Musical style
As being a guitarist and songwriter, Bettencourt draws from an eclectic great diversity of styles and influences. However, his most prominent work has elevated the an entire world of rock and heavy metal guitar despite his most common commercial hits being acoustic songs. Bettencourt's technical guitar playing is relying on a lot of musicians who might possibly have key attributes of their playing, that have already rubbed off on Nuno for instance Eddie Van Halen, Al Di Meola and Jimmy Page, while his solos and a sense of melody are affected by Brian May of Queen. He could be particularly skilled at arpeggios articulated via string-skipping tapping. Among the many strongest elements in Nuno's playing is his a feeling of rhythm, often having a very loose wrist tactic to execute fast triplet picking licks to generate a funky sound to his rhythm playing along with his using of poly-rhythms to blur bar lines and create a unique sound.
Biography
Early years
Nuno Bettencourt was born 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 2 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 curiosity about music, preferring to pay out his time playing hockey and soccer. His first instrument was the drums anf the husband played them exclusively until his brother, Luis, did start to teach him the right way to play guitar.
While Bettencourt was slow to innovate the instrument under his brother's tutelage, his skills quickly developed when shortly fater he began teaching himself, as well as has mentioned in a lot of interviews that he or she would skip many school days to practice above 7 hours each day. In the sophomore and junior a great deal of school, Bettencourt dropped outside sports so he could focus on playing guitar. Yet eventually drop out of school for a similar reason.
To provide a guitarist, among Bettencourt's earliest influences was Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen. However, as he developed his craft as a general 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)
Unable to earn a dent inside music world by using his Boston-based hair-metal act Sinful, Bettencourt rose to international prominence being a guitarist after he joined the Boston-area group Extreme in 1985. Signed to A&M Records soon there after Bettencourt joined the group, the group released its debut record, Extreme, in 1989.
In 1990, Extreme released their most critically acclaimed album, Pornograffitti, including the hits "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted". This guitar rock band followed it with III Sides to every single Story in 1992. Nuno composed and arranged the brass and string sections for this purpose album and therefore the full orchestra on III Sides to every single Story.
In 1993, Bettencourt co-wrote and produced "Where Are You Going" towards the Super Mario Bros. movie. He also joined Robert Palmer while in the studio to record Palmer's album Honey.
In 1995, Extreme released the album, Anticipating the Punchline, even so the band split up in 1996 when Bettencourt expressed his want to adhere to a solo career. After, singer Gary Cherone took that they are the lead singer of Van Halen.
In 2007, this guitar rock band reformed aided by the original get in line (aside from Paul Geary) to get started with focus on an innovative 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 she were fixing for improved. 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 just a writing he previously seen on your church wall back Portugal), experienced a self-titled debut album released in Japan on Polydor Records. It sold 45,000 during the first month. The band featured Roberto Carlos' son Donovan Bettencourt on bass and Manhattan drummer Jeff Consi.
In 2000, Mourning Widow's follow-up, Furnished Souls rented originally released in Japan, after which around the U.S. Both Mourning Widows releases cultivated a solid following in Japan as well as New England region in the U.S.
In 2008, Bettencourt was featured in the soundtrack in the video Smart People. Bettencourt is credited within the cover about the soundtrack besides. The soundtrack also features the Gary Cherone track, "Need I Say More", and Baby Animals selections. The album was introduced by Hollywood Records and is seen on iTunes.
In '09, Bettencourt was featured within the song and video called "Best Night Ever" by Marshall, a personality on what I Met Your Mother. The video was obviously a parody of Extreme's "More Than Words" video, the spot that the entire main cast of Generate an income 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. And only the citizenry 1 (which featured him playing all instruments of the 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 was featured in Cherone next band carnation effort after Van Halen breakup,(Along with Pat Badger and Mike Mangini from Extreme)Tribe of Judah.
In 2004, Population 1 released Sessions from Room Four along with an northeastern tour around the fall of that year. Caused by legalities, the name Population 1 was dropped in 2005 and therefore the band was renamed to Near Death Experience, however, renamed to DramaGods.
DramaGods released their first album in December 2005 available as being an import via Victor Entertainment (Japan). This guitar rock band then made their record available being digital download on iTunes in early 2006.
DramaGods are seeking a list deal for launch of their first album within new name in your U.S. After an explosive debut in the increasingly-popular The Late Late with Craig Ferguson, this guitar rock band (still called 'Population 1' at that time), later appeared in the web 2 . 0 website MySpace, featuring videos and songs from your aforementioned Dramagods album, entitled Love.
Nuno thought he would inside the album available through iTunes before procuring an American record deal.
