Debating Yngwie J. Malmsteen

[Jimbo]

It's on.

[TIM (2)]

Well I'm not sure whether he's innovative, but he's sure as hell got a lot of talent. He was the inspiration for an awful lot of the young breed of hotshot guitarists & even to a lot of modern bands playing today - whether they'd admit it or not. His amazing sweep-picking is a major part of so many Modern Bands these days (most Modern Metal bands will sweep-pick arpeggios instead of use riffs) & he is the master at that technique IMO.

 

I don't always (or even often) like his music, but I still voted for the first option....

[spectrefate]

I don't think its as cut and dry as the 2 choices would suggest. Yngwie was an innovative guitarist at one time. He's made some really great records, but during the 90's and '00's he's painted himself in a corner producing music that either has horrible production, is very samey, or both.

 

I still have hope he has another great album in him. Perpetual Flame is pretty close, IMO.

[Blue Charvel]

Well I'm not sure whether he's innovative, but he's sure as hell got a lot of talent. He was the inspiration for an awful lot of the young breed of hotshot guitarists & even to a lot of modern bands playing today - whether they'd admit it or not. His amazing sweep-picking is a major part of so many Modern Bands these days (most Modern Metal bands will sweep-pick arpeggios instead of use riffs) & he is the master at that technique IMO.

 

I don't always (or even often) like his music, but I still voted for the first option....

except I really loved a lot of his stuff. I don't listen to it as much now, but not because I dislike it, just because I have SO much other stuff to listen to...

 

There were other guitarists incorporating classical into their playing (Blackmore comes to mind), but NOBODY took it to the level Yngwie did. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a guitarist from the Shrapnel Records roster that wasn't HEAVILY influenced by YJM's playing and it spread outward from there.

[Fat Freddy]

He's a wanker. Hell, he practically INVENTED metal-guitar wanking.

[heaven&hell]

He was an innovator at one time but in recent years he's become a one trick pony.

The last album with Ripper was okay but the previous 4 studio albums were very average with Facing the Animal with Mats Leven the best thing he's done since the Eclipse release with Edman.

[TIM (2)]

the best thing he's done since the Eclipse release with Edman.

 

Now that was a great album. One of the rare times he's managed to combine awesome playing with great songwriting....

[Metal T]

Randy Rhoads had intertwined some classical influences into his playing before Yngwie even hit the scene...Yngwie took the ball and ran with it.EVH and RR id put ahead of Malmsteen as far as innovation goes..just my take.

[aMetalhead1966]

Yngwie Is a Major Talent...He took Blackmore's Look and Rhythm style

and added Uli Jon Roth's Solo style to it then made it his own. He has

an amazing sense and feel for Classical Music and he's got his own sound.

His technique is flawless and he has an incredible command over the guitar,

Sure others had touched upon Classical Metal before, but he took it farther

than anyone and really made it is HIS style. Others are pretenders to that style.

He is a MAJOR influence on me and Many Guitar players...I'm a huge fan of his..

Having said all that, He has become a Parody of himself as far as song writing. Yngwie

has the **Michael Schenker** syndrome, Great Player who surrounds himself

with second rate Musicians and Songs ( the latter as of late). When He guests on other's projects as he did on Derek Sherinian 's Black Utopia release, he is challenged with

playing over tracks that venture far outside of his strictly Baroque style, and comes up with Outstanding stuff!! He really needs the support of TOP musicians Who Have their own style and are able to inject their ideas in the music as well as his. Since he writes all the music and most of the lyrics, melodies, he ends up repeating himself which is not a bad thing when it's Good, but can really suck in the material is average. If he is going to stay in his style, then I'd like to see him do something with Ronnie James Dio, Derek Sherinian, Bob Daisley Tommy Aldridge...Yes it would a Souped Up version of Rainbow, but I think the Music would probably be really good. The Thing is that egos (his) would come into play and would probably kill any sort of thing they were doing. Okay that will probably be my longest post for this year!! LOL

 

EDIT:

 

** I really Mean LGS, Lead Guitar Syndrome ** Players Like Michael, George Lynch

Uli Jon Roth who seem to bad decisions, go through many line up changes etc..

very common to LSD, Lead Singer Disease...

[Dead Planet]

I chose the second option.....not because he isn't talented but because I'm not a fan....

