The Modern Age

When Smash mouth recently returned to a club it had played before, guitarist Greg Camp noted an addition to some band graffiti he'd drawn on a wall during the first visit.
"Someone else wrote on the wall under it, 'The world's most famous cover band.' Poor guy probably thought he was being original," Camp says, "but we've heard that one before. Just like we always read 'ska/punk one-hit wonder' a lot. It stings, but you have to learn to let it go. After all, lots of bands have hits with covers, and our first single wasn't one. And we never thought we were just another ska/punk band, so it sucks to be pigeonholed like that. It seems people love to hate us. We get slagged by critics and other bands, like Semisonic. But we aren't writing songs for them-and the fans and radio programmers, who we care about, don't have a problem with our sound."
The negative vibes didn't stop the band's debut from going double-platinum. And they sure aren't affecting the performance of "All Star," the first single from "Astro Lounge" and this issue's No. 4 on Modern Rock Tracks. It will also be the first single from the "Mystery Men" soundtrack.
"We read a lot of fan mail, and a lot of kids seem depressed," Camp adds. "They, and their teachers and parents, always thank us for writing an album that is fun and lighthearted. So 'All Star' continues that tradition and is a daily affirmation that life is, in general, good. And it has all those pop necessities that make it contagious."
Those include an infectious chorus, sci-fi sounds, whistling, and a clappable beat. Smash mouth epitomizes the summer sound, calling on Cal-punk, surf, ska, and reggae for inspiration. "We're California in a can," Camp says. "And that sound makes us feel good. It's what we'd want our kids to listen to. All Marilyn Manson isn't good for you."