YNGWIE MALMSTEEN: 'I Deliberately Don't Listen To Music At All' When I'm Writing

July 21, 2021

In a new interview with United Rock Nations, legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen was asked if he ever listens to his old albums for inspiration when he is composing music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Never. Never. In fact, what I do is I deliberately don't listen to music at all. I don't listen to anything. Especially when I'm in a composing mode, which is actually pretty much all the time, because every time I pick up a guitar — or even when I don't have a guitar in my hand — I compose. And I don't like to be even inadvertently influenced by anything. So I certainly don't care about what's in or what's trendy, and I never did. And I don't consider listening to my old stuff. I don't wanna do that either. That was then; this is now. I never look back.'

He continued: "Since I've been playing for such a long time, I've developed the ability to… I can write on demand. If you want me to write something, I can do that for you. If you want me to write a country and western song, call back in 10 minutes; I've got one for you. But that type of writing is not what I'm searching for. I'm searching for the real, honest, spontaneous melodies and themes and arpeggios that come to me out of the blue, basically. So when I improvise on the instrument, things come out, and I go, 'Wow,' and I run up to the studio and I record it to have it documented, so to speak. Or if I'm really inspired, I actually record the whole thing; like, it's almost finished right there and then. That's what's so exciting to me. I can't really describe when this happens. This only happens when it happens. So you have to be there and capture it and make it yours."

Yngwie's new album, "Parabellum", will be 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.

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