Backstage with Rihanna / Nuno Bettencourt

Guitar Edge's Elliott Politte and crew catch up with the legendary Nuno Bettencourt in Chicago IL,as lead guitarist for Rihanna. Nuno shows us his stage rig as well as talks with us about moments in his life and recording gear....and horse sounds.

[@normbolivar]

This guys is a true underrated legend and master of the guitar!

[@paulgtarist]

I don't recall him ever being underrated.... He's gotten accolades for years

[@Pianodean]

Dude is truly ageless...Nuno, where is the freaking fountain of youth??!!

[@vanessabratosin6497]

I could watch him talk about guitars for hours

[@TheCjbowman]

Nuno is a virtuoso guitarist, one if the best of his genre, and a down to earth person. Much respect and kudos to him!

[@robbiegarnz7732]

What an amazingly humble guy! Got to love Nuno!

[@countroshculla]

Not interested in Rihanna's music but I love Extreme and Nuno is an excellent guitarist.

[@voroldrwarfff8858]

I mean if you like Extreme, you're probably not interested in Rihanna, the opposite would be surprising

[@redjagstang7]

man, i could listen to nuno's voice ALL day......

[@Anagnoresis007]

So humble, so sweet, so very Nuno. :)

[@gary5150]

Nuno is very very cool. Because of him, my son practices the guitar every day. And he's getting good

[@lazarus1672]

Your son must be really good by now lol. One of the great things about the internet, to me, like you just posted :) Cheers

[@evacookie913]

is it just me or Nuno's really shy backstage...that's just so cute for a rocker...

[@definitelynotthecia6288]

he is amazing in every way

[@carlosenriqueguitars]

Not only is one of the most amazing guitar player in the whole world, Also is a funny (Real funny) guy!

[@raybinnachio4064]

NUNO IS THE LAST OF THE GREAT MONSTERS, THE UNDERDOG, A GREAT GUITARIST AND MUSICIAN

[@jpslaym0936]

well said. Freak of nature

[@Alfablue227]

Nuno is an amazing guitarist, human being and PORTUGUESE. So PROUD of him. ❤️❤️❤️🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹❤️❤️❤️

[@SuperWannabeGuitar]

i think it should say rihanna on tour with nuno

[@CIMALT]

I love you Nuno!!!

[@RunFool]

Thanks Guitar Edge. I have, for around 17 years now, wanted to see a walk through of Nuno's setup onstage like this.

[@IdigN1]

So easy going and funny. Can't wait to meet him someday.

[@wappa2]

Nuno Bettencourt = orgulho português. :-D

[@RicardoSilveiraCantor]

THE BEST guitar player !

[@codebabe]

I wanna hear Freddie Mercury on vocals, Nuno on lead guitar, Flea on bass, and Neil Peart on drums. That would be my dream band.

[@bentoram8403]

I'd rather listen to Kanye singing Bohemian Rhapsody.

[@nickwilliams7270]

So true, really good point! It's art people. Love it or hate it, but respect music for what it is. Especially classic musicians like Nuno

[@mbluetyphoon]

Great interview! Thank you, Nuno, Elliott, and Guitar Edge! :-)

[@psychofunksoldier02]

3 Sides is a masterpiece and would've been more appreciated if released in the mid '70s!!

[@boyan.guitar]

We all know Nuno is The Best, however, I gotta give the kid credit - great job doing this interview, man!

[@michaelstanislaus2586]

awesome musician and songwriter. and yeah, that song Midnight Express from Waiting for the Punchline is a masterstroke....

[@MarkJSmith-zh9ve]

He’s such a humble guy. He’s playing for Rihanna as a hobby for fox sake!

[@leighbromby1743]

God bless you and your music your jam away nuno

[@Velkro5000]

Best Interview!

[@Scrappalino]

Great interview.

[@bendygirl9889]

He has the sexiest accent ever

[@bizzjoe]

what a nice man he is ..

[@leighbromby1743]

And yes!!! You are the bomb on the guitar!!!!

[@jasonpetruzzelli3299]

Freddy mercury tribute concert one of my favorite concert dvds. that Queen medley by Extreme was awesome!

[@whickewhack]

awesome interview! cool to hear another affirmation about the new Extreme album being on its way but even cooler to see the "legendary in the video description ;)

[@shrednoob5233]

One of the greats. NUNO BETTENCOURT

[@RunFool]

Nuno forever!

