Detritus
Mini-Issue #489.5
February 27, 2009
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*** CAST OF CHARACTERS ***
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Patrick Brower, Editor
patrickbrower@...

Sean P. Gahgan, Editor
lof@...
http://www.lakeoffire.net/
http://www.myspace.com/visionlakeoffire

Tim Wadzinski, Owner
tsw512@...

Steve Shumake, Co-owner
vongoober@...
http://www.myspace.com/kdsteve

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*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
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-Neal spoke to The Man, Yngwie Malmsteen. Read. - Tim

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*** SPECIAL REPORT ***
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-Interview w/ Yngwie Malmsteen
January 27, 2009

Hard to believe it has been 26 years since a young Swede calling
himself Yngwie Malmsteen immigrated to these shores with the hope of
escaping the stifling environment of his homeland for more auspicious
opportunities. Today Yngwie is a household name among aficionados of
neoclassical metal and six string virtuosity having long since taken
his place in the pantheon of great guitarists. In an age where many of
the rock heroes from the '70s and '80s have disappeared or made
dubious comebacks with an altered sound, it is refreshing to hear an
artist who has not only endured but also maintained his stylistic
identity throughout the years. Currently planning a tour in support of
his latest album PERPETUAL FLAME, I enjoyed spending some time talking
with Yngwie about this along with some of his new ventures such as his
label Rising Force Records and the limited edition Malmsteen Tribute
Play Loud Stratocaster. So crank up the new album and catch up with
the Maestro...

DETRITUS: I was just thinking about it and if I've done my math right
February will be the 26th anniversary of you coming to the States.
Does it feel like it has been that long?

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN: You know, the funny thing is it doesn't feel like it
has been that long. When I do an album and do an interview like I'm
doing today, and I'm talking about the album and the tour or whatever,
it doesn't feel like I've been doing it that long. I know that I've
been doing it all my life but it doesn't feel like it, it feels new
and it feels fresh still, and that's very strange. That's why the new
album is called PERPETUAL FLAME -- that's what it seems to be, it
doesn't stop.

D: The album came out in October and except for drummer Patrick
Johannson you have a new lineup including vocalist Ripper Owens. Did
you think about possibly working with him after you did the Ozzy
Tribute song together?

YM: No, it wasn't that. What it was -- and you might know this already
-- I write all the music and I write all the lyrics, I write all the
melodies and arrange all the songs. I don't just do a couple of riffs
here and there, whatever, I don't do it like that. So when the songs
started coming together, like "Live To Fight (Another Day)" and all
these songs, that's how I realized the singer I had at the time
wouldn't be able to deal with the songs the way I heard them...

D: You needed somebody different...

YM: Yeah, there were a lot of different ideas -- go back to Jeff Scott
Soto -- and somebody mentioned Ripper and I went like "Wow, yeah,
let's check that out!" I brought him down here, he sang a couple of
songs and you know, dude it was amazing and so yeah, that's how it
happened.

D: Were you familiar with any of his earlier work with Winters Bane or
Judas Priest?

YM: I had heard some of the Priest stuff, yeah.

D: But when you had him down to the studio there wasn't any doubt,
huh?

YM: No. (laughs) He was exactly what I was looking for, you know?

D: Well true to the title you've got some real scorchers on PERPETUAL
FLAME. I understand the album was written over a period of time
between touring?

YM: Yeah, but not only was it written like that it was recorded like
that too, which is very different because that's not what we normally
do. Normally you go in, you start and you finish it then you go on
tour. You go in cycles -- do an album and then a tour for that album.
I started it, I had the songs on, I don't know, like 100 different CDs
of ideas and arrangements, went into the studio to do the drums then
went straight back on the road, so on and so forth, back and forth. So
in a way it was very good, it wasn't by choice but I think it keeps
you very fresh and offers a different perspective.

D: Let's talk about some of the songs. "Priest Of The Unholy" is one
of my favorites. Ripper really shines on stuff like that and there is
some really satisfying soloing on that one...

