The Extremist

"Rubina's Blue Sky Happiness" is dedicated to Satriani's wife Rubina, and is the second song named after her, following "Rubina" from Not of This Earth (1986). "Summer Song" has endured as one of Satriani's best-known songs and is a mainstay at his concerts; it was used by Sony in a commercial for the Walkman[http://www.satriani.com/satch_frames/joes_bio.html "Joe Satriani's Chronology"]. satriani.com. Retrieved 2014-03-20. and was later included on the soundtrack to two of Sony's console video games: Formula 1 (1996) for the PlayStation and Gran Turismo 4 (2004) for the PlayStation 2. Two B-sides from The Extremist's recording sessions, "Crazy" and "Banana Mango II", together with the outtakes "Thinking of You", "Speed of Light" and "Baroque", were later released on Satriani's 1993 double album Time Machine.

The Extremist has been reissued several times. The first was in 1997 through Epic Records[http://www.discogs.com/Joe-Satriani-The-Extremist/release/2250315 "Joe Satriani – The Extremist"]. Discogs. Retrieved 2015-03-18. and again on June 16, 2008, as part of the Original Album Classics box set.[http://www.allmusic.com/album/original-album-classics-mw0000809887 "Original Album Classics - Joe Satriani"]. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2014-03-21. The most recent reissue was part of The Complete Studio Recordings, released on April 22, 2014, through Legacy Recordings; this is a box set compilation containing remastered editions of every Satriani studio album from 1986 to 2013.Bosso, Joe (2014-04-08). [http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/joe-satriani-talks-the-complete-studio-recordings-album-by-album-597821/3 "Joe Satriani talks The Complete Studio Recordings album by album | Surfing With The Alien (1987)"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404142923/http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/joe-satriani-talks-the-complete-studio-recordings-album-by-album-597821/3 |date=2015-04-04 }}. MusicRadar. Future Publishing. Retrieved 2015-03-18.

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}Carter, Phil. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-extremist-mw0000084603 "The Extremist - Joe Satriani"]. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2014-03-20.

}}

Phil Carter at AllMusic gave The Extremist four stars out of five, saying that the album lives up to its name. "Summer Song", "Friends", "Motorcycle Driver", and the title track were noted as highlights.

{{Track listing

| all_music = Joe Satriani

| title1 = Friends

| note1 = arrangement: Satriani, Andy Johns

| length1 = 3:29

| title2 = The Extremist

| length2 = 3:43

| title3 = War

| length3 = 5:48

| title4 = Cryin{{'-}}

| length4 = 5:43

| title5 = Rubina's Blue Sky Happiness

| length5 = 6:11

| title6 = Summer Song

| length6 = 5:00

| title7 = Tears in the Rain

| length7 = 1:18

| title8 = Why

| length8 = 4:45

| title9 = Motorcycle Driver

| length9 = 4:58

| title10 = New Blues

| length10 = 6:58

| total_length = 47:53

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese edition bonus track[http://www.musicstack.com/item/126771768 "Joe Satriani - The Extremist +1"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140321161645/http://www.musicstack.com/item/126771768 |date=2014-03-21 }}. MusicStack. Retrieved 2014-03-21.

| title11 = Crazy

| length11 = 4:06

}}

{{Div col}}

• Joe Satriani – guitar, Dobro, keyboard, synthesizer, banjo, mandolin, bass (tracks 8, 10), harmonica, arrangement, mixing, producer
• Phil Ashley – keyboard (track 6), synthesized strings, synthesized trumpet (track 10), squeezebox
• Gregg Bissonette – drums (tracks 1–6, 8, 9)
• Bongo Bob Smith – 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 (tracks 2, 9), arrangement (track 1), engineering (tracks 1–9), mixing, production (tracks 1–9)
• Brett Tuggle – organ (track 4)
• Matt Bissonette – bass (tracks 1–6, 9)
• Doug Wimbish – bass (track 5), spoken vocals

{{Div col end}}

Technical

{{Div col}}

• John Cuniberti – engineering (tracks 5, 6, 8, 10), production (tracks 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Bart Stevens – engineering assistance
• Dan Bosworth – engineering assistance
• Michael Semanick – engineering assistance
• David Plank – engineering assistance
• Michael Reiter – engineering assistance
• Julie Last – engineering assistance
• Bernie Grundman – mastering
• Matt Mahurin – cover photography

{{Div col end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|title=The Extremist|artist=Joe Satriani|type=album|award=Gold|source=infodisc|relyear=1992|certyear=2001|access-date=15 November 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=The Extremist|artist=Joe Satriani|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=1992}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

{{Reflist|3}}

• [http://www.satriani.com/discography/The_Extremist/ The Extremist] at satriani.com
• [http://www.guitar9.com/theextremist.html In Review: Joe Satriani "The Extremist"] at Guitar Nine Records

{{Joe Satriani}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:Joe Satriani albums

Category:1992 albums

Category:Relativity Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Andy Johns

Category:Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance