Chad Bowar: You were on a recent episode of That Metal Show on VH-1 Classic. How was that experience?
Yngwie Malmsteen: That was pretty cool. Eddie (Trunk) is very cool. TV shows are always kind of weird. They are scripted, and I don’t do scripted very well.
It’s nice to have a metal TV show on the air.
It’s funny you mention that. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and it’s really refreshing to see how the entire scene has become so good. I’m really digging it.
The CD has been out for a while, and the response seems to have been pretty positive for Perpetual Flame.
Yes, it has actually. I’m very happy about that.
How did Tim “Ripper” Owens come into the picture for this CD?
I write the songs, I write the lyrics and everything. Normally I go into the studio with the songs pretty much done, do the drums, guitars, bass, keyboards, write the lyrics, put the vocals on, mix it and go on the road. This time I did the drums, then went on the road, then did some guitars and bass and went on the road again. Every time I came back the songs were a little different in my ears.
I realized the singer that I had at the time wouldn’t cut it. It was almost like casting for a movie. If the role calls for a DeNiro or a Pacino, you can’t have Pee Wee Herman do it. No offense to him. Tim came down and sang the songs, and it was amazing.
Are you okay with Ripper continuing to do his other band, Beyond Fear?
Sure, why not? Everybody does things, which is cool. You’ve got to keep busy, you’ve got to do your thing.
You’ve been writing songs for over 30 years. Is it becoming difficult to avoid repeating what you’ve done in the past, or do new riffs come really easily?
I think that they come very easily. The style that I’ve developed, the songs have very different feels. Obviously we have a certain sound. Talk to Angus Young about it. He’s still looking for the fourth chord. I love the guy, he’s one of my favorites, and he’s doing his thing. I’m doing the same. I do what I do. You’re never going to get a jazz or funk record out of me. It’s not going to happen.
Why did you decide to release the CD on your own Rising Force Records?
There are a lot of reasons. It’s a chain reaction that people don’t think about. I’m sure they don’t do it on purpose. But when people do file sharing, what happens is that the people who are in this business for nothing but the money: the labels, the distributors, the promoters don’t like it. So they don’t sign artists, they don’t treat the artists they have well. It’s a bad, evil circle and it starts with the fact that people don’t pay for the music.
I’m an artist and would do this for no money, although I have to have money to make the records because it costs money to make records and tour and stuff like that. What this has resulted in is labels folding left and right, bands are being dropped left and right, the whole thing is suffering from a simple download that somebody makes. That little click of the button is taking the whole house down. But if you do it yourself, you can figure out what’s going on. It is something that needs to be thought about by the fans, also.
Do you have any plans to re-release your back catalog through Rising Force Records?
Yes, of course. We’re going to do all of that. We’re going to do special versions of albums and live stuff and the back catalog and compilations. But right now the main focus is Perpetual Flame.
What’s your upcoming touring schedule looking like?
We have Australia, Japan and some European festivals coming up. I want to do a lot in the States as well. Right now it’s Christmas break for everybody.
With so much material, is it difficult to put together a setlist for a concert?
Yes it is. It’s impossible. Every show is a little different. You want to play new stuff and the older stuff people want to hear. It’s very difficult.
Your Fender tribute series guitar recently came out.
Yes, it’s amazing. I’ve had that guitar for 30 years. It’s frightening how good it is, how exact. I’ve had my signature model for over 20 years now, which has the scalloped neck and larger pickups and bigger frets. But the tribute guitar has been worn in. It’s amazing how every rust particle and scratch is exact.
As you get older, do you enjoy passing down your skills and knowledge to the next generation of guitarists?
I just do what I do, and I love what I do. If people dig it, great. If people are inspired by it, that’s really cool.
