Category: Notable Obituaries

RIP: Smash Mouth’s big mouth Steve Harwell

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Steve Harwell

On September 4, 2023, the day I am writing this, Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth passed away. He was 56 years old, and he had recently been admitted to hospice care, due to liver failure from alcohol abuse. Harwell’s determination and persistence helped Smash Mouth break through the flood of new bands in the late 90’s. Unlike Jimmy Buffet, who had an army of fans following him (and plenty of tributes) Harwell’s illness had him leave the band quietly in 2021.

I despise how frequently well-known musicians pass away these days, but whenever a power pop-related one does, I always feel compelled to publish a blog post about it. Smash Mouth reached its peak popularity in 2001 and yes, some of their songs were mainstream “power pop” in my opinion. Known best for “All-Star” and a rousing cover of The Monkees “I’m A Believer,” they felt like one-hit wonders to most, despite having charted several times. But ever since they hit the scene on Fu Yu Mang with the catchy retro hook of “Walking On The Sun,” a pop song nestled among the punk rock tunes, it proved this was the best direction for the band (much like Green Day at the time).

Harwell had a distinctive voice and much like The Smithereens Pat DiNizio – the band may continue without him, but it will never sound the same. My favorite album was 1999’s Astro Lounge, prior to The Shrek movie which really made them big concert draws. Unfortunately, the band couldn’t duplicate that turn-of-the-century zeitgeist and they faded into “uncool,” remixing covers and previous hits. The band paid tribute to him recently, and you should spin some Smash Mouth in his honor. More band history here. RIP Steve.

Jack Lee gone – but not forgotten

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Jack Lee

Jack Lee passed away last week at 71 years old. The band the Nerves, which included Lee as one of three singer-songwriters, was known to almost every rock and roll enthusiast in Los Angeles at the time, even though relatively few ever saw them perform during their brief tenure together. The trio, which was made up of Lee on guitar, Peter Case on bass, and Paul Collins on drums, began in San Francisco in 1974 before relocating to Los Angeles at the start of 1977. They were without a doubt an early part of the power-pop revival. After the Nerves split up, the latter two became more well-known, with Case going on to found the Plimsouls and Collins leading the group that went by the names of the Beat and Paul Collins’ Beat.
Blondie recorded an extremely faithful cover of the Nerves’ “Hanging on the Telephone” in 1978 that remains one of the group’s most instantly identifiable signature songs to this day. Paul Collins wrote on his Facebook page “We went to hell and back together, he shared all his incredible wealth of knowledge about music with me. I was more than proud to be by his side, through thick and thin…for me there will never be a guy quite like Jack Lee.”

Burt Bacharach was cool long after the ’60s were hip

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Burt Bacharach was one of the most influential and innovative composers of the 20th century. He began his career as a composer and arranger in the 1950s, working with artists such as Marlene Dietrich and Frank Sinatra, before making a name for himself as a hit-making songwriter in the following decade. Bacharach’s songs, characterized by their intricate melodies, complex chord structures, and innovative arrangements, were a major influence on the pop music of the mid-1960s.

He worked with lyricist Hal David to create a body of work that was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. He wrote a string of timeless classics, including “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”, “What the World Needs Now Is Love”, and “Close to You”, defined the sound of an era and have since become enduring pop standards. Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Brasil ’66, Herb Alpert, B.J. Thomas, and even The Carpenters all owe him their careers.

In addition to his musical accomplishments, Bacharach was also a cultural icon, widely regarded as one of the coolest people of the mid-1960s. With his sharp suits, shades, and confident swagger, he embodied the spirit of the times, and his music was the soundtrack to a generation of social and cultural change. And it was emphasized by his cameo in the 1997 movie Austin Powers.  His impact on popular culture can still be felt today. He was a true master of his craft, and his legacy will continue to inspire musicians and fans for generations to come. Rest in Peace, Burt.

Highly Reccomended: The Look Of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection

 

I Honestly Love Olivia Newton-John

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I was simply in love with Olivia. My first celebrity crush, started in grade school when I first saw her sing “I Honestly Love You” on a TV special.  During high school, I treasured an original Grease movie poster that I hung in my parent’s basement, where I spent many days dreaming of my own “Sandy.” I wrote to her, got an original photo, and watched Xanadu in the theatre so many times I could recite the dialog. But teenage dreams don’t last forever and we all grow up. Sadly, cancer has attacked Olivia, and despite her best efforts would not let go of her.

If you imagined what an angel’s singing sounds like, it was the voice of Olivia Newton-John. Winning numerous awards in country music early in her career, she hit it big with her star turn in Grease and never looked back. Moving from country to pop to soft rock, in my opinion, her peak was 1978’s Totally Hot and then teaming up with ELO’s Jeff Lynne for the movie and soundtrack to Xanadu in 1980.

By the time she did Physical in 1981, she was a pop-culture phenomenon. It was a slow glide moving from there as a legacy performer, having fun appearing on TV shows like Glee and other pursuits. She never lost her focus and refused to let cancer dictate her life. In fact, she used the experience to gain greater self-awareness and became a positive inspiration to millions of people battling cancer.  Listen to her on Spotify and she never goes away.

Papa Nez takes the last train

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What can I possibly say that hasn’t been said about the “smartest” Monkee, Michael Nesmith. I’ll pull a quote from one of my favorite music writers Bob Lefsetz who said:

“So when it was over, Nesmith was the only one who had any traction as a musician. Dolenz stayed in TV, Jones went to legitimate theatre and Tork faded away, but Nesmith had the First National Band, and consensus was they were good, and credible, which was quite a leap if you consider his start in the public eye as a member of the Monkees.”

Here is his first hit song by himself, a rare version of “Different Drum”

It’s taken me some time to process the loss of Mike Nesmith. I have been lucky enough to interview him a few years ago for the Ernie Kovacs Award.
As for his work in the Monkees, a TV show about an imaginary band … that wanted to be the Beatles, he helped turn this “fake band” into a real one. By May of 1967, Headquarters proved to the world that these guys were real musicians with great songs. To honor him, please listen to the music that made this a uniquely American band that has stood the test of time, and long outlasted those early naysayers of the music press. Rest in peace, Papa Nez.