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)
Naked
Extreme Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just to see what's
Underneath my cloth
I'll show you I'm every
Inch a man
Measure all that you
Think you can
Meets the eye
Flesh 'n' blood is
Often a white lie
By the cover you misjudge
The book
Open your mind and take
Another look
[Chorus]
Naked, and I'm unashamed
Naked, with no one to blame
Naked, ya you want the truth
Naked, here's my birthday suit
Naked, naked, naked, naked
I pretend to be not anyone
Except me and my imperfections
There is nothing I
Expect of you
That you wouldn't
Expect of me, too
[Chorus]
Will you excuse me for my ignorance
'Cause I can see only one
Difference
Those of you who seek to find
While all the others choose
To walk 'n' talk blind
The lyrics of Extreme's song "Naked" are about self-acceptance and challenging societal norms about appearance. The song begins with the singer being asked to "take it off," implying that they are being asked to remove their clothing. The singer responds by stating that they are "every inch a man" and daring the other person to measure them. This can be interpreted as a challenge to conventional standards of masculinity, which often equate physical strength and appearance with manhood.
The second verse further explores the idea that appearances can be deceiving, with the line "flesh 'n' blood is often a white lie." The singer encourages the other person to look beyond the surface and open their mind to what lies underneath. The chorus repeats the word "naked," emphasizing the vulnerability and honesty that comes with being stripped of all pretense and revealing one's true self.
In the third verse, the singer acknowledges their own imperfections and encourages others to do the same. They state that there is nothing they expect of the other person that they wouldn't expect of themselves. This can be interpreted as a message of acceptance and understanding, asking others to treat themselves and each other with compassion.
The final verse addresses those who "walk 'n' talk blind," implying that some people are content to go through life without ever truly examining themselves or their surroundings. The singer suggests that those who seek to find are the ones who will truly learn and grow.
Overall, "Naked" is a song about self-acceptance and challenging societal norms about appearance and masculinity. It encourages listeners to look beyond the surface and embrace their true selves, imperfections and all.
Line by Line Meaning
So you want me to take it off
You are asking me to remove my clothes
Just to see what's
You are asking me to reveal what's hidden
Underneath my cloth
You want to know what's beneath the surface
I'll show you I'm every
I will demonstrate that I am complete
Inch a man
I embody all aspects of masculinity
Measure all that you
You can evaluate me based on your criteria
Think you can
To the best of your ability
I'm more than what
I am more complex and multifaceted than appears
Meets the eye
What is visible may not reveal everything
Flesh 'n' blood is
Being human involves being flawed
Often a white lie
The surface appearance can deceive
By the cover you misjudge
Assuming based on appearance can lead to misunderstanding
The book
The person I am
Open your mind and take
Broaden your perspective and consider
Another look
A review of what you think you know
[Chorus]
Refrain
Naked, and I'm unashamed
I am vulnerable and accept myself
Naked, with no one to blame
I own up to myself and my actions
Naked, ya you want the truth
You want honesty and transparency
Naked, here's my birthday suit
This is who I am at my core
Naked, naked, naked, naked
Raw and uncovered
I pretend to be not anyone
I am not trying to hide or fake anything
Except me and my imperfections
Accepting who I am including my flaws
There is nothing I
I don't have any expectations
Expect of you
I don't want anything from you
That you wouldn't
I wouldn't request something
Expect of me, too
If you have expectations, I am willing to abide by them
[Chorus]
Refrain
Will you excuse me for my ignorance
I apologize for not understanding something
'Cause I can see only one
I can only perceive what is obvious
Difference
Divergent trait
Those of you who seek to find
People who are driven to discover
While all the others choose
While some people prefer
To walk 'n' talk blind
Going through life without reflecting or questioning anything
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY F. CHERONE, NUNO BETTENCOURT, PATRICK BADGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind