# What do you think of Yngwie Malmsteen



## bobbyprayogo (Sep 23, 2013)

He is incredible guitarist, musician and composer. His (well known) shred guitar technique are only SMALL part of how great he is. His phrasing skill is top notch, his vibrato is highly expressive. His improvisation skill is virtuoso level. His composition is exceptional.
The fact that many people commenting on him being "fast without any soul" or "do nothing new in the last 20 years" (which both statements are totally not accurate) made him one of the most underrated guitarist.
Take away all his fast playing, it still left him with greatness.
There is some quote saying that xxxxx xxxxxxx(a blues rock guitarist) can say more in one note that Yngwie can say in 1000 notes. I think the contrary is true. Yngwie can say more in ONE note than any "legendary" blues guitar player can play in 1000 notes.


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## yingmin (Sep 23, 2013)

Hi, Yngwie.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Sep 23, 2013)

yingmin said:


> Hi, Yngwie.


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## ChrisRushing (Sep 23, 2013)

Rising Force was pretty cool. I don't really care about anything else he has been involved with.


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## Datura (Sep 23, 2013)

I don't like his music at all but I think he is endearingly embarrassing.


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## mcd (Sep 23, 2013)

bobbyprayogo said:


> Yngwie can say more in ONE note than any "legendary" blues guitar player can play in 1000 notes.



most "legendary" blues guitarist are playing from a time when the blues was an outlet for awful oppression. To compare Yngwie's approach to music to this is beyond farfetched.


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## vilk (Sep 23, 2013)

Well, he's practically playing classical music. I think the majority of people who listen to rock or metal, despite what they might claim, aren't particularly interested in classical music. Just a theory. He also plays really fast, which most people don't like. I'm sure just as many people who say Yngwie has no soul would also say that Psyopus just sounds like noise. When you take the minority of people who do like really fast playing, and then cut that by the minority who have more than a superficial interest in classical music, I think you're left with a really small number. That plus the way he looks and acts probably contributes to why he gets so much flak.

I like fast music, and even though I like classical music as well, I'm not nearly interested enough in it to really get into Yngwie. I think he's a ridiculously good player and from what I understand his composition is really well conceived, but I still don't really ever feel like listening to Yngwie. Just the same as I don't really feel like listening to Bach or Vivaldi. I'd rather listen to Necrophagist.


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## bobbyprayogo (Sep 23, 2013)

mcd said:


> most "legendary" blues guitarist are playing from a time when the blues was an outlet for awful oppression. To compare Yngwie's approach to music to this is beyond farfetched.



The comparison out there is countless, but at the opposite opinion compared to mine


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## Dayn (Sep 23, 2013)

Terrible character, terrible tone.

Music is okay. Good for building technique.


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## CD1221 (Sep 23, 2013)

A true Legend.


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## Repner (Sep 23, 2013)

ChrisRushing said:


> Rising Force was pretty cool. I don't really care about anything else he has been involved with.


Same here.


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## DLG (Sep 23, 2013)

His first three albums are great. He's been declining steady ever since. 

Alchemy was a good return to form but everything after that has been dreadful and inherently unlistenable. 

still one of the most important guitarists of the modern age whether you like him or not. 

also, hilarious.


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## BucketheadRules (Sep 23, 2013)

I like his flamboyance, he obviously has incredible technique and his vibrato is awesome. And he likes big-headstock Strats, so he's doing something right.

I find what I've heard of his music unbelievably boring though. And I've seen him live as part of a Marshall 50th Anniversary concert in London (at which Paul Gilbert, Doug Aldrich, Zakk Wylde etc also played) and he came onstage, didn't say a single word for the whole time he was on, and almost never slowed down - the vast majority of what he played was fast, wanky harmonic minor bullshit which got boring after about 30 seconds. Unimpressed.


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## Louis Cypher (Sep 23, 2013)

DLG said:


> ...one of the most important guitarists of the modern age whether you like him or not



Regardless of what anyone thinks of him now this is the truth. I am not a huge fan tbh, his early stuff is mind blowing but he has declined with time, his problem for me personally is his music needs framing to be accessible, same sort of problem I have with Vai, I prefer all of Vai's music that he did when he was in the framework of a band, DLR or Whitesnake and Zappa, aside from PaW most of his instrumental stuff just doesn;t work for me in the same way that someone like Kotzen's instrumental work does. Same with Yngwie. The music and playing are amazing but I just can't get in to it. 

Either way tho, he is a iconic game changer and is one of the top 5 most important guitarists ever imo.


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## sol niger 333 (Sep 23, 2013)

He fingered me


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## hairychris (Sep 23, 2013)

He can play, certainly, but it really doesn't do much for me.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Sep 23, 2013)

DLG said:


> His first three albums are great. He's been declining steady ever since.



This. Rising Force is the definitive shred album and is absolutely essential to the genre. Eclipse was fun and cheesy (in a good way), Fire and Ice had a few good bits, and Concerto Suite was very good. Ohter than that, everything after Trilogy has been the same Rainbow ripoffs and his first 3 albums rehashed over and over again. And it's common knowledge that Jeff Scott Soto era Yngwie is best Yngwie. 

But whether you love or hate the guy, you gotta respect him, his chops and what he did to shred. The larger-than-life ego (and current gut radius) is part of the charm that's amusing to watch. Also to add that what you see live, ALL HIS CABS ARE ON. AND LOUD.  That's audacity right there. 

Plus he spawned not one, but 2 Japanese clones. That's gotta account to something right?


