, but the latest video garnered over 11,000 views and plenty of supportive comments. One fan called the video "unexpected but very welcome," while another wrote, "Not gonna lie, this makes me want to have a sandwich now."
Fans are excited by this new venture following Harwell's death
Smash Mouth's music was always fun-loving and vivacious. So, while sandwich-rating isn't exactly what fans expect from the band, it does seem aligned with what they've always stood for. It's little wonder that this new venture seems to be coming at the perfect time for both fans and the men involved. In September 2023, Smash Mouth's lead singer, Steve Harwell, tragically died at the age of 56. Celebrity chef Guy Fieri, who had a close friendship with Harwell, was even a part of the band's book, "Smash Mouth: Recipes from the Road: A Rock 'n' Roll Cookbook."
It's easy to see that a love of food was an important part of the relationship between Smash Mouth's members and their experiences on tour together. So, perhaps trying new food, spending time together, and sharing their experiences with their fans is the best way for the band to move forward after what's surely been a difficult year. As a YouTube commenter on one of their sandwich review videos put it with a nod to their song "All Star," "Smash Mouth is now a [sandwich] review channel. Guess we could all use a little change."