Waiting for the Punchline

Waiting for the Punchline is the fourth album, on which Extreme restrained their bright funk feel and pushed thick riffs and a grittier sound to the front. Recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, it is covered by a raw texture suggesting a grunge influence, in contrast to the polished previous two records. Its lyrics on social matters such as religion and fame lead many to call it a concept album. It is also the only Extreme record to feature drummer Mike Mangini, on three tracks, co-produced by Nuno and Bob St. John. Nuno Bettencourt’s guitar remains vivid in detail, but here it serves tension over flash. The urgency of “Hip Today,” the weight of “Tell Me Something I Don't Know” and the directness of “Naked” and “Leave Me Alone” show a new side of the band. It reached number 40 on the Billboard 200, number 10 in the UK, number one on the UK Rock chart and number four on Japan’s Oricon. After its tour, Nuno’s move to a solo career broke the band up in 1996, and Cherone became Van Halen’s new singer. It closes the band’s first era with an unafraid, hard-edged face.