In this series, we profile our favorite new singles and the stories behind them.
New single “Money (ft. Smash Mouth)”
Release date December 1
So, what’s the story? This is a crazy story, but I made a song with Smash Mouth years ago with Steve Harwell on it, and it was the last song he ever recorded and I never got the chance to put it out for a few reasons.
I’m in the studio with Taylor Carroll who drums for the band Lit – but also an incredible producer and songwriter – we’re in the studio and I start raining this song…about how I need money. Just like everybody in the world right now, we all need some money to be able to survive – since gas is so much money, food so much money, and nobody’s getting paid what they deserve.
I’m in a session recording [this song] and my friend Thomas Nicholas (from the movie American Pie) shows up and he helps me write the song with Taylor. Smash Mouth got a new lead singer a couple of years ago [Zach Goode] and their manager Ron has been hitting me up to make a new song with the new singer. So I decided to give it a whirl, and this is the song: “Money.”
I love it. It’s a hit.
I have been trying to put out a song with Smash Mouth the last four years and today was finally the day.
How do you feel about having a single with Smash Mouth? Feels like you’ve been working with some pretty iconic ‘90s bands over the past few months. Growing up, Smash Mouth was one of my favorite bands ever. It’s so crazy this shit I get to do. I may not be one of the biggest artists in the world, but I’ll get to live my dreams every day. If you would’ve told 12-year-old me living in a car because I was homeless as a kid for seven years that I would have a song with Smash Mouth, Simple Plan, and Bowling For Soup, Travie McCoy from Gym Class Heros, Matisyahu, Lit – I would have told you you were lying. Every day I get to live my dream, and having a song with Smash Mouth is definitely living the dream.
Any thoughts on Steve Harwell’s legacy? Steve Harwell was one of the most amazing iconic voices of my generation – he will be missed dearly. He was a really nice guy who always believed in me and the craziest thing is I still have the last song Steve Harwell ever recorded for Smash Mouth. I’m hoping one day I’ll be able to…release [it] to the world.