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## drmosh (Sep 23, 2013)

Bloody_Inferno said:


> Plus he spawned not one, but 2 Japanese clones. That's gotta account to something right?




Well that was pretty terrible.


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## AxeHappy (Sep 23, 2013)

I would agree pretty much completely with the original posts. 

Aside from his ridiculously awesome playing, the guy writes fantastic, gorgeous melodies. Soul Rending sometimes. 

That being said, when he does certainly have some albums that are...not very good...

When he is on, he is on...when he isn't...



I also think baron samedi's point is on the nose.


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## Wings of Obsidian (Sep 23, 2013)

Yngwie hardly "writes" anymore... He has admitted countless times to just improvising in the studio until something sounds decent. He probably does the same stuff live. So everything sounds different, no solid consistency. I must say that Buckethead, who has released SEVENTEEN albums thus far in 2013 ALONE does the same shit, just pure improvisation (which is probably why he does NOT perform any of his new material live because he can't remember it. Also explains why his quality in music has gone downhill.)

Needless to say, both players I just listed sure do rock the MEEDLEY-MEEDLIES and the WEEDLEY-WEEDLIES.


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## Louis Cypher (Sep 23, 2013)

I forgot how much I ....ing love this cover! dripping with cheese!! LOL! God Bless Yngwie!! how dull would shred be without the man!


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## craigny (Sep 23, 2013)

Yngwie is awesome...granted some may not be fans of his style of music, or his character (which i enjoy and find funny) but for anyone to deny that he is an absloute monster of a player is being foolsih IMO.


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## thedonal (Sep 23, 2013)

He's technically an amazing player.

But his music does absolutely nothing for me. The only thing I have of him now is the G3 DVD- terrible-nay-horrible guitar tone and the guy comes across as a bad parody of himself. 

I won't deny his impact on guitar playing or metal in general, but I just can't stand him.

Trying really hard to be balanced about it, but hey...


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## Bloody_Inferno (Sep 23, 2013)

Related:


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## technomancer (Sep 23, 2013)

Amazing guitar player, his first few albums are fantastic. Sadly most of the rest are not 

A good deal of what Yngwie's done was taken from Ritchie Blackmore, he just went further with using classical composition techniques and played faster.


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## trickae (Sep 23, 2013)

well I think he was at his peak for the 1984 Budokan concert he did for rising force. 

After his accident he became pretty sloppy and his ego became astronomical. After playing his songs for the past 10 years, melodic minor runs and sweeps become old. Don't get me wrong though, he pretty much re-kickstarted the shred scene and spawned the neoclassical trend that gave us the finest work by - Jason Becker, Vinnie Moore, early Greg Howe and Tony McAlpine. 

In terms of improvisations, I wasn't too happy with the G3 concert he did with vai and satriani, but everyone has their days. That G3 concert wasn't one of them for yngwie.


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 23, 2013)

loved this early stuff,new stuff not so much.
still a fan though.


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## RevDrucifer (Sep 23, 2013)

Agree with everything said, but I LOVE Yngwie's tone!

I used to HATE that thin, single coil sound, but I dig it more and more these days and for that particular style of guitar playing, you don't hear it often. Not many can make a Strat sound like that. 

There's a pizza joint my old drummer and I used to eat at regularly in Miami, my drummer mentioned I played guitar to the owners the older gentleman asked in a heavy Italian accent if I heard of 'that guy' and pointed to a picture of Yngwie on the wall. It was a wall of pictures of local customers, 99% being police/fire department/politicians....and Yngwie. 

Owner said he's always been a nice guy, eats there once a week and just left the picture there for the restaurant. 

A few months back my bassist and I were at Sam Ash in North Miami, they had a wooden pallet on the floor and 2 or 3 guys were just stacking up boxes and boxes of studio gear onto it. My bass player asked if it was close out stuff going on sale, turns out it was all going to Yngwie's. "He walked in here, pointed at everything he wanted, gave me a credit card and told me to have it delivered to his house. He does this every few months.".


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## protest (Sep 23, 2013)

RevDrucifer said:


> "He walked in here, pointed at everything he wanted, gave me a credit card and told me to have it delivered to his house. He does this every few months.".









Living the dream


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## Axayacatl (Sep 23, 2013)

Not a fan of his later stuff but basically I love everything about him!! I think he is freaking awesome!! I still have some later stuff of his to explore but I think his earlier stuff is unbelievably heartfelt, expressive and awesome. There is one bend towards the end of Overture 1383 that sums it all up for me. 

Too fast? Whatever. Too many notes? "More is more". Ripping off Bach and Paganini? He's a visionary and left a huge mark on rock/metal music. Plus, most innovations always look obvious in retrospect so I think the criticism is a bit unfair.

He's also an absolute bad ass and also incredibly adorable which is a tough combo to pull off. There is a video of him looking a bit tired/hungover drinking coffee and jamming out. Seems like an awesome guy to me. I would love to meet him and hang out with him for a bit. I don't care that people have big personalities or are arrogant because my own weener isn't tiny so I don't let it get to me. Plus, he's kinda earned it hasn't he? 

If I met him I'd give him a big hug 

Yes, I own a Fender YJM with cigarette burns and a darkened relic'd maple fretboard. The guitar has so much mojo and the tone is unbelievable.

I'm a Necrophagist and Nile kinda guy, but I wanna be buried/cremated with this guitar. 

I hope this unabashed fanboy post answers your question. 

YNGWIE I LOVE YOU!!!!

