Biography
Guitar virtuoso Nuno Bettencourt first rose to prominence as a member of the stylistically wide-ranging pop-metal group Extreme amid the peak years of flashy guitar technique. Once that band dissolved he launched an independent path as a performer. His solo playing often echoed Eddie Van Halen, whereas his songwriting freely absorbed elements from Queen, the Beatles, Prince, and an array of other sources. Born Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt on September 20, 1966, in Praia da Vitoria on the island of Terceira in Portugal’s Azores archipelago, he was the youngest of ten siblings in a household already devoted to music. When he turned four the family relocated to Boston, where he first experimented with instruments as a teenager before committing to guitar after trying drums, bass, and keyboards. Local bands, occasionally featuring his brothers, occupied him until he entered Extreme in 1985. Following strong regional success the group secured a deal with A&M and issued its first album in 1989. Three subsequent releases appeared, one of which yielded the chart-topping acoustic ballad “More Than Words,” before Extreme disbanded in 1996. During this period Bettencourt also served as producer and guest musician on the second album by Australian hard rockers Baby Animals in 1993; the next year he wed the band’s frontwoman, Suze DeMarchi.
Long-standing rumors of a solo venture became reality once Extreme ended, prompting Bettencourt to devote full attention to the project. He performed every part himself on the resulting 1997 album Schizophonic, issued by A&M. Although the record reflected the prevailing alternative-rock climate, sales remained modest. Seeking greater freedom, he departed the label and assembled a stable trio in 1998 that included his nephew Donovan Bettencourt, who had already contributed to the Schizophonic tour, on bass and ex-Extreme drummer Mike Mangini. Mangini departed soon afterward and was succeeded by Jeff Consi in January 1999. The ensemble took the name Mourning Widows and signed with Polydor’s Japanese branch, which released their debut album Mourning Widows abroad in 1998. That collection merged hard rock and funk-rock with touches of alternative and psychedelic styles. A second Mourning Widows effort, Furnished Souls for Rent, followed in 2000. Two years after that Bettencourt unveiled the self-titled debut of his next band, Population One.
Long-standing rumors of a solo venture became reality once Extreme ended, prompting Bettencourt to devote full attention to the project. He performed every part himself on the resulting 1997 album Schizophonic, issued by A&M. Although the record reflected the prevailing alternative-rock climate, sales remained modest. Seeking greater freedom, he departed the label and assembled a stable trio in 1998 that included his nephew Donovan Bettencourt, who had already contributed to the Schizophonic tour, on bass and ex-Extreme drummer Mike Mangini. Mangini departed soon afterward and was succeeded by Jeff Consi in January 1999. The ensemble took the name Mourning Widows and signed with Polydor’s Japanese branch, which released their debut album Mourning Widows abroad in 1998. That collection merged hard rock and funk-rock with touches of alternative and psychedelic styles. A second Mourning Widows effort, Furnished Souls for Rent, followed in 2000. Two years after that Bettencourt unveiled the self-titled debut of his next band, Population One.
Singles
Live
