Consequently, Extreme's music is never easy to classify; it's not just heavy metal, hard rock, or pop— their albums cover all of that territory with a sweeping ambition and a social consciousness to match. Although a mostly hard rock band, it was the Everly Brothers-style acoustic ballad, "More Than Words," that crossed them over into the mainstream — it hit number one and the follow-up single, the acoustic-based pop rocker "Hole Hearted," hit number four.
They released two albums in the hey day of glam metal but received diminished attention from the mainstream following the grunge explosion following the release of Nirvana's "Nevermind" in 1991. Despite this, they released two more albums before the hiatus. Vocalist Gary Cherone went on to join Van Halen in 1997, replacing Sammy Hagar, and the group released "Van Halen III." He left Van Halen soon after, in 1999 and formed Tribe of Judah, with fellow Extreme members Pat Badger and Mike Mangini.
The group reformed in 2004 for a short tour of Boston and Japan as well as reforming in 2006 for a small U.S. tour. On November 26th 2007, it was announced that Extreme would come back in 2008 with a new album & tour.
In July 2007 Bettencourt quit Satellite Party for the Extreme reunion with Cherone and Pat Badger. On November 26, 2007, the band announced plans for a world tour in the summer of 2008 with King's X as well as a release date for their new album, Saudades de Rock, produced by Bettencourt. Kevin Figueiredo, who played with Bettencourt in DramaGods and Satellite Party, took over drum duties for the band. Original drummer Paul Geary would still remain involved with the band, albeit in a management position.
2015–present: Six
In a May 2015 interview with Eddie Trunk, vocalist Gary Cherone said that Extreme had been writing and demoing new material for their follow-up to Saudades de Rock, and would enter the studio in the fall to begin recording.
In a September 2016 interview, guitarist Nuno Bettencourt revealed that Extreme had been working on approximately 17 songs for their new album, and added, "We're about 17 songs into it. We're just wrapping them up. We've got to do vocals, some guitar. Slowly but surely."
In 2016, the band released Pornograffitti Live 25: Metal Meltdown, an audio/video presentation of its 2015 concert at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Casino.
During the 2017 KISS Kruise, the band invited original drummer Paul Geary to join them on stage to play "Hole Hearted". In June 2018, Extreme toured Australia with Mr. Big, which marked the latter's first tour of Australia and Extreme's first tour of the continent since 1993. After their Australian tour, they went on to tour Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and Taipei. Extreme headlined Shirock 2019 alongside Scottish hard rock band Nazareth. On October 19, 2019, the band performed in India in front of over 30,000 fans in Ukhrul.
On February 17, 2023, the band began to release a different teaser each day, to end on February 28. On March 1, 2023, Extreme released the single "Rise" and announced that 'Six" would be released on June 9. On April 19, 2023, Extreme released the official videos for "Banshee" and "#Rebel" on their YouTube channel.
Current members
Gary Cherone – lead vocals (1985–96, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007–present)
Nuno Bettencourt – guitars, brass/orchestration arrangements, keyboards, piano, backing and lead vocals (1985–96, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007–present)
Pat Badger – bass, backing vocals (1986–96, 2006, 2007–present)
Kevin Figueiredo – drums, percussion, occasional backing vocals (2007–present)
Diskogs
Extreme (1989)
Extreme II: Pornograffitti (1990)
III Sides to Every Story (1992)
Waiting for the Punchline (1995)
Saudades de Rock (2008)
Six (2023)
Help!
Extreme Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Help! not just anybody,
Help! you know I need someone, help.
When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody's help in any way.
But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured,
Now I find I've changed my mind I've opened up the doors.
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being around.
Help me get my feet back on the ground,
Won't you please, please help me.
And now my life has changed in oh so many ways,
My independence seems to vanish in the haze.
But ev'ry now and then I feel so insecure,
I know that I just need you like I've never done before.
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being around.
Help me get my feet back on the ground,
Won't you please, please help me.
When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody's help in any way.
But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured,
Now I find I've changed my mind I've opened up the doors.
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me, get my feet back on the ground,
Won't you please, please help me, help me, help me, oh.
The song "Help!" by Extreme is a cover of The Beatles' hit song of the same name. The lyrics revolve around the concept of needing someone's help, something that the singer has never needed before. The opening lines repeat the word "help" three times, emphasizing the urgency of the singer's need for assistance. The first verse reflects on the singer's past self-sufficiency, indicating that they were able to handle life without help. However, as time has passed, the singer has begun to doubt their ability to handle things alone. They are feeling down, insecure, and in need of support.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's insecurities, as they admit that their independence seems to have disappeared. They acknowledge that they need help from others, including the listener, to feel stable and grounded again. The repetition of the phrase "help me, help me, help me" at the end of the song emphasizes the importance of this need for assistance. The song ends on a pleading note, with the singer begging for someone to help them get back on their feet.
Overall, "Help!" captures the vulnerability and uncertainty that can come with asking for help, and the importance of having a support system.
Line by Line Meaning
Help! I need somebody,
The singer is desperate and in need of assistance from someone.
Help! not just anybody,
The singer is not looking for any kind of help, but specifically the kind of help that someone they trust can provide.
Help! you know I need someone, help.
The singer is explicitly asking for someone's help, emphasizing their need for interpersonal support.
When I was younger, so much younger than today,
The artist is reflecting on how much they've changed since their younger years, when they were more independent and didn't need help.
I never needed anybody's help in any way.
In the past, the artist didn't require any help from others, and was self-sufficient.
But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured,
The singer has lost their confidence in themselves and their ability to handle things alone.
Now I find I've changed my mind I've opened up the doors.
The singer is now open to the idea of receiving help, and wants to reach out to someone.
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
The artist is specifically asking for assistance in regards to their emotional state, indicating they are struggling.
And I do appreciate you being around.
Despite their emotional distress, the artist values having someone they can rely on nearby.
Help me get my feet back on the ground,
The artist wants help in finding their footing and regaining their sense of stability.
Won't you please, please help me.
The singer is pleading and asking for help in a very sincere tone.
And now my life has changed in oh so many ways,
The artist has undergone significant changes in their life recently.
My independence seems to vanish in the haze.
The singer is acknowledging that their independence has been slipping away from them because of their struggles.
But ev'ry now and then I feel so insecure,
Despite their efforts, the singer admits to feeling less than confident at times.
I know that I just need you like I've never done before.
The singer is stating unequivocally that they require someone's support more than they ever have in the past, really emphasizing their need.
Help me, get my feet back on the ground,
The artist again repeats their desire to get back to a more stable and self-sufficient state.
Won't you please, please help me, help me, help me, oh.
With this final repetition, the artist's plea is amplified and their desperation is clear.
Contributed by Henry H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.