Extreme

Surprisingly, I only recently discovered this band after hearing 'He Man Woman Hater' around mid-December. I immediately ordered Pornograffiti after hearing 'Get The Funk Out' as I could tell immediately it'd be an album I'd like. Unsurprisingly, I spent a lot of my Christmas season listening to the album as I think it is absolutely fantastic. It just seems to be the right blend of rock, metal, shred and melody. The funk influences are also a welcome touch, with moments of the album reminding me of Tower of Power (which is never a bad thing). I also really like the acoustic singles that made them so big; I literally cannot find a weak track on the album. Gary Cherone's vocals and Nuno Bettencourt's guitar playing seem to compliment each other very well. I've also just picked up III Sides to Every Story and might get their newest one, Saudades of Rock in a few weeks. III Sides has some immediately fantastic moments, but I get the impression that the album as a whole may be a bit of a grower.
As is probably clear, at the moment, I literally cannot get enough of this band. I only wish I'd discovered them a little bit sooner as they did a gig right down the road from me lat the end of November. Ah well, hopefully now they've reformed, they'll stick around for a few more tours - seems like they'd be a great show to catch.

So, any other fans?

I like Extreme quite a bit, I think Nuno was one of the best guitartist out of the era and the band as a whole was great, I just listened to 'Pornograffiti' sometime last week and holds up very well, I actually like 'III Sides to Every Story' and it is my favorite out of the discography and it is a grower, out of the original four releases I still donot care for their self titled debut but excellent band.

I thought they were decent around the Pornograffiti days but lost interest soon after.

Yup. I dig Extreme. III Sides to Every Story is a very cool album and my favorite of the bunch.

ult

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

I liked the first two records and saw them live on the Pornograffiti tour (great show, but I think all the drama that surrounded that day kinda ruined it for me... I posted the story in the "Concert Going Clusterf**ks" thread around here a while ago...)

Their stuff hasn't aged very well IMO.

I could never get into these guys. I have a buddy that was way into them and he made me a best of comp. I thought Nuno is a very talented player, but nothing stuck. I even saw them live as an opening act back at the height of "More Than Words" mania. Very energenic, sounded great, but just not my thing.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

Really? I didn't like that when I first heard it. I traded it and never looked back. I've been meaning to give it another go.

III Sides To Every Story is brilliant.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

I think I've told this story before, but when I tried to sell this CD back to a used-CD store in the late 90s, the guy behind the counter actually laughed at me. Swear to God.

Eyesore wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

Really? I didn't like that when I first heard it. I traded it and never looked back. I've been meaning to give it another go.

III Sides To Every Story is brilliant.

I recently sold off a copy of III Sides on ebay that I picked up at Goodwill. Somebody out there still likes 'em.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

I think I've told this story before, but when I tried to sell this CD back to a used-CD store in the late 90s, the guy behind the counter actually laughed at me. Swear to God.

I take it he did not wait for the punchline?

manny wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

I think I've told this story before, but when I tried to sell this CD back to a used-CD store in the late 90s, the guy behind the counter actually laughed at me. Swear to God.

I take it he did not wait for the punchline?

Yea, and then he told Freddy to "Get the Funk Out" of his store. True story. There are pictures of the incident that explain it way More Than Words ever could.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

manny wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

I think I've told this story before, but when I tried to sell this CD back to a used-CD store in the late 90s, the guy behind the counter actually laughed at me. Swear to God.

I take it he did not wait for the punchline?

Yea, and then he told Freddy to "Get the Funk Out" of his store. True story. There are pictures of the incident that explain it way More Than Words ever could.

You guys are killin' me.
I could only assume that the store probably had an entire crate full of unsold copies of "Punchline" in the back room already...

Eyesore wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

Really? I didn't like that when I first heard it. I traded it and never looked back. I've been meaning to give it another go.

I love it. Everyone thinks its a modern/grunge record and it is SO not...it's a raw, groove oriented hard rock record w/ killer harmonies and fantastic production/tones...

