YNGWIE MALMSTEEN: 'I Feel Very Energetic And Passionate About Making Extreme Music'

David E. Gehlke of Blistering.com recently conducted an interview with legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Blistering.com: You were inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk this past October. How did it feel?

Yngwie Malmsteen: It was surreal. And the thing is, that's exactly where I was when I first came to the States. I used to walk around those streets when I was a teenager. It was very bizarre, but a very great honor. My goal, basically… in Sweden, it wasn't accepted to be a musician, you had to get a job like a welder or laying bricks. Music, that wasn't considered a real job because they have this socialist attitude. When I came to the States, I was pleasantly surprised that being a musician is highly regarded and that was something pleased about. I wanted to get by just making music and having enough to eat. That was my goal. It turned out a little different [laughs].

Blistering.com: What are your thoughts on the re-emergence of guitar soloing and/or shredding? In the '90s, you were one of the few to still fly that flag. Heck, your songs are even in video games now.

Yngwie: For me, I don't follow trends no matter what. I just do what I do and that's it. When I did the G3 tour [with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai], that's when I saw the extreme interest in the guitar thing. It was just us playing guitar — it wasn't even a rock n' roll band. It was nothing but guitar solos for three hours. That was nice and surprising, then I realized it was coming back. When the grunge thing came and went, nothing took its place. After that, there was no real sound; everything came more in an open field. In the beginning, I was skeptical for all of us, but now I think it's a cool think because kids, that's all they do is play those games.

Blistering.com: Is this any interest in doing another classical album ala your "Concerto Suite For Electric Guitar"?

Yngwie: For right now, I'm in a metal mode. More than ever, I feel very energetic and passionate about making extreme music. I haven't had the time do more symphonic or movie-type soundtrack stuff, but I'd definitely like to do it. Right now, I'm in a good place. My mind is focused, healthy and I like to run around with the Marshall stacks, the smoke machines. The classical thing never goes anywhere for me anyway. Even for heavy songs like "Death Dealer", it's very classical chord progressions anyway…very Bach.

Blistering.com: We're 20 years removed from your car crash. What do you remember most about it and how did you bounce back?

Yngwie: The funny thing is that it was serious, serious car crash. I was in a coma and everything, but out of all the things that happened to me that year, the worse things that could possibly happen, happened. My mother died, I lost my house in an earthquake, I found out my manager stole all of the money. The whole thing was a fucking nightmare. The car crash was a bad thing, but I bounced back from it pretty damn quick, I have to say. I'm the kind of the person — if you don't kill me, I'll come back stronger. You have to snuff me out. The harder you push me back, the harder I push forward. I'm like a solder in the legion of forever [laughs]. The more challenging things get, the more I work. The funny thing is, is that my stuff is more together when I'm more settled and I'm happy. Then the music comes out really aggressive. Some people go, "You live in Florida where the water is jet blue where there's palm trees and sunshine, but you write songs like you lived in a dungeon." And I say, "I'll tell you what: I grew up in hell!"

Read the entire interview from Blistering.com.

Yngwie Malmsteen was inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk on October 13 in front of the Guitar Center at 7425 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Watch video footage of the event below (clips uploaded by YouTube user "rrrstar08").