Fanboy out.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 23, 2013)

I think folks focus on his persona more than his music these days, which is kind of a bummer. Not to say he hasn't pushed his character out there full force (any publicity/notoriety right?) and it would be silly to think that it didn't represent a caricature of his actual personality, dude drives a Ferrari and goes to Guitar Center almost everyday. 

While there are stories from musicians highlighting his megalomania, there are just as many that call him a serious, but well meaning person, musician, and bandleader. 

He doesn't get nearly as much credit for his humility, which is evident in him making fun of himself and certain career moves he's made. Unleash the Fury much? 

I think it's hard for a lot of current players to see his playing in a positive context. He's launched so many imitators that that's all folks see. He is THE fast, neo-classical shredder. He was the first to do it the way he did, and the amount of folks trying to cop that is a testament to his influence.


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## Louis Cypher (Sep 23, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I think it's hard for a lot of current players to see his playing in a positive context. He's launched so many imitators that that's all folks see. He is THE fast, neo-classical shredder. He was the first to do it the way he did, and the amount of folks trying to cop that is a testament to his influence.



Think that's correct. Coz of all the imitator's his legacy is tainted for those not there when he arrived on the scene. If you have never known a guitar landscape without the 1st and 2nd generation Yngwie influenced players then its hard to full appreciate the impact he had. Hard to imagine there would be shred as everyone knows it without him and you have to give the man respect for that


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## Axayacatl (Sep 23, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I think folks focus on his persona more than his music these days, which is kind of a bummer. Not to say he hasn't pushed his character out there full force (any publicity/notoriety right?) and it would be silly to think that it didn't represent a caricature of his actual personality, dude drives a Ferrari and goes to Guitar Center almost everyday.
> 
> While there are stories from musicians highlighting his megalomania, there are just as many that call him a serious, but well meaning person, musician, and bandleader.
> 
> ...




I saw an awesome American shredder basically play a more metal version of Yngwie and then diss Yngwie and calls himself different... but the dude is even wearing the same wrist jewelry ...


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 23, 2013)

just play a yngwie tune in a music store and you GET NOTICED....
yngwie is a pretty nice guy now,his wife notsomuch.


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## New Age Moron (Sep 23, 2013)

Amazing vibrato.


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## DLG (Sep 23, 2013)

Axayacatl said:


> I saw an awesome American shredder basically play a more metal version of Yngwie and then diss Yngwie and calls himself different... but the dude is even wearing the same wrist jewelry ...



joe stump?


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## Rosal76 (Sep 23, 2013)

I like Yngwie and enjoy listening/playing some his stuff. I would like to buy more of his albums but the neo-classical music that he helped make so popular is already present in many of the heavy/death metal that I'm already buying. In short, I blame Necrophagist and Obscura for not buying anymore Yngwie Malsteen albums.


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## edsped (Sep 23, 2013)

Vibrato of the Gods

I love Trilogy.


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## F1Filter (Sep 23, 2013)

DLG said:


> joe stump?



I wouldn't think Joe would be dissing Yng? He's always claiming that Yng, Blackmore, and early Gary Moore are his biggest influences.  Personally, I dig more of Joe's material than Yng's these days because it's all instrumental. I'd rather hear that, than a song about how great someone's Ferrari's are...

Yng lost me after "Fire & Ice". After reading the "As Above, So Below" biography, it makes a lot of sense why that is. The 90's and early 2000's weren't kind to him at all.


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 23, 2013)

Joe Stump is AWESOME,nicest guy I have ever conversed with...

he dosen`t get the respect he deserves.


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## TheShreddinHand (Sep 23, 2013)

Yngwie was a huge influence for me when a friend of my dad's gave us a tape of Yngwie tunes back in 96. I was freakin' blown away (most technical thing I'd heard up to that was Eruption). As others have said, all his early works are fantastic and Concerto Suite (although later) is actually one of my favorites! The last album I dug was War to End All Wars. Didn't like anything after that (partly due to Ripper Owens on vox) because there are just other guys out there doing more interesting things. But you can't deny what level he took guitar playing too in the early 80s and just sick vibrato!


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## heregoesnothing (Sep 23, 2013)

bobbyprayogo said:


> He is incredible guitarist, musician and composer. His (well known) shred guitar technique are only SMALL part of how great he is. His phrasing skill is top notch, his vibrato is highly expressive. His improvisation skill is virtuoso level. His composition is exceptional.
> The fact that many people commenting on him being "fast without any soul" or "do nothing new in the last 20 years" (which both statements are totally not accurate) made him one of the most underrated guitarist.
> Take away all his fast playing, it still left him with greatness.
> There is some quote saying that xxxxx xxxxxxx(a blues rock guitarist) can say more in one note that Yngwie can say in 1000 notes. I think the contrary is true. Yngwie can say more in ONE note than any "legendary" blues guitar player can play in 1000 notes.



Whoa we live in the same state, greetings from Balikpapan, OP 

Anyway here are Guthrie Govan's thoughts on Yngwie (which i totally agree):

_"Yngwie, who, to me, demonstrates that it is possible to have all these chops and play these outrageous fast things but still sound like you mean it. 
This may not be a popular viewpoint, but when I listen to Yngwie playing, theres as much sincerity as there is when B.B. King is playing. He plays every note like it could be his last. 
He plays with passion, he plays with sincerity, a lot of the clones that came out missed that part, they just copied the technique, and missed the spirit behind it.
He wasnt this academic looking guy just standing there with his music stand. He was going crazy, running around the place, and throwing his Strat while playing a million notes per second. 
And when he stopped and played just one note, it sounded like a violin or an opera singer. *Yngwie has an incomparable vibrato, which his detractors choose to ignore*."_


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## MrRCJ (Sep 23, 2013)

I'm a fan of the early albums. With that said I personally don't think he's put out anything worth listening to in 20 years. You can only do the same thing so many times before it gets old imo. I think his ego is his biggest limitation. If you think your the best & never need to practice than chances are you've peaked.


