To the Extreme

I'm really excited about the Extreme reunion. So excited, I'll bet my next paycheck (including overtime!) on the fact that Extreme will play Rocklahoma 2008. I'm thinking Sunday, July 13th around 5 p.m. I guess we'll learn that line-up when it is officially announced in March.

Back to Extreme.

Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt is awesome. He wrote some great songs with singer Gary Cherone. Quite frankly, I think the band called it quits a little too soon. Anyway, I was researching Extreme on Wikipedia (I know, the source for news!) and the entry classifies Extreme as Funky Metal. What the hell is "Funky Metal?" I always thought Extreme to be glam.

Remember, a long time ago I noted "More than Words" is a personal favorite. It's ironic that Extreme is known for an acoustic song considering Nuno Bettencourt is basically a shredder, but life is funny that way I suppose. Anyway, Extreme got really big in 1990 with their album Pornograffiti. Things started going downhill a few years later...and by 1996 the band was done - because Nuno Bettencourt wanted a different project. I can't tell you the names of his solo records, but we all know that Gary Cherone became the third frontman for Van Halen and most of you didn't like that one bit.

So now it's winter 2008...and a world tour is promised for spring. Will it happen? I don't know about a grand scale, but I do believe the New Englanders will hit the road for a series of special club dates. I also think all those shows will sell fast.

Here's Extreme "Rest In Peace" from the album III Sides to Every Story.

***Here's a question for you: do you just want to see Extreme in concert, or do you also want a new album?

Comments

[Rhodeislandrock, Heavy Metal Addiction]

I want both - the concert and the new record!

Extreme were a great band and we wore that debut album out in parking lots all over Pawtucket, RI back in high school.

I had the opportunity to see the Extreme reunion gig back in June '06, it was really great. You can check out my review:

http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/2006/07/01/extreme-concert-in-boston-ma/

Such a good show and a great band. People forget how good they were because of Gary's involvement in Van Halen.

Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction
http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/

[Nikke]

I'm eagerly waiting for the anounsement of the world tour, 'been waiting for them to reunite since i heard Kid Ego like 2/3 years back. I realy hope they'll arrive tho the shores of Finland, like in Helsinki for instance just as every other band does :D. Can't wait to sing along to More Than Words and hopefully to Money 8in god we trust) and He-Man Woman Hater

[KixRules]

Great band and I cannot wait to see them play Rocklahoma!! Oh and I want a tour and new record. Just a great band and hope they keep it together.

[Joe]

I saw Extreme open for Bon Jovi years back and they rocked..(Remember Bon Jovi?..Yeah they were once a rock band from New Jersey who now likes to avoid ever being a part of that era)..Extreme put on a great show and I'd love to see them again live..Thanks for the great article Allyson..Hope you are doing good too :).

[Makel]

Well, I would prefer the world tour over the new record, but I think I would like both. Nuno's amazing and I would love to see him live.

And the Rest In Peace video made my day. That's my favorite Extreme song, even though More Than Words being their biggest hit.

[Xandra73]

I used to like Extreme a lot, but they got more and more terrible as time went on. I saw them at the Rock am Ring Festival once and it was awful. They should've stayed with their original style it just wasn't good anymore.

I hope they are going back to the roots with their new album, that would be cool. :)

[aXe mAn]

I would love to see both Extreme in concert and a new album!

[Valentine]

We actually played support for Extreme when "Kid Ego" was all over MTV and it annoyed the hell out of me that the only song they seemed to be remembered for was "More Than Words"... I agree with Xandra and hope they go back to their roots, so to speak...
By the way, Gary Cherone was one of the nicest guys I ever met... And did you know that Nuno had a nose job prior to their first record being release! Oh, the scandal!!

[Christian Graus]

I LOVE extreme, especially the middle two albums ( and 3 sides is the best ). If they do Rocklahoma, I would not care who else came, that's worth my plane ticket right there.

[George]

I was a huge Extreme fan back in the day. I always thought they got pigeonholed unfairly with a lot of other bands that weren't nearly as talented. I was fortunate enough to see them open for ZZ Top in the summer of 1991 at the height of their fame when More Than Words and Hole Hearted were tearing up radio. I also met them at a local record store before the show and they all seemed pretty down to earth. I would love both the tour and a new cd! They need to make sure their tour hits Minnesota!

[Vince Neilstein]

Great band. I'd say "funky metal" is accurate. If you listen to a lot of their album cuts, especially the way the rhythm section plays -- it just fucking GROOVES in a funk kind of way.

[glam rocker archie]

i hope they do both, 1st 3 cds rocked the last one blew, i also met gary when he was with van halen he was awesome too bad eddie thought he was a good song writer because thats what killed gary not gary the music was terrible and so were the lyrics, but gary rocked live sang all eras awesome too bad he became the fall guy

[Mrlee]

well, cant you hear the funk elements so strong within most of the bands material?

Thats why it has the funk label printed next to the metal sound.