Nuno has been the "your favorite guitarist's favorite guitarist" guy for decades now. Maybe the best rock musician ever that non-musicians don't know about.
Very true. I've spent years trying to get friends and family to listen to Nuno's music. But they would always say, "You mean the More Than Words guy? Nah." It's really annoying, because they don't know what they're missing; he makes a lot of musicians/guitarists look like they've been asleep at the wheel for decades. After a while, though, you just give up trying to persuade, coerce, and indoctrinate the ignorant masses. One might even say that you just learn to not give a f*ck.
Yup. Nuno has been one of my favorite guitarists since the first record and always thought he should have way more credit than he's had. I never really considered him true shredder either. To me his playing always had more groove, melody and feeling than the other shredders.
I'm happy to see it too! he's Back!!...one of my favorite Guitarists EVER among the thousands of shredders👍(Guthrie Govan and Yngwie Malmsteen are the others.) Nuno's sense of rhythm and groove are like no other. it's nice to see him after a long time, "Decadence Dance, Play with Me and Get the Funk Out" stills blows my mind and "Rise" is spectacular like them. Also like to give credit and props to the legendary vocalist Gary Cherone, top notch powerful vocals, super high energy especially during live performance. He just holds and command the crowd. Extreme is the best!
In the mid 90s I like Nuno's playing in Poison but everyone I knew hated Poison saying they were a glam-boy-band. I very pleased that at last Nuno is playing with a band which shows how good he really is.
I don’t think we can talk about Extreme without mentioning their criminality underrated 3rd album “III Sides To Every Story”. That thing is a masterpiece. It’s one of the best albums of the 90s and hardly anyone has heard it.
Rick! Everyone is talking about Nuno's solo. Myself included. It's awesome. But I realized that nobody is talking about Gary's vocals. Gary Cherone is 61 years old and kills it. He's just incredible.
Indeed!, Gary Cherone is not only a fantistic vocalist and frontman but a great Entertainer as well🤘, very few band singers can captivate and command the crowd like what Gary can do. Watched him live and his energy is just mesmerizing....sings, runs, dance, jump the stage for 2 hours!. 😱
My take is that Nunos links and solo save the song, which is incredibly bland. Even his riffs are bland. Really cool stuff in the soloing but the song is kind of awful overall.
Nuno was born and lived in my city of Praia da Vitoria in a small archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic called the Azores until he moved to the United States. He usually comes here every summer. We are all very proud of what a "out of this world" guitarist he became. And also we have the same name, how cool is that!😉 For me the best guitar player ever. Abraço Nuno🎸🎸 PS - I'm a fan of your channel @Rick Beato, and it was fantastic to see you talk about Nuno Bettencourt. Thank you!
I asked my grandfather from Porto Martins back in the day when I was like 11 if he knew if Nuno was from Terceira. He was pretty sure. And yes, the solo is very very fire 🔥
@@melissaribeiro4173 Yep he is.. Your grandfather is right. He comes here almost every summer visiting is brother Luis bettencourt, who also is an amazing musician and guitar player. Back in the 90s Luis was my guitar teacher and we got to meet Nuno just after the single more than words came out. It was amazing meeting him. I still hang out with Luis sometimes. By the way Porto Martins is a beautiful village by the sea, have you ever been here to the Azores?
My friend Steve Borisenko was Nuno’s guitar tech for years. He told me stories where he would break a string in concert and finish the solo and song as if nothing happened, one time he showed up to practice late (not neglect) was handed a guitar for the song they were doing, realized it was alternate tuned, then instantly transposed the song to make it work. He said he was a very down to Earth generous guy.
When you are that gifted it is surprising to see someone actually that generous to the extent that they must really feel so lucky to have been gifted with such abilities that they are thankful and pass that existential sort of vib to others.
More than words ultimately hurt them-I was 21 at the time it hit, and the video had all our girlfriends going groupie-it was a big turn off for those of us young and stupid. Then Gary went to Van Halen, pissing off Roth and Hagar fans alike… lol. Death nail.
@@drewlovs Not only that, the people who stuck around for the rest of Pornograffitti, the III Sides was too simple, too ready chewed and too much for little girl's liking (even though I was 14 when More Than Words came out, and bought Porno for it, it took me 5 listens to wrap my head around the whole idea until it hit. WOOOOW!) But anyway, I've always loved Extreme for that challenge, and KNOWING there's still more left in the tank, and even after this last one, I'm still saying: "You can do better. You maybe The Guy now, but you can still do the fuck better." Anyway, III Sides was too easy, then came the freaking Punchline that made no sense to anyone. Again, the challenge that I loved, but weird as f*** a full brain workout to figure out, as a non-guitar-playing little girl, but I loved it in the end. For anyone else who didn't play the guitar themselves at a high level, Van Halen didn't matter. Soundados, mellow, nice, easy, but at least there is Take Us Alive to give me the "WTF are you thinking?!"... But the Six so far... My complaint is clear: WHY DID YOU MAKE ME LOVE IT THE FIRST LISTEN?! I HATE IT!! :D
The fact that your channel is so successful is changing music’s place in culture. Not only do you help people learn how to play, they’re learning how to listen and how complex making music really is. Thank you for the work you do - along with others like Tim Pierce and Tomo Fujita.
@Lynn: PERFECTLY said. The fact that common folks, who love music, but always told themselves they could never "be" musicians, absolutely jump at the chance to understand about all the complexities of what music is, over so many genres, was seen by Rick as an opportunity in itself. This video demonstrates that perfectly. I'm a pro musician myself, a keyboardist, but I've always loved guitar. Since operating and investing in my own recording studio, I've learned a great deal about guitar from sound libraries and plugins that I have, and also very much on Rick's channel here. But I still neither own OR play - it's all keyboard emulation still. Rick Beato is one-of-a-kind when it comes to helping people learn and understand stuff like this, and its why he has over 3 million subscribers in less than 5 years! :)
As a child of Portuguese Azorean immigrants from the island next to where Nuno was born, seeing someone from my culture and my parents geographic region rise to become an international guitar. God, was a huge inspiration to me as a kid learning to play guitar, when Extreme broke through. In fact, they were my first concert ever when they opened for ZZ Top on the Recycler tour on the Pornograffitti album cycle. I hope Rick gets to interview Nuno one day because I could see both of them with their extreme love for music go on for hours and no way would I want an edited version of that interview! I’d want the full on music geek out!
I remember Extreme played at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert and KILLED IT!! They played a medley of several Queen songs that was just incredible. Only the four of them, with a drum kit with only one tom, a singer with an out of this world voice (Gary Cherone) and Nuno just murdering each son. What a good band and amazing guitar player. So yes, Nuno rocks!
Rick thank you for finally reviewing guitar master Nuno; my own Portuguese 🇵🇹 boy. What an incredible guitarrist and human being he is. For the 1st x Sep. 22 I visited his birth town of Praia da Vitória, Terceira Island, Açores, 🇵🇹. His presence was everywhere, he is the towns pride and joy, and all of us Portuguese rockers too ! ❤️🇵🇹
As a Portuguese metalhead, Nuno has always made me feel a bit of pride in having such a talented musician from Portuguese origin. Greetings from the UK. 🇵🇹🇬🇧
@@j_freed you are correct, but I have never understood why people are that way. The location that one happens to be born has no bearing on their work ethic and ability to achieve greatness.
You should do a whole episode on the “Three Sides” record. That is a masterpiece!! So little known. That’s one of my favorite records of all time. The production and creativity that went to that record is incredible. Not for the average person. It’s really mostly musicians who appreciate how incredible that record is.
I’m so happy the world has finally noticed my favorite band. Their third album “III Sides To Every Story” is a fricken underrated masterpiece. "Waiting For the Punchline" and "Saudades De Rock" are also under the radar albums!
What gets me is that their first album is probably their best (in a line of great albums) and it continues to get overlooked by anyone that isn't a Nuno fan. I remember the first time I heard "Kid Ego", I knew these guys weren't just another 80s hard rock band, but something much better.
@@ClaytonBigsby1776 They still are. All that guitar talent wasted on a lame band with some lame. Listen to my bro Marty Ramirez shred lead and solos on Great Gods of Greed -All Out Warfare. He can play anything Nuno can play.
Just like Eddie, Nuno distinguishes himself because what he plays is MUSICAL, not just dazzling. Many have done the latter without the former. He's great.
Nuno's tones, solos and arrangements on III Sides To Every Story and Waiting for the Punchline are phenomenal. You'll hear more solos like this on those albums.
@@tmotus84 You'll find multiple copies of III Sides in every used record store remainder bin in the country. And I can't think why. It's one of my favourite albums.
@@iamcraig85 Yep. Every genre has amazing fresh talent it's just in the past you would discover them on mainstream sources, now you just have specifically search because sadly mainstream has been hijacked and been the same for over a decade.
I'm not a guitar player (keys here) but your excitement and enthusiasm is so darn contagious. I love seeing how you dissect the parts like a musical surgeon. I know you talk about how your ear training is a big part of your skill set. It was remarkable to me that you can hear things that are beyond my present ability to comprehend. You are a joy to watch.
After Eddie's passing we need this. Nuno is completely underrated in my opinion. We need a guy like him still. I hope to see Extreme when they come to Philly.
@@Eric_In_SF"underrated", has to be the most overused statement of ignorance in TH-cam history,... detest it's use for Legends, I saw a P!nk thread on a short the other day and this girl said, "too bad she's underrated", lol, $200 million dollar net worth and 20 years of sold out WORLD tours, it's comical, ...but the all time guffaw had to be when the Legendary, incomparable, Jeff Beck went on to his next venue in the great beyond, there were numerous "underrated", comments, ...like no, never! he was a Legend in the late 60's, and certified untouchable since Blow by Blow in 74, where have you been, lol 😂
Nuno’s work on III Sides to Every Story is some of my favorite guitar playing every recorded. Not a dull moment on that album. Flashy as hell, never going overboard, and always just what the music needs.
What sets Nuno apart for me is his live playing. Everyone sounds great on tape but so many of them can't replicate it live. I've seen Nuno probably a dozen times and he always plays clean, his tone is perfect and he attacks everything every time. Can't wait to see him play this in person.
Agreed. I've seen him live in clubs and his intensity of playing and yet almost effortless presentation - He's a unicorn on stage who's also a virtuoso...then you add the accompaniment - of which he just brings out the best in their playing as well - just amazing.
And the other way around: His studio work sounds incredibly "live". Despite the ridiculous degree of complexity and sophistication, there's always that raw, powerful stage energy in Nuno's playing. Everything he has recorded sounds incredibly vivid and gritty. With such an unmatched aggressiveness and punch. I've always loved that about Nuno! He's actually the only one I can think of (besides Eddie), who really manages to capture that raw and pure stage energy in the studio. It's crazy!
Love your interview with him. I can understand now how he can be present playing at such speed. His mind is amazing. And so generous to share his rat pedal technique!
Nuno is a true genius who goes where no one dares. His musical knowledge is immense and deserves to be at the very top of the chain. Never understood how he didn’t get the credit he deserves. As always, great job Rick. Thank you very much. We rock tonight to the guitar bite…. I salute you🤘🏻🤘🏻🎸
@@bleepblabloop Reb Beach suffered from being a part of Winger. Not because Winger was bad - I bought one of their albums and have plenty of their songs in my playlists - but because of how they were perceived as bad, especially in the post-Metallica dart-throwing incident.
One of my favourite videos is Brian May just gushing about the solo from Get the Funk Out, absolutely insane player, and when Brian May is singing your praises you can't do much better 😍
Nuno was one of the first guys that really made me reconsider what I was doing on guitar. He's got so much insane technique mixed with the most insane groove. Nuno is an absolute beast.
Agreed. It's one thing to have that technical ability. Nuno uses it very effectively for dramatic effect, and on top of that he has that groove thing going on. He truly has his signature sound. Like EVH, Paul Gilbert, and Vai, you _know_ it's Nuno when you hear him.
Yeah, same here. I mean I never played 7th chords beyond the Hedrix chord before hearing Extreme. Nuno plays 7th chords in huge number of his songs. His string skipping riffs, percussive playing style (e.g He Man) and especially his songwriting were all huge influences - I mean who ever put a horn section in a hard rock song before? The guy's brilliant.
Me too. He made me reconsider what I was doing on the guitar. Best I just put it down and leave it to the experts! My neighbours want to thank Nunu for making me reconsider learning 😂
Rick one thing that gets overlooked with Extreme is the bass playing, Pat Badger is also underrated and his backing vocals also compliment Nuno as well. Nice to see extreme back.
I'm so ignorant towards what makes a good bassist good. I mean, my dad plays bass, and gets excited about certain bass lines in songs, but I have no clue. As a drummer, I'm always focused on the drums. What can I do to notice good bass lines?
Rick your interview with Nuno was a masterpiece. I thought after the Sting interview it couldn't get any better. I was wrong, the way you let Nuno Bettencourt be himself was awesome. I have a whole new respect for Nuno. I think the most endearing part of the interview was when he gave his brother the respect due to his influence on his playing. Mad respect for Nuno.
Nuno and Extreme are criminally under-rated!!! Brian May says his favorite solo of all-time is Nuno's solo in Get the Funk Out. EVH also used to play Nuno during soundcheck and warmup.
I’ve also seen the Brian May interview where he says Nuno on Get the Funk Out is his favourite guitar solo. You can probably find the interview on youtube if you care to look for it. I would post the link but since mid 2020 if I post comments with links they get blocked.
Totally agree. Richie has toned back the virtuoso playing a little since abandoning the pick, but his long signature legato runs are still unique and heard in live performance are outrageously effective.
Richie and Nuno also two of my favourite underated guitarists. In fairness Nuno really is not underated, but arrived just after the high water mark of stunt guitar. One of a handful of all time greats.
Why is no one mentioning “Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee”? He’s been playing like this in his solo career for years. He’s always been exceptional and amazing. Effortlessly.
Dotted 8th delay, feedback at zero, delay output max, separating/choking notes with frethand to leave holes between picked notes for delay repeats to poke through.... Picking only 8th notes (double time, here)... "Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee," Eddie Van Halen's "Cathedral," Dream Theaters "Surrounded," Paul Gilbert's "the Echo Song"...whatever that Albert Lee song is called..... Similar thing in Yngwie's "Black Star" intro...
Nuno's an insanely talented and dexterous player, not to mention a great song writer and arranger. Great to see he's back with Extreme and getting serious recognition for his stellar chops.
Rick really makes you love the music even more. I mean, you heard the song, you heard the artist, but did you listen carefully? Every video is gold discovering.
Nuno said in an interview years ago that he wanted to sound like a rhythm and lead guitar were in the band but it was only him. His sound and play style is so unique and underrated.
"Wow" is right Rick. I heard the "Play with Me" solo back in '89. It has been one of my favourite all time solos ever since. Nuno manages to weave wild technical ability and groove with melody. And that muted legato, staccato, alternate picking he slips into his solos is out of this world. And he also seems like a great human being as well.
I loved that song too!! It was such a blend of classical influences and Eddie VH both at the same time! I went back and started listening to a bunch of live recordings of songs from the first album and the backing vocals live just blew me away. Nuno's voice was on par with Gary Cherone, some spots he was pretty much taking the lead melody. Then I hear Mutha love and go back and listen to that intro from the album... I forgot how damn good it was!! And how good he is!!
Came here to suggest the same thing. Play With Me, and Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee, Nuno Bettencourt has been shredding for decades. The appreciation of this song now just helps solidify how beyond his time Nuno has always been.
Yeah, you nailed it. He's got the chops, but he's completely free of them. They're at the service of musicality, and everything he does has musical meaning, adds to the song. Nuno plays with time, amazing pitch control, always bringing the drama.
@UK Bloke. You aren't wrong. The entire first Extreme album was a bit of a warning shot IMO. I found Extreme by way of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. I bought the CD not long after seeing the movie. Have been a fan ever since. I saw them on their Extreme II: Pornograffitti tour with Cinderella and David Lee Roth. Extreme stole the show. A guitar masterclass for sure and the entire band was on point.
@@erissrocI grew up in the Boston, MA area and was in college then. I remember hearing “Mutha don’t wanna go to school today” on WHJY in Providence RI, before the album was released. All of the Nuno “tricks” are on that album, even then. Van Halen was a huge influence on their sound. Like Aerosmith before them, anyone in a band had someone who knew someone who knew someone in the band. Glad to see they’re back with a vengeance!
So good to hear you give praise and homage to such an awesome band. Extreme has flown under the radar for so many years deemed as a "balad-one hit wonder" band. Nuno's style and licks are uniquely his and he can claim his spot on the throne.
Nuno is incredible - not just as a guitarist, but as a vocalist and songwriter as well. III Sides to Every Story is a desert island record for sure. Absolutely brilliant.