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## Esp Griffyn (Sep 23, 2013)

Yngwie good:

*Incredible vibrato - it's incredible, no question.
*awesome tone - and a pretty unique one in 2013 too, which makes it nice to hear
*Heavily stylised
*Incredible passion and sincerity in his playing

Yngwie bad:
*Limited phrasing - when improvising, he cycles between a couple of stock licks strung up with minor harmonic runs to link them. Watch him on G3 jams with Satch and Vai and you'll see how far behind them he is.
*Heavily stylised - has made it hard from him to break out of his 20 year musical rut.
*Gets carried away with the stage act and can get sloppy - the first minute of "Star Beyond the Sun" on the G3 dvd is awful as he is more interested in throwing picks and doing guitar flips than he is in playing the song.


Love him or hate him, he will forever be an icon of shred and a figure of love and hate in the guitar world. I enjoy his music and style but only in short doses. He does have an amazing signature guitar though, I still feel a bit sick every time I think about the day I sold mine 

Here is an amazing Yngwie performance, "Star Beyond the Sun" with a Japanese orchestra. No BS, nowhere to hide, his playing here is flawless. Those pinch harmonics, the screaming vibrato, every run nailed. This is Yngwie at his best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbHc5i4O2tc


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## Hammer (Sep 23, 2013)

If it wasn't for Yngwie (and well, Steve Vai and Alexi Laiho maybe because I only did the highest four frets at first) I wouldn't have even thought about scalloping my fretboard. Best decision ever IMO. Made my technique a little bit better, because you have to be a fair bit more accurate when fretting. It's actually somewhat harder to play now, but the vibrato is way easier to do right. Sadly I never had the patience to actually try to play what he plays.

The stuff he writes is kinda cool, especially the old stuff and the orchestra album, but I can't really say that it's something I would listen to all day every day...


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## Deathspell Omega (Sep 23, 2013)

ChrisRushing said:


> Rising Force was pretty cool. I don't really care about anything else he has been involved with.



I would say, that his first three outings sounded pretty cool. Even with those operatic vocals, which I don`t like usually, it sounded convincing. Soto and Boals were great, his tone was aggressive and crisp, his solo sequences tight. After that it went down the tubes. His songwriting is mediocre now at best, he is constantly repeating himself, way more sloppy than in his early days, the drum production is horrible. And on top of it....those pants.  But he invented a whole new genre. Nobody can take that away from him.


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## ilyti (Sep 23, 2013)

What I get from this thread is that Yngwie should play Indonesia more often. 



technomancer said:


> Amazing guitar player, his first few albums are fantastic. Sadly most of the rest are not
> 
> A good deal of what Yngwie's done was taken from Ritchie Blackmore, he just went further with using classical composition techniques and played faster.


That being said, would you rather see Yngwie in concert now, or Blackmores Night? That's a tough decision for me, because both bands have drastic failure and "legend appeal" at the same time.


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## Given To Fly (Sep 23, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> He is THE fast, neo-classical shredder.



This is the only thing I can say about him.  I may also mention that he is fighting a three headed dragon on the cover of Trilogy. I just stick to the facts...


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## yingmin (Sep 23, 2013)

ilyti said:


> What I get from this thread is that Yngwie should play Indonesia more often.
> 
> 
> That being said, would you rather see Yngwie in concert now, or Blackmores Night? That's a tough decision for me, because both bands have drastic failure and "legend appeal" at the same time.



I actually like Blackmore's Night, and take some issue with the idea that they're "failing" at anything.


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## abandonist (Sep 23, 2013)

This is the dude that dresses like French Cavalry and plays Flight of the Bumblebees, right?

No ....s given.


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## ilyti (Sep 23, 2013)

yingmin said:


> I actually like Blackmore's Night, and take some issue with the idea that they're "failing" at anything.


No, I don't think Blackmore's Night is _all _bad - just Candace Night is bad. My opinion.


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## guitarjitsumaster (Sep 23, 2013)

Scalloped fretboards anyone? I know blackmore did it but Yngwies's is the one I first say. He is also a huge influence on european metal and most of the classical influence you can trace back the Yngwie. Also before him I surmise that most guitarists didn't know much about arpeggios let alone how to sweep them.

First three albums were groundbreaking. His stuff has been hit and miss since then but when it does hit, like alchemy its pretty cool stuff. His stage antics are pretty cheesetastic but he is at least making an effort and seems to enjoy himself.

Yeah some of his current stuff seems to have just been mailed in but I find that true of a lot of acts that already have a comfy career to sit back on. 

As far as the whole megalomaniac thing. I honestly think the guy is pretty smart about it. People may hate him but he is always being talked about....and any publicity.....right? Then he even uses one of his worst screw ups as an album title. At this point I think he has just given into his reputation and has fun with it.


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## Vhyle (Sep 23, 2013)

Meh.


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## beneharris (Sep 23, 2013)

Like most of you other guys, his first few albums were absolutely excellent. If I ever want to get inspired, I just sit and listen to Icarus Dream Suite. It is an absolute tragedy everything he put out after that first cd couldn't hold a candle to anything he did there, because there were some incredible songs, and incredibly compelling songwriting.


