The Extremist

For the comic book series, see The Extremist (comic).

The Extremist
Studio album by Joe Satriani
Released	July 1992 (1992-07)
Recorded	Bearsville Studios in Bearsville, New York; Coast Recorders and Alpha & Omega Recording in San Francisco, California; Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California; Record One Studios in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California; Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California
Genre	Instrumental rock
Length	47:53
Label	Epic
Producer	Joe Satriani, Andy Johns, John Cuniberti
Joe Satriani chronology
Flying in a Blue Dream (1989) The Extremist (1992) The Beautiful Guitar (1993)
Singles from The Extremist
"Friends" Released: 1992 "Summer Song" Released: 1992 "Cryin'" Released: 1993

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

The Extremist is the fourth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released in July 1992 through Epic Records and reissued in 2008 as part of the Joe Satriani Original Album Classics box set. It is one of his most popular albums and his highest-charting to date, reaching #22 in that year's Billboard 200 charts, with three singles having charted on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks: "Friends" at #12, "Summer Song" at #5 and "Cryin'" at #24.

"War" was used by Disney to promote products for the Power Rangers franchise at their theme parks, whilst "Rubina's Blue Sky Happiness" is dedicated to Satriani's wife, Rubina, and is the second track named after her.

The aforementioned "Summer Song" is one of Satriani's most well-known songs, and remains a mainstay at his concerts. It was used by Sony in a commercial around the time of its release, as well being included on the soundtrack to two video games: Formula 1 for the PlayStation in 1996, and Gran Turismo 4 for the PlayStation 2 in 2004. Currently it is used as the intro to the radio show, Dave, Shelly, and Chainsaw, on Jack 100.7 FM in San Diego, California.

"Speed of Light", an unused track recorded during the album's sessions, was later released in 1993 on Satriani's fifth studio album, Time Machine.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Joe Satriani. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Friends"	3:29
2.	"The Extremist"	3:43
3.	"War"	5:48
4.	"Cryin'"	5:43
5.	"Rubina's Blue Sky Happiness"	6:11
6.	"Summer Song"	5:00
7.	"Tears in the Rain"	1:18
8.	"Why"	4:45
9.	"Motorcycle Driver"	4:58
10.	"New Blues"	6:58
Total length:		47:53

Personnel

• Joe Satriani – guitar, Dobro, keyboard, synthesizer, banjo, mandolin, bass (tracks 8, 10), harmonica, arrangement, production
• Phil Ashley – keyboard (track 6), synthesized strings, synthesized trumpet, squeezebox
• Gregg Bissonette – drums (tracks 1–6, 8, 9)
• Bongo Bob – drums (track 8), percussion (track 8)
• Simon Phillips – drums (tracks 5, 10), tambourine
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (tracks 2–4, 6, 8, 9)
• Jeff Campitelli – cymbals (track 10)
• Andy Johns – organ (2, 9), co-arrangement (track 1), engineering, production
• Brett Tuggle – organ (4)
• Matt Bissonette – bass (tracks 1–6, 9)
• Doug Wimbish – bass (track 5), spoken vocals
• John Cuniberti – engineering, production
• Bart Stevens – engineering
• Dan Bosworth – engineering
• Michael Semanick – engineering
• David Plank – engineering
• Michael Reiter – engineering
• Julie Last – engineering
• Bernie Grundman – mastering

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1992	Billboard 200	22

Singles

Year	Title	Chart	Position
1992	"Friends"	Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	12
1992	"Summer Song"	Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	5
1993	"Cryin'"	Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	24

External links

• In Review: Joe Satriani "The Extremist" at Guitar Nine Records