Extreme (album)

Extreme
Studio album by Extreme
Released	March 14, 1989
Recorded	1988
Genre	Heavy metal, glam metal, hard rock, funk metal
Length	44:57
Label	A&M
Producer	Mack, Extreme
Extreme chronology
Extreme (1989) Pornograffitti (1990)
Singles from Extreme
"Little Girls" Released: 1989 "Kid Ego" Released: 1989 "Mutha (Don't Wanna Go To School Today)" Released: 1989 "Play with Me" Released: 1989

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]

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.^{[citation needed]}

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 Portuguese-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.

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 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.

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 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.

1. "Little Girls" - 3:47
2. "Wind Me Up" - 3:37
3. "Kid Ego" - 4:04
4. "Watching, Waiting" - 4:54
5. "Mutha (Don't Wanna Go To School Today)" - 3:23*
6. "Teacher's Pet" - 3:02
7. "Big Boys Don't Cry" - 3:34
8. "Smoke Signals" - 4:14
9. "Flesh 'n' Blood" - 3:31
10. "Rock a Bye Bye" - 5:57
11. "Play with Me" - 3:29**

* 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).

Personnel

• Pat Badger – bass guitar, vocals
• Nuno Bettencourt – synthesizer, guitar, percussion, piano, vocals, orchestration, mixing
• Gary Cherone – vocals, background vocals, design, logo design
• Paul Geary – percussion, drums, vocals, logo design

Other personnel

• The Lollipop Kids – background vocals (tracks 5, 11)
• Jeff Gold – art direction
• Nigel Green – mixing
• Mack 10 – engineer
• Mack – producer, engineer
• Rapheal May – harmonica
• Bob St. John – engineer, mixing
• Harris Savides – photography
• Howie Weinberg – mastering

Chart information

Year	Album / Single	Peak Chart Positions
		Billboard 200	UK Albums Chart	US Mainstream Rock	US Modern Rock
1989	Extreme	#80 [3]	-	-	-
1989	"Kid Ego"	-	-	#39 [4]	-

External links

1. Extreme - Extreme (1989) Album Review at Rockpedia.co

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ Rolling Stone review
3. ^ "Extreme Album Chart History". http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=4575&model.vnuAlbumId=1167946. Retrieved 2008-09-03. 
4. ^ "Extreme Singles Chart History". http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Singles&model.vnuArtistId=4575&model.vnuAlbumId=1167946. Retrieved 2008-09-03.