Trippy Field Trip: A Day with Smash Mouth

Jun 9, 2019

2 min read

Yesterday I dropped-everything-and-ran! At 7:30am, I got a surprise invitation to meet an LA buddy for lunch in Fairfax, Virginia. We had two and a half years of catching up to do, besides, he said, I could come for the sound check and concert, if I was available. He could get me a backstage pass. OMG HELL YEAH!! No way was I going to pass that up!!

I was down there before noon.

I first met Sean Hurwitz in 2012 at a Toastmasters meeting in Sherman Oaks. When we exchanged the usual pleasantries about what we do for a living, he told me he plays guitar for Smash Mouth*. I quite possibly had a deer-in-the-headlights look. I try really hard not to bother celebrities but here I was face-to-face with a world class musician, the likes of whom I would never have envisioned myself knowing (except for Klaus Meine and John Cleese. I used to have dreams about writing lyrics for the Scorpions, and sketch comedies with Monty Python).

Sean and I still meet for lunch on the regular, long after we've both "retired" from our Toastmasters tenures, and I've had an open invitation to come to their concerts. It took me 7 years and a different city to accept! Yesterday I hung out with not just Sean, but the guys of Smash Mouth!

Wow what a great day with a great group of guys! I'm trying to avoid gushing like a fangirl, but I kinda can't help it. Hanging out with fellow musicians who are way better than I am is such a thrill! I connected well with them as well as Jeff Stone, Sean's guitar tech. Michael Klooster** offered to teach me music theory, and I had some great conversation with Ray about metal. I'm sure I would have made friends with all of them if there had been more time. You'd think a day would be long enough, but keep in mind this was a work day for them. They had shit to do, and the sound check took longer than expected. C'est la vie. Next time!

Do they have the best job ever!

Sound check after lunch. Jeff and the guitars.