Yngwie Malmsteen Doesn’t Like Vocalists Anymore

During a recent press conference at Hellfest, guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen shed light on why he prefers to work solo, avoiding outside collaborators, especially vocalists. This preference is deeply rooted in his commitment to maintaining his artistic vision.

The conversation began with Malmsteen discussing his approach to music production. When asked about self-producing versus working with producers, he expressed a clear stance. “I’m not knocking producers. I think they’ve done a lot of things for a lot of bands,” Malmsteen acknowledged, giving due credit to renowned producers like Mutt Lange and Martin Birch. However, he quickly added, “The difference is I already have this in here,” pointing to his head. “So when I have someone else coming in, it doesn’t add, it dilutes. Some people may think I’m an egotist. No. The music is done. I record it. I play it. It’s done.”

Yngwie Malmsteen Unveils His Creative Process

Malmsteen elaborated on his creative process, highlighting how his methods diverge from the conventional rock music paradigm. “In rock and roll, even if you’re a solo artist, like Ozzy Osbourne or whoever, they have songs written for them, they have producers and stuff like this. I don’t do that. I do everything. I actually do everything,” he explained. He emphasized that his approach isn’t driven by ego but by a desire for authenticity. “It’s not because I’m an egotistic person that I don’t want anybody else to take the credit. No. Instead of what you would say a traditional rock and roll Lennon-McCartney, Keith Richards-Mick Jagger (songwriting partnership) – I love all them guys; I think they’re fucking great – instead of what they did, I work more like an author, like let’s say Stephen King or Johann Sebastian Bach … So basically I’m like a painter or an author.”

Yngwie Malmsteen on His Preference for Instrumental Performances

Throughout his illustrious career, Malmsteen has collaborated with numerous talented vocalists, including Jeff Scott Soto, Mark Boals, Joe Lynn Turner, Mats Levin, and Tim “Ripper” Owens. Most recently, Nick Marino has taken on some vocal duties live. Despite this, Malmsteen insists that outside contributions often dilute his initial vision. He stated:

“That’s why I don’t have co-writers and so on.
“Because when I did have that, every single time I came out unhappy and I wasn’t pleased with the result, and I only live once. So what I wanna leave behind, what I wanna create, what I wanna put out on records, what I wanna perform onstage, is something that is purely my expression because I have so much inside.”

Malmsteen’s aversion to working with singers stems from his desire for unadulterated self-expression. He explained:

“I want pure expression of myself, not diluted by having Elvis Presley in the band. Most singers think they’re Elvis Presley. They’re not. They’re just another instrument in my orchestra.”

Yngwie Malmsteen’s 2024 Tour

As of 2024, Malmsteen is actively touring, with European dates concluding on July 4 in Helsinki, Finland, and July 6 in Sisil, Turkey. After a brief hiatus, he will kick off his 40th Anniversary North American tour on September 26 in Fort Myers, Florida, with the trek running through November 22. For all dates and ticketing information, fans can visit Yngwie Malmsteen’s official website.