Random Off Topic - Yngwie Jahoosephattt Malmsteen Appreciation Thread

[Sir Exar Kun]

Say what you will about the joke he has evolved into..... But back in the day Yngwie put out GREAT album after GREAT album, despite the revolving door of musicians around him. I had "Seventh Sign" playing at work today, and was enjoying the hell out of it just like it was the mid-90s all over again. From the early JSS/Boals albums, "Odyssey" which was chock full of "hits", to Goran Edmund's "Eclipse" (probably my favorite Yngwie disc), through both the Mike Vescera discs ("Seventh Sign" and "Magnum Opus") and then closing with Mats Leven on "Facing the Animal".... That was one amazing run of great albums. "Fire and Ice" is probably the weakest album through that entire era, and even that had a few standouts.....

The successive albums up through "Perpetual Flame" or "Relentless" were not bad either..... Just started to feel a bit less immediate and engaging. Production mix on them also went gradually downhill (ie. More Yngwie = lower quality???) I haven't even tried the self-absorbed recent material, but I have no doubt it is but a shell of the glory days.....

[introclaus]

Say what you will about the joke he has evolved into..... But back in the day Yngwie put out GREAT album after GREAT album, despite the revolving door of musicians around him. I had "Seventh Sign" playing at work today, and was enjoying the hell out of it just like it was the mid-90s all over again.

I don't see the joke to be honest - I still LOVE Malmsteen, and I'll still buy his albums. Last one was (drum computer and all) really strong songwriting wise, and I didn't mind his vocals.

From the early JSS/Boals albums, "Odyssey" which was chock full of "hits", to Goran Edmund's "Eclipse" (probably my favorite Yngwie disc), through both the Mike Vescera discs ("Seventh Sign" and "Magnum Opus") and then closing with Mats Leven on "Facing the Animal".... That was one amazing run of great albums. "Fire and Ice" is probably the weakest album through that entire era, and even that had a few standouts.....

Yes, agreed 100%. All of those are amazing, and "Fire and Ice" gets better and better with each spin even to this day. I've started playing it regularly in the last few years and I'm digging it.

The successive albums up through "Perpetual Flame" or "Relentless" were not bad either..... Just started to feel a bit less immediate and engaging. Production mix on them also went gradually downhill (ie. More Yngwie = lower quality???) I haven't even tried the self-absorbed recent material, but I have no doubt it is but a shell of the glory days.....

I enjoyed the "bring-back-Boals" stuff and the Doogie White albums - just lesser production quality (less budget I'm sure playing in here).
I didn't particularly find the Ripper stuff good, but that's probably because I think the only really good albums Ripper did was the one from before he joined Priest and then the Iced Earth disc
The newer ones with Malmsteen himself singing aren't bad, except for drum computer and less-than-great production. He still has the chops, and songwriting is still great.

[Hearing Aid Man]

Steeler was killer release for me as well. The 1st 2 solo albums and Seventh Sign plus Magnum Opus definitely Wow me too.

[Scott B]

If Yngwie is a joke now then he was a joke back in the day. The only thing that has changed are the people who are listening.

Yngwie is Yngwie. Did he put out better albums 30 years ago? Probably. Is he any less Yngwie now than he was 30 years ago? Absolutely not.

Probably the only thing that he has done that has offended me was the "Live in Tampa" album. The audience sounds like it's Live at Budokan. I was there. There were maybe 200 people in attendance. But that's typical live album bullshit anyway.

[Sir Exar Kun]

If Yngwie is a joke now then he was a joke back in the day. The only thing that has changed are the people who are listening.

Yngwie is Yngwie. Did he put out better albums 30 years ago? Probably. Is he any less Yngwie now than he was 30 years ago? Absolutely not.

Disagree. Yngwie has always had the ego, but he also surrounded himself with excellent musicians and had a focused output; live shows.... Sure, he made himself the center of attention, but the singer was out front, the band members interacted, etc etc

Now his live shows he seems to be hiring people almost off the street, and hides them in the farthest corner so he can have 90% of the stage to himself. The fact that he legitimately doesn't feel the need to work with vocalists because "he can do it just as good himself"? He's definitely taken this to new extremes.....

[introclaus]

If Yngwie is a joke now then he was a joke back in the day. The only thing that has changed are the people who are listening.

Yngwie is Yngwie. Did he put out better albums 30 years ago? Probably. Is he any less Yngwie now than he was 30 years ago? Absolutely not.

Disagree. Yngwie has always had the ego, but he also surrounded himself with excellent musicians and had a focused output; live shows.... Sure, he made himself the center of attention, but the singer was out front, the band members interacted, etc etc

Now his live shows he seems to be hiring people almost off the street, and hides them in the farthest corner so he can have 90% of the stage to himself. The fact that he legitimately doesn't feel the need to work with vocalists because "he can do it just as good himself"? He's definitely taken this to new extremes.....

