The rampant ego of Yngwie J Malmsteen

What's Hot
13

Comments

  • TeetonetalTeetonetal Frets: 7801
    Kilgore said:
    The thread title would make a good album title. 
    Must admit I was thinking it would be a good band name, though it would make a wonderful title for a concept album!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • darthed1981darthed1981 Frets: 11670
    Bidley said:
    Sounds like he posts on here.
    One of my favourite little games is trying to figure out which well known guitarists post on here, because I'm sure some do.

    Certainly a lot of Internet celebs lurk or find out what gets said about them, I'm sure Mary Spender knows me as "that guy who fancies me off the Fretboard" (ok, maybe not, but she does get told when we talk about her).

    My favourite gear nut guitarists are Graham Coxon and James Dean Bradfield, and I've always loved the idea that they chip in sometimes. :)
    We have to be so very careful, what we believe in...
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • MoominpapaMoominpapa Frets: 1649
    I am in fact a world-famous guitarist who has played with all the top names. But here in my free time I like to keep things on the down low - you know how it is. ;)
    3reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • VibetronicVibetronic Frets: 1036
    He's brilliant, he blatantly doesn't give a fuck what anyone thinks even now (remember reading that article when it came out and it popped up in my FB feed a couple of days ago too!). I do also find the live videos amusing with the rest of the band shoved to one side of the stage!!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • GrumpyrockerGrumpyrocker Frets: 4118

    Some of what he says about pitch and accuracy I'd agree with, but I don't find that especially important all the time. For example, I'd not want another lead player in Metallica... Kirk is an essential part of that band, whether you like it or not.
    I disagree, I don't think Kirk is essential. And I expect the band would have been better off with for example Alex Skolnick or anyone who has been in Megadeth. 

    Heck in performance terms they could do with a better drummer as Lars is holding them back. But at least Lars is essential in terms of songwriting and vision for the band. 

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • KilgoreKilgore Frets: 8599
    I am in fact a world-famous guitarist who has played with all the top names. But here in my free time I like to keep things on the down low - you know how it is. ;)
    I just come on here to see if anyone's buying my signature models.  ;)
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • skullfunkerryskullfunkerry Frets: 4136
    Kilgore said:
    I am in fact a world-famous guitarist who has played with all the top names. But here in my free time I like to keep things on the down low - you know how it is. ;)
    I just come on here to see if anyone's buying my signature models.  ;)
    No, I’m Guitartacus!
    Too much gain... is just about enough \m/

    I'm probably the only member of this forum mentioned by name in Whiskey in the Jar ;)

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • skullfunkerryskullfunkerry Frets: 4136

    Some of what he says about pitch and accuracy I'd agree with, but I don't find that especially important all the time. For example, I'd not want another lead player in Metallica... Kirk is an essential part of that band, whether you like it or not.
    I disagree, I don't think Kirk is essential. And I expect the band would have been better off with for example Alex Skolnick or anyone who has been in Megadeth. 

    Heck in performance terms they could do with a better drummer as Lars is holding them back. But at least Lars is essential in terms of songwriting and vision for the band. 
    I was listening to Death Magnetic the other day, and some of the solos on there are just dreadful tuneless wailing. There are a couple of genuine stinkers on Hardwired as well - in particular the solo in Murder One is completely out of time.
    I’ve read so much stuff about James & Lars being utter perfectionists, I genuinely don’t understand how he gets away with it
    Too much gain... is just about enough \m/

    I'm probably the only member of this forum mentioned by name in Whiskey in the Jar ;)

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • BarquentineBarquentine Frets: 275
    I've just subjected myself to listening to YJM's version of 'Paint it Black' from his, ahem, blues album. It is astonishingly bad. One of the worst things I've ever heard. How he could listen to that and think that it was okay is beyond me.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • KilgoreKilgore Frets: 8599
    I've just subjected myself to listening to YJM's version of 'Paint it Black' from his, ahem, blues album. It is astonishingly bad. One of the worst things I've ever heard. How he could listen to that and think that it was okay is beyond me.
    To be able to play blues, it is alleged that Yngwie sold his soul to Santa at the crossroads. 
    2reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    I like Yngwie's playing in small doses and he was a game changer along with VH and Hendrix. I don't think he understands music as expression though, sometimes things are meant to be out of tune and sometimes a song calls for basic pentatonic wailing on a Wah pedal. 
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516

    Some of what he says about pitch and accuracy I'd agree with, but I don't find that especially important all the time. For example, I'd not want another lead player in Metallica... Kirk is an essential part of that band, whether you like it or not.
    I disagree, I don't think Kirk is essential. And I expect the band would have been better off with for example Alex Skolnick or anyone who has been in Megadeth. 

    Heck in performance terms they could do with a better drummer as Lars is holding them back. But at least Lars is essential in terms of songwriting and vision for the band. 
    I was going to post something similar when I read ThePrettyDamned's post yesterday.  I think Kirk was fine for the first half of Metallica's career, when they were working their way up, spending most of their time on the road or in the studio.  They'd have spent a lot of time together and the blend of personalities worked - two dominant characters, two quieter types who (probably) kept their opinions pretty much to themselves, chipped in a few ideas, did their jobs well and helped to keep the peace. 

