Extreme (album)
Encyclopedia
Extreme is the first studio album
of Boston
funk-metal band Extreme
, released on March 14, 1989. Despite being released on a major label, the album did not sell very well. It produced four singles: "Little Girls", "Kid Ego
", "Mutha (Don't Wanna Go To School Today)" and the radio-only "Play with Me". It was not until their next album, Pornograffitti
, that the band become well known.
-born guitarist Nuno Bettencourt
, which was more fully revealed on the band's subsequent release, Pornograffitti. Songs such as "Watching, Waiting" and "Rock a Bye Bye" are more in the vein of Queen
, with three-part harmony and focus on slower, melody-based guitar solos from Bennencourt. The band later noted Queen as a major influence on their style.
"Play with Me" was featured in the movie Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure during the mall-chase scene, as well as in Jury Duty
as Pauly Shore
's stripping song.
A cover version of "Play With Me" is also featured in Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
as the final track in game. The master recording is featured in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits.
"Little Girls", "Kid Ego
", "Mutha (Don't Wanna Go To School Today)" and "Play With Me" were released as singles.
The album was marketed as a glam metal
record, consistent with the band's own image at the time its release.
* Short extra solo added on the vinyl release. The writing credits read Cherone & Bettencourt, but in fact the song was written by Hal LeBeaux and Peter Hunt (music) and Gary Cherone (lyrics) of The Dream. It was also included on their 1984 eponymous EP. Later it became an item of the Extreme classic catalogue and was re-recorded for the first Extreme album.
** Not included on Japan vinyl edition. The song takes its intro and ending guitar riff from Mozart
's Alla Turca: Allegretto in A minor (1783).
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
funk-metal band Extreme
Extreme (band)
Extreme is an American rock band, headed by frontmen Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt, that reached the height of their popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Among some of Extreme's musical influences are Queen and Van Halen...
, released on March 14, 1989. Despite being released on a major label, the album did not sell very well. It produced four singles: "Little Girls", "Kid Ego
Kid Ego (song)
Kid Ego is the second single from Extreme's self-titled album. The song has been a part of the band's live setlist since its release....
", "Mutha (Don't Wanna Go To School Today)" and the radio-only "Play with Me". It was not until their next album, Pornograffitti
Pornograffitti
-Personnel:* Pat Badger - Bass Guitars, Backing Vocals* Nuno Bettencourt - Guitars, Piano, Keyboards, Percussion, Backing Vocals* Gary Cherone - Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals* Paul Geary - Decadent Drums, Percussion* Barbara Glynn - Mutha's Voice, "Decadence Dance"...
, that the band become well known.
Musical style
Musically, the record is influenced by muscular metal guitar riffs, often with funky, syncopated timing, and incendiary, high-speed metal solos. The record foreshadowed the extraordinary technical guitar-playing prowess of PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
-born guitarist Nuno Bettencourt
Nuno Bettencourt
Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt is a Portuguese guitarist and singer-songwriter best known for his role as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme whose hits include the acoustic ballads "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted"...
, which was more fully revealed on the band's subsequent release, Pornograffitti. Songs such as "Watching, Waiting" and "Rock a Bye Bye" are more in the vein of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, with three-part harmony and focus on slower, melody-based guitar solos from Bennencourt. The band later noted Queen as a major influence on their style.
Songs
Lyrically, the album is dominated by themes associated with childhood. This focus is particularly evident in the first single, "Kid Ego", as well as "Mutha (Don't Want to Go to School Today)", "Little Girls", "Big Boys Don't Cry" and the rock-out finale "Play with Me"."Play with Me" was featured in the movie Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure during the mall-chase scene, as well as in Jury Duty
Jury Duty (film)
Jury Duty is a 1995 comedy film directed by John Fortenberry and starring Pauly Shore, Tia Carrere, Stanley Tucci, Brian Doyle-Murray, Shelley Winters, and Abe Vigoda.The film was Billie Bird's last screen appearance.- Plot:...
as Pauly Shore
Pauly Shore
Paul Montgomery "Pauly" Shore is an American comedian and actor who starred in several comedy films in the 1990s and hosted a video show on MTV in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
's stripping song.
A cover version of "Play With Me" is also featured in Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is a music video game and the third installment in the popular Guitar Hero series...
as the final track in game. The master recording is featured in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits.
"Little Girls", "Kid Ego
Kid Ego (song)
Kid Ego is the second single from Extreme's self-titled album. The song has been a part of the band's live setlist since its release....
", "Mutha (Don't Wanna Go To School Today)" and "Play With Me" were released as singles.
Production and marketing
The record was recorded by Mack, and engineered by Mack and Bob St John. It was mixed by St John and Bettencourt.The album was marketed as a glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
record, consistent with the band's own image at the time its release.
Track listing
All songs written by Cherone & Bettencourt, except "Mutha (Don't Wanna Go To School Today)" by Cherone, LeBeaux & Hunt.- "Little Girls" - 3:47
- "Wind Me Up" - 3:37
- "Kid EgoKid Ego (song)Kid Ego is the second single from Extreme's self-titled album. The song has been a part of the band's live setlist since its release....
" - 4:04 - "Watching, Waiting" - 4:54
- "Mutha (Don't Wanna Go To School Today)" - 3:23*
- "Teacher's Pet" - 3:02
- "Big Boys Don't Cry" - 3:34
- "Smoke Signals" - 4:14
- "Flesh 'n' Blood" - 3:31
- "Rock a Bye Bye" - 5:57
- "Play with Me" - 3:29**
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
's Alla Turca: Allegretto in A minor (1783).
Personnel
- Pat BadgerPat BadgerPat Badger is the bassist in the band Extreme. He is also a former member of Daemon, In The Pink, Super Trans Atlantic, and Tribe of Judah....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Nuno BettencourtNuno BettencourtNuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt is a Portuguese guitarist and singer-songwriter best known for his role as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme whose hits include the acoustic ballads "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted"...
– synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, percussion, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, vocals, orchestration, mixing - Gary CheroneGary CheroneGary Francis Caine Cherone is an American rock singer-songwriter. He is best known for his work with the rock group Extreme, as well as his short stint as the lead singer for Van Halen on their 11th album Van Halen III and subsequent tour. In recent years he has released solo recordings. In 2007,...
– vocals, background vocals, design, logo design - Paul GearyPaul GearyPaul Geary is an American rock and roll drummer and manager. He was once the drummer for the Funk metal band, Extreme...
– percussion, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals, logo design
Other personnel
- The Lollipop Kids – background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(tracks 5, 11) - Jeff GoldJeff GoldJeff Gold is an American record label executive, Grammy award-winning art director, music historian and archivist, and music memorabilia collector-dealer, who was executive vice president/general manager of Warner Bros...
– art direction - Nigel Green – mixing
- Mack 10 – engineer
- Mack – producer, engineer
- Rapheal May – harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
- Bob St. John – engineer, mixing
- Harris Savides – photography
- Howie Weinberg – mastering
Chart information
| Year | Album / Single | Peak Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
US Mainstream Rock | US Modern Rock | ||
| 1989 1989 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR... |
Extreme | #80 | - | - | - |
| 1989 1989 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR... |
"Kid Ego" | - | - | #39 | - |