Nuno Bettencourt on Bandland 2024: Of course, we will play ‘More Than Words’

Extreme's Nuno Bettencourt discusses 'More Than Words', touring, and their upcoming performance at Bandland 2024.

Bengaluru would not need Steven Tyler to convince Boston rock band, Extreme, to play their famous acoustic ballad, ‘More Than Words’ at Bandland 2024. Written by vocalist Gary Cherone and lead guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, the band had to fight their music label to release ‘More Than Words’ as a single. Upon release, the song, on Extreme’s second album, Pornograffitti (1990), zoomed to number one and got the band international recognition.

After a point, as Extreme began to be referred to as the ‘More than Words’ guys, the band, according to Cherone, began to resent the song. Apparently when Extreme was touring with Aerosmith in Poland, they decided not to play the song, leading an exasperated Tyler to write “play the (expletive) song!” on their dressing room door.

“I’ve never had to make peace with the song,” says Bettencourt speaking over a video call from Temecula, California. “We made that song. That song didn’t make the band. Rock fans know who we are. It’s only the people that aren’t Extreme fans, maybe, know us for ‘More Than Words’, but our true fans know us for everything that we do. So we don’t have a problem with it whatsoever”(smiles).”

To a question of whether Extreme will be playing the iconic anthem at Bandland, Bettencourt teases with a “no,” before smiling saying, “Of course, we will play it.”

The genesis of ‘More Than Words’ has been well documented. “Oh, come on, it came like any other song. You pick up the guitar, play some music, sing along, write a lyric, tell the story, and there it is. It’s just like any other song that you write. There was nothing special or different about it. It’s very basic stuff, very simple.”

Every song is different, says Bettencourt about the music-or-lyrics conundrum. “It depends. Sometimes you have a story and a title, sometimes you have melodies, music, sometimes the drum groove...”

The 58-year old musician released a solo album, Schizophonic, has worked as a guest musician with Janet Jackson, Toni Braxton and Rihanna among others, and as part of a band. “The first thing I did was to be in a band. I’m a big fan of all the bands that I grew up on. So it’s being in a band that works best for me.”