[@navekeinan]

half of the interview he seems like he dosent give a fuck about his gear XD such a cool guy :)

[@arielcunha4924]

Ai aii..Nuno é um fofo *-*

[@vitalrights7390]

Nuno and his Brothers especially Luis along with Cristiano Ronaldo the Pride of Portugal Let's not forget Katy Perry, Nelly Furtado, Steve Perry, etc

[@blacktaraudio]

Steven Perry(Perrera.)

[@cc_1983]

Great interview - some good questions! In listened to midnight express today lol coincidentally.

[@lorettasearcy1471]

Today is Nuno's birthday. He's 56 today.

[@leighbromby1743]

She is excellent also!! Besides beautiful on top of it😀😉

[@KenjiKitahara]

Cool interview. Good interviewer!

[@rubarihihuki6566]

Almost everything he have is something old.. ahahaha. Love this guy...

[@claphamcommon971]

LOL love the horse FX!!

[@prettytetay8409]

He must be a good kisser. I could only dream...

[@leighbromby1743]

Please nuno looking good! If getting old, your only old when feel it😀

[@klauswhitedreamer]

Nuno rules !...

[@F4CK1NF4NNY]

Nuno looks so young

[@testfoecho]

@Mordain607 I agree, but I think it's good for him to get his face shown among the "younger crowd". He has talent that people need to see even if it's through rihanna

[@codebabe]

@mrbig71014 Yup! And they're all great songwriters. The quality of the music their minds couild create would be staggering.

[@hesch-tag]

He is not a gear nerd and I love that.

[@69Wooshy69]

Nuno , i'm so proud of being portuguese !

[@dak0518]

it only proves that great guitar players can play anytime,anywhere,w/ anyone.. nuno is still a guitar hero whatever happens...

[@CHANELPARIS420]

Love Nuno :) In a top 10 list of guitar players he wouldn't be left out. He is amazing !! Humble & Gorgeous too :)

[@Jamie_Smith_Photo]

what a cool guy

[@typedeaf]

@Mordain607 Nuno has always been a fan of simple funk, soul, pop, r&b music. Shelia E was one of his favorite drummers iirc. So, its no surprise to me at all to see him with a pop artist like Rhianna. Andy Timmons played with Olivia Newton-John for many years. Nuno is a great "musician", not just a great "guitar player". Extreme was like Queen, a little bit of a lot of things. I think this is right up his alley.

[@DiegoPujolT]

@codebabe And it would work for sure!! Nuno and his music has a lot of "Queen details"; Flea and his funkiness also go along with Nuno; Freddie Mercury and Neil Peart could sing/play to everything. Great band it would be. Never thought of it.

[@JohnGuitarSolo]

Hal Leonard always gets the top guitar instructors for these interviews !

[@cun245]

Rihanna and Nuno Will be in Portugal Dec 17, 2011

[@RMarsupial]

@icemanisdangerous Yes, because he did a song in that time sig, it sort of proves he is a skilled player. It's impossible to count a time signature like that and it must be "felt", an extremely difficult task. It's true that a lot of shredders' solo projects are dull, musically, but it is still difficult to deny their skill. So you're right - a lot of shredders are boring. But some it is just due to their genre choice. But some are awesome. Ron Jarzombek Christian Muenzner Paul Wardingham

[@vitalrights7390]

Nuno you have come a long way from Battle of the Bands at Boston with the band Viking

[@CMSpida]

@Mordain607 i completely agree but i think he's musical director aswell

[@kennyvonstein8495]

momo is right, i live in worcester! an nuno did live in hudson mass! its about a 20 min ride from worcester down 290! peace!

[@JordanS215]

kenny vonstein Your point>? I lived up the street from Gary back in the day.... LOL he was a total ass!!

[@JordanS215]

Ellisha George Yea, he was a bit "funkier", the others were more rock.

[@mystixboi]

@blackguitar86 Actually... most pop stars have amazing players on tour with them and amazing session players on their cds. you have to be an outstanding player on so many levels to get that kind of gig. As much as I love Nuno, I'm sure there are a ton of other players that could keep up with him that play with other pop stars... just check out the players that tour with Pink. Those guys are monsters.

[@luizamarques3452]

NUNO´S BIRTHDAY SEPTEMBER 20 TH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY NUNO .SAGITÁRIO

[@icemanisdangerous]

@Mordain607 I would predict that rhianna's stuff is harder to play than most rock and metal. I doubt very much Rihannas songs revolve around a few power chords, and also as nuno said their are alot of different styles and dimensions.

