Does YNGWIE MALMSTEEN Belong In ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME?

Two months after it was announced that Randy Rhoads will receive the Musical Excellence Award at this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen was asked by Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com if he has given any thought to where his place is in an institution like that. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "To be honest with you, I have a lot of awards and so on. And they're really nice and I really appreciate them, but it doesn't really validate me for me. It doesn't validate me one way or another.

"I am extremely self-critical, extremely picky about what I do," he continued. "So if I'm in that particular one — I'm in a lot of other ones. I mean, I can't remember all of them — a lot of different Hall Of Fames and awards. And they're great, they're very nice — I appreciate it — but I don't spend any time at all thinking about that. It's, of course, really nice if it happens. But it's not something I think about much.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

In a 2008 interview with Powerline A.D., Yngwie said that he doesn't get preoccupied with other people's opinions of his music. "I learned really early on that whether it's praise or criticism, you have to take everything with a grain of salt," he said. "The one thing I know is that I'm my own worst critic anyway. No one criticizes me as hard as I do. I'm very picky and to this day, a perfectionist. And, of course, it's great that people dig what you do. All the praise is very nice and rewarding."

Yngwie's new album, "Parabellum", was released on July 23 via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. Only four of the songs on the LP feature vocals. The album title is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War".

After working with some of the top hard singers of the past four decades, Yngwie now handles much of the lead vocals himself in his own band, backed by a lineup that includes keyboardist Nick Marino, bassist/vocalist Ralph Ciavolino and drummer Brian Wilson.

Last month, Yngwie announced a month-long fall 2021 U.S. tour. Support on the trek will come from former MARILYN MANSON and current ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5.