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)
Suzi
Extreme Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Losing all her sleep
Feeling ver hungry
She's got her tongue in cheek
Uh, huh
Sweet and sour
A bitter tasting treat
I think she likes to
(She likes to eat)
She likes to eat
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day what?
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day what?
Hard rock candy
Coated cavities
Licking lollipoppers
As long as she says pretty please
You'd better mind your manners
Said, little Red Riding Hood
Got a healthy appetite
So don't be scared big bad wolf
I think she doesn't
(She doesn't bite)
No, she doesn't bite
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day what?
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day what?
(SOLO)
Oh
Try this tongue twister on for size
Suzi sells seashells on the seashore
Suzi sells seashells on the what?
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day what?
Suzi wants her all day sucker
Suzi wants her all day what?
Oh,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh
Oh,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh
A-good God!
A-two times!
The song "Suzi" by Extreme is a playful and cheeky anthem about a woman named Suzi who is hungry for both food and attention. The lyrics paint her as a sweet and sour character who enjoys life's pleasures, particularly candy and lollipops. Her appetite is emphasized throughout the song, with her desire for an "all day sucker" being a recurring phrase. Despite her hunger and bold behavior, Suzi is also depicted as harmless and not to be feared, particularly in the refrain where the wolf is reminded that she "doesn't bite."
The song is full of playful phrases and double entendres, highlighting Suzi's mischievous nature. For example, the line "she's got her tongue in cheek" can be interpreted both as a nod to her flirtatious demeanor and her love of licking candy. Similarly, the use of "mind your manners" in reference to a woman who is unapologetically indulgent is a humorous contradiction. Ultimately, the song celebrates Suzi and her unapologetic approach to life, urging listeners to enjoy and embrace their own appetites.
Line by Line Meaning
Sexy Suzi
The subject of the song is a woman named Suzi who is considered attractive
Losing all her sleep
Suzi may be preoccupied with something or someone, causing her to lose sleep
Feeling very hungry
Suzi is experiencing strong hunger pangs
She's got her tongue in cheek
Suzi is making a sly, ironic comment or gesture
Sweet and sour / A bitter tasting treat / It's the only flavor / I think she likes to / (She likes to eat) / She likes to eat
Suzi has a penchant for indulging in contrasting, strong flavors while consuming food
Suzi wants her all day sucker / Suzi wants her all day what? / Suzi wants her all day sucker / Suzi wants her all day what?
Suzi desires a certain type of candy or perhaps a metaphorical representation of something
Hard rock candy / Coated cavities / Licking lollipoppers / As long as she says pretty please / You'd better mind your manners
Suzi enjoys hard, sugary candy despite its potential to cause dental damage; and she expects polite behavior
Said, little Red Riding Hood / Got a healthy appetite / So don't be scared big bad wolf / I think she doesn't / (She doesn't bite) / No, she doesn't bite
Suzi is compared to Little Red Riding Hood, suggesting her boldness and confidence; and she does not hurt people despite her strong personality
Oh / Try this tongue twister on for size / Suzi sells seashells on the seashore / Suzi sells seashells on the what?
The singer poses a playful challenge to listeners by asking them to repeat a popular tongue twister
A-good God! / A-two times!
The singer expresses a strong emotion of awe or excitement
Contributed by Kayla K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.