SMASH MOUTH frontman Steve Harwell is to retire from the band to concentrate on his health.

 

The news comes after video emerged of a performance by the band at the Big Sip beer and wine festival at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, NY. Edited footage shot at the performance shows an unsteady Harwell threatening a fan, saying, “I'll fuckin' kill your whole family, I swear to God." 

 

Elsewhere in the footage, which went viral on TikTok, Harwell appears to throw a Nazi salute, then later shouts, “fuck you, bitches” at the audience while flicking the Vs. At the time of writing the video has been watched 1.7 million times. 

 

In a statement given to the New York Post, representatives of the band say, "Steve has been dealing with long-term medical issues over the last eight years and during his last performance at the Big Sip stage, he suffered numerous symptoms directly linked with his current medical situation. As of today, Steve will be retiring from Smash Mouth to focus on his physical and mental health."

 

Harwell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a condition associated with heart failure, in 2015. He also suffers from acute Wernicke encephalopathy, which can impact the sufferer's balance and movement, cause confusion, and damage eyesight.