Fat Freddy wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

manny wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

I think I've told this story before, but when I tried to sell this CD back to a used-CD store in the late 90s, the guy behind the counter actually laughed at me. Swear to God.

I take it he did not wait for the punchline?

Yea, and then he told Freddy to "Get the Funk Out" of his store. True story. There are pictures of the incident that explain it way More Than Words ever could.

You guys are killin' me.
I could only assume that the store probably had an entire crate full of unsold copies of "Punchline" in the back room already...

I'd go on, but I think those are the only song titles I know. Oh wait, lemme see if maybe I can make a Hole-Hearted reference. Hmmmm.



Nah, I got nothing. Carry on.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

Really? I didn't like that when I first heard it. I traded it and never looked back. I've been meaning to give it another go.

I love it. Everyone thinks its a modern/grunge record and it is SO not...it's a raw, groove oriented hard rock record w/ killer harmonies and fantastic production/tones...

Hmm. I honestly can't remember a thing about it. I was way more close-minded back then, though, so it was probably too different for me to adjust to. It's definitely not a popular disc. Used copies are everywhere for $1 and $2, while their other albums are still priced at $5 or more, used.

Eyesore wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Waiting For The Punchline is my favorite...great band...

Really? I didn't like that when I first heard it. I traded it and never looked back. I've been meaning to give it another go.

I love it. Everyone thinks its a modern/grunge record and it is SO not...it's a raw, groove oriented hard rock record w/ killer harmonies and fantastic production/tones...

Hmm. I honestly can't remember a thing about it. I was way more close-minded back then, though, so it was probably too different for me to adjust to. It's definitely not a popular disc. Used copies are everywhere for $1 and $2, while their other albums are still priced at $5 or more, used.

It is a very good album not up to par as previous two but a good album in its own right.

What I've heard off Punchline sounds good, I'm almost surprised there was such a backlash against it. From what I've seen of the band at the time, they also had a bit of an image change too and perhaps that added to things.
Also, I just read that apparently the CD version of III Sides is missing a track off the LP due to time constraints. It's available on a couple of singles though, so I've just ordered the 'Stop the World' single. Shame it couldn't fit on the original disc.

Smindas wrote:

What I've heard off Punchline sounds good, I'm almost surprised there was such a backlash against it.

That album was released in 1995, during which the backlash against anything even remotely "hair metal" was in its full bloom, so it wouldn't have mattered if "Punchline" was the greatest album in rock history, it didn't stand a chance.

I don't think the baclklash had anything to do with Extreme, but Extreme got painted with the same brush as the rest of the hair metal bands, and in the world dominated by grunge and alternative rock, record labels didnot bother to promote it and radio failed to embrace the disc.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Smindas wrote:

What I've heard off Punchline sounds good, I'm almost surprised there was such a backlash against it.

That album was released in 1995, during which the backlash against anything even remotely "hair metal" was in its full bloom, so it wouldn't have mattered if "Punchline" was the greatest album in rock history, it didn't stand a chance.

We both said the same thing but Freddy articulated his point better.

Long ago I loved Pornograffitti, and today I still do. However, I have had other Extreme albums, and all of them pale in comparison. I am not an Extreme fan as much as I am a Pornograffitti fan. That album is fantastic!

I'm a fan. I especially like III Sides To Every Story and Waiting For The Punchline. Even though I don't care much for the lyrics on "There Is No God" Nuno tears up one of his best solos.

akeldama wrote:

I'm a fan. I especially like III Sides To Every Story and Waiting For The Punchline. Even though I don't care much for the lyrics on "There Is No God" Nuno tears up one of his best solos.

Well, I think I'm correct in saying that Gary Cherone is quite a devout Christian and the lyrics for 'There Is No God' was just him trying to see it from the other side.

I like them enough. Oddly, 'III Sides' never really grabbed me that much - maybe I need to give it another listen. Like the first two a lot though - Nuno came up with some great riffs.