Guitar World archive: Yngwie Malmsteen Critiques the Playing of His Peers

[ELVIS]

I've always maintained that if Yngwie had narrowed his countless albums down to about six or so, and left out all of the filler repeat crap, he would have much wider appeal...

[sadaist]

I've always maintained that if Yngwie had narrowed his countless albums down to about six or so, and left out all of the filler repeat crap, he would have much wider appeal...

Is that a similar approach as 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'?

LOL...go away & we'll like you more. It worked for you E.

[ELVIS]

Aww...

I feel the love...

[ThrillsNSpills]

Yngwie had some good stuff in the mid 90's with Vescera on vocals.

I don't know how available it was at the time, I found it years later on the Spitfire label.

[Terry]

Malmsteen is certainly an accomplished player - much more than just mere speed. He has a well-honed sense of melodic theory; I never got the sense that he doesn't know exactly what he's doing with each note played and exactly where he's going with the following notes. His playing isn't that of accidents that can either sound great or sound terrible. Very controlled. Rising Force and Marching Out are brilliant: highwater marks of European-style metal guitar.

It's his inability to write simple, catchy tunes that has kept him a cult artist. There's little universal appeal in what he's doing. He's technically brilliant, clearly doesn't suffer from a lack of ego - it's his inability to realize that in rock sometimes less is more in terms of reaching a wide audience...or perhaps he is fully aware of this but chooses not to compromise. I get the sense that he feels if he isn't displaying his chops on everything he plays, somehow he's failing...or dumbing himself down...or playing to less than his abilities.

This comes across clearly in the his attempts in the late 1980s to capture a wider market with such third-rate Dio ripoff tracks as You Don't Remember (I'll Never Forget). Half-assed lyrics, inane main riffs, brilliant solos.

Funny enough, I still found myself agreeing with quite a bit of what he said in his reviews outside of Jeff Back.

[ELVIS]

I like You Don't Remember...

[Terry]

I like You Don't Remember...

Really?

That track always struck me as a ham-fisted attempt at a Dioesque tune circa Sacred Heart album period (not Dio's best, IMO).

[ELVIS]

I thought it was catchy...

BTW, I picked up Sacred Heart at a pawn shop...not catchy...

[Etienne]

I've always maintained that if Yngwie had narrowed his countless albums down to about six or so, and left out all of the filler repeat crap, he would have much wider appeal...

These repeats are the core of his style. But I would love to hear a just for fun whole blues album from Yngwie. Something he is also very good at it.

Red House is a proof:

[Panamark]

If Gary Moore is 'sloppy' I don't know where that leaves the rest of us...

I'd rate Gary Moore as high, maybe even higher than Dave Gilmour as a dude that is
absolutely "tasty" in his expression while idling, and up there with Stevie Ray Vaughan
when he puts the foot down. Gary Moore makes it cry and sing with a 2 note scale.
That ability to me is equally as impressive as the speed of light minor apeggios
that Yngwie effortlessly delivers. If you could do both to the extremities of excellence,
you would be the King. EVH does have some claims here.

[Panamark]

These repeats are the core of his style. But I would love to hear a just for fun whole blues album from Yngwie. Something he is also very good at it.

Red House is a proof:

Impossible to be a guitarist and not like at least one run or passage of play here.
Ironically plenty of pentatonic stuff that he ripped on in the GW interview.
The cat can sing better than me too ! Dammit.
Nice clip, made the smile muscles work for a while........

[Etienne]

Impossible to be a guitarist and not like at least one run or passage of play here.

That could be a problem if he would do a whole blues album. His challenge would be not to unleash the fury in every song with every blues lick he knows. Enough room that Malmsteen's very good tone can shine.

He said once he is a B.B. King fan! On the other hand, I'm not the one who says Yngwie plays too many notes. Fluidity is part of his style.

Ironically plenty of pentatonic stuff that he ripped on in the GW interview. ...

... and not so Chuck Berry free as he maybe would wish

[ELVIS]

These repeats are the core of his style.

I meant repeat songs...

[Panamark]

I dont think I have heard a better sweeper than Yngwie.....
He is the master of sweep picking.
Would have been cool to see him employed as Ozzy's guitarist..

But Im thinking he does ok on his own without having to perform
unspeakable acts with Sharon when Ozzy is passed out !

[ELVIS]

I wanted Yngwie and Dio to make an album or two...