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Extreme was an American Hard Rock band that achieved popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some of Extreme's influences, Queen and Van Halen (the latter of which Gary Cherone would eventually join), are easily apparent from their music's multi-part vocal harmonies and electric guitar tone and virtuoso techniques. The band lends the listener a sound that blends the genre of glam metal with the shredding guitar work from thrash metal. Being asked about their style, Extreme categorized their music as 'Funky Metal'. BIOGRAPHY Early years The Dream was formed in Boston, Massachusetts , in 1983 . Vocalist Gary Cherone was in a band with drummer Paul Geary , and guitarist Peter Hunt , later to be replaced by Nuno Bettencourt in 1985. The Dream was searching for a bassist, who originally was Paul Mangone , later to be replaced by Pat Badger in 1985, and a guitarist, who joined at the same time at Mangone, Hal Boudreau . The band quickly released an independent demo album titled "The Dream E.P." including the hit "Mutha (Don't Wanna Go To School Today)." It sold over 3,000 units in just the first few weeks of being released. In 1984, a CBS television show that was titled "Dreams" released a self-titled album to promote the series. The Dream's management pursued a legal injunction on "Dreams" for trademark infringement. The show's producers paid to buy the rights of the name "Dream" from the band. From there, "The Dream" became "Extreme" (Ex-Dream), and spent the money from selling the rights to their name on equipment to film their MTV video "Mutha" by the end of 1984. By 1985, Cherone met with Nuno Bettencourt , an accomplished guitarist and fan of Extreme. Soon enough, Hunt and Boudreau were out, while Bettencourt was in. Shortly after, Mangone left due to management differences, and suggested to Pat Badger to consider taking his place. Badger accepted. Cherone and Bettencourt began writing songs together and played numerous shows in the Lexington Kentucky area. The band gradually developed a strong local following, and was named "Outstanding Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Act" at the Boston Music Awards in 1986 and 1987. '' (1989).]] The band had accumulated approximately 55 songs by the time A&R director Bryan Huttenhower signed them to Popular success Moderate sales of Extreme's first record were sufficient to support a second release. Michael Wagener, who had previously worked with '' ( 1990 ). The record, which showcased Bettencourt's extraordinary guitar-playing prowess, was an ambitious and complex mixture of funk, pop and Glam metal sounds. It revolved around a loose concept, following the path of young boy Francis as he wandered through a decadent, degraded and corrupt society. "Decadence Dance" and "Get the Funk Out" were released as singles. "Get The Funk Out" reached number 19 in the UK charts in June 1991. Neither single was successful in the United States, however, and the album had fallen off the charts when A&M sent the third single to a number of radio stations in Arizona . The Acoustic Ballad " More Than Words " entered the Hot 100 on March 23, 1991, at Number 81. It later became a huge smash, hitting Number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 in the United States. The subsequent single, "Hole Hearted," another acoustic and sweetly-sung tune, was also successful, rising to Number 4 on the same popular music chart. Later years The band began recording of their third album in 1992. Their appearance at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in April 1992 interrupted the recording sessions, but it gave the band considerable exposure beyond the heavy metal fraternity. '' (1992).]] '' III Sides To Every Story '', a complex, eclectic and ambitious concept album, was released on September 22, 1992 . Sales were disappointing despite the record receiving critical acclaim from some quarters. The video for the first single, "Rest in Peace," was inspired by a film short by the National Film Board Of Canada called '' Neighbours ''.The band was sued, but they quickly settled out of court, later releasing a new version of the film clip. The album contained noticeable Christian themes, presumably put there by Cherone, who noted in interviews being interested in evangelical preachers and thought. Prior to the band's appearance at the Donington's Monsters Of Rock festival in the summer of 1994 , Mike Mangini (ex- Annihilator ) replaced Geary on drums. The subsequent record '' Waiting For The Punchline '', released on February 7, 1995 , containing the singles "Hip Today", "Unconditionally", "There Is No God" and "Cynical" was even less successful than ''III Sides to Every Story''. Extreme disbanded in 1996 . Finally, in 1997 , Gary Cherone joined with Van Halen for their album called '' Van Halen 3 '', issued in 1998 , and he left Van Halen in 1999 and formed Tribe of Judah who released an album called '' Exit Elvis '' in 2002. He is currently working on solo material to follow up to his 2005 EP released under his own name. '' (1998).]]Nuno Bettencourt went on to release a solo album titled '' Schizophonic '' in 1996. Then formed a group called Mourning Widows and released a self titled album in 1998 and then the follow up album '' Furnished Souls For Rent '' in 2000. His current group called Dramagods (aka Population 1) have had two albums released, the first being a self titled album '' Population 1 '' in 2002 before a name change to Dramagods saw them create their follow up '' Love '' in 2005. A 13-track Extreme " Best-of " collection, '' The Best Of Extreme - An Accidental Collocation Of Atoms? '', was released in 1998 . A re-packaged collection with a different tracklisting was also released in 2002 and was simply titled '' Extreme - The Collection '' Mr. Peter Wright was a back up singer for the group in many of their hit songs. The band reformed (minus Pat Badger)for a short tour in 2004, playing in their hometown Boston at the WAAF anniversary and a few concerts in Japan . They again reformed in 2006 (minus Pat Badger) to do a small three-show reunion tour in New England . A reunited EXTREME performed a new song about late BOSTON singer Brad Delp, entitled "Rock 'n' Roll Man", during their set at the Delp tribute concert which was held on August 19, 2007, in Boston. "Fittingly it's one of the most BEATLES-like things EXTREME's ever done, with Nuno Bettencourt playing piano and singer Gary Cherone leading a long, 'Hey Jude'-style chant," writes BostonHerald.com's Brett Milano. GROUP MEMBERS
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