What I really love about Rick is his enthusiasm and how he is happy when he is hearing music he admires. This is inspiring and heart warming at the same time. Like a brother or uncle that really cares. I think the super fast part of Nunos solo is played like „Flight of the wounded bumbelbee“ ( He-Man Intro) on the Pornograffiti album ( what was actually played by Dweezil Zappa) with a super short delay.
Nuno plays that Intro solo completely himself. Where the metronome goes all way through in the back? Zappa plays the solo when the actual riff starts and the outro.
Nuno's flight of the wounded bumble bee live is crazy. It is on another level along with his rhythm chording mixed in. I always liked EVH and his style but Nuno has like a jazz phrasing aspect. He wears his guitar slung low and can just rip on it.
Nuno and Paul Gilbert from that era were just incredible in their own ways and inspired so many guitar players going forward all the while their bands only being known for acoustic power ballads is one of the great crimes of the late 80s early 90s. Nuno has been so incredibly influential on my playing and its a true joy to see these guys releasing a new record.
We 80s and 90s kids know that Nuno took the guitar to another level where EVH left off. I hope Rick will also do a video of another EVH inspired guitarist...Vito Bratta ❤️
YES, both Nuno and Vito were coming from EVH's School (one might say). Nuno is more to the funk and dance rock, pretty much the whole extreme concept. on the other hand, Vito is doing Randy rhoads with EVH technique.
Nuno has been my guitar God since I was 13 and he still is at 45. Im not sure there are any other guitarists that feel the song the way he does. He plays the literal soul of every song and is the most elite guitarist I think we have ever seen. I'm so pumped for the new album. Thank you Rick for sharing this and saying what I've been saying about Nuno for 30+ years!!
Nobody else could have come up with "Play with Me", and nobody else has ever played a cooler version of "Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee". Sure, the delay makes it sound like he's playing faster than he really is, but part of being a great guitar player is using your equipment to achieve the sound you're hearing in your head. That's what people like about Steve Stevens and Tom Morello, and it's what we liked about Eddie Van Halen. There will never be another Eddie Van Halen. There will also never be another Nuno Bettencourt. But what we do have is an amazing, ground breaking guitar player who is doing what he's doing for the love of guitar, and in this way he is carrying on what Eddie was doing. If the music industry ever remembers Rock and Roll, maybe Nuno will be a household name like Eddie was.
It almost makes me cry, hearing this song because someone is finally writing songs the way they used to be written again. The world might get fixed after all!
After discovering his riff and solo for Extreme's "Peacemaker Die" as a kid in 1992 I was forever hooked on learning how to play the electric guitar. he deserves far more recognition...
Nuno and I started a small venture capital firm together. We struggled to get investors in the beginning but because saying his name "Nuno" is so fun, wr eventually got some influential people on board. You all know it today as "Black Rock"
Yeah, I saw an interview with Nuno & that’s exactly what he said too. I mean, some people a just have God given talents? Rob Thomas dropped out of school too. They both have God musical 🎵 talents, different musical talents. However, both have it in droves!
@@Mark_B585 One of the few players who were standouts when they broke who have actually improved AND doing stuff that the horde of Internet players haven't thought of...
Nuno has been a King to me since Pornograffitti came out in 1990. And you are so right...yes, there are thousands of guitarists online who have these kind of chops, but they aren't playing songs...just licks. THAT'S what makes a solo like this on a higher level...it means something, it's part of a SONG. Excellent video Rick! And I like many sure hope you do get Nuno on your channel for an interview!
Always been a fan of Nuno. In fact, he and Jerry Cantrell are my two favorite from the 90s and are amongst my favorite all time. Both are DREADFULLY underrated.
Nuno was insane back In the day and …. Now he’s thirty years older and shredding like always AND taking it up a notch. Holy crap … Extreme are back if that song is any indication of the rest of the album. 💪🏻💪🏻
It was his guitar work on “Cupid’s Dead” that blew my mind. So great to hear a new tune from them. Can’t say I find the song all that great but his solo is amazing. Saw them live back in the late 90’s in Toronto and they were awesome!
agreed. grew up with Extreme as one of my favorite bands. While everyone was falling over "More than words" I was absolutely mesmerized by Nuno in "Play with me"
Santana said it best, "There are about 10K great guitar players, but there's only about 100 that they play a couple of notes and you know exactly who they are." That's the difference between just shredding and art. Hard to define, but you know it when you hear it.
Live they are superb.... I saw them in newcastle uk, three years back and they were superb. After the gig, they came back out and met anyone who stayed back. It was wonderful. So friendly, human and just grateful to still have an audience. One of my best gigs ever. Will go see them every time i can... Nuno is such a percussive player. I think thats what makes him so unique...
It's underrated but there's a bunch of later tracks that I just skip. I'm not sure what they were thinking with songs like Seven Sundays and Stop the World. Pornograffitti has more killer songs on it (except for When I first Kissed You).
@Tom Grubbe The album illustrated they could be the next Queen, when the drummer and bassist Pat Badger left, the vibe changed and their momentum for me.
A friend of mines best and at the same time, worst memory, was back in the early 90's where he and his band played an all ages show in the Vancouver area. Extreme wasn't known at all and guess who opened the show!? lol...He said the look on all the other 3 bands faces that night turned white, terrified they had to follow that - and if the other bands were anything like my buddies, they were bad! Wish I made that show.
That "false fingering", to me, is Nuno's sound. Eddie had his tapping, but Nuno has this. Another TH-camr, guitar teacher Michael Palmisano, talks about his rhythm and how he plays almost like a drummer. Love it.
EVH used to talk about a guitar solo being a mini song in its own right, like a little composition, something you could hum along to. For so long the focus of the TH-cam generation has been on technique, speed etc but nobody seemed to care about musicality. This solo, in this song, changes everything. Even the way the vocal harmonies come in during the second half of that final progression in the solo is perfect, because it is being treated as an actual piece of music. Kudos to Nuno, the whole band and the producers as well. You have saved guitar rock. The fact you’ve done it in your late 50’s and early 60’s is mind blowing. Thank you and well done!!
that's really nice to hear. I kind of felt it as I was hearing it. like after Jaco died I saw Stanley Clarke play a fretless bass guitar in concert, which he never did before, that I had seen, and I'd seen a lot of gigs, because he plays upright so there's no need, Jaco only started playing fretless because the humidity of florida made his upright bass fall apart! but he also used Jaco's tone, employing only the bridge pickup, as an homage, one time, to his old sadly departed friend. also covered goodbye porkpie hat, which Jaco was known for with Joni Mitchell. I heard this Nuno solo and thought, he's tipping his hat to Eddie here. I hope he keeps tipping it!
Nuno's talent is just astonishing; for anyone to be as good at anything as he is at making music is a gift. To be able to share it with as many people as he's now able to, is even better. Mind-blowing.
Nuno has been "the guy" for decades. Glad he is finally getting his due. Porno, III Sides, Punchline ... all incredible albums. Mind blowing guitar and great song writing. Can't wait for the new album.
Frightening...Virtuistic...Beautiful. Nuno is nothing short of a Guitar Assassin. And that's an assessment from a less than amateur guitarist just getting back into playing after 40 years at age 70. This time around I have no illusions just awe. :)
III Sides To Every Story is one of the most underrated albums of all time. I love all of Extreme's work, but that album - particularly "The Truth" section - is simply a masterpiece that still leaves me with goosebumps at the end when I hear those bells fade out. It's an emotional ride, for sure. Anxious to hear more from them going forward!
100% The man. A guitarists guitarist. Wizard, rhythmic, funky, shreddy, he has it all! Totally a lil tip of the hat in this one to EVH I think, but also throws Nuno-isms all over it! Brilliant, as always!
The last thing you pointed out, Rick, hit the nail right on the head: Not only can we be amazed and celebrate Nuno's amazing guitar technique, but equally we can celebrate that there is a modern rock song with an actual guitar solo in the middle . . . just like the old days. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will ignite a true, authentic rock Renaissance.
I hope so too but the kids currently listening to EDM and Hip-hop need to be inspired to pick up a guitar. And that's a tall order. I hope you're right though.
Thank you for featuring Nuno! He is one of the solo guitar players that has his own sound identity when playing solos. Not just doing technical virtuosity around the fret board. 🎉
In fairness, he has always been "the guy"! I think as you suggested, his "popular" music shrouded his true genius. His tone combined with his blazing, dry, legato runs have always set him apart from the crowd. Blessings and continued success for Nuno!