YM: Yeah, I like the out solo on that, it came out really cool...

D: I'd agree!

YM: It was one of those solos where I didn't even know the tape was
running, you know?

D: You were just inspired at the time and glad you captured it?

YM: Yeah exactly, because a lot of times, not always, but a lot of
times when you go in the studio it's like "Oh man, I gotta do it
perfect." I don't like that feeling at all. I like the feeling I get
onstage because I'm fearless there, I'm like throwing myself over a
cliff, and in the studio it's not always possible to do that. I'm
getting closer to it though because of the environment of owning your
own place and you don't have to worry about the clock and all that
sh*t. So it's better but it's not... (pauses) I'm happy with what
happened on this record though, I'm pleased with it, it came out good.

D: "Caprici Di Diablo" sounds like it was a challenge to pull off...

YM: Yeah, that was definitely a tricky one, we waited till the very
end for that!

D: (laughs) You put that one off, huh?

YM: Yeah, "Ohhh, I'll do it later on," because it's written yet it's
not written. It's like a variation, every time you start back it's a
variation of E minor and A major, they're all variations, the D major
and all that stuff. Because for me, to play something that is written
by playing it note perfect is not that hard to do -- I can do that --
but to capture a performance where it is sort of written but yet not
and you have to be playing with passion and fire and very accurate. I
put a lot of pressure on myself doing these kinds of things. I don't
let it slide, I'm very, very picky with it. And I don't redo it. I
don't want to do it again, I mean, if the good stuff doesn't happen, I
don't want it. "Let's do it again, let's do it again," I don't do
that. You have to find the right moment...

D: It kind of loses something the more you do it?

YM: Well I don't like that at all, I don't like to redo pieces when I
record, and I don't like rehearsals, I hate that! (laughs) It has to
feel fresh, it has to sound fresh, if it doesn't then to me it doesn't
matter. If you play it mathematically perfect that's okay, but that's
not what I'm going for. At the same time, I want it to sound like it
is perfect too, even though it's a spur of the moment thing, so there
you go! (laughs)

D: I think I like "Heavy Heart" the best. You are equally adept at
instrumentals and the vocal pieces -- do you prefer one over the
other?

YM: No, no, in fact, I almost find myself, well, really digging
writing songs with lyrics because that's another way of expressing
your song, you know? Out of everything on the album -- and I
engineered most of this one too -- the stuff I spend the most time on
is the lyrics.

D: That's interesting. Did you have a particular lyric on PERPETUAL
FLAME that you really liked?

YM: Well there's moments in all of them where the rhymes really came
out, there are really good things like "Red Devil" for instance:
"Sayonara, see you later, as you disappear, in my rear view mirror as
I am changing gear." That's me going down Biscayne Boulevard and
saying "See you later guys!" (laughs) I love my cars, that's why I
drive Ferraris.

D: "Be Careful What You Wish For" is the kind of high energy song I
can really imagine being awesome live...

YM: Yeah, it is.

D: Will that one be in the live set?

YM: Well, we've played it, we've sort of added more songs as we go
along.

D: Cool vocals on "Magic City." You've got that Hendrix quality
quality going on, very soulful...

YM: That was almost improvised as well, the vocal part. I think it
came out good. It feels very relaxed; it doesn't sound forced, I don't
know, it feels good.

D: You included a little sitar on "Magic City," too. What got you
interested in that instrument?

YM: Oh yeah, that's been a long time since I started doing that. Yeah,
I don't know, when you're feeling more psychedelic why not? It's a
great sound.

D: There wasn't anyone in particular who inspired you to pick that one
up?

YM: No, I just felt like that was a good place for it.

D: I see Roy Z. helped out on the engineering and mixing. How did he
become involved?

YM: Oh it was the same thing, people suggested him, he came highly
recommended and it was good.

D: Tell me about Rising Force Records. I understand it will primarily
be your albums released on there?