Bettencourt frequently toured with DramaGods in Japan where they appeared at the Udo Music Festival in addition to KISS, Santana, Jeff Beck, The Doobie Brothers, Alice in Chains, The Pretenders, Ben Folds Five, as well as others in July 2006 after that Bettencourt taken part in a 3 date reunion tour with Extreme in Northeastern.
Other works
Guitar Wars
Nuno Bettencourt's playing has been featured for the Universal/Japan CD and DVD release of Guitar Wars featuring solo and collective performances of Bettencourt tons of 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 in regards to the direction in the live show), coupled with DramaGods drummer Kevin Figueiredo, bassist Carl Restivo (who also played with Extreme within the Azores in 2004), and Etty Farrell on backing vocals. A youthful lineup from the band with Perry Farrell, Etty Farrell, Nuno, Kevin Figueiredo, and Steve Ferlazo (Dramagods) on keyboards performed along at 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, Holland. At the end of July 2007, Nuno Bettencourt and Drummer Kfigg departed Satellite Party.
Criss Angel Mindfreak
The next CD from magician Criss Angel incorporates a song on which Bettencourt appears and was introduced in June 2006. Sully Erna, Vince Neil, Shannon Larkin and Bettencourt join Angel in your video to the track "MF 2" that is shot atop the Aladdin parking garage.
Other Artists
Bettencourt is active in the music industry. As outlined by former Journey lead singer Steve Perry, Bettencourt has teamed with him to put in writing and arrange songs. He in addition has 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 will undoubtedly be touring with Pop Superstar Rihanna to be with her next world tour as her lead guitarist, having appeared alongside her in many Shows in addition to other performances. Nuno also stated that Extreme continues.
Nuno has additionally collaborated along with wife Suze DeMarchi based on all of her Baby Animals bandmates. On Baby Animals second release, Shaved And Dangerous (July 1996), Nuno produced a few songs and co-wrote Because We can, which he can clearly be heard playing guitar on at the same time. Additionally, on Nuno's first solo release, Schizophonic (1997) all members of Baby Animals appear. Suze sings background with Nuno over the single Crave. Dave Leslie (guitar), Frank Celenza (drums) and Eddie Parise (bass) all join Nuno at the track 14 days In Dizneeland. Nuno also contributed greatly written, recording and producing Suze's solo debut from 1998, Telelove.
Nuno also produced Dweezil Zappa's 1991 release on Barking Pumpkin Records, Confessions. In such a record, Nuno sings lead vocals initially on your semi-ballad entitled Finding that, not to mention playing guitar and singing background vocals on some other tracks. Extreme members Gary Cherone and Pat Badger also contributed.
Nuno also played guitar on a song featured on your CBS series 'How I Met Your Mother', and it's really also online www.itwasthebestnightever.com.
Personal life
In 1994, Bettencourt married singer Suze DeMarchi. They have perhaps two children together: Bebe Orleans (b. February 2, 1996) and Lorenzo Aureolino (b. August 12, 2002). They currently are in California.
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 - several Bettencourt-designed guitars which endures today.
The Nuno Bettencourt models are flagshipped because of the American hand-made Washburn N4. The Washburn N4 guitar can be a small reverse headstock super-strat which features the initial Stephen's Extended Cutaway neck joint for easy authority to access the more frets. Aside from that it contains Bill Lawrence and Seymour Duncan pickups, and also a Floyd Rose licensed tremolo. The assembly budget model of this guitar which was machine integral Korea is named a the N2 and comes with a standard bolt-on neck. The N3 was a short run Korean reproduction on the Washburn N4 using Washburn stock pickups. The first N2 and N3 guitars were prototype guitars created for Nuno. The N2 lacking the Stephen's Extended Cutaway and therefore the N3 utilizing a Bill Lawrence L500-R with the neck rather than the Seymour Duncan 59. Other models add the N5 and N6. Nuno in addition has endorsed several Washburn acoustic models.
Discography
Extreme
Extreme (1989)
Pornograffitti (1990)
III Sides to Every Story (1992)
Hoping 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 To 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 modern world 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 along 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 single Story聽 Anticipating the Punchline聽 Saudades de Rock
Compilations
Extragraffitti聽 The Best of Extreme - An Accidental Collocation of Atoms?聽 Extreme - The product
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 a Dog Star" "Hard Life Easy"
Persondata
NAME
Bettencourt, Nuno
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Bettencourt, Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes
SHORT DESCRIPTION
Musician, Singer-songwriter, Guitarist
Birth date
September 20, 1966
Host to BIRTH
Praia da Vitria, Terceira, Azores, Portugal
DATE OF DEATH
Host to 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
