I am a Viking

Here are some histories of Yngwie Malmsteen's fans. They told me how they met Yngwie's perfect music and how was it.

If you want to see your history here, just send me an e-mail! I’ll be very happy to know it!

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This is Luis' history. He's from Brazil. ( I've done the translation, I hope you understand!)

My history about when I knew Yngwie's music was funny, because I was young,I was 14, 15 or 16 years old, I don't remember, but I was listenning a radio station just to listen something interesting , then I listenned "Don't Let it End", man I thought, "It's fucking great!". I was crazy, I looked for the name of the guy who was playing guitar on that fucking song, but nobody knows. I called to the radio station, then a guy said for me it was Yngwie Malmsteen.Iwas really different his first name so I forgot. I remember when I was on sophmore and a friend of mine lent me a tape. Guess what did I find? "Don't Let it End" again. I've gone to a rent and I looked for Malmsteen and there wasn't anything about him. I was angry because even my friend who lent me the tape didn't know Malmsteen's first name. After 3 years, I was at university, then a friend of mine from internet lent me a cd with MP3. Guess what song did I find again?

Then, finally I knew the name that I didn't understand "Yngwie", then I was really angry! Because I delayed all those years to understand a easy name! After that I rent "Rising Force"and "Inspiration". I was gapped in wonderment. Just listenning "Carry on my Wayward Son". I get crazy! Well, that's all!

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This is Mohamad Nazir Sani's history. He's from Singapore.

I was listenning to lots of local rock bands (singing in my language, Malay) in 87... the beginning of my love for rock music. I changed my taste towards English singing bands later on.. the first one was Riot (Thundersteel) & followed by Yngwie's master piece, Marching Out album. His guitar sound was different, mysterious, unique to my ears... nobody sounded like that back then. David T. Chastain was around , but he was never as melodic like Yngwie. Those blinding speed guitar technique, classical influenced chordal points... I was totally blown away. To me, besides the guitar stuff, Marching Out featured one of the finest rock vocalist at the time, Jeff Scott Soto. After Marching Out, I started buying all other Yngwie's albums like: Rising Force, Trilogy, Odyssey, Alcatrazz (I love this band), Steeler(great tones!!!), videos, bootlegs.. and the rest is history. Yngwie was also one of the reason I started using Fender guitar ( I'm using a Voodoo now)... nothing beats that 'twangy' sound. Listenning to Yngwie also openned some rooms for me towards classical music. All the best to music & creativity. Yngwie- the Maestro.

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This is Akira Sogabe's history. He's from Japan.

I've known of Yngwie J. Malmsteen and Rising Force since "Marching Out" or "Trilogy" period, but I didn't care for his music as I didn't like those shredding guitar solos and heavy metalic riffs. In 1989, at a record shop, I got fastinated by an album named "Trial by Fire : Live in Leningrad" simply because of its looks of coverage and its title. And after listenning to it several times, I found out Yngwie's unique sence of improvisation and his outstanding ability of arrangements, that is, blending of hard rock and classics which sound very natural and confortable. A 1990 "Eclipse" show in Japan was the first Yngwie's concert for me. And it astonished me because I'd never seen any other guitarrists running and jumping around and speaking so joyfully on stage. Then I read a special Yngwie issue of Young Guitar magazine and I was impressed by his policy about guitar, attitude toward music and philosophy of life. So i bought all his albums and videos including Alcatrazz and Steeler. Ever since then, I've been a prisoner of his music.

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This is André Mendonça's history. He's from Brazil.

I knew Malmsteen's music through my guitar teacher. He requested me to find on internet the tablature of "Far Beyond the Sun", then I found and I thought it interesting. He lent me a cd which I've been looking for, The Collection, I loved "Far Beyond the Sun", "I'll see the light, tonight" and the cover of Hendrix, Spanish Castle Magic, ( whom I was already fan). I thought amazing that way to play classical music on guitar). Then, I began looking for his albums, then I bought "Magnum Opus" and "Inspiration" (at the same time) and I became a fan of him and I also incorporated his style to my way to play guitar.

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This is Erik's history. He's from San Francisco, U.S.

The first time I heard Yngwie, I was 18 years old. I had a 1968 Camaro with a 396 (a very powerful engine). I had many speeding tickets because I was very crazy and passionate in those days. I had sworn to my motherthat I wouldn't drive fast anymore so she wouldn't worry about me. Then, I went to a drive in movie with my girlfriend (I can't remember her name now). We used to go to the drive in just to hang out and everything. We'd talk through the movies and drink beer and hang out with our friends. My best friend who was in the car next to me knocked on my window for a beer (I had an ice chest in my car) and when I opened the window to give it to him, I heard this amazing guitar. I imediately said, "Hey! Who the fuck is that?" because I was blown away. He said, "Yngwie". I just looked at him with the beer in my hand and said, "I will only give you this beer if you loan me the tape". He laughed and said yes. That night on the way home, after I dropped my girlfriend off at her parents house, I drove home listening to Yngwie. I got to the solo in the first song and got so excited that I pushed the throttle to the floor and burned the tires getting on the freeway. I didn't get caught driving fast that time. I told myself that I can't listen to Yngwie and drive because the music makes me dangerous!