[@RasteiroVM8]

NUNO 4ever the best guitarist :D

[@blackguitar86]

@H057IL3 It is on "That Metal Show" VH1. They talked about Nuno being on tour with Rihanna and they basically said they were somewhat dissappointed with that decision. I was shocked first then disappointed. People are going to think that all pop stars have great guitar players.

[@Dazzler59]

@Mordain607 well look at it this way rihanna sings melodys that are written for her to sing over backing tracks that were written for the melodys that were written for her to sing over , nuno is just the real musician in the pie

[@stuartrex78]

I can totally understand why he is playing with Rihanna. He gets an opportunity to play out of his comfort zone, still rock out. Play venues that he doesn't get the chance to anymore. Why not? It's still good music even if it's not your thing. I bet he's surrounded by better players now than he ever has been too. These seesion guys blow most "originals" band members out of the water.

[@NunoN41984]

@cun245 I was wonderring if you knew when Extreme will tour again in the U.S.? (no luck in googling it)I know he's on a European right now w/Rihanna.

[@blackguitar86]

@H057IL3 Good Point! That actually makes me feel a little bit better.

[@dontrent7397]

I thought I was the only dude on the planet with a Washburn guitar and Randall amp

[@detaildon]

When asked why he played with MJ Slash said because he asked me to.

[@chrischoir3594]

Nunu has been using a Boss pedal board since the 80s

[@zvezdanibogdan]

@Mordain607 I guess she was in love with him when she was younger (like most of the girls) , so now she can have him as her guitarist

[@AstorSkywalker]

Nuno always talks about Rihana ... we need to hear about talking about.. iii stories...flight of the wo7nded bb

[@Alesvetina]

How does he change channels on his amp? I know the gt8 has a function but for only 2 channels I think. I see no foot switch for that... Thanks for the answer if anyone knows.

[@RMarsupial]

@icemanisdangerous Oh, forgot Guthrie Govan - though he's not *really* a shredder (he plays fast, but more in a rock/jazz fusion style, not metal), he definitely has chord knowledge and his compositions are extremely good!

[@BrendaMidnightMoon]

@gargano3000 As seen through the eyes of love, he's not aged a day in 20 yrs.

[@McSnek1988]

- Best guitar player ! PORTUGUESE GUITAR PLAYER !

[@FrancescaSilveri]

@Mordain607 She gets a good deal, he gets exposure and I guess a lot of cash. But I'd love to see him in a band again

[@SeanDIY]

@blackhawk1788 I believe he is about 5'7" tall

[@stuartrex78]

I was a huge Extreme fan back in the day and Nuno, to me, epitomises the super cool guitar virtuoso. A much more interesting player than Stevie Vai or Joe Satriani etc.

[@alexlackner1945]

Yeah he plays very busy but it ain't just noodling

[@uchihaapapi]

@Mordain607 that is probably one of the funniest things ive read in my life LMFAO i love you for this.

[@Dirtbiker-guy]

Nuno is an ageless god.

[@tadashirulz]

His daughter goes to my school D:

[@redjagstang7]

fk sake I want EXTREME back!!!!! :(

[@janicealexander4432]

I would like to see him and Steve Perry do something together. I think it would be great I think they know each other.🥰😘💜💋🦋

[@Zhorellski]

Simple setup!

[@TheAdverts73]

Just on that tour! Hey remember Slash played on a Mickael Jackson's tour (even in a video if i remember), that doesn't lower their talents (and no, i'm definitely not comparing Rihanna to MJ, it's just that the two artists don't sing the kind of music i like).

[@WendyB555]

Actually, how ironic someone as TALENTED and AMAZING as Nuno is playing with Rihanna - all the hard work... ahem...writing her music is done for her! He does all his own stuff and is a ridiculously good guitarist.

[@Scotty_Russell_Music]

i love my triangle too :-)

[@DanTJones]

Fuck yeah Tony Bruno who was the guitarist for the band Saraya! Nuno's a bad-ass also!

[@Galleteer]

@Mordain607 That's exactly how I feel about it!

[@fmbighair]

who and what is that intro riff from?

[@carles.s]

Probably 99% of the crowd doesn't know who is Nuno. Shame

[@knutnskar6796]

True

[@maciek77winiarski]

@Mordain607 "it pays Nuno bills" prolly is the answer :D

[@ykssarvik]

Never leave home without triangel, kids :D