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## guitarfreak1387 (Sep 24, 2013)

I personally like his playing, though it can get repetitive to death.

Could care less about his personality though. To some people he is nice, to others he's a jerk, so what? its not like im ever going to be friends with him, ill just sit back and listen to that guitar scream.

I envy his weird sideburns/beard/whateverthefookitis.


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## Xiphos68 (Sep 24, 2013)

Yngwie J. Malmsteen is one of the greatest guitarist to ever walk the face of this earth. Regardless of what he has done in the last few years, the man has accomplished many things musically that no one could even touch him on. 

His vibrato, tone, feel, and of course his furious speed. 



 

 
His Jimi Hendrix cover is so perfect... 



My new favorite Yngwie Song!


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## Erockomania (Sep 24, 2013)

Alcatrazz - Yngwie Malmsteen Guitar Solo - YouTube

his picking hand is insane


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## ArtDecade (Sep 24, 2013)

When I listen to Yngwie, I want to hear shred.
When I listen to AC/DC, I want to hear rock.
When I listen to Waylon, I want to hear country.

I don't have a problem with an artist filling a niche. I don't need reinvention every album.


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## Esp Griffyn (Sep 24, 2013)

Xiphos68 said:


> My new favorite Yngwie Song!




Watch the solo in that vid, he plays 5 different guitars in it! The vintage white upside down (Hendrix style guitar), vintage white maple board, vintage white with rosewood board, sparkle red with rosewood board and tobacco sunburst with rosewood board. This probably wins a record for most guitars used in different takes of one solo.


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 24, 2013)

well I`m gonna get things thrown at me, but I really liked his album eclipse.


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## Idontpersonally (Sep 24, 2013)

Yngwie J. Malmsteen's New Book "Relentless" Out now in ITALY!


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## ilyti (Sep 24, 2013)

WHERE CAN I BUY THAT IN ENGLISH??


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## IbanezDaemon (Sep 24, 2013)

A Genius. A true pioneer of rock guitar and you can only count guys like that on one hand. His first 3 solo albums and Alcatrazz No Parole are Godlike, amazing phrasing and unparalled vibrato. Sadly he never took it further than that, far too dependent on Harmonic Minor, Aeolian, Phrygian/Dominant and Diminished/Min7/b5 arps etc.

His influence though is possibly bigger than Van Halen's ever was...just my 2 cents....just check out all those guys on Youtube. Ask guys like Jason Becker and Jeff Loomis etc etc ad infinitum as well. A true guitar god, not many people may like him as a person or indeed a player but you cannot deny the influence he has had on rock guitar. His 1984 Rising Force debut album was truly groundbreaking. There are faster players....hell there are better shredders but without Yngwie they wouldn't exist. Respect is due!!


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## Breakdown (Sep 24, 2013)

He is a great player, and IMO one of the best in that whole 80's hair metal scene but he seems extremely egotistical and he is stuck in the past, the dude dresses like its still 1987.


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## ilyti (Sep 24, 2013)

He actually has all of his clothes specially made for him. Seriously.


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 24, 2013)

Breakdown said:


> He is a great player, and IMO one of the best in that whole 80's hair metal scene but he seems extremely egotistical and he is stuck in the past, the dude dresses like its still 1987.


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## Vhyle (Sep 24, 2013)

"your gay"?

How do you know he is in ownership of a gay?


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## Stuck_in_a_dream (Sep 24, 2013)

Yngwie, as a guitar player, he's up there with the greats. He was my guitar god growing up and his early stuff (Fire & Ice and prior) is just too good. As a musician, I don't think he put too much thought in evolving his sound or his music. 

Listening to Loomis on his latest album, I couldn't help but think that Yngwie could have developed his style and sounded just like that, but I will not hold my breath waiting for it to happen. That's why, to me, Loomis is a godsend


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## Miijk (Sep 25, 2013)

I respect him as a musician and I agree he is technicaly very good! Altho tbh, I saw him live last summer and I just got really bored after 20 min and left after 30 min. 

He is a virtuoso guitarist and he knows it too well I'm afraid


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## Luke Scicluna (Sep 25, 2013)

I love the guy. He was the guy who got me into shred and into metal styles, and has always been a huge inspiration. I particularly love Far Beyond the Sun and the concert he had done with the Japanese orchestra. Then again, I'm a big fan of classical music and fast playing, so that might be the reason I like him so much. Rising Force is one of my five favourite albums of all time, the rest being mostly Dream Theater  I love his phrygian and harmonic phrasing and I love how the guy visibly plays just to have fun, and to hell with not being sloppy (the opposite of my other favorite guitarist, John Petrucci). He has a horrible ego and too much money though.


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## CrushingAnvil (Sep 25, 2013)

I don't actually understand how people can dislike Malmsteen in any way. 

Every aspiring rock guitar player should listen to the whole of _Rising Force_ at least once.


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## CrushingAnvil (Sep 25, 2013)

Breakdown said:


> He is a great player, and IMO one of the best in that whole 80's hair metal scene but he seems extremely egotistical and he is stuck in the past, the dude dresses like its still 1987.



>implying that being fabulous as f*ck is a bad thing.

Get out.


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## Mprinsje (Sep 25, 2013)

Great player, but really not my jam.

I wish i could dress like him and get away with it though.


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## troyguitar (Sep 25, 2013)

He's the reason I started playing guitar.


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## ghostred7 (Sep 25, 2013)

troyguitar said:


> He's the reason I started playing guitar.


