Musical style
As a general guitarist and songwriter, Bettencourt draws from an eclectic great diversity of styles and influences. However, his most prominent work has developed in the realm of rock and heavy metal guitar despite his hottest commercial hits being acoustic songs. Bettencourt's technical guitar playing is influenced by many excellent guitar players who may have key attributes on their playing, who've rubbed off on Nuno such as Eddie Van Halen, Al Di Meola and Jimmy Page, while his solos and feeling of melody are relying on Brian May of Queen. They are particularly good at arpeggios articulated via string-skipping tapping. The strongest elements in Nuno's playing is his a sense rhythm, often with a very loose wrist tactic to execute fast triplet picking licks to establish a funky sound to his rhythm playing plus his using poly-rhythms to blur bar lines and create a unique sound.
Biography
Early years
Nuno Bettencourt was given birth on September 20, 1966 in Praia da Vitria, Terceira, Azores, Portugal, to Ezequiel Mendes Bettencourt and wife Aureolina da Cunha Gil de vila. Bettencourt's family, parents and two brothers Lus and Roberto Carlos, relocated to Hudson, Massachusetts when he was four. Bettencourt lived on Main Street in Hudson for 21 years.
Initially, Bettencourt had little affinity for music, preferring to enjoy his time playing hockey and soccer. His first instrument was the drums and this man played them exclusively until his brother, Luis, begun to teach him the best way to play guitar.
While Bettencourt was slow to adopt the instrument under his brother's tutelage, his skills quickly developed when he soon started teaching himself, as well as has mentioned in several interviews that he would skip many school days to train above 7 hours on a daily basis. Within his sophomore and junior numerous years of high school graduation, Bettencourt dropped beyond sports so he could direct attention to playing guitar. Yet eventually give up of graduating high school for the same reason.
As a general guitarist, amongst Bettencourt's earliest influences was Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen. However, as they developed his craft to provide a guitarist and songwriter, his influences expanded to embrace The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Prince, Queen, Pat Travers, Paco de Luca, Vito Bratta, Al Di Meola and Aerosmith.
Extreme
Main article: Extreme (band)
Could not generate a dent with the music world with his Boston-based hair-metal act Sinful, Bettencourt rose to international prominence as a guitarist after he joined the Boston-area group Extreme in 1985. Signed to A&M Records soon after Bettencourt joined the group, this guitar rock band released its debut record, Extreme, in 1989.
In 1990, Extreme released their most critically acclaimed album, Pornograffitti, which included the hits "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted". This rock band followed it with III Sides to each and every Story in 1992. Nuno composed and arranged the brass and string sections of this album as well as full orchestra on III Sides to every one Story.
In 1993, Bettencourt co-wrote and produced "Where Have you been Going" to your Super Mario Bros. movie. He also joined Robert Palmer inside studio to record Palmer's album Honey.
In 1995, Extreme released the album, Waiting around for the Punchline, although the band left each other in 1996 when Bettencourt expressed his like to have a solo career. Right after, singer Gary Cherone happened to work as the lead singer of Van Halen.
In 2007, the band reformed while using the original lineup (apart from Paul Geary) to get started work with a new album, Saudades de Rock, released on August 12, 2008, and subsequent tour.
Extreme hiatus period
In 1997, Bettencourt released his first solo effort, Schizophonic, that they was working on for five-years. The album received good reviews but didn't sell well.
On December 16, 1997, Bettencourt's new band - Mourning Widows (whose name was inspired by a writing he had seen even on a church wall instruction online Portugal), stood a self-titled debut album released in Japan on Polydor Records. It sold 45,000 within the first month. This rock band featured Roberto Carlos' son Donovan Bettencourt on bass and San francisco drummer Jeff Consi.
In 2000, Mourning Widow's follow-up, Furnished Souls for rental originally released in Japan, and during the U.S. Both Mourning Widows releases cultivated a substantial following in Japan and also the Northeastern region in the U.S.
In 2008, Bettencourt was featured on the soundtrack in the video Smart People. Bettencourt is credited within the cover on your soundtrack on top of that. The soundtrack also features the Gary Cherone track, "Need I Say More", and Baby Animals selections. The album was already released by Hollywood Records and is also located on iTunes.
In 2009, Bettencourt was featured within the song and video called "Best Night Ever" by Marshall, a personality how I Met Your Mother. The movie is a parody of Extreme's "More Than Words" video, wherein the entire main cast of How I Met Your Mother made appearances.
