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)
Li'l Jack Horny
Extreme Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never should haver ever let that jack get loose
But that little boy blue
Keeps messing all the things he gets his hands into
Now look what you've done
Stuck in your thumb, pulled out a plum
That's lil' jack horny
Mama says 'boys will be boys'
That's lil' jack horny
Jack and Jill
Went up and down and up and fooled around the hill
Now only time will tell
How late the rabbit will arrive in wonderland
Now look what you've done
Stuck in your thumb, pulled out a plum
Mama says, 'boys will be boys'
That's lil' jack horny
Daddy says 'don't need no birth control'
That's lil' jack horny
The lyrics of Extreme's song "Li'l Jack Horny" is a witty take on the traditional children's nursery rhymes of Mother Goose, depicting a character named Li'l Jack Hornet, who is never supervised and keeps getting into trouble due to his uncontrollable desires. The opening lines of the song suggest that Mother Goose failed to keep Li'l Jack in check, and he causes chaos wherever he goes. The lyrics mention the rhyme of "Little Boy Blue" but modifies it as Li'l Jack seems to mess up with anything he gets his hands on.
As the song progresses, the theme of sexual innuendos becomes more apparent with references to Jack and Jill and their foolish actions on the hill. The lyrics suggest that the consequences of their actions are yet to be seen in the future, much like Alice's arrival in Wonderland. The chorus again returns to the idea of "boys will be boys," and this applies specifically to Li'l Jack Horny, who seems to always act on his desires despite the consequences. There's a reference to his father's attitude towards sexual behavior, which seems nonchalant as he believes that they don't need birth control.
Overall, the song may seem like a lighthearted and humorous take on traditional nursery rhymes, but it also delves into the idea of sexuality and desire and how they can lead us astray if left unchecked, particularly in young men. The song's lyrics convey a message of caution to the youth about the consequences of their actions and how they could shape their future.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother goose
An imaginary character in nursery rhymes
Never should have ever let that jack get loose
It was a mistake to let Jack get out of sight
But that little boy blue
But that child acted innocently
Keeps messing all the things he gets his hands into
He unintentionally creates problems wherever he goes
Now look what you've done
A phrase used to indicate disapproval or annoyance
Stuck in your thumb, pulled out a plum
You have done something wrong by meddling with something you shouldn't have
Mama says, 'boys will be boys'
Excuse for boys' misbehavior
That's lil' jack horny
That's his sexual urge
Jack and Jill
The fictional characters in a nursery rhyme
Went up and down and up and fooled around the hill
They went up and down and played around the hill without any particular purpose
Now only time will tell
Only the future will reveal what will happen next
How late the rabbit will arrive in wonderland
We don't know when things will happen or what the future holds
Daddy says 'don't need no birth control'
Father is oblivious to sexual education and birth control methods
That's lil' jack horny
That's his sexual urge
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY F. CHERONE, NUNO BETTENCOURT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind