Extreme

Extreme is the debut album by the Boston quartet formed in 1985, pairing Van Halen-style hard rock with the bounce of funk. Recorded with Gary Cherone (vocals), Nuno Bettencourt (guitar), Pat Badger (bass) and Paul Geary (drums), it was produced by Mack, known for his work with Queen. Nuno’s later virtuosity is not yet in full view, but its seeds already show in sharp riffs, funky cutting and spirited choruses. Lyrics themed around childhood run throughout, embodied by the single “Kid Ego” and “Play with Me,” known from the film Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (and later the series Stranger Things). “Little Girls,” “Mutha (Don't Wanna Go to School Today)” and “Teacher's Pet” push youth and playfulness to the front, while delicate ballads like “Watching, Waiting” also appear. It stalled at number 80 on the US Billboard 200, but it is a starting point full of ideas and momentum, hinting at the four members’ sure chemistry and the leap to come.