Idolator: gary cherone

Extreme's New Queen Homage Sure Beats Queen + Paul Rodgers

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:00 EDT

Fans of Queen who can't stomach Freddie Mercury replacement Paul Rodgers owe it to themselves to check out "Star," a song from Extreme's upcoming Saudades Du Rock that has tight harmonies, searing riffs, and sneering vocals about "profit" and "fame" that sound more "Tie Your Mother Down" than "C-Lebrity." Sure they try to rhyme "star" with "for," but hearing them rip into the track, I want to take back every snide remark I've made about Gary Cherone. Though when the media player eventually hops to one of their earlier hits, I quickly change my mind. [MySpace via Metal Sucks]

Extreme Reunited? Get The Funk Out!

Anthony Miccio — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EDT

Looks like Who cover bands aren't the only thing Gary Cherone has going on after all. Extreme is putting the finishing touches on a new album, with Nuno Bettencourt at the mixing board possibly even as I type! It will be the band's first album since 1995's Waiting For The Punchline, so I'm hoping they'll name the album The Punchline if they don't decide to go back to the whole roman numeral thing (V Alive, maybe?).

EXTREME FANS HAVE SPOKEN! And you are right! I apologize to you. Extreme have the most loyal and patient fans on the planet and you deserve an update every once in a while from the band. Is that too much to ask? OK enough with the groveling.

The record is finished except for one lead vocal and a few backgrounds. Nuno is working overtime finishing up the mixes, and believe the hype! These are the best performances of the band... ever! You're gonna hear everything you expect from Extreme, and everything you don't!

The release of the record will ultimately depend on the label, and what's best for the band. We're working on an American run for mid/late summer. Europe, Japan, and the rest of the world to follow!

Until the next time, yeah I know, what was so hard about that?

Your humble and lovable shoe shine boy,

-Gary

That "shoe shine boy" line actually makes me feel a little bad for mocking Whiz Kid. All he wants to do is entertain the good people! Who am I to make fun?

EXTREME FANS HAVE SPOKEN! [MySpace via Sleaze Roxx]

Gary Cherone Now Leading Who Cover Band

Anthony Miccio — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EDT

When Idolator last posted the word "Cherone," there were rumors that singer Gary and Extreme compatriot Nuno Bettencourt were writing together. Six months on and Nuno's doing indie movie soundtracks while Gary... well, Gary's playing shows in Massachusetts with the band Slip Kid, which "is not just another WHO tribute/cover band, nor does it try to impersonate them. Rather It is a truly inspired celebration of the music and live performance of THE WHO, that captures the raw emotional energy of the band." It could be argued that Cherone was part of a "a truly inspired celebration of the music and live performance of VAN HALEN" ten years ago, but this still feels a little sad.

The brain child of the brothers Cherone,
with Markus on guitar and Gary singing lead,
SLIP KID was born from a common bond that has influenced
them from the very beginning and continues to inspire today.
The band consists of veterans of the Boston music scene with
Gary's former bandmate, singer, songwriter Paul Mangone on bass,
and the manic antics of Moon handled by Dana Spellman on drums.
Rounding out the sound on keyboards and programming Jeff Calder.

Whether your a casual or hard-core fan,
you will hear everything from the early eclectic pop
to the familiar anthems of a g-g-g-generation,
with a few odds and sods in-between.

SLIP KID
meet the new boss.

Last September the played a high school's Talentfest 2007. Next week, they'll play Arlington, Mass. Stop the world, I want to get off.

Slip Kid [MySpace]
EXTREME Singer's THE WHO Tribute Band: Concert Footage Available [Blabbermouth]
Slipkid - My Generation [YouTube]

Gary Cherone Has His Own Plans For The Coming Months (And No, They Don't Involve Stalking Michael Anthony)

mjohnston — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 12:03:17 EDT

The easiest go-to joke after yesterday's long-delayed Van Halen reunion announcement involved the fate of Gary Cherone, who the brothers VH contracted for lead-singer duty on the floptastic Van Halen III. But according to Collider.com, Cherone has, in fact, been writing songs with none other than his ex-bandmate Nuno Bettencourt, who recently escaped the clutches of Perry Farrell's Satellite Party:

I had an opportunity to chat with Gary and Pat from Extreme for a few minutes, and not only has Extreme written a special song to contribute to the Brad Delp tribute concert this coming weekend in Boston (Extreme is performing), but apparently Gary and Nuno Bettencourt have been writing together all year (perhaps preparing for a new Extreme album?) This would be fantastic news for longtime fans of the band. Stay tuned!

Sure, this could just be a case of both guys just trying to save face after years that didn't go so well, but for that reason alone, I'd give an Extreme reunion a better chance of surviving into the holiday season than the Van Halen tour. (And yeah, OK, I'm probably looking forward to it more, overarching evangelical messages of some of the band's songs—"Hole Hearted," cough cough—aside.) Let's just hope that Cherone forgot everything he learned in 1998 before the writing process started.

Collider attends the Hard Rock Café Boston Grand Opening [Collider, via Blabbermouth]