Population 1 & DramaGods
Bettencourt formed it entity Population 1 and released the self-titled and self-produced 2002 release, Population 1, on Universal/Japan and YBM/Korea. For individuals 1 (which featured him playing all instruments coming from all tracks), release in Japan and Korea, Bettencourt assembled a band with Joe Pessia on bass, Steve Ferlazzo on keyboards and back-up vocals, and Kevin Figueiredo on drums and back-up vocals. Steve Ferlazzo had also been featured in Cherone next band carnation effort after Van Halen breakup,(In addition to Pat Badger and Mike Mangini from Extreme)Tribe of Judah.
In 2004, Population 1 released Sessions from Room Four along with an east coast tour with the fall out of which one year. As a consequence of legal issues, the name Population 1 was dropped in 2005 and also the band was renamed to Near Death Experience, in spite of this, renamed to DramaGods.
DramaGods released their first album in December 2005 available just as one import via Victor Entertainment (Japan). The band then made their record available as being a digital download on iTunes at the beginning of 2006.
DramaGods are presently seeking a record deal for launch of their first album under the new name from the U.S. After an explosive debut in the increasingly-popular The Late Late with Craig Ferguson, this rock band (still called 'Population 1' at that time), later appeared about the social network sites website MySpace, featuring videos and songs with the aforementioned Dramagods album, entitled Love.
Nuno chosen to create the album available through iTunes before procuring a us record deal.
Bettencourt frequently toured with DramaGods in Japan where they appeared for the Udo Music Festival and KISS, Santana, Jeff Beck, The Doobie Brothers, Alice in Chains, The Pretenders, Ben Folds Five, whilst others in July 2006 soon there after Bettencourt took part in a 3 date reunion tour with Extreme in New England.
Other works
Guitar Wars
Nuno Bettencourt's playing has recently been featured about the Universal/Japan CD and DVD relieve Guitar Wars featuring solo and collective performances of Bettencourt a lot of unique others, including Steve Hackett (Genesis, GTR), Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones and Racer X guitarist Paul Gilbert.
The Satellite Party
The Satellite Party is Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell's new project which featured Bettencourt as lead guitarist (Nuno left this rock band in July 2007, citing disagreements relating to the direction of one's live show), in conjunction with DramaGods drummer Kevin Figueiredo, bassist Carl Restivo (who also messed around with Extreme in the Azores in 2004), and Etty Farrell on backing vocals. A tender lineup of one's band with Perry Farrell, Etty Farrell, Nuno, Kevin Figueiredo, and Steve Ferlazo (Dramagods) on keyboards performed inside the 2005 Lollapalooza festival.
Bettencourt helped produce Ultra Payloaded, the debut album by Satellite Party released on May 29, 2007 on Columbia Records. On June 29, 2007, they performed alongside Pearl Jam, Kings of Leon and Incubus in Nijmegen, Netherlands. At the end of July 2007, Nuno Bettencourt and Drummer Kfigg departed Satellite Party.
Criss Angel Mindfreak
The newest CD from magician Criss Angel includes a song of what Bettencourt appears and premiered in June 2006. Sully Erna, Vince Neil, Shannon Larkin and Bettencourt join Angel during the video for that track "MF 2" that has been shot atop the Aladdin parking garage.
Other Artists
Bettencourt will be active in the music business. As per former Journey lead singer Steve Perry, Bettencourt has teamed with him to put in writing and arrange songs. He boasts writing and recording engagements with Maverick Records' Tantric (Bettencourt co-wrote Tantric's hit single "Hey Now"), Hollywood recording group BB Mak, Toni Braxton, and numerous others. Nuno announced in November 2009 that he or she shall be touring with Pop Superstar Rihanna on the next world tour as her lead guitarist, having appeared alongside her in a great many Movies together with other performances. Nuno also stated that Extreme will continue.
Nuno has also collaborated along with wife Suze DeMarchi and having all of her Baby Animals bandmates. On Baby Animals second release, Shaved And Dangerous (July 1996), Nuno produced a couple songs and co-wrote Because I'm able to, that she can clearly be heard playing guitar on besides. Additionally, on Nuno's first solo release, Schizophonic (1997) all members of Baby Animals appear. Suze sings background with Nuno relating to the single Crave. Dave Leslie (guitar), Frank Celenza (drums) and Eddie Parise (bass) all join Nuno to the track Two Weeks In Dizneeland. Nuno also contributed greatly on paper, recording and producing Suze's solo debut from 1998, Telelove.
Nuno also produced Dweezil Zappa's 1991 release on Barking Pumpkin Records, Confessions. Within this record, Nuno sings lead vocals in my ballet shoes at a semi-ballad entitled Finding that, in addition to playing guitar and singing background vocals on other sorts of tracks. Extreme members Gary Cherone and Pat Badger also contributed.
Nuno also played guitar on a song featured relating to the CBS series 'How I Met Your Mother', in addition to being also online www.itwasthebestnightever.com.
