Nuno Bettencourt recently shared a heartfelt tribute to Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry on his birthday. He expressed how the band surpassed even The Rolling Stones in his opinion. The Extreme guitarist posted the message on Instagram.
In his birthday tribute, Bettencourt reflected on Aerosmith’s profound influence on his musical development and personal identity.
“Happy Muthaf*ckin Birthday to Joe ‘cool’ Perry! As a kid growing up in the 70’s listening to Aerosmith on fucking repeat… in my bedroom on Hudson Main St. Mass … while holding the album in my hands just staring at photo after photo on those albums that would shape my life forever,” Bettencourt said.
The guitarist went on to compare Aerosmith to The Rolling Stones. He positioned the American band as superior.
“Yes, I was also listening to other bands that made me wanna be a musician and songwriter … but Aerosmith made me wanna be a Rocker,” he continued. “The coolest and dirtiest American rock band in history. Our American Rolling Stones. But for me… they buried the Stones with their nasty grooves and iconic riffs and scrappy sandpaper lead vocals. You could smell the booze, see the sex and taste the drugs in every vocal and riff.”
Bettencourt also shared personal details about his connection to Perry. This included their shared Portuguese heritage.
“And I’d just stare at Joe’s photo endlessly… wanting to be / look just like him,” he said. “Knowing that he grew up like 15 min from me and Aerosmith played high schools in our area… and then read that he was Portuguese like me. HOLY F*CK that was it. Massive, massive influence that affected me not only musically but culturally. Joe and Aerosmith reprogrammed my DNA.”
The tribute concluded with Bettencourt expressing gratitude for eventually meeting and befriending his childhood idol.
“Then Imagine that Portuguese/American kid getting to meet Joe Perry tour with Aerosmith and become friends with the coolest I’ve ever seen or heard,” he said. “Yeah right … Dream On. Love you Joe … and thank you for shaping me as a guitarist and writer.. and showing kindness to a young kid who just wanted to be like you.”
Bettencourt’s admiration for Aerosmith has translated into actual musical collaborations. These demonstrate the lasting impact of his childhood heroes on his career.
The Extreme guitarist has worked directly with Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler on multiple occasions. Most notably, they teamed up to record a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar.” Ultimate Classic Rock reported that this collaboration was part of the tribute album “Muscle Shoals … Small Town, Big Sound.” The album celebrates the legendary Alabama recording studio where countless rock classics were made.
Their musical partnership extends beyond studio recordings. Guitar World noted that Bettencourt has joined Tyler onstage during charity performances. They’ve performed Aerosmith classics including “Sweet Emotion” and “Walk This Way.” These live collaborations showcase the natural chemistry between the two musicians. They highlight how Bettencourt’s childhood dream of playing alongside his heroes became reality.
The irony of covering The Rolling Stones with Tyler adds another layer to Bettencourt’s earlier statement about Aerosmith surpassing the British rock legends. Rock Talk USA observed that their rendition of “Brown Sugar” demonstrates how American rock musicians have reinterpreted and arguably improved upon the Stones’ original material.
These collaborations represent the full circle of Bettencourt’s musical journey. He went from a young Portuguese-American kid staring at Joe Perry’s photos in his Massachusetts bedroom to becoming a respected guitarist who performs alongside his childhood idols. The partnership between Tyler and Bettencourt continues to produce memorable performances that honor both Aerosmith’s legacy and the enduring influence they’ve had on subsequent generations of rock musicians.