    Now they're a bunch of guys in late middle age who spend most of their time away from the band, getting together every five years or so to cobble together a record... and it's all very, very stale.  I'm not saying Kirk should get the boot, but I think now they need either a technical whiz to liven up the sound - a Marty or a Kiko - or a strong personality who pushes his own ideas - maybe a Mustaine?!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280

    Some of what he says about pitch and accuracy I'd agree with, but I don't find that especially important all the time. For example, I'd not want another lead player in Metallica... Kirk is an essential part of that band, whether you like it or not.
    I disagree, I don't think Kirk is essential. And I expect the band would have been better off with for example Alex Skolnick or anyone who has been in Megadeth. 

    Heck in performance terms they could do with a better drummer as Lars is holding them back. But at least Lars is essential in terms of songwriting and vision for the band. 
    I was listening to Death Magnetic the other day, and some of the solos on there are just dreadful tuneless wailing. There are a couple of genuine stinkers on Hardwired as well - in particular the solo in Murder One is completely out of time.
    I’ve read so much stuff about James & Lars being utter perfectionists, I genuinely don’t understand how he gets away with it

    Philly_Q said:
    Offset said:
    What I find incredible is that he couldn't tell it was Jeff Beck playing.  Surely an extremely distinctive technique.  And he didn't know Jessica by The Allmans?!  Had his head been stuck up his arse for all those years?
    To be fair he probably spent a lot more time playing guitar, from an early age, than listening to a wide range of other players.

    If I'd done the same I might be a much better player now... although I probably wouldn't look like Hellboy in a wig and leather trousers.
    I've never been into Kirk bashing particularly, I don't know his playing that well. Having said that I did post a video here a year or two ago, it was him at some charity gig I think improvising with Peter Green's old LP. I thought that his playing was absolutely terrible, although my recollection was that some people here thought it was OK. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71958
    Danny1969 said:
    I like Yngwie's playing in small doses and he was a game changer along with VH and Hendrix. I don't think he understands music as expression though, sometimes things are meant to be out of tune and sometimes a song calls for basic pentatonic wailing on a Wah pedal. 
    I may be wrong, but the only stuff of his I've seen seem to indicate that he has (or had) an amazing ability to widdle blindingly fast but in exactly the same style and with little to no variation over any given piece of music, without any regard for it.

    axisus said:

    I've never been into Kirk bashing particularly, I don't know his playing that well. Having said that I did post a video here a year or two ago, it was him at some charity gig I think improvising with Peter Green's old LP. I thought that his playing was absolutely terrible, although my recollection was that some people here thought it was OK. 
    Yes, I thought it was very good. So did Mick Fleetwood apparently...

    I've always been pleased he bought it - partly because its inherent honky/phasey tone suits his normal choice of sound, and partly because it pisses off all the blues-rock purists who thought it should have gone to someone 'worthy' :).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 6reaction image Wisdom
  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    ICBM said:

    axisus said:

    I've never been into Kirk bashing particularly, I don't know his playing that well. Having said that I did post a video here a year or two ago, it was him at some charity gig I think improvising with Peter Green's old LP. I thought that his playing was absolutely terrible, although my recollection was that some people here thought it was OK. 
    Yes, I thought it was very good. So did Mick Fleetwood apparently...

    I've always been pleased he bought it - partly because its inherent honky/phasey tone suits his normal choice of sound, and partly because it pisses off all the blues-rock purists who thought it should have gone to someone 'worthy' :).
    I'm happy that others like it as poor old Kirk seems to get a lot of bashing. I have to admit though that I thought I'd go and check it out again and it definitely sounds poor to me, like his timing is way off at times. What do I know though, I'm a home player with a bad ear generally.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • boogiemanboogieman Frets: 12314
    I can’t stand Yngwie and his widdly widdly cod classical shite and all his stupid posturing, so I don’t really care what his opinion of other players is. 
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • chillidoggychillidoggy Frets: 17136
    boogieman said:
    I can’t stand Yngwie and his widdly widdly cod classical shite and all his stupid posturing, so I don’t really care what his opinion of other players is. 
    FFS get off the fence.


    5reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71958
    axisus said:

    I'm happy that others like it as poor old Kirk seems to get a lot of bashing. I have to admit though that I thought I'd go and check it out again and it definitely sounds poor to me, like his timing is way off at times.
    Yes, it is - but I loved the aggression and passion he seemed to be bringing to it, rather than playing it with 'reverence'. It's an angry, bitter song and I think really suits being played the way he did.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • vizviz Frets: 10645
    edited July 2021
    He’s obviously got sloppy over the years and he has failed to develop his ‘musical’ style one iota since he got fast at playing, plus he has quite a large ego; however it’s fascinating watching him speak as a young man and seeing what his goal was, what he was trying to achieve in his career. There’s a really good video somewhere that just pinpoints exactly the trajectory he was on, and he has simply pushed it all the way from that day onward without deviating. He was also quite funny and quirky as a young man, and also very honest and open. Fascinating. His playing is so tedious though. I love him. 


    Roland said: Scales are primarily a tool for categorising knowledge, not a rule for what can or cannot be played.
    Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516
    viz said:
    His playing is so tedious though. I love him. 
    The LOL was just for the glorious juxtaposition of those last two sentences, I'm not laughing at the rest of the post. :)
    2reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.