[sharatan]

Yngwie Is a Major Talent...He took Blackmore's Look and Rhythm style

and added Uli Jon Roth's Solo style to it then made it his own. He has

an amazing sense and feel for Classical Music and he's got his own sound.

His technique is flawless and he has an incredible command over the guitar,

Sure others had touched upon Classical Metal before, but he took it farther

than anyone and really made it is HIS style. Others are pretenders to that style.

He is a MAJOR influence on me and Many Guitar players...I'm a huge fan of his..

Having said all that, He has become a Parody of himself as far as song writing. Yngwie

has the Michael Schenker syndrome, Great Player who surrounds himself

with second rate Musicians and Songs ( the latter as of late). When He guests on other's projects as he did on Derek Sherinian 's Black Utopia release, he is challenged with

playing over tracks that venture far outside of his strictly Baroque style, and comes up with Outstanding stuff!! He really needs the support of TOP musicians Who Have their own style and are able to inject their ideas in the music as well as his. Since he writes all the music and most of the lyrics, melodies, he ends up repeating himself which is not a bad thing when it's Good, but can really suck in the material is average. If he is going to stay in his style, then I'd like to see him do something with Ronnie James Dio, Derek Sherinian, Bob Daisley Tommy Aldridge...Yes it would a Souped Up version of Rainbow, but I think the Music would probably be really good. The Thing is that egos (his) would come into play and would probably kill any sort of thing they were doing. Okay that will probably be my longest post for this year!! LOL

 

i'd love to know who are the 2nd rate musicians....except ripper i don't know anybody else.... leven was one till yngwie made him great....

 

 

also yngwie has the best guitars, had and has the best women, has great shirts and leather pants, plays great tennis for a not professional tennis player and read more books than anybody else around and he's the only one that can compose pure pieces of classical music with some voltage of electricity....i could argue that he has also the best cars but i'm not a ferrari maniac....

[Fat Freddy]

When it comes to Classical Guitar Wankery and Ego, the only person on the planet who can challenge Yngwie on both fronts is The Great Kat... the two of'em oughta have a Shred Battle and put it on Pay Per View!

[sharatan]

When it comes to Classical Guitar Wankery and Ego, the only person on the planet who can challenge Yngwie on both fronts is The Great Kat... the two of'em oughta have a Shred Battle and put it on Pay Per View!

 

well he's still living at least...in contrary to the rotten ones.....

[Jez]

I voted A) on this one, as he has all those descriptions and more and is an excellent player. Saying that, I also think his song writing skills are really not very good at all (especially recently) and for me, he has only ever released 3 completely killer discs in total (Trilogy, Odyssey and Eclipse). Yes there are lots of odd songs here and there, but 3 great albums out of 15 studio discs really isn't very good odds for me.

[Jimbo]

I voted A) on this one, as he has all those descriptions and more and is an excellent player. Saying that, I also think his song writing skills are really not very good at all (especially recently) and for me, he has only ever released 3 completely killer discs in total (Trilogy, Odyssey and Eclipse). Yes there are lots of odd songs here and there, but 3 great albums out of 15 studio discs really isn't very good odds for me.

 

I would add his stint in Alcatrazz also, but otherwise you are right on.

[spectrefate]

I think Yngwie has 2 great 5-star albums (Trilogy, Odyssey) and 6 really good ones (Rising Force, Marching Out, Eclipse, Seventh Sign, Magnum Opus, Perpetual Burn). The others have their moments, but are real spotty for me.

[TIM (2)]

When it comes to Classical Guitar Wankery and Ego, the only person on the planet who can challenge Yngwie on both fronts is The Great Kat... the two of'em oughta have a Shred Battle and put it on Pay Per View!

 

I'm not sure that's a fair comparison. Aside from all the ego & ridiculous imagery, Kat is an appallingly sloppy guitar player - with nowhere near the talent that Malmsteen has (regardless of what he chooses to do with that talent).

[Fat Freddy]

When it comes to Classical Guitar Wankery and Ego, the only person on the planet who can challenge Yngwie on both fronts is The Great Kat... the two of'em oughta have a Shred Battle and put it on Pay Per View!

 

I'm not sure that's a fair comparison. Aside from all the ego & ridiculous imagery, Kat is an appallingly sloppy guitar player - with nowhere near the talent that Malmsteen has (regardless of what he chooses to do with that talent).