A lot of people I know picked up Pornograffitti based on More Than Words, and were taken back a bit by how hard rock the rest of the album was. Imagine popping that disc in for the first time expecting more stuff like the ballad, and Decadence Dance comes on.
I think the second part of this solo is heavy delay... Kinda similar to what he does on Wounded Flight Of The Bumble Bee... I don't think he's picking every note.... whatever the case is, the solo is mind blowing....
Nuno has been the "your favorite guitarist's favorite guitarist" guy for decades now. Maybe the best rock musician ever that non-musicians don't know about.
Well said. So true.
The Subtle Art of Melting Your F*ckin Face Off
Correct. And let’s also not forget that his assorted Washburn guitars are among the best instruments ever also.
Very true. I've spent years trying to get friends and family to listen to Nuno's music. But they would always say, "You mean the More Than Words guy? Nah." It's really annoying, because they don't know what they're missing; he makes a lot of musicians/guitarists look like they've been asleep at the wheel for decades. After a while, though, you just give up trying to persuade, coerce, and indoctrinate the ignorant masses. One might even say that you just learn to not give a f*ck.
Okay, I found out about Nuno because of Extreme, but I stuck with him because of his talent (and hair).
I can't begin to tell you just how happy it makes me feel to FINALLY see Nuno getting the credit he's been due, for so long now. Genius.
A - FREAKIN - MEN!!!!!
He's been one of my faves. I'm actually surprised to learn (based on the comment) that he isn't as popular as I thought he was
Yup. Nuno has been one of my favorite guitarists since the first record and always thought he should have way more credit than he's had. I never really considered him true shredder either. To me his playing always had more groove, melody and feeling than the other shredders.
I'm happy to see it too! he's Back!!...one of my favorite Guitarists EVER among the thousands of shredders👍(Guthrie Govan and Yngwie Malmsteen are the others.) Nuno's sense of rhythm and groove are like no other. it's nice to see him after a long time, "Decadence Dance, Play with Me and Get the Funk Out" stills blows my mind and "Rise" is spectacular like them.
Also like to give credit and props to the legendary vocalist Gary Cherone, top notch powerful vocals, super high energy especially during live performance. He just holds and command the crowd.
Extreme is the best!
Dude he's been known as one of the best guitarists for 35 years or more. He's the reason I started then .
I like the way Rick still cannot resist playing air guitar even when he's holding an actual guitar! Love it.
Hahahaha it really is kinda silly but also super relatable lol.
Hell yeah!!
😄😄😄👍👍
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 so true
Cos he can’t play Nuno’s solo
As someone who grew up absolutely idolizing Nuno, seeing him finally get the recognition he deserves all these years later brings a tear to my eye
Are they in the rock and roll hall of fame yet ?
In the mid 90s I like Nuno's playing in Poison but everyone I knew hated Poison saying they were a glam-boy-band. I very pleased that at last Nuno is playing with a band which shows how good he really is.
@@dreamdiction C.C. Deville is an amazing guitar player.
Nuno himself hide his abilities for a decade in his solo career. He was not recognized by many until now because he don't bother too much about this
@@dreamdiction Nuno was never in Poison...TF you talking about???
I don’t think we can talk about Extreme without mentioning their criminality underrated 3rd album “III Sides To Every Story”. That thing is a masterpiece. It’s one of the best albums of the 90s and hardly anyone has heard it.
Truth!
Wore that album out on tape. Yup tape!!! Amazing. Going to
Listen to it now!
One of the most underappreciated albums in rock history.
I’ve heard it but I grew up two towns over from those guys in Mass. Masshole for life.
👏👏👏👏 I don’t think it ever got airplay on any radio stations. A real shame.
This might be the first time I've seen someone playing air guitar whilst holding an actual guitar 😅 Love it.
Best comment! 🥇
Go to 4:20.....
Air guitar or not knowing how to play it?
Right 🤣
hahahaha classic! 😂🤣😂
Rick!
Everyone is talking about Nuno's solo. Myself included. It's awesome. But I realized that nobody is talking about Gary's vocals. Gary Cherone is 61 years old and kills it. He's just incredible.
Great vocal delivery and phrasing but it’s totally mimicking Stone Temple Pilots - Scott Weiland don’t you think? Not a bad thing at all.
Indeed!, Gary Cherone is not only a fantistic vocalist and frontman but a great Entertainer as well🤘, very few band singers can captivate and command the crowd like what Gary can do. Watched him live and his energy is just mesmerizing....sings, runs, dance, jump the stage for 2 hours!. 😱
Absolutely! Gary's voice is insane. I think he sounds better than ever. Absolutely amazing!
Totally agree. They're both great... and what a song !
Extreme still rocks !!!🤘
My take is that Nunos links and solo save the song, which is incredibly bland. Even his riffs are bland. Really cool stuff in the soloing but the song is kind of awful overall.
I just rediscovered Extreme today and I’m burning through my phone listening to everything. I forgot how truly exceptional Gary & Nuno were!
Nuno was born and lived in my city of Praia da Vitoria in a small archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic called the Azores until he moved to the United States. He usually comes here every summer. We are all very proud of what a "out of this world" guitarist he became. And also we have the same name, how cool is that!😉
For me the best guitar player ever. Abraço Nuno🎸🎸
PS - I'm a fan of your channel @Rick Beato, and it was fantastic to see you talk about Nuno Bettencourt. Thank you!
Um dos 3 melhores guitarristas de rock de todos os tempos é português (O melhor dos vivos). Faltou a bandeira em cima dos Marshalls desta vez...
@@lf5858 sim.. Sem dúvida. E a bandeira tinha sido fantástico.
I asked my grandfather from Porto Martins back in the day when I was like 11 if he knew if Nuno was from Terceira. He was pretty sure.
And yes, the solo is very very fire 🔥
Then he moved to my hometown of Hudson. Never met him, but had classmates who did back in the 1990s.
@@melissaribeiro4173 Yep he is.. Your grandfather is right. He comes here almost every summer visiting is brother Luis bettencourt, who also is an amazing musician and guitar player. Back in the 90s Luis was my guitar teacher and we got to meet Nuno just after the single more than words came out. It was amazing meeting him. I still hang out with Luis sometimes. By the way Porto Martins is a beautiful village by the sea, have you ever been here to the Azores?
My friend Steve Borisenko was Nuno’s guitar tech for years. He told me stories where he would break a string in concert and finish the solo and song as if nothing happened, one time he showed up to practice late (not neglect) was handed a guitar for the song they were doing, realized it was alternate tuned, then instantly transposed the song to make it work. He said he was a very down to Earth generous guy.
Семен Борисенко?))
When you are that gifted it is surprising to see someone actually that generous to the extent that they must really feel so lucky to have been gifted with such abilities that they are thankful and pass that existential sort of vib to others.
@@mopedofeel yes. He teched Nuno while he was touring with Rhianna
More than words ultimately hurt them-I was 21 at the time it hit, and the video had all our girlfriends going groupie-it was a big turn off for those of us young and stupid.
Then Gary went to Van Halen, pissing off Roth and Hagar fans alike… lol. Death nail.
@@drewlovs Not only that, the people who stuck around for the rest of Pornograffitti, the III Sides was too simple, too ready chewed and too much for little girl's liking (even though I was 14 when More Than Words came out, and bought Porno for it, it took me 5 listens to wrap my head around the whole idea until it hit. WOOOOW!) But anyway, I've always loved Extreme for that challenge, and KNOWING there's still more left in the tank, and even after this last one, I'm still saying: "You can do better. You maybe The Guy now, but you can still do the fuck better." Anyway, III Sides was too easy, then came the freaking Punchline that made no sense to anyone. Again, the challenge that I loved, but weird as f*** a full brain workout to figure out, as a non-guitar-playing little girl, but I loved it in the end. For anyone else who didn't play the guitar themselves at a high level, Van Halen didn't matter. Soundados, mellow, nice, easy, but at least there is Take Us Alive to give me the "WTF are you thinking?!"... But the Six so far... My complaint is clear: WHY DID YOU MAKE ME LOVE IT THE FIRST LISTEN?! I HATE IT!! :D
Nuno is a guitar legend. He's also such a humble guy with a great attitude. Rick you got to get him on the channel.
guess you never saw the vh1 bands reunited ep
@@nickcarroll5034 I saw it...Nuno wasn't ready to do a reunion, simple as that
He'd do it in a heartbeat.
