The artist that created this song will likely be considered for a Falling Friday edition in the future for one of his previous bands. However, I have to applaud him for making the attempt to continue on in several other musical ventures. The mastermind on this is Nuno Bettencourt. His first band – Extreme is a ripe candidate for Fallen Friday. He has since gone on to doing soundtrack work, playing guitar for other people, doing a solo record and starting a couple of other bands. This song is under a moniker of Mourning Widows. Then I believe there was something called Project 1 and now it’s Dramagods.
Why do I know so much about this guy? Hmmm… Good question especially since I’ve never actually directly met him other than in slight passing through my buddy Jeff Soto. I’ve heard horror stories about Nuno and how he is a complete asshole. Actually I remember one story told to me via another good friend of mine Dave Meeks of the band Big Bad Zero. This coming from memory and as told to me by someone else, so I can’t say much more than take this with a grain of salt. It seems Dave at one point saw Nuno play a show and got a chance to meet him backstage. Apparently it was a short set and Dave asked Nuno if he’d be playing any more songs in the evening. The alleged response was – what that wasn’t fucking good enough for you?
Personally if I asked an artist a simple question of that nature and that was the response I got, you can bet I’d think they’re a complete asshole. If I ever get asked that question, I certainly believe I’d handle it much better than that. Maybe it’s a knee-jerk reaction from someone who is considered (or once was considered) to be a guitar-god. I suppose when you get to the point that you’re that revered as a guitar player and you fall from that status it can be devastating. I’ve heard stories about another guitar-god that isn’t taking his fall from grace very well either (but I’ll save that for another post which will certainly be a Fallen Friday).
Anger is generally what provokes the use of the phrase Fuck You. Today’s title asks a question so I expect you to follow through a post a comment on an incident that led you to tell another human being Fuck You. Don’t hold back, let it all out. I know that I’ve said it mostly in passing for menial things while doing things like skiing or driving. I can think of a couple of relationships that I’ve had where I probably should have made use of the Fuck You phrase to get a point across. Yet in my mental wiring I’ve yet to invoke that clause and its probably been to the detriment of one or two relationships that I had used it, it may have saved the relationship – then again, who really knows.
I have one person I’d like to direct it at as of a couple of weeks ago for the sheer fact that it may make me feel better. Unfortunately that person wouldn’t take the phone call to allow it to happen, so it’s wasted anger. I actually attempted a passive Fuck You from a technical standpoint, unfortunately I learned something about the way a certain program works and that it doesn’t do what it implies when a certain button is invoked. Lets just say that it doesn’t work and that was a frustrating lesson to learn. I was hoping to give an unexpected Fuck You, but it won’t happen. Oh well. Eventually I will put a foot down and blurt out Fuck You when it’s needed.
Funky Alternative Rock is what I’d call this groove. I especially like the layered Bass riff, it’s inspiring for coming up with song ideas for myself. The one thing that I really like about Nuno and his riffs is how they are usually very rhythmic. Being a master at rhythm and how to manipulate it is what tends to separate a weak player from a strong player. Nuno is insanely strong with his rhythmic sense, it’s probably one of the reasons as to why he got labeled as a guitar-god. Of course he’s capable of fast scalar runs and other stuff too, but it’s the ability to set a groove and command it that really sets him apart from his peers.
Expand your musical funk rock brain and buy this gem of musicial genius.
(** Disclaimer: If Nuno’s label decides to yell Fuck You at me, I’ll immediately withdraw the audio as my own way of saying it back. The fucking words will stay with the site though. **)