Yngwie Stories

[Jacksons Shred]

Alright, I'm kind of curious about this, we've all heard that Yngwie Malmsteen is a giant prick and has a giant ego, whether it's true or not, we've all heard it a ton of times. It's always fascinated me, because I think a big part of Yngwie's playing is his attitude he puts into his music. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone has any specific incidents (good or bad) of meeting Yngwie and or hearing stories about his "giant ego" or him being an asshole.

Go.

[horns666]

Clevo-John talked with him and said he was a completely awesome dude.

[ulijdavid]

I met Yngwie way back in the 80's. He had just left Alcatrazz and was touring for the first Rising Force album. This was in Connecticut at the Agora Ballroom. Before the doors even opened to get in, Yngwie and the band were outside talking to people. Yngwie spoke great english - kind of a "stoner" type dialect. He was very cool and didn't seem to have any chip on his shoulder. I do remember Jens and Anders taking two groupies car and smashing into another car. They were cool...just got out of the car and walked by security into the club and left the two sluts to deal with the accident. Great show. Say what you want about the guy. But, he can play. I actually think his playing and note selection was better way back then.

[Jacksons Shred]

Yeah.. Yng definitely was better back then, he cared about phrasing a lot more and his sense of melody was awesome. I was watching a concert of him in 85 with JSS singing and he played so great, that era Yngwie inspires me so much..

[veemagic]

I saw him in the lower level of this club in '93-'94. Actually it wasn't more than a basement of this club. HE pissed his entire band off and ordered them to leave the stage. He then stormed off. This all went down with-in the first 10 minutes or so. After another 10 minutes he walked back on with an acoustic and a stool. He played the remainder of his set all by himself and glaring back stage at his band members. He was fucking amazing. There may have been 100-125 people and we all had our mouths open and in complete awe. One of my top ten shows I have ever seen.

[horns666]

IN 2000, Jorne Lande got arrested when he wailed on Yngwie during a show in Cleveland.

I missed it..but that had to be hilarious!!

[clifffclaven]

when i saw him at the mirage in minneapolis (95 maybe?) his drummer was spitting on him the whole set. yng was soooo drunk, every song he would say "id like you to meet my wife"- except it sounded like idlikasjklh;flkyoukl;hfwmeetfhk;wmyvife. Anyway, his 105lb double D wife would come out with a beer, and cig, yng would slam the beer, take a drag and then solo.

[wetrx95]

I saw him in the early 90's in the small club in Providence, RI. I swear to God the stage was only about a foot above the floor. Anyhoo, he starts playing Black Star. Just before the electric guitar part he fretted a chord wrong. I was waiting for lift off, but he gave a small laugh, said, 'Sorry, I fucked that up, let me try it again.' I picked my jaw off the floor and he started over from the very beginning. It was an awesome show. I think this was about the time Eclipse was out, not sure though. It's good to see that he's still around and playing. Although, he has GOT to lose the 80's outfits...MAN! He should join RJD and wear tunics while he's at it. (Uh, RJD is awesome...don't want to get lynched).

[jgcable]

He is a very nice guy. He has a typical virtuoso personality because that is exactly what he is. I would assume his personality is the same as any of the past virtuosos.
Fender should kiss his ass for eternity. How many virtuoso players out there have been playing the same guitar since the beginning? (and don't give me the load of crap about Aria or Chandler). Those were short lived stop gaps while he was working with Fender behind the scenes on his sig strat.
The only better neo classical guitar player on the planet.. or who has ever lived...
is Uli Jon Roth.. who (from what Bill told me) is the nicest virtuoso you could ever meet and who is practically pro at table hockey (foosball).

[mr426]

Actully didn't he have a Schecter signiture guitar waaay before he endorsed Fender?

[Trem]

met him twice, once he was kinda the dicky type yngwie, and the other he was cool. i think most of the dick attitude was alcohol, and he was being more of a dick to his wife than anything at any rate what you see is what he's like in interviews ect - overall cool guy with a moderate rockstar ego, possibly with a tad bit of mustaine-itus

[Rupe]

Actully didn't he have a Schecter signiture guitar waaay before he endorsed Fender?

Yes he did...I used to play one at my local music store back in high school. Awesome guitar but it sat there for well over a year. I loved the reverse Strat headstock at that time.

[Shawn Lutz]

I never met him but I dont care if he's fat or skinny, a dick or really cool. The dude is an awesome player and had a profound impact on the way people play guitar today along with Jimi, Eddie and Randy...Yngwie is right up there.

I saw Yngwie just before the release of "Marcing out" at Detroit's St. Andrews hall (about the size of a small high school gym) and the dude killed. It was really cool because no one heard any of the marching out stuff and they played several songs off that album. I thought it would be all Rising force and a couple Alcarazz songs. Jeff Scott Sotto was awesome as well. Yngwie was LOUD but man, you could feel every note he played. One of the best shows I ever seen, a small venue and genreal admission let me get couple feet away from him but the fucker never stood in one spot very long

[roodyrocker]

I've met him at NAMM a few times and saw him walking around there at times when he wasn't scheduled to be signing autographs. People would stop him for pix and autographs anyway and I never saw him act like a jerk to anyone. Was always cordial at the autograph signing sessions too. And of course he shreds like crazy so I say to Yngwie

[missionguitars1]

I've met him at NAMM a few times and saw him walking around there at times when he wasn't scheduled to be signing autographs. People would stop him for pix and autographs anyway and I never saw him act like a jerk to anyone. Was always cordial at the autograph signing sessions too. And of course he shreds like crazy so I say to Yngwie

+1 - I've spoken to him a few times at NAMM (usually at the Dean Markley booth) and he's always been cordial, loves to mug for photos, and wears the same lace-up black leather pants/cowboy boots/unbuttoned shirt/cop shades as he did 20+ years ago...only oddity I've ever had with him is he shakes hands with his left hand (as in "no one's allowed to touch my right hand") which I've seen him do with others as well...not sure what's up with that, I just chalk it up to him being a little "off" like his idol Blackmore...