“I Don’t Know What I Was Thinking; I Should Have Done It”

Extreme‘s Nuno Bettencourt, lately revealed a stunning twist in his musical journey. Talking to Rick Beato, Bettencourt remembered that he as soon as had the possibility to affix rock royalty – Ozzy Osbourne. In a narrative crammed with teenage ambition and perhaps a contact of hindsight-fueled remorse, Bettencourt‘s path took a special flip.

Bettencourt, a teen with goals of shredding alongside the Prince of Darkness, stumbled upon an audition advert in {a magazine} in 1983. Armed with borrowed gear and unbridled enthusiasm, he submitted a cassette tape containing his rendition of Ozzy‘s traditional “Loopy Practice.”

“The primary time I ever performed by a correct cab was when the Circus Journal put out an advert; I believe it had come out when Randy handed away sadly, and we have been all devastated. And I believe, in the meanwhile, they have been on the lookout for a guitar participant… There was like slightly cutout factor, like, nearly like an advert; ‘Ship your tape right here, Ozzy on the lookout for a guitar participant.'”

“And I am like, ‘That is my gig! I can do that!’ I am on this four-family dwelling in Hudson, Massachusetts, and the advert says, I do not know, ‘Ship ‘Loopy Practice’ on cassette to this tackle.’ And I am all in, man. I name my buddy saying, ‘Can I borrow your Marshall?’, and I put it in my bed room. I can not do with out a cupboard, and I borrowed a 4×12; I had by no means performed by one earlier than… I additionally borrowed some harmonizer and I did not even know methods to run it, and I am like, ‘That is it!’,” Nuno remembered.

“I am taking part in the tune, most likely horribly; I am doing the solo… I did not inform anyone. I took the solo, wrote down the tackle, licked the stamp, introduced it to the publish workplace, and I used to be similar to, ‘Okay, now I wait. However I am getting this gig.'”

Nonetheless, his youthful ambition wasn’t sufficient to land him the coveted spot.

“Weeks have passed by, and I am getting actually upset. Then, I learn that Brad Gillis is filling in, and I am like, ‘Oh man, they higher not hold him, as a result of that is my gig.’ I believed I used to be going to do it… I am ready, and months have passed by. After which, I heard they bought Jake E. Lee. I may need shed a tear as a result of I believed that was my gig.”

Quick ahead a decade, to 1993. Bettencourt is now a seasoned musician touring with Extreme. Enter destiny, within the type of Extreme‘s reserving agent Rod MacSween, who brings Nuno a suggestion. Ozzy‘s staff, impressed by his expertise, is providing him the exact same guitarist place he as soon as auditioned for – this time with out the necessity for a selfmade tape.

“He pulls me out and we’re in a hallway. I will always remember this. He is going through me, and Rod says, ‘Nuno, Sharon Osbourne referred to as me. Ozzy desires you to be his guitarist.’ After which, he says, ‘What do you suppose?’ And all I might say was, ‘They heard the cassette?’, and he is like, ‘What are you speaking about?’… I used to be actually desirous about the cassette I despatched after I was 12. That is how a lot trauma I had.”

This is the place issues get ironic. Bettencourt, loyal to his band and decided to carve his personal path, declined the provide. Mockingly, simply weeks later, Extreme disbanded.

“It lastly labored, and I turned it down, as a result of I used to be in a band, and I used to be doing my job. And that was the stupidest factor I ever did. Why? As a result of I left Extreme about two weeks later. I used to be like, ‘I am an fool.’ I might have toured with Ozzy, and been on the subsequent album… As a result of, taking part in with Ozzy was nearly a ceremony of passage, such as you have been the chosen one… If Ozzy selected you, you have been any person… However, I used to be making an attempt to carve my very own path, and be my very own particular person. I do not know what I used to be pondering; I ought to have completed it.”