Your wish is his command.
I met Nuno at a Generation Axe show a few years ago. He was so friendly and humble. As good of a person as he is a guitar player.
Nuno Bettencourt is an absolute animal on the guitar and a vampire, dude does not age.
That's why he is so good. He's been playing for 300 years! LOL
Or eat.
The fact that your channel is so successful is changing music’s place in culture. Not only do you help people learn how to play, they’re learning how to listen and how complex making music really is.
Thank you for the work you do - along with others like Tim Pierce and Tomo Fujita.
alib ba ta check it out
@Lynn: PERFECTLY said. The fact that common folks, who love music, but always told themselves they could never "be" musicians, absolutely jump at the chance to understand about all the complexities of what music is, over so many genres, was seen by Rick as an opportunity in itself. This video demonstrates that perfectly. I'm a pro musician myself, a keyboardist, but I've always loved guitar. Since operating and investing in my own recording studio, I've learned a great deal about guitar from sound libraries and plugins that I have, and also very much on Rick's channel here. But I still neither own OR play - it's all keyboard emulation still. Rick Beato is one-of-a-kind when it comes to helping people learn and understand stuff like this, and its why he has over 3 million subscribers in less than 5 years! :)
Well said Lynn
Extreme and Mr Big! Everybody knows them for their acoustic pop hits in the 90s but most people are clueless how incredibly talented both bands are!
Extreme, Mr. Big and the Winery Dogs. That would be quite the evening.
And how incredibly metal they are!
There's a reason why many of us are Addicted To That Rush.
hahaha. EVERYBODY knows how talented they are.
@@swampscott2670 Paul Gilbert is another guitarist that doesn't get the recognition he deserves.
As a child of Portuguese Azorean immigrants from the island next to where Nuno was born, seeing someone from my culture and my parents geographic region rise to become an international guitar. God, was a huge inspiration to me as a kid learning to play guitar, when Extreme broke through. In fact, they were my first concert ever when they opened for ZZ Top on the Recycler tour on the Pornograffitti album cycle. I hope Rick gets to interview Nuno one day because I could see both of them with their extreme love for music go on for hours and no way would I want an edited version of that interview! I’d want the full on music geek out!
I've seen them in concert several times, including once at a club where I got to be about 5 feet from Nuno.
@@michaelespinosa9168 I saw them a month later!
I remember Extreme played at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert and KILLED IT!! They played a medley of several Queen songs that was just incredible. Only the four of them, with a drum kit with only one tom, a singer with an out of this world voice (Gary Cherone) and Nuno just murdering each son. What a good band and amazing guitar player. So yes, Nuno rocks!
Rick thank you for finally reviewing guitar master Nuno; my own Portuguese 🇵🇹 boy. What an incredible guitarrist and human being he is. For the 1st x Sep. 22 I visited his birth town of Praia da Vitória, Terceira Island, Açores, 🇵🇹. His presence was everywhere, he is the towns pride and joy, and all of us Portuguese rockers too ! ❤️🇵🇹
He lived in my hometown for a while, but he had left town before I was aware of him.
@@daddynitro199 U mean in MA right? Cause he left Terceira Island as a kid, despite marrying there and he returns at least 1 x a year.
@@Alfablue227 100%. I grew up in the Lakeview neighborhood of Hudson in the 80s.
As a Portuguese metalhead, Nuno has always made me feel a bit of pride in having such a talented musician from Portuguese origin. Greetings from the UK. 🇵🇹🇬🇧
@@j_freed you are correct, but I have never understood why people are that way. The location that one happens to be born has no bearing on their work ethic and ability to achieve greatness.
I`m Brazilian (my grandmother was portuguese) and Nuno was always made me feel a little pride too, and I'm not even a portuguese citizen! 😀
@@groovelife415 You think someone born in Papua New Guinea has the same chance to achieve greatness as someone born in America?
I have a couple of Portugese metal cds. Witchbreed, and Midnight Priest - Aggressive Hauntings
Sounds like an STP rip off.
You should do a whole episode on the “Three Sides” record. That is a masterpiece!! So little known. That’s one of my favorite records of all time. The production and creativity that went to that record is incredible. Not for the average person. It’s really mostly musicians who appreciate how incredible that record is.
I completely agree!
Agreed!!
Yup
Yes! One of my favorites of all time by anyone.
Agreed😎
Three Sides to Every Story is sickeningly under-rated. Nuno deserves so much more respect than he has been given by the US recording industry
Oh man, yes! Huge album.
Probably my favorite Extreme album. So much good guitar on that Album.
100% agree
#1 most overused word on YT: "underrated"
@@SM-bm6jo cool SMD
I’m so happy the world has finally noticed my favorite band. Their third album “III Sides To Every Story” is a fricken underrated masterpiece. "Waiting For the Punchline" and "Saudades De Rock" are also under the radar albums!
What gets me is that their first album is probably their best (in a line of great albums) and it continues to get overlooked by anyone that isn't a Nuno fan. I remember the first time I heard "Kid Ego", I knew these guys weren't just another 80s hard rock band, but something much better.
Nobody acknowledged Extreme cause they were lame!
thank the traveler.
@@ClaytonBigsby1776 They still are. All that guitar talent wasted on a lame band with some lame. Listen to my bro Marty Ramirez shred lead and solos on Great Gods of Greed -All Out Warfare. He can play anything Nuno can play.
Butt Rock Sucks
Just like Eddie, Nuno distinguishes himself because what he plays is MUSICAL, not just dazzling. Many have done the latter without the former. He's great.
Exactly this. Personally, its astounding how quickly I lose interest with say Petrucci's flawless playing.
@@katskillz Pyrotechnics without musicality gets boring quickly.
EVH is 85% dazzle, 14% musicality and 1% hair.
Nuno's tones, solos and arrangements on III Sides To Every Story and Waiting for the Punchline are phenomenal. You'll hear more solos like this on those albums.
3 Sides is AMAZING
Those are 2 of my favorite albums ever. The Truth at the end of III sides is still one of the best pieces of music ever, imo.
Apparently Nuno spent the last few years watching Rick Beato videos for inspiration 😉😬🤘🎸❤️
@@tmotus84 You'll find multiple copies of III Sides in every used record store remainder bin in the country. And I can't think why. It's one of my favourite albums.
@@KenBreadbox 🤯 I CAN’T FIND A SINGLE COPY
It’s a shame you don’t hear this type of guitar solos now a days. Glad Nuno is still delivering amazing ones
You do. Just have to know where to look. You definitely not hearing it on any airwaves
@@iamcraig85 Yep. Every genre has amazing fresh talent it's just in the past you would discover them on mainstream sources, now you just have specifically search because sadly mainstream has been hijacked and been the same for over a decade.
@@iamcraig85 @Despond could you share some of this artists/songs with us?
Nuno was just at the Lovebites concert in Tokyo to hear and meet Midori and Miyako who both claim him as major influence.
Oh they are out there. If you look into the metal “scene” you get plenty of them.
Yes Rick please do a Nuno interview. There are a lot of die hard Extreme fans out there even after all these years ❤
Yes!!!!
I'm not a guitar player (keys here) but your excitement and enthusiasm is so darn contagious. I love seeing how you dissect the parts like a musical surgeon. I know you talk about how your ear training is a big part of your skill set. It was remarkable to me that you can hear things that are beyond my present ability to comprehend. You are a joy to watch.
Yes!!!!! So glad you are covering this!! Just amazing solo and Nuno is back! He is the OG. Yes, he is “THE guy now”. Get him on the show asap!!!
Brian May called Nuno's solo from "Get the Funk Out" is the best, most technically-incredible guitar solo ever.
Hard to disagree. Most difficult solo I've ever had to learn.
Oh yes
Superb
IIRC, correct me if i'm wrong, Brian said he wouldn't know how to play that.
After Eddie's passing we need this. Nuno is completely underrated in my opinion. We need a guy like him still. I hope to see Extreme when they come to Philly.
Isn't that just true. I feel the same way.
@@Eric_In_SF well said. So true
@@Eric_In_SF"underrated", has to be the most overused statement of ignorance in TH-cam history,... detest it's use for Legends, I saw a P!nk thread on a short the other day and this girl said, "too bad she's underrated", lol, $200 million dollar net worth and 20 years of sold out WORLD tours, it's comical, ...but the all time guffaw had to be when the Legendary, incomparable, Jeff Beck went on to his next venue in the great beyond, there were numerous "underrated", comments, ...like no, never! he was a Legend in the late 60's, and certified untouchable since Blow by Blow in 74, where have you been, lol 😂
The « underrated/overrated » debate is so useless. That’s just subjective.
