Interviewed by Brian Rademacher
Date: December 2010

Brian Rademacher: Hello Yngwie how’s it going today?

Yngwie Malmsteen: Good.

Brian Rademacher: Congratulations on the excellent new album "Relentless".

Yngwie Malmsteen: Thank you very much.

Brian Rademacher: I am not sure if you read our review we gave you 4.5 Stars out of 5!

Yngwie Malmsteen: Thank you.

Brian Rademacher: How much of a difference was "Perpetual Flame" compared to "Relentless"?

Yngwie Malmsteen: Well what do you think?

Brian Rademacher: I like "Relentless" better.

Yngwie Malmsteen: Well that’s a good start. What I feel and I see that "Relentless" is more driving and even more different things going on and I feel it’s more straight up metal and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s more song, song song, It has more seaways and gregorian chants and instrumentals I feel that’s the difference and I’m not sure if that’s better but it really don’t matter as long as people like it.

Brian Rademacher: Would you say this will be a permanent line-up?

Yngwie Malmsteen: Do you mean the members on the album? I play a lot of the keyboards on it but we do have another keyboard player but I do a lot of shit on here I play drums, keyboards and sing on this release.

Brian Rademacher: Do you think a lot of fans know you play drums?

Yngwie Malmsteen: (Laughing) I don’t know.

Brian Rademacher: That would be pretty cool Yngwie puts down the guitar to play drums...

Yngwie Malmsteen: I played drums from day one I even did some drum solos on stage.

Brian Rademacher: How is Ripper Owens working out?

Yngwie Malmsteen: He’s working out fine. The way I do things I write all the parts and the lyrics and the melody lines and he delivers it very well and I enjoyed it, it’s very good.

Brian Rademacher: Going back to your childhood what were you like as a kids?

Yngwie Malmsteen: I guess in grammar school I was a little crazy and wild. I was also a quiet kid and didn’t socialize much I was always doing my own thing. I had very good grades whatever that’s worth. I passed through school and wasn’t there much but I passed figure that out.

Brian Rademacher: Did you play any sports?

Yngwie Malmsteen: Yeah I actually did. I was on the track team, basketball team and the soccer team. I didn’t enjoy it too much but they made me do it. My favorite sport now is American football I love the Dolphins!

Brian Rademacher: Did your parents ever have to come into school because you were bad?

Yngwie Malmsteen: Yeah that happened.(both laughing)

Brian Rademacher: Let’s get into some of the new album "Relentless". How about "Critical Mass" I felt it had an Arabic feel, was that what you were trying get across?

Yngwie Malmsteen: That’s a good question. What I have done which I have done in many other songs is that I used a Brigand note and eastern scale and I started the whole thing off with a sitar. I always liked the sound of a sitar.

Brian Rademacher: How about "Shot Across The Bow", I love that song.

Yngwie Malmsteen: The best stuff I write comes instantaneously. I don’t sit down and try do it over and over again it comes naturally. One thing with that song I write the melody and show it to the singers and have them sing the melody and that is kinda how this one went (Yngwie started to sing the melody) and said so I kept it that way.

Brian Rademacher: How about "Look At You Now". I felt you went back in time with that one?

Yngwie Malmsteen: That’s funny because that song is brand new. The album was pretty much done and that song came to me, you might not know I sang on that song. I usually sing that bluesy stuff but this one is a more rock song and that’s me singing.

Brian Rademacher: How about "Enemy Within", I felt a religious feel with this track?

Yngwie Malmsteen: I wanted to get a Gothic prophetic feeling on the opening, listen to the lyrics because they are very political. I won’t get into political views because I’m a musician but I feel certain people in government in America don’t understand what America is all about and as an adult in America I’ve lived here for thirty years now. I love this country more than anything, so that’s what the song is about.

Brian Rademacher: Tell me about "Caged Animal" which is one of my favorites?

Yngwie Malmsteen: Thank you. I wrote that in a hotel room. I wanted to get out of the hotel and I felt I was locked up in a cage. It’s funny I talk about dungeons and shackles and it’s about a hotel room. You can get inspired by totally normal things and make it into a fantastic thing.

Brian Rademacher: The song that really blew me away was "Blinded", tell me about that track?

Yngwie Malmsteen: I like it, it’s cool.

Brian Rademacher: Tell me about the album cover?

Yngwie Malmsteen: There were a lot of different ideas flying around, it’s a live shot all the photos on the album are taken live on stage, none of the shots on the album are done in the studio. I had my graphic guy make it more into artwork.

Brian Rademacher: Will you tour with this album?

Yngwie Malmsteen: Sure, I know we have a show in LA in January to start things off.

Brian Rademacher: You have Christmas coming up. What is one of the things you might want as a gift?

Yngwie Malmsteen: I just bought myself a new Ferrari it’s my fourth one, I’m collecting them now. The best thing I could say I would like everything to stay the way they are everything is going very well right now. Everything is great I love what I do, I love my family and if everything could stay this way I’m happy.

Brian Rademacher: Did you ever think as a kid your life would end up this way

Yngwie Malmsteen: No Way, not even a little. Dude, I came to America as a teenager with a toothbrush and a guitar and my dream was that I wouldn’t have to flip burgers on the side (laughing). If I didn’t have to do that I would be happy if I could make enough money to live day by day making music that would be it but things turned out a little differently. Twenty nine years later I could have never imagined in my life things would go so well and things stayed going on so well for so long. I’m extremely pleased, I kiss the pillow every night.

Brian Rademacher: What do you feel your biggest accomplishment in music is?

Yngwie Malmsteen: The most rewarding thing is I’ve never compromised and I’ve done everything from the heart. I wanted to play honest music and a result of that I’ve influenced a lot of people. Growing up in Sweden as a kid they said I wouldn’t make it because I was playing off the beaten path so do speak, I was playing too crazy and too loud and too fucking fast. My music would never be commercial and I said this is what I do take it or leave it. I did everything blood, sweat and tears from the heart and didn’t do things to get on the radio and yeah back in the eighties I wrote a couple more slick tunes, I guess that was a small compromise. I am also happy with the longevity I’m very happy and blessed with that.

Brian Rademacher: How do you feel when a young kid guitarist comes up to you and asks for your autograph?

Yngwie Malmsteen: It’s great and awesome. It’s happens so much these days I think cause the YouTube thing. I remember people coming up to me and saying hey man what band you in and really didn’t know me but knew I was in a band now they know exactly who I am. I drive down the street and people are holding signs saying hey fucking Yngwie. I was a little skeptical with the whole YouTube thing and guitar hero but it all ended up being a good thing to me.

Brian Rademacher: Every time I talked with you, you always seemed gentleman like do you always keep that attitude?

Yngwie Malmsteen: I try to but if you step on my toe I might knock you in the teeth (laughing) I feel that if someone is content and happy there is no reason to be nasty.

Brian Rademacher: Yngwie I would like to thank you for the call and congratulations on "Relentless".

Yngwie Malmsteen: Brian, I appreciate the talk I hope everyone digs the album and I guess we will see you on tour Thanks.