Bring on the Shred

[Hookpunch]

Yes, I get turned off by it. "Rising Force" changed my life when I was 15 years old, but it's hard for me to listen to excessive wankery anymore. For instance, I got the live G-3 cd with Satch, Vai and Eric Johnson, and the EJ tunes are my favorites. Steve Vai does some great playing too, but there are these stretches of masturbatory wank that I don't care for. Then, I got the live G-3 with Yngwie (mainly because it has a live version of Joe's "mystical potato head groove thing" and I wanted to hear the arpeggios)...but I can't even listen to the Yngwie tunes. Maybe if I was 15 again I'd think it was bitchin, but not anymore.

I am not too keen on Yngwie's music either , over the top and pompous it what it is, but I have to admit , he is a pretty entertaining showman.

I had a good laugh watching him at the G3 concert, I am not sure if he is serious or if its self-parody, but it was amusing.

It seems like he does have a sense of humour - the titled his latest CD "Unleash The Fury" , in reference to his famous outburst on a plane that was posted on the internet.

 

[SteveB]

I'll chime in and mention this:

I think Yngwie recorded all of his chops (and ideas) on the first two albums (Rising Force and Marching Out). I think I have memorized every note on those records (not that I can play them) from listening to them so much back in the day.

Since then, it's been a recycling of the same licks. Now, those licks were great when he first played them, but he's guilty of wearing them out. I still love those early albums before it was apparent that he didn't have much left to give.

He did have a bluesy moment or two on the "Odyssey" album, though.

 

[AxSport4me]

Yngwie can always stir up some emotion, either good or bad it seems! Say what you will about him but the man brought something new to the guitar table in the early 80`s that wasn`t previously done before. Now, there are alot of players out there that can do that kinda style but give me the original anyday!

 

[jimmyp]

I'll chime in and mention this:

I think Yngwie recorded all of his chops (and ideas) on the first two albums (Rising Force and Marching Out). I think I have memorized every note on those records (not that I can play them) from listening to them so much back in the day.

Since then, it's been a recycling of the same licks. Now, those licks were great when he first played them, but he's guilty of wearing them out. I still love those early albums before it was apparent that he didn't have much left to give.

He did have a bluesy moment or two on the "Odyssey" album, though.

I actually think his playing on the first Alcatraz album is his best - it's not a style I like but at least Graham Bonnett can write a song and when I first heard it I thought he sounded fresh - now I can't watch or listen to him at all

 

[Raz]

Ok here's a clip of his chops off some Hear 'N Aid CD...the guys got it no matter how you slice it, or shred it

Yngwie Solo

In fact I think I'll throw Rising Force into my CD player for the trip home...just for spite of course

 

[jimmyp]

Ok here's a clip of his chops off some Hear 'N Aid CD...the guys got it no matter how you slice it, or shred it

Yngwie Solo

Its all a matter of taste - I don't think YJM has much of it

 

[jimmyp]

I should also mention when referring to the ying, that his signature guitars suck harder than Tracy Lords - those HS3 pickups are as weak as piss. The only good thing about them is the scalloped board

 

[Norrin Radd]

Its all a matter of taste - I don't think YJM has much of it

What's that they say about opinions?

I went to G3 last time around and saw Yngwie. I have only been impressed with him since that first album. I was really going to see Satch and Vai (who I also think takes a lot of unwarranted criticism). I have to be honest, the "show" part of Yngwie I could live without, the kicking and whipping the guitar over the shoulder bit. But I gotta be honest, he is one heck of a player. His performance was amazing, even if he and his band were certainly looking their age. I mean come on, if that wasn't Derek Smalls on bass, I don't know who it was.

Anyway, the point is, I was writing him off and he literally, blew me away with his performance. However, that doesn't mean I went out and bought any of his new albums. I didn't. he was great to see live, but someone eariler hit the nail on the head, it's still the same stuff he did on the first album, just rehashed. Still worth a live view though!

 

[jimmyp]

What's that they say about opinions?
Anyway, the point is, I was writing him off and he literally, blew me away with his performance.

I don't doubt that he is an impressive live act - his speed and accuracy are phenomenal. I actually dislike him more for his overplaying and poor songwriting- still, it is just my opinion- my brother loves his stuff and frequently goes through Malmsteen phases where his playing takes on a neo-classical edge. As long as he doesn't put on the dodgy leather trousers, I'll not give him too much grief about it...

 

[Hookpunch]

I don't doubt that he is an impressive live act - his speed and accuracy are phenomenal. I actually dislike him more for his overplaying and poor songwriting- still, it is just my opinion- my brother loves his stuff and frequently goes through Malmsteen phases where his playing takes on a neo-classical edge. As long as he doesn't put on the dodgy leather trousers, I'll not give him too much grief about it...

Leather pants would be a step up in taste, I think it is spandex he wears - not exactly a pretty sight at his weight. His fashion sense had not changed since the early 80s but his waist size certainly has.

 

[SteveB]

His fashion sense had not changed since the early 80s but his waist size certainly has.

now THAT is funny!
Watch it now, or you might "unleash the fury"!