 ^This


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## Louis Cypher (Sep 25, 2013)

Mprinsje said:


> I wish i could dress like him and get away with it though.


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## metallatem (Sep 25, 2013)

I was 17 years old in 1984 when my friend made a tape of Rising Force for me. I listened to it in stunned silence about 5 times, then picked up my guitar in a fruitless attempt to play something similar to what I had just heard. 

He's a legend. A weird, obnoxious, egotistical dude, but a legend nonetheless.


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## bobbyprayogo (Sep 25, 2013)

CrushingAnvil said:


> I don't actually understand how people can dislike Malmsteen in any way.
> 
> Every aspiring rock guitar player should listen to the whole of _Rising Force_ at least once.



Agree


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## Doug N (Sep 25, 2013)

Are we talking about Ygnwie J. Malmsteen here? 

When I first heard him back in the 80's I was put off by the keyboards, because I basically hated any band that had keys. I was also much more into the type of distortion that EVH, Rhodes, and Gilbert were known for, and the YJM sound was one that I had to learn to appreciate. 

But now - the first three Malmsteen albums + Steeler/Alcatrazz? Yes please.


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## eaeolian (Sep 25, 2013)

Bloody_Inferno said:


> Related:




Pretty much impossible to argue with that.

When he was young, he was brilliant. Like Clapton - the guy who could "say more with one note" - he lapsed into self-parody later in his career.

That said, if you can catch him in an "on" night, he's still as good as anyone.


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## eaeolian (Sep 25, 2013)

Stuck_in_a_dream said:


> Listening to Loomis on his latest album, I couldn't help but think that Yngwie could have developed his style and sounded just like that, but I will not hold my breath waiting for it to happen. That's why, to me, Loomis is a godsend



Eh, not too sure about that. If any of the "modern" guys are a direct Yngwie descendant, it's Romeo, not Loomis.


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## 77zark77 (Sep 25, 2013)

He's the guy who caused my transition from classical piano to Heavy Metal guitar  (and Accept with Metal heart 'cos of the "Für Elise" transcription)

Fantastic guitarist, the guy without a guitar.... I don't mind


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## Forkface (Sep 25, 2013)

I find him kinda boring, I can't really listen to any of his songs completely.
that said, he plays like his hands are on fire.


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## guitareben (Sep 25, 2013)

He's the original shredder, and one of the few that actually cares about the music. Sure, all his music after the first three albums is the same, but that's because he likes it that way... so I guess that's cool. 

I think his playing is great. I had heard lots of shredders play (and I was bored stiff by most) and stuff before hearing "Rising Force", but that album just blew me away. I mean, you listen to him and you know he means it, like, I don't think its an ego thing him playing fast (though he does have a large ego), to me it sounds very honest. 
The music just has huge, angry energy, and his vibrato and tone are fantastic. Heck, his compositions are good too! 

Probably one of my top 'shredders'. 

Also,  15:22 

He articulates it far better than I


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## Necris (Sep 25, 2013)

I refuse to pronounce his name correctly.


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## ncfiala (Sep 25, 2013)

I've got the first Rising Force CD but that's it. I pop it in occasionally. He's a great player but I couldn't listen to it every day. I couldn't care less about his persona.


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## Leveebreaks (Sep 25, 2013)

He don't like donuts


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## TheShreddinHand (Sep 25, 2013)

eaeolian said:


> Eh, not too sure about that. If any of the "modern" guys are a direct Yngwie descendant, it's Romeo, not Loomis.



I was thinking Romeo as well. Also, while not modern, Timo Tolkki is very "yngwie"ish.


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 25, 2013)

kelly simonz is a newer version of yngwie.


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## Randy (Sep 25, 2013)

Necris said:


> I refuse to pronounce his name correctly.



"Noogie"?


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## ghost2II2 (Sep 25, 2013)

First 3 albums: One of the most influential guitarists to ever hit.

Everything after: An egotistical, unprofessional, tempermental, self-important, selfish, tactless, puffed-up bag of wind, who may have stood half a chance had he been able to stop stealing from J.S. Bach, and gotten out of the way of his own ego.


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## wakjob (Sep 25, 2013)

I haven't read anything in this thread, so I'll say this...

I think he's grown more as a person in recent years. He _seems_ more humble, respectful and forgiving.

But when I listen to him play lately, I hear a few bars or segments of music every once in a while that actually move me. 
And I thinking "YES!, expand on that!!!" 
But then he just returns to what he calls his "bread and butter". Just a blaze of notes.


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## Addison90 (Sep 25, 2013)

One of the few shredders that can play the blues, also has great sense of dynamics (you know, things like expressive vibrato that emulate the human voice, microtonal bends, changing up the&#65279; pick attack)


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## Icecold (Sep 26, 2013)

The coolest lead guitar style ever. People have been ripping off that guy for years for a reason.


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## CrushingAnvil (Sep 26, 2013)

Necris said:


> I refuse to pronounce his name correctly.



My buddy says 'Ying-wee' and I never accommodate that pronunciation 

"You mean 'ing-vey'?"


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## Louis Cypher (Sep 26, 2013)

I think you need a little bit of "Bat sh1t CRAZY!!!" in your Rock Stars, plus I would say that there are a fair few other musicians WAAAAAAY more egotistical and sh1tty that YJM (and with far less talent or reason to be either)

That said I agree with wakjob that last few years his ego seems to have mellowed a bit.



