Paulscape
01-11-2008, 01:04 AM
Yngwie
After all these years I still dig the guy!
Ok so I grew up in the 1980’s as a teenager listening to all the shred monsters come to life. Yngwie was a guitar player that certainly captivated me with his soloing. Never dug his actually songs but was in complete admiration of his ability and influences. Over the years I have learnt a few of his tricks to playing fast, whereas I know to learn some other guitar players tricks would involve mindless hours of practice.
Lots of people agree on his huge ego but I honestly can’t imagine him any other way and he’s always been very true to himself now when I look back. He’s at least upfront with his ego, a little like Jack Nicholson or David Lee Roth, not brooding and manipulating. You have guys like Ed Van Halen who are sort of ducking and weaving and fading away into their own attempts at change …but Yngwie still plays the same style of guitar, the same equipment and probably wears the same clothes. Imagine if Eddie VH was like that still playing with his marshall’s and MXR effects. Its like Clapton…that guy has been through all sorts but still stays true to himself with the blues and a strat. Clapton has even improved with age - Ed VH talks about curing cancer illegally...Clapton opens up rehab clinics and organizes benefit concerts.
So anyway I’m watching G3 denver last night again and I had the volume up nice and loud. I really came away impressed by how Yngwie placed himself with Satch and Vai. I found the petrucci and eric Johnson G3’s a little boring and actually missed Yngwies antics. Throwing guitars around his neck, biting the strings and keeping the Hendrix vibe going. Sure he gets sloppy now and then but he's into it and it unpredictable. Vai and satch are quite predictable IMO. Somehow for me he gets away with it all. Even if he’s slightly foolish – it’s a loveable foolishness.
There is one particular shot I just completely saw the big kid in Yngwie. It’s a scene when they’re playing Voodoo Chile I think and Yngwie walks/runs over to satch and vai like a little boy his face all lit up pouncing along. I tried to imagine other famous guitarists having that much fun or having enough ego to try outdo satch and particularly vai. Could you imagine Ed VH at a G3 concert? At times it even looks like Vai is being upstaged by Yngwie! Yngwie takes all the opportunities to squeeze in a solo. While Vai might have the technical nouse (like the 3 neck guitar elegance) and satch the tasteful playing and compassion for organizing such an event, Yngwie has a sort of showmanship that still cuts through well. No doubt about it – he’s unique and very much himself. On stage Vai has a teeny little legacy amp, satch has a couple of XXX which you could hardly hear when they played together….and wait…there’s Yngwie with a wall of fake marshall’s like its donnington! With Yngwie both the renaissance and the late 20th century have been kept alive! Satch is trying to look like a cross between a homeboy rapper and raver, Vai seems like he’s waiting for acceptance into the Smithsonian institute with his refined goatie and feminine clothes…but wait there’s yngwie again with the leather pants, 80’s hair, chains and cowboy boots and also a bit of a rock n roll beer gut!
Despite all the changes to music, Yngwie still holds his own in my book.
After all these years I still dig the guy!
Ok so I grew up in the 1980’s as a teenager listening to all the shred monsters come to life. Yngwie was a guitar player that certainly captivated me with his soloing. Never dug his actually songs but was in complete admiration of his ability and influences. Over the years I have learnt a few of his tricks to playing fast, whereas I know to learn some other guitar players tricks would involve mindless hours of practice.
Lots of people agree on his huge ego but I honestly can’t imagine him any other way and he’s always been very true to himself now when I look back. He’s at least upfront with his ego, a little like Jack Nicholson or David Lee Roth, not brooding and manipulating. You have guys like Ed Van Halen who are sort of ducking and weaving and fading away into their own attempts at change …but Yngwie still plays the same style of guitar, the same equipment and probably wears the same clothes. Imagine if Eddie VH was like that still playing with his marshall’s and MXR effects. Its like Clapton…that guy has been through all sorts but still stays true to himself with the blues and a strat. Clapton has even improved with age - Ed VH talks about curing cancer illegally...Clapton opens up rehab clinics and organizes benefit concerts.
So anyway I’m watching G3 denver last night again and I had the volume up nice and loud. I really came away impressed by how Yngwie placed himself with Satch and Vai. I found the petrucci and eric Johnson G3’s a little boring and actually missed Yngwies antics. Throwing guitars around his neck, biting the strings and keeping the Hendrix vibe going. Sure he gets sloppy now and then but he's into it and it unpredictable. Vai and satch are quite predictable IMO. Somehow for me he gets away with it all. Even if he’s slightly foolish – it’s a loveable foolishness.
There is one particular shot I just completely saw the big kid in Yngwie. It’s a scene when they’re playing Voodoo Chile I think and Yngwie walks/runs over to satch and vai like a little boy his face all lit up pouncing along. I tried to imagine other famous guitarists having that much fun or having enough ego to try outdo satch and particularly vai. Could you imagine Ed VH at a G3 concert? At times it even looks like Vai is being upstaged by Yngwie! Yngwie takes all the opportunities to squeeze in a solo. While Vai might have the technical nouse (like the 3 neck guitar elegance) and satch the tasteful playing and compassion for organizing such an event, Yngwie has a sort of showmanship that still cuts through well. No doubt about it – he’s unique and very much himself. On stage Vai has a teeny little legacy amp, satch has a couple of XXX which you could hardly hear when they played together….and wait…there’s Yngwie with a wall of fake marshall’s like its donnington! With Yngwie both the renaissance and the late 20th century have been kept alive! Satch is trying to look like a cross between a homeboy rapper and raver, Vai seems like he’s waiting for acceptance into the Smithsonian institute with his refined goatie and feminine clothes…but wait there’s yngwie again with the leather pants, 80’s hair, chains and cowboy boots and also a bit of a rock n roll beer gut!
Despite all the changes to music, Yngwie still holds his own in my book.