The second sentence of this comment should be, “Nuno is the heir to the throne.” 🤷🏻♂️Maybe that would have been well received? 😆
Nuno’s work on III Sides to Every Story is some of my favorite guitar playing every recorded. Not a dull moment on that album. Flashy as hell, never going overboard, and always just what the music needs.
Exactly. It's perfect every single second.
My favorite Extreme album, by far.
The bridge riff on Peacemaker Die might be the heaviest thing you can find
you're right. III sides is a phenomenal record. It reminded me of how impactful Led Zeppelin II was.
Top to bottom, not a bad note on the whole thing.
What sets Nuno apart for me is his live playing. Everyone sounds great on tape but so many of them can't replicate it live. I've seen Nuno probably a dozen times and he always plays clean, his tone is perfect and he attacks everything every time. Can't wait to see him play this in person.
Agreed. I've seen him live in clubs and his intensity of playing and yet almost effortless presentation - He's a unicorn on stage who's also a virtuoso...then you add the accompaniment - of which he just brings out the best in their playing as well - just amazing.
And the other way around: His studio work sounds incredibly "live". Despite the ridiculous degree of complexity and sophistication, there's always that raw, powerful stage energy in Nuno's playing. Everything he has recorded sounds incredibly vivid and gritty. With such an unmatched aggressiveness and punch. I've always loved that about Nuno! He's actually the only one I can think of (besides Eddie), who really manages to capture that raw and pure stage energy in the studio. It's crazy!
Agree. Dropped from a chair after watching some live performances from here youtube. New king in town :)
Yep. Him, Viv Campbell and Paul Gilbert
Yep total badass, dude's a rockstar and always has been!
Love your interview with him. I can understand now how he can be present playing at such speed. His mind is amazing. And so generous to share his rat pedal technique!
That’s one of the most astonishing guitar solos I’ve heard in years. The guy is just an amazing player, and he always has been.
Listen to any of Animal as Leaders album and your opinion will change
Igor Paspalj.
Nuno is a true genius who goes where no one dares. His musical knowledge is immense and deserves to be at the very top of the chain. Never understood how he didn’t get the credit he deserves. As always, great job Rick. Thank you very much. We rock tonight to the guitar bite…. I salute you🤘🏻🤘🏻🎸
Flight of the humble bumble springs to mind.
@@bonglandgreg Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee?
@@metalboy5150 lol yea, that one. Wooo it's one of the hardest solos of all time.
Nuno and Reb beach were both incredible players that really stood out during that time period . Both insanely underrated.
Reb Beach’s tapping approach was innovative
@@bleepblabloop Reb Beach suffered from being a part of Winger. Not because Winger was bad - I bought one of their albums and have plenty of their songs in my playlists - but because of how they were perceived as bad, especially in the post-Metallica dart-throwing incident.
lol true...i saw reb rock a solo in a winger song heartbreak in the early 90s..was a spicy little solo
Both have new music out too! 🤘🏽
Reb is the man, phenomenal player
He's not just spraying notes, it's a very percussive and bold attack on the guitar, excellent!🤘
Objectively, Nuno has one of the strongest and tightest rhythm playing out of any guitarist that I've heard. His sense of groove is unfathomable
One of my favourite videos is Brian May just gushing about the solo from Get the Funk Out, absolutely insane player, and when Brian May is singing your praises you can't do much better 😍
Nuno was one of the first guys that really made me reconsider what I was doing on guitar. He's got so much insane technique mixed with the most insane groove. Nuno is an absolute beast.
Agreed. It's one thing to have that technical ability. Nuno uses it very effectively for dramatic effect, and on top of that he has that groove thing going on. He truly has his signature sound. Like EVH, Paul Gilbert, and Vai, you _know_ it's Nuno when you hear him.
Yeah, same here. I mean I never played 7th chords beyond the Hedrix chord before hearing Extreme. Nuno plays 7th chords in huge number of his songs. His string skipping riffs, percussive playing style (e.g He Man) and especially his songwriting were all huge influences - I mean who ever put a horn section in a hard rock song before? The guy's brilliant.
Me too. He made me reconsider what I was doing on the guitar. Best I just put it down and leave it to the experts! My neighbours want to thank Nunu for making me reconsider learning 😂
Rick one thing that gets overlooked with Extreme is the bass playing, Pat Badger is also underrated and his backing vocals also compliment Nuno as well. Nice to see extreme back.
Listen to Its a Monster, he gets a little bass solo, it rips so hard 😍
Dude, Pat Badger's bass lines are fantastic. Totally underrated bass player.
Everything that ever happened is underrated
I'm so ignorant towards what makes a good bassist good. I mean, my dad plays bass, and gets excited about certain bass lines in songs, but I have no clue. As a drummer, I'm always focused on the drums. What can I do to notice good bass lines?
for real, Pat is highly underrated. Dude rules.
Rick your interview with Nuno was a masterpiece. I thought after the Sting interview it couldn't get any better. I was wrong, the way you let Nuno Bettencourt be himself was awesome. I have a whole new respect for Nuno. I think the most endearing part of the interview was when he gave his brother the respect due to his influence on his playing. Mad respect for Nuno.
Super interesting to hear Nuno discuss playing and not being able to read music. Amazing talent.
@@alan22470 Ironically his hero Eddie Van Halen couldn't read sheet music.
Nuno and Extreme are criminally under-rated!!! Brian May says his favorite solo of all-time is Nuno's solo in Get the Funk Out. EVH also used to play Nuno during soundcheck and warmup.
Isn't his favorite solo from Clapton and not Nuno?
Get the funk out is one of the sickest solos of all time.
@@periachi4961 maybe. That's not what the dude said though.
I’ve also seen the Brian May interview where he says Nuno on Get the Funk Out is his favourite guitar solo. You can probably find the interview on youtube if you care to look for it. I would post the link but since mid 2020 if I post comments with links they get blocked.
@@danielhornbeck6588 idk I just read an article earlier today dated from 2021 where Brian May says his favorite solo comes from the Beano album.
Nuno and Richie Kotzen are two guitarists still just killing it in this day and age!
Totally agree. Richie has toned back the virtuoso playing a little since abandoning the pick, but his long signature legato runs are still unique and heard in live performance are outrageously effective.
And handsome af hahahahahahah
Eager for NunoKotzen duet album or single
Richie and Nuno also two of my favourite underated guitarists. In fairness Nuno really is not underated, but arrived just after the high water mark of stunt guitar. One of a handful of all time greats.
.. Ritchie is super talented.
Why is no one mentioning “Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee”? He’s been playing like this in his solo career for years. He’s always been exceptional and amazing. Effortlessly.
Yes. It’s his delay trick. And he does it Extremely well.
I see what you did there…
Yeah I was thinking that last part sounds like the notes Rick is showing but with his delay trick
... or the "Play With Me" solo, featured in the Bill and Ted movie.
Dotted 8th delay, feedback at zero, delay output max, separating/choking notes with frethand to leave holes between picked notes for delay repeats to poke through.... Picking only 8th notes (double time, here)... "Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee," Eddie Van Halen's "Cathedral," Dream Theaters "Surrounded," Paul Gilbert's "the Echo Song"...whatever that Albert Lee song is called..... Similar thing in Yngwie's "Black Star" intro...
Nuno's an insanely talented and dexterous player, not to mention a great song writer and arranger. Great to see he's back with Extreme and getting serious recognition for his stellar chops.
Rick really makes you love the music even more. I mean, you heard the song, you heard the artist, but did you listen carefully? Every video is gold discovering.
Nuno's solos have always sounded like a song within a song to me. Absolute 🔥🔥🔥
Nuno said in an interview years ago that he wanted to sound like a rhythm and lead guitar were in the band but it was only him. His sound and play style is so unique and underrated.
"Wow" is right Rick. I heard the "Play with Me" solo back in '89. It has been one of my favourite all time solos ever since. Nuno manages to weave wild technical ability and groove with melody. And that muted legato, staccato, alternate picking he slips into his solos is out of this world. And he also seems like a great human being as well.
I loved that song too!! It was such a blend of classical influences and Eddie VH both at the same time! I went back and started listening to a bunch of live recordings of songs from the first album and the backing vocals live just blew me away. Nuno's voice was on par with Gary Cherone, some spots he was pretty much taking the lead melody. Then I hear Mutha love and go back and listen to that intro from the album... I forgot how damn good it was!! And how good he is!!