 

[tvanveen]

Just don't unleash the furry.

 

[jimmyp]

Leather pants would be a step up in taste, I think it is spandex he wears - not exactly a pretty sight at his weight. His fashion sense had not changed since the early 80s but his waist size certainly has.

I don't think they have burgers in Sweden

 

[AxSport4me]

Why do people feel its necessary to slam Yngwie? I never see any other guitarist get dissed more then YJM for his looks, clothes or his playing ect....I always felt it was jealousy but if its not then pick up your guitar and put the guy in his place that way!!!! I`ll bet not many of us if any could! Hey, i know its a matter of opinion and everybody has the right to there own but give the guy a break,its getting really old!

 

[koogie2k]

Why do people feel its necessary to slam Yngwie? I never see any other guitarist get dissed more then YJM for his looks, clothes or his playing ect....I always felt it was jealousy but if its not then pick up your guitar and put the guy in his place that way!!!! I`ll bet not many of us if any could! Hey, i know its a matter of opinion and everybody has the right to there own but give the guy a break,its getting really old!

He is the resident punching bag.....oh well. Dude is a gazillionaire and can rip on the guitar that is for sure.

However, I have had a run in with him and it was not pleasant and I did not need a guitar to "put him in his place." Nothing physical or anything, but he found out he was better off messing with a bobcat in a phone booth than with me at that time. Could I out play him....no way. But, him being a rock star and acting like one is something I would not tolerate.

Yes, he is awesome and really chilled out recently, which is a good thing. I still buy his stuff irregardless because dude can still rip it at will.

 

[blackspy]

Why do people feel its necessary to slam Yngwie? I never see any other guitarist get dissed more then YJM for his looks, clothes or his playing ect....I always felt it was jealousy but if its not then pick up your guitar and put the guy in his place that way!!!! I`ll bet not many of us if any could! Hey, i know its a matter of opinion and everybody has the right to there own but give the guy a break,its getting really old!

I think people like to slam him because he was the perfect example of why 'shred' is no longer popular. He could play like nothing I'd ever heard before, but you couldn't even take the guy seriously. I'd see him on covers of Guitar Player or whatever, and he'd be there with the sucked in cheeks, and pouty lips, strat in hand with the fingers in some bizarre configuration, decked out in gold chains/watches/rings. He was, in a way, the pinnacle of that kind of guitar hero. Don't even get me started on the puffy shirts and stuff. Not to mention, maybe not lately, but years ago you should've heard him discussing other notable guitar players. He used to be pretty full of himself, and loved to put other players down, big time.

 

[Raz]

He is the resident punching bag.....oh well. Dude is a gazillionaire and can rip on the guitar that is for sure.

However, I have had a run in with him and it was not pleasant and I did not need a guitar to "put him in his place." Nothing physical or anything, but he found out he was better off messing with a bobcat in a phone booth than with me at that time. Could I out play him....no way. But, him being a rock star and acting like one is something I would not tolerate.

Yes, he is awesome and really chilled out recently, which is a good thing. I still buy his stuff irregardless because dude can still rip it at will.

Yo Koog do tell, what happened....bobcat in a phone booth...LOL, that's funny!

 

[Hookpunch]

Why do people feel its necessary to slam Yngwie? I never see any other guitarist get dissed more then YJM for his looks, clothes or his playing ect....I always felt it was jealousy but if its not then pick up your guitar and put the guy in his place that way!!!! I`ll bet not many of us if any could! Hey, i know its a matter of opinion and everybody has the right to there own but give the guy a break,its getting really old!

Perhaps you should ask Yngwie why he felt it necessary to slam every other guitarist on the planet, including my favourite, the class act Steve Morse.

He brought a lot of it on himself.

 

[koogie2k]

Well, I don't really like to get into it about incidents like that. Mainly, he was acting as if I owed him a favor because my buddy's band was opening for him several years ago and I told him what to do with himself in no uncertain terms. We got into a back and forth shouting match and he decided to come off the stage after sound check (we were invited by the promoter to watch his sound check) and get in my face. Bad move on his part. I had his right ear and a handful of his hair in my one hand and grabbed him by the throat with the other and told him that in a matter of 2 millionths of a second he would be dead if he ever bowed up on me again. Then I told him he was better off F'n with a bobcat in a phone booth than with me. At this time we were seperated by his crew and others and I went outside to calm down. I still watched his show and it was great. Dude can play, I can't take that from him. I could tell by the close proximity we were together he had a few drinks in him. Maybe that along with him being in a pissy mood for some reason. Anywho, I'm not too proud of my actions, but, dude, I will not be intimidated by anyone including that idiot. His crew was cool, and my buddy's band rocked as well.

Funny part to all this. I got his autograph after the show. Dude didn't realize I was the one who grabbed his hair extentions.........go figure.

Again, I usually don't let people like that get the best of me. I am not a big dude by any means. I do know how to take care of myself as he found out the hard way. But, again, I am not proud of the incident or the situation getting to me like that.

 

[kbaim]

Note to self.

If Koogie wants to play Keith's guitars, Koogie plays Keith's guitars.