 

 

Well, ya, the sarcasm light was "on" there... I'm sure Yngwie would smoke her in an out and out shred fest... but it would be fun to watch either way

[Metal T]

Other than Trilogy and the Steeler record he kinda puts me to sleep...and although a different style id much rather listen to Lynch and DeMartini.Yngwie's material doesn't even come close to the recorded work of those guys.

[aMetalhead1966]

i'd love to know who are the 2nd rate musicians....except ripper i don't know anybody else.... leven was one till yngwie made him great....

 

 

also yngwie has the best guitars, had and has the best women, has great shirts and leather pants, plays great tennis for a not professional tennis player and read more books than anybody else around and he's the only one that can compose pure pieces of classical music with some voltage of electricity....i could argue that he has also the best cars but i'm not a ferrari maniac....

First off I am a HUGE Fan of his so I'm not ripping on him, I'm merely saying

he doesn't seem to keep people in his band very long, and as a result relies

on musicians he would normally NOT use at all. His line up changes for

practically every album release/tour etc..

[aMetalhead1966]

the best thing he's done since the Eclipse release with Edman.

 

Now that was a great album. One of the rare times he's managed to combine awesome playing with great songwriting....

My point exactly....though I do think he has done it on several occasions

[TIM (2)]

When it comes to Classical Guitar Wankery and Ego, the only person on the planet who can challenge Yngwie on both fronts is The Great Kat... the two of'em oughta have a Shred Battle and put it on Pay Per View!

 

I'm not sure that's a fair comparison. Aside from all the ego & ridiculous imagery, Kat is an appallingly sloppy guitar player - with nowhere near the talent that Malmsteen has (regardless of what he chooses to do with that talent).

 

 

Well, ya, the sarcasm light was "on" there... I'm sure Yngwie would smoke her in an out and out shred fest... but it would be fun to watch either way

 

True. Maybe with Herman Li from Dragonforce too. He obviously has no chops whatsoever, but he has seriously fast shredding fingers....

[sharatan]

i'd love to know who are the 2nd rate musicians....except ripper i don't know anybody else.... leven was one till yngwie made him great....

 

 

also yngwie has the best guitars, had and has the best women, has great shirts and leather pants, plays great tennis for a not professional tennis player and read more books than anybody else around and he's the only one that can compose pure pieces of classical music with some voltage of electricity....i could argue that he has also the best cars but i'm not a ferrari maniac....

First off I am a HUGE Fan of his so I'm not ripping on him, I'm merely saying

he doesn't seem to keep people in his band very long, and as a result relies

on musicians he would normally NOT use at all. His line up changes for

practically every album release/tour etc..

 

 

my friend, i respect your opinions and definately you have the right to have your own opinion, no matter if i agree or disagree etc etc etc. so you don't have to tell me if you love or don't love maestro and his music. he's the one that pays the musicians. so he can do what ever he likes. why don't you write the same for purple or rainbow etc even maiden-the whole london's music scene came to their rehearsal room in their early stage....

 

boals may say whatever he wants, that yngwie didn't want him to write vox melodies or lyrics etc etc but yet when lande left, he replied immidiately to his call and came with him in greece for a show that yngwie was paid in advance(how selfish of him to make that show from the moment he got the money without any terms in the contract for a cancellation- yngwie rarely cancells shows)....also randy coven responded(and that night came with 2 extra terrestial bass songs, not only solos etc...how selfish of yngwie to let him show off!)....and that night in another explosive demostration of yngwie's ego boals did the whole nessun dorma(yeah, i know kinda lame these days)....in general they may say and write whatever they want but i'm sure they're in that bank closets they day after they get their royalties' checks from their appearance in maestro's works.....

 

 

let alone the countless contributions from yngwie to their other musical endeavors....if ya need examples just let me know and i'll write some...and the common factor to all of them is the sticker in the cover, for example " solo on track 4 for by yngwie"....what an ego celebration is that......only one solo and yet a sticker on the cover.....

 

 

the other day, leven, asked me $100 for a demotape he had with his first band....ya know, he's an ex yngwie singer now.....

[metalmaniac777]

I picked Option #2 simply because I can't stand the dull, boring, egotistical wanker. Fair? No. True? Abso-fucking-lutely.

[eaglesfan3000]

I think he's a big fat fucking faggot.