“I Do not Know What I Was Pondering; I Ought to Have Achieved It”

Excessive‘s Nuno Bettencourt, just lately revealed a stunning twist in his musical journey. Talking to Rick Beato, Bettencourt remembered that he as soon as had the prospect to hitch rock royalty – Ozzy Osbourne. In a narrative full of teenage ambition and possibly a contact of hindsight-fueled remorse, Bettencourt‘s path took a distinct flip.

Bettencourt, a young person with desires 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 basic “Loopy Practice.”

“The primary time I ever performed by way of a correct cab was when the Circus Journal put out an advert; I feel it had come out when Randy handed away sadly, and we had been all devastated. And I feel, in the meanwhile, they had been on the lookout for a guitar participant… There was like somewhat 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 way of one earlier than… I additionally borrowed some harmonizer and I did not even know run it, and I am like, ‘That is it!’,” Nuno remembered.

“I am enjoying the music, 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 put up workplace, and I used to be similar to, ‘Okay, now I wait. However I am getting this gig.'”

Nevertheless, 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 obtained 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 Excessive. Enter destiny, within the type of Excessive‘s reserving agent Rod MacSween, who brings Nuno a proposal. Ozzy‘s workforce, 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 home made tape.

“He pulls me out and we’re in a hallway. I am going to always remember this. He is going through me, and Rod says, ‘Nuno, Sharon Osbourne known as me. Ozzy desires you to be his guitarist.’ After which, he says, ‘What do you suppose?’ And all I may say was, ‘They heard the cassette?’, and he is like, ‘What are you speaking about?’… I used to be actually fascinated by 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 supply. Sarcastically, simply weeks later, Excessive 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 Excessive about two weeks later. I used to be like, ‘I am an fool.’ I may have toured with Ozzy, and been on the subsequent album… As a result of, enjoying with Ozzy was nearly a ceremony of passage, such as you had been the chosen one… If Ozzy selected you, you had been any individual… However, I used to be attempting to carve my very own path, and be my very own individual. I do not know what I used to be considering; I ought to have performed it.”