When discussing the history of rock and metal guitar, the name of Yngwie Malmsteen needs no introduction. The man who redefined the boundaries of the instrument, marrying classical structure with absolute heavy metal aggression, continues to be a beacon of inspiration for generations of musicians. Counting over 40 years of unwavering presence, the Swedish virtuoso is back on the road, proving that his fire remains unquenched. Rock Overdose had the distinct honor of speaking with him in an exclusive interview, where he shares his thoughts on his artistic journey, his upcoming new album, and his highly anticipated return to Greece.
Rock Overdose: First of all thank you for your precious time, it’s an honour for us and much appreciated. Currently we find you in the middle of a tour and fans are amazed from the performance. How do you perceive it at the moment and what is it that makes it special?
Yngwie Malmsteen: I approach every concert the same way no matter where I am, and that means I am going to give my 200% of what I got and never holding back.
Rock Overdose: It’s a celebration of more than 40 years in the world of music. You have been here for everyone of us, Did you ever feel you had a responsibility to this big fan base you had, or was it the music above all?
Yngwie Malmsteen: Well, first of all, I am the strongest and harshest judge of my own work, no one judges it harder than I do. I never rest on my laurels, I always consider the here and now the most important thing, not what happened before.
Rock Overdose: All these years, you set a standard to be followed, you didn’t sound like anyone else but we still have a great amount of individuals trying to catch something of your magic and aura. Did you expect in the beginning of your career you’d have such an impact? Was it a goal for you or just happened naturally and you just enjoy the course of it?
Yngwie Malmsteen: I always performed, composed, and played at the highest level possible for me, driven by a passion that I suppose made others realize it was real. I was always extremely focused and never let outside noise distract me.
Rock Overdose: Looking back to all of your achievements, was there any special where you said to yourself “now I feel complete” compared to some others? We know you had been craving to do the live album with the symphonic orchestra for years for example.
Yngwie Malmsteen: It’s never just one thing; I treat each day as the most important one and strive to make everything on that day the best I can. A few things I had as a goal was to compose a concerto symphony, which I did, also write a book, which I also did, but there was never a point where I felt like “this is it,” every day is a new challenge.
Rock Overdose: Do you still chase the feeling of fulfillment as an artist? Its a million dollar question for those loving you, “What keeps Yngwie still motivated?” and for someone who has achieved what others could only dream of, we consider your answer important.
Yngwie Malmsteen: Again, every day is a new day. Don’t look at what you did before, it’s always today that matters.
Rock Overdose: Many people showcase your guitarist angle, but you’ve always been the sole creator of everything considering your albums, the structures especially. What makes a song easier or harder to complete in your opinion? Is it a matter of demands, is it something else most people can’t think of? Have you experienced situations where a song or idea becomes a pain in the ass to complete, even for you?
Yngwie Malmsteen: I don’t approach it that way. If something is inspired, be it a music piece or a lyric or whatever, it’s something that drives me forward and I just follow the inspiration, and having done this for so long, its second nature to me to navigate the whole process. Sometimes I come up with 100 ideas for an album and narrow it down to 10.
Rock Overdose: We know you are in the process of having a new album ready. Do we have any hint we could share, maybe a title, the general approach of it and its sound compared to “Parabellum”? And if we could wait for it some time next year or even sooner if possible?
Yngwie Malmsteen: It is complete, and is in the process of being finalized with artwork and all.
Rock Overdose: How does it feel to be copied and being the main inspiration for people not even born when your career dominated the guitar world? Do you consider it an honour and proof of your longevity and how special you’ve been, or is it something frustrating you maybe because your music’s approach is used repeatedly?
Yngwie Malmsteen: I don’t really think about it. I obviously see and hear it, but it doesn’t have an impact on what I do.
Rock Overdose: Many guitar players believe there’s no secret or advice, and someone has to be patient, play continuously and focus on what he wants from his playing. What is your insight on the matter? What worked better for you to evolve through the years? Are there really any secrets or is it something in the end that’s part of the player and must come out of him to become special?
Yngwie Malmsteen: I truly believe that as with many other things such as sports etc., you can work really hard and still not reach the zenith, because half of it is a gift, really. Some people don’t work hard yet are still great because they have the gift, while others work so hard but are never great because the gift was never there. So, there’s really no secret, no door to open, no easy way out. You either have it or you don’t. I obviously never had a teacher, I had to figure everything out on my own.
Rock Overdose: Greece has been following you from the very beginning. We are a country where many artists or great achievements tend to be discovered later on, but the case with you was instant back then. We have really missed you and many people travelled to Thessaloniki last year to see you. What should we wait from your performances and how does it still feel to visit new places, or return to places you haven’t been for decades?
Yngwie Malmsteen: I approach it all the same way. I give my 200% every time everywhere I go. So I am very much looking forward to come back and do this again.
Rock Overdose: We know you have a quite busy schedule this year, Europe, Asia, America, to the end of the year. Is anything confirmed for the next year also, or is the new album a priority?
Yngwie Malmsteen: The new album is finished and will be released next year, and we will continue to tour next year. Onwards and forwards.
Rock Overdose: We would like to thank you for still being around and for making our lives better all these years. What enables you to enjoy it still and what is it you’d like people to remember when your name and music is the matter of discussion?
Yngwie Malmsteen: Everybody takes their own impression of everything, and if something touches you, that’s a good thing. I think real art will always shine through, and I never fake anything, and I guess that’s what people always latch on to.
Rock Overdose: See you soon in Greece, take care!
Information about the Thessaloniki show HERE
Information about the Athens show HERE
For Rock Overdose,
Aggelos Katsouras
Curated by:
Zisis Petkanas