Personal life
In 1994, Bettencourt married singer Suze DeMarchi. They've got two children together: Bebe Orleans (b. February 2, 1996) and Lorenzo Aureolino (b. August 12, 2002). They currently have La.
Bettencourt cites Italian food as his favorite cuisine. His guilty pleasures include sushi and Butterfinger bars (Music Choice).
Washburn Guitars
In December 1990, Washburn Guitars unveiled the Washburn N4 Nuno Bettencourt Signature Series - many Bettencourt-designed guitars which endures today.
The Nuno Bettencourt models are flagshipped by way of the American hand-made Washburn N4. The Washburn N4 guitar is a small reverse headstock super-strat which features the unique Stephen's Extended Cutaway neck joint for use of the greater frets. Further, it contains Bill Lawrence and Seymour Duncan pickups, including a Floyd Rose licensed tremolo. Your production budget label of this guitar that wasthat's machine constructed in Korea is named the N2 and carries a standard bolt-on neck. The N3 was obviously a short run Korean reproduction on the Washburn N4 using Washburn stock pickups. Very first N2 and N3 guitars were prototype guitars intended for Nuno. The N2 lacking the Stephen's Extended Cutaway and also the N3 employing a Bill Lawrence L500-R while in the neck rather than the Seymour Duncan 59. Other models range from the N5 and N6. Nuno has endorsed several Washburn acoustic models.
Discography
Extreme
Extreme (1989)
Pornograffitti (1990)
III Sides to each and every Story (1992)
Waiting around for the Punchline (1995)
Saudades de Rock (2008)
Jim Gilmore
Putting Back The Rock (1990)
Janet Jackson
Black Cat (1990)
Dweezil Zappa
Confessions (1991)
Robert Palmer
Honey (1994)
Nuno
Schizophonic (1997)
Mourning Widows
Mourning Widows (1998)
Furnished Souls For Rent (2000)
Population 1
Population 1 (2002)
Sessions From Room 4 EP (2004)
DramaGods
Love (2005)
Satellite Party
Ultra Payloaded (2007)
Smart People (Original Film Soundtrack)
(2008)
Anthology
Guitars That Rule the earth Vol.1 (1992)
JAM Project
Gong
References
^ "Nuno Bettencourt Washburn Guitars". http://www.washburn.com/artists/bettencourt.aspx.聽
^ "N-Series Guitars". http://www.washburn.com/products/electrics/nseries/index.aspx.聽
^ http://www.itwasthebestnightever.com/
External links
Official site
Nuno Bettencourt for the Internet Movie Database
Nuno Bettencourt at Allmusic
Nuno Bettencourt at Discogs
v聽聽d聽聽e
Extreme
Gary Cherone聽 Nuno Bettencourt聽 Pat Badger聽 Kevin Figueiredo
Paul Geary聽 Michael Mangini聽 Paul Mangone聽 Peter Hunt聽 Hal Lebeaux聽 Carl Restivo
Studio albums
Extreme聽 Pornograffitti聽 III Sides to Every Story聽 Looking ahead to the Punchline聽 Saudades de Rock
Compilations
Extragraffitti聽 The very best of Extreme - An Accidental Collocation of Atoms?聽 Extreme - The gathering
Singles
"Play with Me" 聽 "Kid Ego" 聽 "Decadence Dance"聽 "Get the Funk Out"聽 "More Than Words"聽 "Hole Hearted"聽 "Song for Love" 聽 "Rest in Peace"聽 "Stop the World"聽 "Tragic Comic"聽 "Cynical" 聽 "Hip Today" 聽 "Star"
Related articles
Discography聽 Van Halen聽 DramaGods聽 Tribe of Judah聽 Mourning Widows聽 Satellite Party聽 HurtSmile聽 Super TransAtlantic聽 Van Halen III聽 Michael Wagener
v聽聽d聽聽e
Satellite Party
Perry Farrell Carl Restivo Etty Lau Farrell
Nuno Bettencourt Kevin Figueiredo
Nick Perri Jordan Plosky
Studio albums
Ultra Payloaded
Singles
"Wish Upon to prevent Star" "Hard Life Easy"
Persondata
NAME
Bettencourt, Nuno
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Bettencourt, Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes
SHORT DESCRIPTION
Musician, Singer-songwriter, Guitarist
DATE OF BIRTH
September 20, 1966
PLACE OF BIRTH
Praia da Vitria, Terceira, Azores, Portugal
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Categories: 1966 births | Living people | American rock guitarists | American singer-songwriters | Portuguese Americans | Extreme (band) members | People from Terceira Island | Lead guitaristsHidden categories: BLP articles lacking sources | Articles lacking reliable references from August 2008 | All articles lacking sources
