Smash Mouth members were not allowed to say their final goodbyes to Steve Harwell in person ... because he didn't want visitors while he was in hospice care.
The rock band's manager, Robert Hayes, tells TMZ ... Steve asked for privacy in his final days and he did not want a large gathering at his home in Boise, Idaho.
We're told the only folks allowed to see Steve while he was on his deathbed were his family, his fiancée, her family and his manager.
While Steve's bandmates missed the cut, their manager says they were all on good terms with Steve. They sent their prayers and well wishes before he died ... mainly over the phone.
TMZ broke the story ... Steve died Monday as a result of liver failure. He had been in hospice and over the weekend he was only given days to live, receiving end-of-life care at home.
Despite Steve's death, it's still business as usual for Smash Mouth ... we're told the band will continue to tour with new singer Zach Goode. The band's not planning to cancel any gigs unless Steve's memorial takes place during a previously scheduled event.
With Smash Mouth's frontman gone, the band's manager says ... "Steve's legacy will live on through the music."