Yes and no …

Agreed that he should surround himself with the greatest musicians possible for LIVE situations … heck, he had bass players as phenomenal as Sparks, Henrysson or Jacobs, such amazing singers as Soto, Boals or Turner, keyboardists like Johansson and Olausson, drummers like Terrana or Johansson … but for studio I don’t really care except for the computer drums. Malmsteen himself is one of the bass players there ever was in this style of music (just listen to the debut) and like I mentioned earlier, I don’t mind his vocals on the new album. Would I’d rather hear Soto? Sure, but it is what it is.

At least he doesn’t fake his live shows like Blackie Lawless.

[Sir Exar Kun]

Sure, but it is what it is.

And that right there is EXACTLY the point I'm trying to convey..... You are right.... It IS what it IS...... But just imagine what it COULD BE!

[introclaus]

Sure, but it is what it is.

And that right there is EXACTLY the point I'm trying to convey..... You are right.... It IS what it IS...... But just imagine what it COULD BE!

Oh I agree with that it would be AWESOME if he brought back any of those singers (except Ripper) and had a super drummer, bassist and keyboardist. But the fact that they aren’t there live hardly makes it a “joke”, and on album I honestly don’t feel it matters except in the computer drum department.

[prog_powermetal99]

If Yngwie is a joke now then he was a joke back in the day. The only thing that has changed are the people who are listening.

Yngwie is Yngwie. Did he put out better albums 30 years ago? Probably. Is he any less Yngwie now than he was 30 years ago? Absolutely not.

Disagree. Yngwie has always had the ego, but he also surrounded himself with excellent musicians and had a focused output; live shows.... Sure, he made himself the center of attention, but the singer was out front, the band members interacted, etc etc

Now his live shows he seems to be hiring people almost off the street, and hides them in the farthest corner so he can have 90% of the stage to himself. The fact that he legitimately doesn't feel the need to work with vocalists because "he can do it just as good himself"? He's definitely taken this to new extremes.....

Yes and no …

Agreed that he should surround himself with the greatest musicians possible for LIVE situations … heck, he had bass players as phenomenal as Sparks, Henrysson or Jacobs, such amazing singers as Soto, Boals or Turner, keyboardists like Johansson and Olausson, drummers like Terrana or Johansson … but for studio I don’t really care except for the computer drums. Malmsteen himself is one of the bass players there ever was in this style of music (just listen to the debut) and like I mentioned earlier, I don’t mind his vocals on the new album. Would I’d rather hear Soto? Sure, but it is what it is.

At least he doesn’t fake his live shows like Blackie Lawless.

I think you are right about blackie, I was watching a live concert of wasp very recently and there were lots of comments under the video of how he was faking the vocals and lip syncing them, and I had to agree, especially considering how the vocals sounded like they were coming from a 20 year old, and just sounded way too good and studio to be coming from his aged throat... and I looked into it more and then I found this video where the vocals start while blackie is "approaching" his Mic.... so disappointing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRMeQPzeJf0

[introclaus]

Disagree. Yngwie has always had the ego, but he also surrounded himself with excellent musicians and had a focused output; live shows.... Sure, he made himself the center of attention, but the singer was out front, the band members interacted, etc etc

Now his live shows he seems to be hiring people almost off the street, and hides them in the farthest corner so he can have 90% of the stage to himself. The fact that he legitimately doesn't feel the need to work with vocalists because "he can do it just as good himself"? He's definitely taken this to new extremes.....

Yes and no …

Agreed that he should surround himself with the greatest musicians possible for LIVE situations … heck, he had bass players as phenomenal as Sparks, Henrysson or Jacobs, such amazing singers as Soto, Boals or Turner, keyboardists like Johansson and Olausson, drummers like Terrana or Johansson … but for studio I don’t really care except for the computer drums. Malmsteen himself is one of the bass players there ever was in this style of music (just listen to the debut) and like I mentioned earlier, I don’t mind his vocals on the new album. Would I’d rather hear Soto? Sure, but it is what it is.

At least he doesn’t fake his live shows like Blackie Lawless.

I think you are right about blackie, I was watching a live concert of wasp very recently and there were lots of comments under the video of how he was faking the vocals and lip syncing them, and I had to agree, especially considering how the vocals sounded like they were coming from a 20 year old, and just sounded way too good and studio to be coming from his aged throat... and I looked into it more and then I found this video where the vocals start while blackie is "approaching" his Mic.... so disappointing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRMeQPzeJf0

The guitars aren’t plugged in either … it’s as fake as can be! One of his former musicians told me that they were paid to “pretend”.

[prog_powermetal99]

I"m surprised I'm not seeing seeing "Marching Out" or "Trilogy" getting any love here..... Those 2 are by far my favorite Yngwie Albums.....Just absolutely great songs.....

[introclaus]

I"m surprised I'm not seeing seeing "Marching Out" or "Trilogy" getting any love here..... Those 2 are by far my favorite Yngwie Albums.....Just absolutely great songs.....

The first three are and will always be my favorites of his … the first one is absolutely out of this world.