Addison90 said:


> One of the few shredders that can play the blues, also has great sense of dynamics (you know, things like expressive vibrato that emulate the human voice, microtonal bends, changing up the&#65279; pick attack)



This too actually, I really like the way he plays when he goes all blues, not many "shredders" can really play blues influenced guitar with any conviction or taste but Ying Wee def can.


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## BIG ND SWEATY (Sep 26, 2013)

I strongly dislike his playing and tone but his technique is something to marvel at


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## monkeysuncle (Sep 26, 2013)

cocaine's a helluva drug


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 26, 2013)

monkeysuncle said:


> cocaine's a helluva drug




O you know his wife....


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## wespaul (Sep 26, 2013)

I love that Guitar World article where they play him music from various guitarists (without mentioning their names) and he rips them to shreds, telling them they're out of tune, or their vibrato sucks. Then they tell him it's Joe Satriani and he laughs and says he must've been sick the day he recorded it or something. I laugh my ass off every time I read it, especially since he's one of the only guys who can get away with critiquing high level players like that.

EDIT -- a quick search revealed this site: http://www.angelfire.com/musicals/zimi/pages/misc/yngwie_rates.html


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## FallOfHumanity (Sep 26, 2013)

I respect him as a musician, but cannot stand him as a person. His attitude just seems so egotistical. But, he's a legend, so maybe it's all part of the persona.


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## onefingersweep (Sep 26, 2013)

One of my favorite guitarists for sure. He's a legend, few guitarist or musicians for that matter have such a distinctive sound as Yngwie has. Like it or not, no one can deny he's great at what he does. Personally I love it and I would probably never have kept on playing guitar if it weren't for him.

These days he's not as good but he's still a legend!


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## onefingersweep (Sep 26, 2013)

wespaul said:


> I love that Guitar World article where they play him music from various guitarists (without mentioning their names) and he rips them to shreds, telling them they're out of tune, or their vibrato sucks. Then they tell him it's Joe Satriani and he laughs and says he must've been sick the day he recorded it or something. I laugh my ass off every time I read it, especially since he's one of the only guys who can get away with critiquing high level players like that.
> 
> EDIT -- a quick search revealed this site: Smells Like Mean Spirit Interview



Haha that one is a classic. 

"It's very basic bullshit pentatonic runs"

Hahahaha 

He's a funny guy also.

He actually said once that he stopped commenting on others playing because people complained so much about him being arrogant. I think thats a shame because I would love to see more articles like that!


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## CrushingAnvil (Sep 26, 2013)

SoundsOfAtlas said:


> I respect him as a musician, but cannot stand him as a person. His attitude just seems so egotistical. But, he's a legend, so maybe it's all part of the persona.



HEY YOU GUYS CHECK IT OUT THIS GUY LEGIT-KNOWS YNGWIE MALMSTEEN WOW.


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## Axayacatl (Sep 26, 2013)

CrushingAnvil said:


> HEY YOU GUYS CHECK IT OUT THIS GUY LEGIT-KNOWS YNGWIE MALMSTEEN WOW.





 awesome


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## jimwratt (Sep 26, 2013)

The tone, chops, and showmanship are legend status and have left a mark. It's unnecessary to discuss things further. It is what it is.

Personality wise, I think he represents the worst of what technically-oriented guitar and classical music mean to the outside world. Arrogance, prima donna antics, etc.


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 26, 2013)

theres some expensive duds there.


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 26, 2013)




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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 26, 2013)

and a funny one


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## Xiphos68 (Sep 26, 2013)

IbanezDaemon said:


> A Genius. A true pioneer of rock guitar and you can only count guys like that on one hand. His first 3 solo albums and Alcatrazz No Parole are Godlike, amazing phrasing and unparalled vibrato. Sadly he never took it further than that, far too dependent on Harmonic Minor, Aeolian, Phrygian/Dominant and Diminished/Min7/b5 arps etc.
> 
> His influence though is possibly bigger than Van Halen's ever was...just my 2 cents....just check out all those guys on Youtube. Ask guys like Jason Becker and Jeff Loomis etc etc ad infinitum as well. A true guitar god, not many people may like him as a person or indeed a player but you cannot deny the influence he has had on rock guitar. His 1984 Rising Force debut album was truly groundbreaking. There are faster players....hell there are better shredders but without Yngwie they wouldn't exist. Respect is due!!



I mean "Time Magazine" did have in him in their Top 10 Guitarists Ever. 

Not to mention...

Michael Romeo
Every power metal band in existence... 

Plus he has a sick a signature model! I got to play one for the first time the other day, great guitar!




I would love to read his book though and Joe Satriani is also coming out with a memoir in 2014 also.


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## bobbyprayogo (Sep 27, 2013)

CrushingAnvil said:


> HEY YOU GUYS CHECK IT OUT THIS GUY LEGIT-KNOWS YNGWIE MALMSTEEN WOW.



Exactly what I thought 

I thought of the same thing every time somebody comment that he's douchebag, arrogant or any other negative attitude, as if they're working with Yngwie on daily basis or know him personally.
Unless someone know Yngwie personally, I think commenting on his attitude is irrelevant.

