Biography

                    Lars Johann Yngwe Lannerback was born on June 30th, 1963, sunday, in suburb of Stockholmn, Sweden. Well, this day is import and it should be an internacional holiday. By the way, his mother, Rigmor Malmsteen was an artist free spirit and his father, Lennart Lannerback, was an army captain. They divolced when Yngwie was a baby, he lived with his mother until went to America. He lived with his sister, Ann Louise, today is a flautist and with his brother Bjorn, a very close friend of Yngwie. Unfortunately, he died in an accident in 1992. His mother liked so much classical music, then all her kids had lessons of instruments even Yngwie.

                    At age 3 he began taking lessons in a piano and trumpet. And on his 5th birthday his mother gave him a spanish acoustic guitar that was untouched on the wall until September 18th, 1970 he watched a program on TV that showed a Jimi Hendrix's concert and noticed that Jimi Hendrix was died , when Jimi Hendrix died the guitar player Yngwie Malmsteen was born. Yngwie was very amazed about Jimi Hendrix style so, he wanted to play guitar like that guy. In the same day he took the guitar down off the wall and started playing. "I remember playing until my fingers got all sore and I put Band- Aids on them and kept going. I broke the first string, and kept on going on the other five until I broke one more. I brought a pickups for about two bucks and converted it to an eletric guitar, and played through an old tube radio to Beatles records and Swedist stuff. I started out playing leads. For a year, I didn't even know how to tune it".

                    On his 8th birthday his sister gave him a Deep Purple album called Fireball. He was very amazed and as soon as he could he bought another Deep Purple album called Machine Head. Pretty soon, he bought a cheap Polish guitar called "Musima". Playing everyday 8 hours he had already known how to play every part of Ritchie's solos just by listening.

                    By age 10, he had taken his mother's maiden named of Malmsteen and left the others Lars and Lannerback. So, his name now is Yngwe Johann Malmsteen. Yngwie got tired of pentatonic scales. So, his sister brought him records from Genesis and that's what really turned Yngwie on the classical music.

                    "I had my recording studio on the subway for half an hour from my home" (his studio was in the city). "I was so relentless about what I was doing, I would constantly, well record what I played. And I had this thing that if I don't play better the next day than I did the day before, something was really wrong. I'd fuckin' kick myself, "No, I gotta be better, I gotta be better" I was, like, totally fanatic about it, y'know. My recorder in the rehearsal place was a tape machine that ran at 4... em 4.75 I think. And there's another internacional speed, 4.80, I believe, which is different. This was before I had perfect pitch and shit like that so I used to come home and listen to what I did and was going, "Hmmm... pretty good, pretty good, and the next morning of course I'd go ahead and play again and I thought my guitar was out of tune because it's so fuckin' cold in the subway, so I'd just tune it up again, to the new pitch and I played to that . And I went like "wrrr, wrrr ( fingers flying) and go "man, that's fast" and that escalated it".

                    Finally, at age 12 he watched a very good vionist "Itzac Perlman" on a TV program playing Niccolo Paganini's 24 caprices. Yngwie was amazed , so, after that he tried to mix the classical music with the rock music. Then he stopped listening rock music and began to listen Paganini's music. In 1975, he was playing guitar on a band called Power and his brother Bjorn played on drums. They played Deep Purple's and Jimi Hendrix's song. The lineup was always changing and the name of the band too. After Power, was Burn, then Burn Out and Powerhouse.

                    The next band was Rising Force he wrote some well- known stuffs as Black Star, a part of the solo of Rising Force, Now your ships are burned, Danger World. From the start, Rising Force was built around Malmsteen's musical talents and tape recorder. "This was not a band, actually", he explains. "I had a 4-track machine and played all the parts- the drums, the lead singing, everything- and I wrote all kind of stuff. It's really amazing because in a lot of places we've played, many people know of those tapes. I had band members for gigs, but they didn't do anything except play the parts. I taught them. Most of the time it was a trio. Sometimes there were five people, sometimes it was with four. At one point I had a rhythm guitar player . I had about 25 or 30 different lineups of that band from '78 to December '82".

                    Meanwhile at school he was a bad guy. "When I was fourteen I drove my motorbike inside the school. I used to fight a lot and I rarely did my homework- I played guitar instead. In school I got easily frustrated, especially with people who didn't show a lot of intelligence. Fights would start whenever I told someone how stupid they were. The only reason I didn't do my homework was because I didn't want to. I had the highest grades in the subjects I was interested in - art, woodwork and english. The others subjects I didn't care about ". He quit school at the age of fifteen and got a job repairing guitars at a music shop in Stockholm. From there he got the idea to scallop his guitars.

                    When he was 18, he had to go to the army, but he only stayed for two days. After all Yngwie's efforts to get out of there, they let him go. Yngwie continued playing with his Rising Force band. At the peak of its success, Rising Force was taken to one of Sweden's best studios to record three commercial songs for CBS, including "You've gotta break them all" and "Horizons". But they didn't release it.

                    Frustrated , Yngwie knew he would have to leave Sweden to get anywhere, and he began sending demo tapes to record companies and music contacts abroad. Yngwie noticed the debut of Mike Varney's Spotlight column in the August '82 Guitar Player, and sent him a tape . Varney quickly diagnosed Yngwie as one of the fastest and cleanest metal players he had ever encountered. Financial problems brought on by the inaccessiblity of his music to Swedish listeners caused Yngwie to desband Rising Force in late 1982. As Michael Varney was the owner of Shrapnel heavy metal label, he invited Yngwie to California to record a solo LP. Soon after, Yngwie came to America on Febuary 3rd, 1983. Yngwie described that he had just an extra pair of pants and a guitar. This day was muggy and rainy and he stayed in a warehouse. He rehearsales with Steeler for 2 months and went to tour with them openning "big" concerts and playing at bars in California.

