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Smash Mouth is back with their first full-length album of original music in 14 years, and new frontman Zach Goode joins OurSpace with Matt Vettese to talk about the band’s next chapter.
Zach shares the incredible story of how he landed the job fronting Smash Mouth, what it was like replacing the legendary Steve Harwell, and why fans have been far more welcoming than he ever expected.
We also dive into Mercury Comet, the band’s upcoming album, how they approached writing new music while honoring Steve Harwell’s legacy, and why this isn’t about replacing the past, it’s about starting a new chapter.
Plus, we discuss why so many iconic bands have new singers today, the lasting impact of All Star, Shrek, internet memes, and whether Smash Mouth has finally moved beyond being “the Shrek band.”
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:22 Meet Zach Goode of Smash Mouth
01:03 How Zach landed the job replacing Steve Harwell
04:22 His first Smash Mouth show in front of 50,000 people
05:15 Fan reactions to the new lineup
07:19 Why replacing singers is more common than people think
09:18 The “new chapter” philosophy behind Smash Mouth
11:09 Honoring Steve Harwell while being himself
13:12 Does Zach finally feel like part of the band?
14:35 Writing new music for an iconic band
16:08 How Zach approached songwriting on Mercury Comet
18:30 Smash Mouth’s first original album in 14 years
20:04 Is now the right time to release new music?
21:07 The band’s feelings leading up to the album release
21:43 The story behind the album title Mercury Comet
22:37 Recording stories & working with Paul De Lisle
24:08 What Zach hopes fans say about this era of Smash Mouth
26:16 Shrek, All Star & internet memes
28:03 Has Smash Mouth moved beyond being “the Shrek band”?
31:24 Zach’s underrated artist recommendations
34:02 Final thoughts
If you’re a fan of Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, Barenaked Ladies, Third Eye Blind, Sublime, No Doubt, Fastball, Gin Blossoms, 90s alternative rock, ska, pop rock, or nostalgic summer anthems, this conversation is for you.