Most comment on Yngwie we've heard so far:
1. He's douche/arrogant >> Irrelevant 
2. He played nothing new in the last 20 years >> not accurate.
Even though it's true, it is nothing to complain about. You want blues you listen to BB King, you want hard rock you listen to Slash (or any other artist in their genre). If blues player can play I IV V progression, why can't neoclassical shredder play harmonic minor? (of course neoclassical guitarist don't always play harmonic minor, but a lot of people comment that Yngwie always play harmonic minor).
3. He lacked the souls in his playing >> One of the most ignorant comment
4. He only has great guitar technique, nothing else >> not an accurate comment on Yngwie's ability because of 2 reasons: First, of course he's not only has great guitar technique, but also composition and improvisation and other musical skills. Second, most people comment on his technique as if it's just a small part of guitar playing, when actually he's the master of MANY guitar techniqueS. That's like saying Michael Jordan has great Basketball skill, nothing else (when in fact basketball has a lot of aspects in it, same goes for guitar technique).



wespaul said:


> I love that Guitar World article where they play him music from various guitarists (without mentioning their names) and he rips them to shreds, telling them they're out of tune, or their vibrato sucks. Then they tell him it's Joe Satriani and he laughs and says he must've been sick the day he recorded it or something. I laugh my ass off every time I read it, especially since he's one of the only guys who can get away with critiquing high level players like that.
> 
> EDIT -- a quick search revealed this site: Smells Like Mean Spirit Interview



That's hilarious  and clever comment at the same time. 
Definitely he can comment intelligently on the music.


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## onefingersweep (Sep 27, 2013)

bobbyprayogo said:


> That's hilarious  and clever comment at the same time.
> Definitely he can comment intelligently on the music.



The fact that he praise Lars Ulrich and give harsh critic to Mike Portnoy is just hilarious   

His comments are funny as hell 

His comment on Metallica is spot on, thats exactly like I feel about them also.


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## Louis Cypher (Sep 27, 2013)

bobbyprayogo said:


> Most comment on Yngwie we've heard so far:
> 1. He's douche/arrogant >> Irrelevant
> 2. He played nothing new in the last 20 years >> not accurate.
> 3. He lacked the souls in his playing >> One of the most ignorant comment
> 4. He only has great guitar technique, nothing else >> not an accurate



Totally agree dude.... and I submit exhibit A re points 3 & 4.... 
Blues Yngwie style..... seriously I actually love his playing on this version of Red House, so its not strict blues but fcuk that, Hendrix wasn't strict blues either, and imo this is chocca block with "soul" and "feeling" 
A Big Red house full of awesome!


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## shawnperolis (Sep 27, 2013)

I like Yngwie a lot, but he is a huge joke. His guitar playing is absolutely amazing, but he dresses like a clown and has a ridiculous ego problem. I also think his guitar tone is dildos and his mustard yellow strat is one of the ugliest guitars ever. All of his non-instrumental songs are extremely rubbish, too. But I love Yngwie hahaha


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## ilyti (Sep 27, 2013)

So has anyone read his autobiography? It came out earlier this year, Idontpersonally posted the cover, and now I'm trying to find it.


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 27, 2013)




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## thesilentcircus (Sep 27, 2013)

I too always heard the good ol, YNGWIE IS JUST A EGO DICK, etc etc comments always but eh it's a part of that guitar god stigma yada yada. 

Genuinely thing he is nice and honest in this Rig Rundown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDhNu0x6QgY


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## F1Filter (Sep 28, 2013)

ilyti said:


> So has anyone read his autobiography? It came out earlier this year, Idontpersonally posted the cover, and now I'm trying to find it.



Yes, it's OK. That majority of what's written in it has been mentioned several times in interviews however. I just got the impression that several things were glossed over quite a bit. It could also have been that Yng was such a rampant drunk at the time, that he just doesnt remember what happened.

Definitely check out the 'Unauthorized' biography "As Above, So Below" by Anders Tengner. It's a great companion to Yng's autobiography, in that former bandmates like Joe Lynn Turner and the Johansson Bros go into a lot more detail about what Yng was like back then.


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## tacotiklah (Sep 28, 2013)

Meh. He's one of the shredders that I dislike and just cannot reconcile myself with his music. I don't deny that he's been a very huge influence on shred guitar and set the bar super high with his Rising Force album, but I'm from the school of riffs, so the wheedly-wee stuff is a bit lost on me.

It seems like back in the day he was well regarded for how fast he could play guitar. Nowadays he seems more known for his kinda douchey attitude and how fast he can pack away a baker's dozen. 


Edit:
Come to think of it, Michael Romeo is how Yngwie should sound nowadays vs trying to relive Rising Force over and over again.


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## Idontpersonally (Sep 29, 2013)

Relentless: The Memoir: Yngwie J. Malmsteen: 9781118517710: Amazon.com: Books


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## TheUnvanquished (Sep 29, 2013)

Marching Out is one of my favorite albums ever. 

But seriously, he's a fatso.

No but really seriously, his early albums slay.


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## JoshuaVonFlash (Sep 29, 2013)

Might I ask how are you still alive?


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## wat (Sep 30, 2013)

Great playing, awful songs.


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## CrushingAnvil (Oct 1, 2013)

CrushingAnvil said:


> HEY YOU GUYS CHECK IT OUT THIS GUY LEGIT-KNOWS YNGWIE MALMSTEEN WOW.



I got negged for this

( &#865;° &#860;&#662; &#865;°)


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## CrushingAnvil (Oct 1, 2013)

wat said:


> Great playing, awful songs.



[Big Lebowski quote]


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## Rylynn (Oct 1, 2013)

heregoesnothing said:


> _
> "He plays with passion, he plays with sincerity, a lot of the clones that came out missed that part, they just copied the technique, and missed the spirit behind it. Yngwie has an incomparable vibrato, which his detractors choose to ignore._"



^^^


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## CrushingAnvil (Oct 3, 2013)

Rylynn said:


> ^^^



^^^

I'm in agreement with that agreement of that statement.


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