Came here to suggest the same thing. Play With Me, and Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee, Nuno Bettencourt has been shredding for decades. The appreciation of this song now just helps solidify how beyond his time Nuno has always been.
Hey, that's what I just commented, too. Yeah, that put him on the map for me. And let's not forget - he and Gary write songs. Great songs.
Yeah, you nailed it. He's got the chops, but he's completely free of them. They're at the service of musicality, and everything he does has musical meaning, adds to the song. Nuno plays with time, amazing pitch control, always bringing the drama.
To be fair, he established himself as someone that shouldn't be underestimated on the first album with the 'Play With Me'' solo.
Agreed..😁
@UK Bloke. You aren't wrong. The entire first Extreme album was a bit of a warning shot IMO. I found Extreme by way of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. I bought the CD not long after seeing the movie. Have been a fan ever since. I saw them on their Extreme II: Pornograffitti tour with Cinderella and David Lee Roth. Extreme stole the show. A guitar masterclass for sure and the entire band was on point.
@@erissrocI grew up in the Boston, MA area and was in college then. I remember hearing “Mutha don’t wanna go to school today” on WHJY in Providence RI, before the album was released. All of the Nuno “tricks” are on that album, even then. Van Halen was a huge influence on their sound. Like Aerosmith before them, anyone in a band had someone who knew someone who knew someone in the band. Glad to see they’re back with a vengeance!
this was when I first heard of him! An iconic solo IMHO
That fastpicking teqnique with fast delay reminds me of Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee too!
So good to hear you give praise and homage to such an awesome band. Extreme has flown under the radar for so many years deemed as a "balad-one hit wonder" band. Nuno's style and licks are uniquely his and he can claim his spot on the throne.
Never was big into the Extreme sound, but Nuno is absolutely a phenomenal guitar player. And this solo is amazing.
Brilliant guitarist, down to earth guy! Deserves more recognition and exposure in Portugal.🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹
Não podia estar mais de acordo..... o país ainda não lhe deu o devido crédito!
Nuno is incredible - not just as a guitarist, but as a vocalist and songwriter as well. III Sides to Every Story is a desert island record for sure. Absolutely brilliant.
Sounds average ...
@@babagandu just doesnt tho does it
Pianist as well!😊
3 sides is def on that short list. incredible recording
Also the music + string arrangements he did on the Ultra Payloaded album by Satellite Party (2007) really shows his musical versatility!
What I really love about Rick is his enthusiasm and how he is happy when he is hearing music he admires. This is inspiring and heart warming at the same time. Like a brother or uncle that really cares. I think the super fast part of Nunos solo is played like „Flight of the wounded bumbelbee“ ( He-Man Intro) on the Pornograffiti album ( what was actually played by Dweezil Zappa) with a super short delay.
Yes , that is what I thought….I think Nuno uses a delay for this super fast part of the solo
…..but … .anyway……outstanding…..he is the guy
Yeah I agree about Rick, he is so obviously genuine in his love of the music and he appreciates all kinds of music too
Nuno plays that Intro solo completely himself. Where the metronome goes all way through in the back?
Zappa plays the solo when the actual riff starts and the outro.
Yup its like bumblebee and Dave Weinners "party piece" where the delay is evry other note u hear
he's like the Bob Ross of guitar
I’ve never seen Rick so animated about a song and the solo! I bloomin love this!!
Nuno's flight of the wounded bumble bee live is crazy. It is on another level along with his rhythm chording mixed in. I always liked EVH and his style but Nuno has like a jazz phrasing aspect. He wears his guitar slung low and can just rip on it.
Nuno and Paul Gilbert from that era were just incredible in their own ways and inspired so many guitar players going forward all the while their bands only being known for acoustic power ballads is one of the great crimes of the late 80s early 90s. Nuno has been so incredibly influential on my playing and its a true joy to see these guys releasing a new record.
This. Kudos for bringing Paul Gilbert to the conversation... definitely my favorite guitar player from the 90s.
Agreed. Nuno, Gilbert and Kotzen are so underrated
Always loved his energy on his solos. Get The Funk Out was their first song I listened to and I was blown away.
That is so classic Nuno! So happy Extreme came back with this. What a solo! This took me back 30 years.
We 80s and 90s kids know that Nuno took the guitar to another level where EVH left off. I hope Rick will also do a video of another EVH inspired guitarist...Vito Bratta ❤️
Last I heard Vito is now a real estate agent in NY. ( ! )
YES, both Nuno and Vito were coming from EVH's School (one might say). Nuno is more to the funk and dance rock, pretty much the whole extreme concept.
on the other hand, Vito is doing Randy rhoads with EVH technique.
That's a FAR reach.. Did Nuno pick up on it, You BET, but Eddie didn't drop DAMN thing..
Vito… amazing guitar player!! Sadly he never went back to play!
I was just thinking that
Along with Paul Gilbert, Satch and Vai this guy blew my mind as a teen and absolutely made teenage me rethink the guitar a dozen times!
Nuno has been my guitar God since I was 13 and he still is at 45. Im not sure there are any other guitarists that feel the song the way he does. He plays the literal soul of every song and is the most elite guitarist I think we have ever seen. I'm so pumped for the new album. Thank you Rick for sharing this and saying what I've been saying about Nuno for 30+ years!!
Nobody else could have come up with "Play with Me", and nobody else has ever played a cooler version of "Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee".
Sure, the delay makes it sound like he's playing faster than he really is, but part of being a great guitar player is using your equipment to achieve the sound you're hearing in your head. That's what people like about Steve Stevens and Tom Morello, and it's what we liked about Eddie Van Halen.
There will never be another Eddie Van Halen. There will also never be another Nuno Bettencourt. But what we do have is an amazing, ground breaking guitar player who is doing what he's doing for the love of guitar, and in this way he is carrying on what Eddie was doing. If the music industry ever remembers Rock and Roll, maybe Nuno will be a household name like Eddie was.
Yessss!
From what Ive heard I would rank Nuno right up there with Buckethead in terms of musicianship that very few people know about.
I haven’t had a solo give me the feels quite like this one in a long time
The thing is, he's been doing this stuff for years but for some reason this is getting huge exposure. Nuno is awesome...one of my biggest influences
The general world suddenly woke up.
It almost makes me cry, hearing this song because someone is finally writing songs the way they used to be written again. The world might get fixed after all!
Music resets itself every 30 years....
Amen
At least we have hope in the form of Mr. B!
It is sad that people are writing songs like they used to and not writing songs that are innovative.
@@stellarcreations7378 Did I miss the resurgence of Disco in 2007? :)
Thank you! Your words are definitely so Blessed!🎸🎼
After discovering his riff and solo for Extreme's "Peacemaker Die" as a kid in 1992 I was forever hooked on learning how to play the electric guitar. he deserves far more recognition...
It was powerful, fast and also slow and melodic...
It’s so great to see him in the spotlight again, and getting so much recognition for this. He was my #1 guitar hero growing up. Extreme ❤❤❤
Dude your reactions to nuno playing solos is so wholesome and pure. I love it
I went to school with Nuno. He dropped out and played guitar for hours a day every day. Truly gifted from a gifted musical family.
I invented the internet
@@babagandu You got a lot to answer for, buddy
Nuno and I started a small venture capital firm together. We struggled to get investors in the beginning but because saying his name "Nuno" is so fun, wr eventually got some influential people on board. You all know it today as "Black Rock"
@@babagandu nope. Al Gore did.
Yeah, I saw an interview with Nuno & that’s exactly what he said too. I mean, some people a just have God given talents? Rob Thomas dropped out of school too. They both have God musical 🎵 talents, different musical talents. However, both have it in droves!
Have to get him in the studio for a interview and this solo
Watching Rick react like an overexcited teenager is joyous and made me smile from ear to ear. 😊
I think Nuno and Vito carried the EVH gift of skill AND tone forward. Happy to hear that Nuno is still inventing.
He was this good in 1990. The fact he’s still at that level is exceptional in itself.
Honestly he's better now than he was then
@@Mark_B585 One of the few players who were standouts when they broke who have actually improved AND doing stuff that the horde of Internet players haven't thought of...
@@markcamp1 you are exactly right
Steve Vai is another good example of this. The man had work done on his wrist a while back and uploaded a crazy one handed shred while in a sling.
Likely a better guitarist now than he was then which was pretty good.