YM: For now, yeah, we've just started it up so we're going to have a
huge back catalog. I have a lot of unreleased materials -- a lot, I
mean everything -- so that's what is going to come out first. Then
live stuff and we've got all sorts of crazy stuff, you know. Then, if
I hear something that I really like, it will be considered to put it
out, but it's not something that I'm looking for right now, but for
sure later on.

D: Do you get a lot of CDs of people wanting you to listen to their
stuff?

YM: Oh yeah, of course, but for now that's not what we're going to do,
probably more than likely we will do it in the future.

D: Are you concerned about the effect that things like downloading and
the economy are having on the music business?

YM: Well, it does make a big difference. It's a funny thing with the
Internet and YouTube, stuff like that -- I can't even walk down the
street anymore, because everybody has seen me play on there, they
know. I'm more well known now than ever, but a the same time, you've
got to feed your family too.

D: That's right.

YM: To me, back in the day when there was the MTV thing, the function
was someone saw somebody on MTV they went to buy the album and that's
how it worked, and now it's like no one buys anything, and
unfortunately what it results in, not so much... (pauses) The artist
suffers too, but ultimately of the people who do what they do in this
industry, only the musicians do it for the love of the music. The rest
of the people -- the record companies, promoters, marketing people,
you name it -- they do it for the money, and that's it. They don't
give a sh*t about the music. They'll do it for the money, that's it.
Now if they don't get the money, they don't get happy, they don't
treat the artist right, they fire the artist, or they drop the artist,
or they don't promote them right, or don't sign new artists and so on.
Studios are dying, no one is recording properly anymore, everyone is
recording with this toy stuff you know, and it's a bad scene. So even
though it's probably a very innocent thing where people go "Yeah, I'll
download it," it's resulting in a very bad thing, so I would suggest
to everybody to buy the CD. Not only that, it sounds so much better
too. MP3 really sounds like sh*t you know. It's compressed, digital
compression is not even half as good.

D: Oh yeah, you can hear the difference...

YM: Huge difference.

D: I just saw where you'll be playing with Deep Purple in Japan this
April...

YM: (happily) That's right, yeah!

D: I bet you are looking forward to that!

YM: That's going to be great.

D: Any chance you'll be able to jam with them, playing something like
"Highway Star" or "Mistreated?"

YM: Oh, I would do that in a heartbeat. We'll see what they say. I've
done some jamming with those guys before, way back, maybe 15, closer
to 20 years ago now. We'll see, I'm always open to these things.

D: Japan is well known for their love of hard rock and metal. Back in
the '70s and '80s bands like Deep Purple, Scorpions, Judas Priest and
Iron Maiden all went over there to record live albums...

YM: That's right.

D: Is Japan still as passionate for this kind of music?

YM: Well they are but it's not as popular as it used to be, no, but
it's still great.

D: Where are the craziest fans these days, Brazil?

YM: Seems to me they're everywhere now (laughs) and it's great. Really
for me it's all "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" games and stuff, it's
doing great things for me...

D: Yeah, that has helped a lot of artists...

YM: I was very suspicious of it at first but it's been really good.

D: Following those Japan dates you'll be returning to the States for
more live shows, is that correct?

YM: Absolutely, of course; this last tour was just a little taste, and
we have to do a proper one. We did some nice gigs but it wasn't as big
or as many gigs as I would like so we're going to do more American
dates for sure.

D: Excellent! It has to be hell to select the set list at this point
with all the material you have. How do you go about choosing what you
are going to play?

YM: Yeah, it's like throwing a dart blindfolded, you know. What I try
to do is never play the same thing every night, I always try to play
something different.

D: How is Ripper being received?

YM: Awesome!

D: I bet he sounds awesome on the MARCHING OUT material...

YM: He does, he sounds good on all of it.

D: I wanted to ask you a gear question. Is your gear pretty much
staying the same as outlined on your Web site or are you experimenting
with any new effects or anything?

YM: No. (laughs)

D: (laughs) Pretty happy with what you've got?

YM: Yeah, I haven't changed it for many years, it's the sound that...
(pauses) I like it.

