Pornograffitti
| Extreme II: Pornograffitti | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Extreme | ||||
| Released | August 7, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | 1990 | |||
| Studio | Scream Studios, Studio City, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal, glam metal, funk metal | |||
| Length | 64:30 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Producer | Michael Wagener, except "When I First Kissed You" & "Hole Hearted", produced by Nuno Bettencourt | |||
| Extreme chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Pornograffitti | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Daily Vault | B−[2] |
Extreme II: Pornograffitti (A Funked Up Fairy Tale) is the second album released by the Boston rock band Extreme. The title is a portmanteau of pornography and graffiti.
The album sold very well, peaking at #10 on the Billboard 200, and was certified double platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA. It is the band's best selling album.[3] Two singles from Pornograffiti, "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted", reached the top-5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Two other tracks, "Decadence Dance" and "Get the Funk Out", reached the lower half of Billboard's rock chart.
In 2010, after the band's reunion in the previous years, rumours started about possible commemorative shows given the 20th anniversary of the record. In 2012, a small string of such shows in Japan was announced. In January 2014, the band confirmed they would be performing Pornograffiti in its entirety on their 2014 Europe and UK tour.[4]
Musical style
Musically, Pornograffitti is dominated by hard rock guitar riffs, often with funky, syncopated timing, and fast soloing. "More Than Words", a gentle acoustic ballad, and "Hole Hearted", an acoustic folk song, were perhaps the least representative tracks on the album, both in terms of their musical style and thematic tone.
The album garnered admiration for lead guitarist Nuno Bettencourt from rock guitar enthusiasts. Bettencourt was voted "Best New Talent" in a 1991 readers' poll by Guitar World magazine,[5] and that magazine later named him "Most Valuable Player" of 1991.[6] The album also gained continual exposure in other guitar playing publications such as Guitar School.
Thematic content
The album is a concept album in which many of the songs explore how sex, money, and excess are viewed, exploited, and trivialized in American culture, although the album's two biggest hit songs ("More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted") deal more generally with the topics of love and relationships. Broader themes hint at the decadence of modern American society in general.
Production and marketing
Pornograffitti was recorded and mixed at Scream Studios, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, with producer Michael Wagener.
Track listing
All tracks written by Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Decadence Dance" | 6:53 |
| 2. | "Li'l Jack Horny" | 4:56 |
| 3. | "When I'm President" | 4:26 |
| 4. | "Get the Funk Out" (featuring Pat Travers) | 4:28 |
| 5. | "More Than Words" | 5:40 |
| 6. | "Money (in God We Trust)" | 4:15 |
| 7. | "It ('s a Monster)" | 4:28 |
| 8. | "Pornograffitti" | 6:20 |
| 9. | "When I First Kissed You" | 4:03 |
| 10. | "Suzi (Wants Her All Day What?)" | 3:43 |
| 11. | "He-Man Woman Hater" (includes intro "Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee") | 6:23 |
| 12. | "Song for Love" | 6:00 |
| 13. | "Hole Hearted" (does not appear on the vinyl LP) | 3:43 |
| Total length: | 64:30 | |
| 2015 Deluxe Edition: Disc Two | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Origin | Length |
| 1. | "More Than Words [Remix]" | From the More Than Words Single | 3:43 |
| 2. | "Nice Place To Visit" | From the More Than Words Single | 3:16 |
| 3. | "More Than Words [Edit]" | ||
| 4. | "Decadence Dance [Edit]" | From the Decadence Dance Single | 4:32 |
| 5. | "Money (in God We Trust) [Edit]" | ||
| 6. | "More Than Words [Non Percussion Version]" | ||
| 7. | "Get the Funk Out [What the Funk? Mix]" | ||
| 8. | "More Than Words [A cappella with Congas]" | ||
| 9. | "Get the Funk Out [12" Remix]" | ||
| 10. | "Sex N' Love" | From the Hole Hearted Single | 2:47 |
Personnel
- Pat Badger - Bass Guitars, Backing Vocals
- Nuno Bettencourt - Guitars, Piano, Keyboards, Percussion, Backing Vocals
- Gary Cherone - Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
- Paul Geary - Decadent Drums, Percussion
- Barbara Glynn - Mutha's Voice, "Decadence Dance"
- Pat Travers - Vocal Bridge, "Get the Funk Out"
- Jeanine Moultrine - Suzi's Voice, "Suzi (Wants Her All Day What?)"
- Dweezil Zappa - Intro/outro solos, "He-Man Woman Hater"
- Li'l Jack Horn Section - "Li'l Jack Horny", "Get the Funk Out"
- Bob Findley, trumpet
- Chuck Findley, trumpet
- Bill Watrous, trombone
- Dick "Slyde" Hyde, bass trombone
- Pete Christlieb, tenor sax
- Joel Peskin, tenor sax
Chart positions
| Year | Album / Single | Peak Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard 200 | Billboard Hot 100 | US Mainstream Rock | Adult Contemporary | ||
| 1990 | "Decadence Dance" | - | - | #45 | - |
| 1991 | Extreme II. Pornograffitti | #10 [7] | - | - | - |
| "More Than Words" | - | #1 [8] | #12 [8] | #2 [8] | |
| "Hole Hearted" | - | #4 [8] | #2 [8] | - | |
| "Get the Funk Out" | - | - | #34 [8] | - | |
External links
References
- ↑ Allmusic review
- ↑ The Daily Vault review
- ↑ RIAA database
- ↑ "Extreme 'Pornograffiti Live 2014' Tour Dates".
- ↑ "Guitar World 1991 Readers' Poll" (PDF). Guitar World. 12 (4): 41. April 1991. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
- ↑ "The Year of Guitar: Nuno Bettencourt, M.V.P.". Guitar World. 13 (1). January 1992.
- ↑ "Extreme Album Chart History". Retrieved 2008-09-03.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Extreme Singles Chart History". Retrieved 2008-09-03.