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It’s been more than 25 years since Smash Mouth burst onto the scene, and the ride the band has taken since then has led to a somewhat unexpected destination that involves reviewing sandwiches on its YouTube channel.
It would be a stretch to suggest Smash Mouth had a major impact on the world of music, but it’s also hard to deny the staying power of a group that managed to remain in the pop culture conversation for decades after Having A Moment around the turn of the millennium.
Smash Mouth initially made a name for itself when “Walking on the Sun” dropped in 1997, but the band can credit the vast majority of its success to “All Star,” the unadulterated jam that experienced a bit of a resurgence after gaining meme status thanks in no small part to its association with Shrek.
As is the case with many bands that peaked in the 1990s, Smash Mouth was eventually forced to come to terms with the reality its best days were behind it. The band did release new music on a fairly regular basis while tinkering with its original lineup, but when lead singer Steve Harwell passed away in 2023, bassist Paul De Lisle was the only original member who hadn’t moved onto other ventures.
With that said, it does seem like that’s now the case based on a few videos that recently popped up on Smash Mouth’s YouTube channel.
You probably won’t be shocked to learn that the channel was previously reserved for music videos and behind-the-scenes clips, but earlier this week, De Lisle posted a few videos featuring him, Smash Mouth manager Robert Hayes, and A&R guy Ron Xeopoleas traveling around the San Francisco Bay Area in search of the best sandwich the region has to offer.
As of this writing, the trio has only posted three reviews (all of which feature them supplementing the sodas they ordered with the nips of hard liquor they’ve brought with them to every destination).
I can’t say I saw this second act coming, but I can’t knock the hustle.