D: I was on your Web site and I noticed you've used Gibson Les Pauls
for rhythm on some things. Do you still use them every once in awhile?

YM: No, I haven't used those, ahh, I did for one album a long time
ago, like MAGNUM OPUS or something.

D: Tell me about the limited edition Duck/Play Loud Replica Strat, I
was reading that only 100 of those were made?

YM: Yeah, that's the very guitar that I came to America with; it's
really remarkable. It's a very, very big honor for Fender to do that,
and it's mind-boggling how close it is. I mean the thing is exact,
it's so exact it's ridiculous. I've had that guitar for 30 years, and
it's the same, it's the same!

D: They've got all the little nicks and scratches... (laughs)

YM: Everything -- the sound, the feel, every little rust particle,
every little scratch, exact.

D: Wow, isn't that something?

YM: It's sick, it's sick, it's sick.

D: I bet they're already sold.

YM: Ehh, yeah, they are.

D: I'd like to get my hands around one of those one day.

YM: Yeah.

D: I have one of your Signature Strats from 2000.

YM: The ones I use now are the ones they made from 2007 on, with the
bullet headstock. Those are awesome. That's what I use, that's all I
play. I retired everything else. I love 'em, they are so perfect.

D: So your original Duck/Play Loud guitar, is that put away in
storage?

YM: It's in a bank vault actually.

D: You've had some cool media attention lately, like the excellent
feature they did in Guitar World over the Summer. That was nice...

YM: It's been really, really good.

D: I saw you on "That Metal Show" the other day.

YM: That was cool, yeah.

D: I thought that was funny when one of the hosts asked if you were
influenced by Jimmy Page. I'm guessing he is not too familiar with
your music... (laughs)

YM: Yeah, nothing against Jimmy Page -- I love him, he's great -- but
no, I didn't take any interest from him. I love some of his songs,
don't get me wrong, he's good but...(pauses) He lives around here too,
I see him around.

D: Well I know you just released PERPETUAL FLAME so I doubt you are in
a hurry to start working on anything else at the moment...

YM: No, that album is going to live for a while. (laughs)

D: I read something about an EP of previously unreleased material. Is
that something you have on the agenda to come out?

YM: We have a lot of stuff in the pipeline but more like "off" things,
stuff like this.

D: Any DVD releases in the works?

YM: Yeah, we're going to have that, too.

D: Will that be live or instructional?

YM: We have some interesting stuff from Japan from a few years ago,
we're going to re-release that... (pauses) We've got a few things
coming out, I'm sure you'll find out. We'll have it all advertised.

D: How is your son Antonio doing -- he must be about 11 now?

YM: He's awesome, he's going to be 11 in March.

D: Is he playing any instruments yet?

YM: Yeah, yeah, he loves the guitar, but he's a kid of today. He
didn't grow up in a socialist Swedish country where it was pitch dark
and black and nothing to do. He has everything he wants. The way I
was, I was a freak, he's more like a normal kid. (laughs) He does what
the kids do, but he's definitely got talent, that's for sure.

D: Are you still enjoying Miami?

YM: It's the magic city man. (laughs) Need I say more?

D: Nope. (laughs)

YM: I love it.

D: I know you're living a healthier lifestyle these days. Besides
staying away from the firewater and the cigarettes what else do you do
to stay in shape?

YM: I don't do anything, nothing; I go on the tennis court, I get up
early in the morning... (pauses) I wouldn't say I'm a health freak, I
just feel really good, I'm very focused, feel very good so I'm
definitely happy about the way things are.

D: Anything you would like to add in closing?

YM: No that's it man, it was good.

D: Well I appreciate you taking this time with me. I hope to see you
on tour real soon -- take care!

YM: Yeah man, you too!

Relevant links:

Fender
http://www.fender.com/

Yngwie Malmsteen
http://www.yngwiemalmsteen.com/
http://www.myspace.com/yngwiemalmsteen

Rising Force Records
http://www.risingforcerecords.com/

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*** OUT ***
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