Gary Cherone blazed a path for himself with the Boston based band EXTEME in the late 80's and early 90's. Unless you've been living in a cave for the past decade, you're all too familiar with the anti-ballad, "More Than Words" which was penned by Gary and virtuoso guitarist Nuno Bettencourt. They released four albums before splitting up in the mid-1990s.
Cherone was then given a second chance at stardom when he was offered the coveted position as vocalist in VAN HALEN in 1996. However, that marriage did not last and Cherone left the group in November of 1999. One could assume that the reason for Gary's departure was due to Van Halen III, the one album he released with Ed, Alex, and Michael, not selling as well as the group's previous efforts with former lead singers Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth.
It's 2002 and Gary has a new band, TRIBE OF JUDAH, in which he is joined by former EXTREME cohorts Pat Badger and Mike Mangini, as well as Leo Mallace on guitar. They're being managed by Paul Geary, who was initially the drummer for Extreme. The band sounds like a healthy mix of melodic, hummable lyrics, and powerful, industrial-flavored drums and guitars.
Gary and I spoke for a while about his past with Extreme and Van Halen, and his present and future with TRIBE OF JUDAH, and how he feels about taking a trip up the music business mountain for a third time.