Nuno has been a King to me since Pornograffitti came out in 1990. And you are so right...yes, there are thousands of guitarists online who have these kind of chops, but they aren't playing songs...just licks. THAT'S what makes a solo like this on a higher level...it means something, it's part of a SONG. Excellent video Rick! And I like many sure hope you do get Nuno on your channel for an interview!
Also, those guys in their bedroom probably need 50 takes to get it right, could never do it live, and could never write an enjoyable song.
Thank you for getting the spot to the headline. “Just licks”
This song sounded cheesy as hell
Yrying to put myself in the shoes of a youtuber ....Well ...u don't want people steeling your material. But u want your name out there.
Always been a fan of Nuno. In fact, he and Jerry Cantrell are my two favorite from the 90s and are amongst my favorite all time. Both are DREADFULLY underrated.
Nuno makes Cantrell look like a rookie
Nuno was insane back
In the day and …. Now he’s thirty years older and shredding like always AND taking it up a notch. Holy crap … Extreme are back if that song is any indication of the rest of the album. 💪🏻💪🏻
It was his guitar work on “Cupid’s Dead” that blew my mind. So great to hear a new tune from them. Can’t say I find the song all that great but his solo is amazing. Saw them live back in the late 90’s in Toronto and they were awesome!
His solo in "Play With Me" is my favorite of all time. It defined the action chase scene through the mall in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.
Exactly. I posted the same thing
agreed. grew up with Extreme as one of my favorite bands. While everyone was falling over "More than words" I was absolutely mesmerized by Nuno in "Play with me"
Bill and Ted soundtrack was where I discovered Extreme! Saw them twice live in the 90s
Dooo yooo chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk
Waannaa chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk chunk
Plaay-aayy ??
Yes it did. And it is great.
Santana said it best, "There are about 10K great guitar players, but there's only about 100 that they play a couple of notes and you know exactly who they are." That's the difference between just shredding and art. Hard to define, but you know it when you hear it.
Paul Kossoff
Yes true, but Nuno doesn’t have that IMO.
1st 3 notes of more than words though
@@samsaraa2001WHAT!?!?!?!? get the funk out! 👉
Live they are superb.... I saw them in newcastle uk, three years back and they were superb. After the gig, they came back out and met anyone who stayed back. It was wonderful. So friendly, human and just grateful to still have an audience. One of my best gigs ever. Will go see them every time i can... Nuno is such a percussive player. I think thats what makes him so unique...
I always felt that Extreme's 'Three Sides To Every Story' was a vastly underrated album.
It's underrated but there's a bunch of later tracks that I just skip. I'm not sure what they were thinking with songs like Seven Sundays and Stop the World. Pornograffitti has more killer songs on it (except for When I first Kissed You).
To me 3 sides is one of my favorite albums. Classic.
Their Sgt pepper's
@Tom Grubbe The album illustrated they could be the next Queen, when the drummer and bassist Pat Badger left, the vibe changed and their momentum for me.
@@TomGrubbe Agreed. That album has always stopped for me somewhere around Seven Sundays…but even cut in half it’s mega underrated.
I was a Nuno devotee since their first album. He is the beacon beyond anyone. Three sides to every story is a HUGE album and sadly overlooked.
A friend of mines best and at the same time, worst memory, was back in the early 90's where he and his band played an all ages show in the Vancouver area. Extreme wasn't known at all and guess who opened the show!? lol...He said the look on all the other 3 bands faces that night turned white, terrified they had to follow that - and if the other bands were anything like my buddies, they were bad! Wish I made that show.
I just discovered Nuno recently. WOW!!!! Magnificent musician! 👍🎸🎸
That "false fingering", to me, is Nuno's sound. Eddie had his tapping, but Nuno has this. Another TH-camr, guitar teacher Michael Palmisano, talks about his rhythm and how he plays almost like a drummer. Love it.
😮 that is so nuno without being self parody like yngwie
actually didn't Nuno start out as a drummer?
@@j_freed Eddie's rhythm playing is underrated. But, if you ask the general public, Eddie's legacy is the tapping.
Nuno was a drummer first, so yeah, he plays like it.
Nuno plays some drums, he plays drums ? Or percussion on stage, doing a solo with Extreme drummer, Kevin Figueiredo.
EVH used to talk about a guitar solo being a mini song in its own right, like a little composition, something you could hum along to. For so long the focus of the TH-cam generation has been on technique, speed etc but nobody seemed to care about musicality. This solo, in this song, changes everything. Even the way the vocal harmonies come in during the second half of that final progression in the solo is perfect, because it is being treated as an actual piece of music. Kudos to Nuno, the whole band and the producers as well. You have saved guitar rock. The fact you’ve done it in your late 50’s and early 60’s is mind blowing. Thank you and well done!!
Nuno said that this is in honour of Eddie and I thin it is. Pure magic! Can't wait for the album.
I think he said that after losing Eddie it was his duty to represent guitar players. And so glad he has.
Yeah and you can hear Eddy in his solo!
that's really nice to hear. I kind of felt it as I was hearing it. like after Jaco died I saw Stanley Clarke play a fretless bass guitar in concert, which he never did before, that I had seen, and I'd seen a lot of gigs, because he plays upright so there's no need, Jaco only started playing fretless because the humidity of florida made his upright bass fall apart! but he also used Jaco's tone, employing only the bridge pickup, as an homage, one time, to his old sadly departed friend. also covered goodbye porkpie hat, which Jaco was known for with Joni Mitchell. I heard this Nuno solo and thought, he's tipping his hat to Eddie here. I hope he keeps tipping it!
All the guys in Extreme are incredible. I love those early albums so much
I *love* Nuno's playing. It's so lyrical. His rhythm, phrasing, melodic choices. All perfect.
Nuno's talent is just astonishing; for anyone to be as good at anything as he is at making music is a gift. To be able to share it with as many people as he's now able to, is even better. Mind-blowing.
Nuno has been "the guy" for decades. Glad he is finally getting his due. Porno, III Sides, Punchline ... all incredible albums. Mind blowing guitar and great song writing. Can't wait for the new album.
Frightening...Virtuistic...Beautiful. Nuno is nothing short of a Guitar Assassin. And that's an assessment from a less than amateur guitarist just getting back into playing after 40 years at age 70. This time around I have no illusions just awe. :)
III Sides To Every Story is one of the most underrated albums of all time. I love all of Extreme's work, but that album - particularly "The Truth" section - is simply a masterpiece that still leaves me with goosebumps at the end when I hear those bells fade out. It's an emotional ride, for sure. Anxious to hear more from them going forward!
Nuno never ceases to amaze me. . . He's been my favorite guitarist since '89. . . He had me at Play With Me
100% The man. A guitarists guitarist. Wizard, rhythmic, funky, shreddy, he has it all! Totally a lil tip of the hat in this one to EVH I think, but also throws Nuno-isms all over it! Brilliant, as always!
Rick, I appreciate your enthusiasm while listening to that one solo. Shows your true love for music. Cheers!
The last thing you pointed out, Rick, hit the nail right on the head: Not only can we be amazed and celebrate Nuno's amazing guitar technique, but equally we can celebrate that there is a modern rock song with an actual guitar solo in the middle . . . just like the old days. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will ignite a true, authentic rock Renaissance.
I hope so too but the kids currently listening to EDM and Hip-hop need to be inspired to pick up a guitar. And that's a tall order. I hope you're right though.
I LOVE when the background vocals come in near the end of the solo. that is gorgeous! What a way to land back in the center of everyone's radar!
And is not crazy to think that Nuno can be doing this solo while singing the background live.
Nuno finally getting the love he deserves!
Thank you for featuring Nuno! He is one of the solo guitar players that has his own sound identity when playing solos. Not just doing technical virtuosity around the fret board. 🎉
In fairness, he has always been "the guy"! I think as you suggested, his "popular" music shrouded his true genius. His tone combined with his blazing, dry, legato runs have always set him apart from the crowd. Blessings and continued success for Nuno!
A lot of people I know picked up Pornograffitti based on More Than Words, and were taken back a bit by how hard rock the rest of the album was.
Imagine popping that disc in for the first time expecting more stuff like the ballad, and Decadence Dance comes on.
Yeah Nuno got his own style is a funk rock. Not the easiest piece to play on your guitar.
I think the second part of this solo is heavy delay... Kinda similar to what he does on Wounded Flight Of The Bumble Bee... I don't think he's picking every note....
whatever the case is, the solo is mind blowing....