Hailed as the undisputed king of neo-classical shred guitar and named by Time as one of the ten greatest electric guitarists of all time, Yngwie J. Malmsteen is no stranger to accolades and critical acclaim. The Swedish born musician has mesmerised fans the world over with his technical ability and astonishing speed since his first record, the highly influential Rising Force in the 1980s, and continues to do so. The Grammy nominated virtuoso is also a natural born entertainer and renown for his passionate and high-energy performances. Soon to arrive in Australia for a series of shows, Malmsteen spoke to Maria Nayef about his longevity in the business, writing his memoirs and the emotional element of his profound musical compositions.
“It’s going to be a full energy show,” Malmsteen says of his upcoming tour, speaking from Miami Beach in Florida, “as for the set list, no show is going to be the same. If you see more than one show, you’re going to see two different shows.” Die-hard fans will also have the opportunity to meet the icon during his tour by purchasing VIP tickets. “It’s great being face to face with fans. You get to say hi, it’s always good,” he says.
Having sold over eleven million albums and still gracing the covers of magazines, how does Malmsteen personally define success? “Well, first of all longevity is probably the most important thing,” he says, “but also, that you do things on your own terms. You see the thing is, in this industry, in any sort of entertainment business, there’s always going to be people telling you what to do, and I’ve always gone my own way,” he chuckles, “so that to me is the most important thing.”
Recently inducted into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame, Malmsteen has said that he grew up with a very Viking way of looking at the world; something that helped him become a strong, successful artist. “When I was a teenager it was a very kind of ‘dog eat dog’ kind of world, so what I meant by that was when you show that you don’t take crap from nobody,” he laughs.
It’s well known that Malmsteen decided to be a guitarist when he saw Jimi Hendrix play and then set his guitar on fire on television when he was seven, but now it’s Malmsteen being cited by a plethora of guitarists as inspiring them to play guitar. “Obviously it’s very flattering,” he says of the continuous praise, “it’s a great thing that you can inspire somebody like that. However, I never think more highly of myself than the last note I played. Like before I spoke to you, I was in the studio recording, and whatever I did then is what I judge myself from.”
“As much praise as I get, I’m extremely self critical about what I do, so I always keep myself on my toes in that sense. And the reward is of course when people say: ‘I started playing guitar because of you,’ and stuff like that. It’s a great feeling.”
With his famous signature Stratocaster and wide range of gear bearing his name, Malmsteen is often asked about the technical side of his music, but what about the emotional aspect of his art, and using an instrument to move people so profoundly?
“Well it’s funny, because a lot of people misunderstand that,” he says, “because if you have the technical ability on an instrument, you can actually express yourself emotionally much more efficiently. In other words, if you have the knowledge of exactly what scales, or you know exactly what the vibrato should be, and how to express that note… that only comes with a lot of knowledge and technique of the instrument.”
“A lot of people don’t expect that because I always use technique, but it’s also how you convey and relate the feeling. So, if you have a feeling and you play it in a tune, it’s only for you, no one else can really understand what you mean. Whereas if you have the ability on the instrument, then the emotions could be much stronger, more well put out and more projected, because of that. So whether you play fast or slow, it doesn’t really matter. Your ability will take care of the conveyance of the emotion in the music. It’s the same thing with Ernest Hemingway, or anybody who does something and tries to express something. The art form has to be proficient.”
In 2013 Malmsteen published his rock-and-roll memoir Relentless, and we find an Australian connection as he talks about the arduous but rewarding process of writing his personal life story. “You know here’s the funny thing. I started writing that book the last time I toured Australia,” he recalls. “I started writing it in the middle of 2006, and it went on and on and on, and it got edited, and finally released in 2013, so it was a really hard and long process, but well worth it, I think.” Writing his biography also provided him with the opportunity to tell his side of the story, in his own words. “Whatever has been written about me before, you know it’s an outsider that wrote it, so don’t waste time with that,” he laughs.
His biography also sheds light on all the hard work Malmsteen put into getting his career started, even the lengths he went to in order to save enough money to purchase his first guitar. Despite making and distributing music these days being a lot easier, he doesn’t entirely believe it diminishes a musician’s ability to create original and long lasting art.
“It could, but I think it’s all individual. I think if there’s a desire – a burning desire to create music – it doesn’t matter what sort of background you come from.” It’s a passion to create music that will determine your success, he says, “it’s a very strange thing that you know, because once you get that, once you have that desire, you can’t let it go.”
Anyone who has witnessed Malmsteen play classical compositions on his guitar understands his passion for classical music, with Bach, Vivaldi and Niccolò Paganini being his main influences. “I like the challenge of really pushing the boundaries of rock, that’s why I took it as far as to compose a symphony, which was a lot more involved because of all the instrumentation,” he says, “but the actual initial melody and initial arrangements weren’t that different from what I do on the rock albums.”
His love for classical music began at a very young age and it continues to inspire him. It also helps him keep his feet planted firmly on the ground. “It’s a humbling thing to listen to Johann Sebastian Bach when you think you’re really cool. Listen to him, then you know that he’s the closest thing to God,” he laughs.
Yngwie Malmsteen’s tour of Australia kicks off on June 6 in Perth. “It will be full blast,” he promises, “no holding back.” Fans will undoubtedly be in for a memorable show.
—
YNGWIE MALMSTEEN AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES
Saturday, June 6th – The Astor, Perth
www.oztix.com.au
Monday, June 8th – Wrestpoint Showroom, Hobart
www.tixtas.com.au
Wednesday, June 10th – 170 Russell, Melbourne
http://170russell.ticketscout.com.au/gigs/3426-yngwie-malmsteen
Thursday, June 11th – The Tivoli, Brisbane
www.ticketmaster.com.au
Friday, June 12th – HQ, Adelaide
www.oztix.com.au
Saturday, June 13th – The Factory, Sydney
www.oztix.com.au
———-