                    At his final Steeler concert Yngwie met singer Phil Mogg, who'd left UFO and needed a guitarist for a band he was organizing. Malmsteen went home to consider his proposal and was awakened the next morning by a call from Graham Bonnet's manager, Andy Trueman, who'd like that Yngwie played in Graham Bonnet's new band. As everyone knows, Yngwie chose the best way, he joined Alcatrazz. "They didn't have any song and any name and a lineup". So Yngwie composed the music and Bonnet wrote the words. In September'83, few weeks rehearsaling, they recorded the album "No Parole from Rock N' Roll". Yngwie played his solos just once. Then, they went to tour in U.S. and in Japan where Yngwie became well-known.

                    After Bonnet's foolery, Malmsteen left from Alcatrazz and released his solo album called "Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force" with his swedist friend , Jens Johansson on keybord, Jeff Scott Soto on vocals, Barrie Barlow on drum and Yngwie in guitar and on bass. It was released in September, 1984 and made it to # 60 on Billboard charts. The album also gained Yngwie a Grammy nomination for best rock instrumental performance. He was voted Best New Talent in several reader's polls and Rising Force became the album of the year. Yngwie called Jens' brother, Anders Johansson, to play the drum and Marcel Jacob to play the bass, in his little tour around the U.S. Then, they went to tour in the end of '84.

                    In April of 1985, Yngwie released his second solo album called Rising Force's Marching Out that gave him the award of the Best Rock Guitarist of the year. Before went to tour on May 20 th and 21st, Yngwie paticiped of a Dio's album to help people from Africa. Yngwie played 12 seconds of the song "Stars". Then after, they went to tour again and now they played in the U.S., Japan and Europe. In June, Jeff wanted to leave , so , Mark Boals replaced him.

                    On September 8th, 1986, Yngwie released Trilogy with Mark Boals on vocal, Jens Johansson and Yngwie on guitar and on bass. Right after, they went to tour, then Yngwie called Wally Voss to play bass during the tour. Mark couldn't stay for much gigs and then Jeff Scott Soto replaced him. Trilogy's tour finished in early 87. Then, Yngwie started to work in his next album and gave the others band members rest and he started talking to Joe Lynn Turner to sing on his next album. On June 22nd, 1987 , after to drink a lot with his friend, Yngwie and his friend took a little ride and then Yngwie wrapped his Jaguar around a tree, breaking the steering wheel with his head. The resulting concussion caused a blood clot in his brain that damaged the nerves running to his right hand. After lying unconscious in a coma for nearly a week, Yngwie pulled through, only to find his picking hand totally useless. Afraid that his career might be over, he painfully began therapy to bring the hand back to life, impatiently waiting for the damaged nerves to regenerate. Pretty soon, his mother died in Sweden of cancer. , his manager Andrew Trueman left Yngwie penniless. And then after all those things, there was a huge earthquake in Los Angeles. However, Yngwie is a viking and he continued stronger than ever.

                    Two months after the accident Yngwie was doing rehearsals to his next album called "Odyssey". It was released in April, 88 with Joe Lynn Turner on vocals, Jens Johansson on keyboards, Anders Johansson on drums, Yngwie on guitars and on some songs on bass and the others songs Bob Daisley played. The hit single and video, "Heaven Tonight" gave Yngwie a new audience not made up exclusively of guitarist.

                    Ending the Odyssey's records in Los Angeles, Yngwie moved to New York and then to London, but he lived there just  for a little time, because, Yngwie found his paradise, Miami Beach, and he moved to there immediately.

                    The tour, actually, began in June of 88 and went to February 10th, 1989 in Leningrad, in the Soviet Union that he recorded the video and the cd called "Live in Leningrad". Then, after that the band members went their separate ways and the name Rising Force was retired for good.

                    Yngwie wanted a lineup with swedist musicians to his next album, so, he called Goran Edman (ex- John Norum), Svante Henryson on bass, Mats Olausson on keyboards, Michael Von Knorring on drums and finally Yngwie on guitars. They recorded and mixed at Miami's Criteria Studios. The album was released in March '90 with songs as Making Love and Bedroom Eyes, Yngwie conquered the radio station's space. In Japan,"Eclipse"got gold and platinum status.

                    Because of the poor promotion in the U.S. by troubled record company Polygram Yngwie left it. Then his manager Nigel Thomas was hard at work on Yngwie's behalf by March of 1991 signed with Elektra records. So, Yngwie married with Erika Norberg, a swedish pop singer, on May 8th, 1991. Before recording his next album, he played on Tribute to Leo Fender in California.

                    Yngwie's Fire & Ice was released on February 21st,92, with songs very influenced by the Baroque composers. In the song "Cry No More", Yngwie played Bach's Badinerie with his sister, Ann Louise, played flute and Yngwie invited more 2 violinists for this part of the song. Fire & Ice debuted in Japan at #1 ("Ichiban") and sold over 100.000 copies on the day of its release. The album reached gold and platinum status across Europe and Asia. Before went to tour Yngwie divorced of Erika. On April 1st, 1992, Yngwie started the Fire & Ice tour. By June '92, Yngwie returned to Miami to rest and to begin work on new compositions.

                    Unfortunelly, Yngwie's life is not just sweets. Hurricane Andrew flattened much of Miami in August '92, then Nigel Thomas, Yngwie's manager for 4 years died in January '93. And in March '93, Yngwie learned that Elektra had dropped him from their roster. In July of the same year, Yngwie broke his right hand in a freak accident. On August 27th, Yngwie woke up with his fiancee Amberdawn and with 40 cops looking for him in his house, because Amberdawn's mother didn't want that she married with Yngwie. So, her mother told the police that Yngwie was with her daughter and he didn't want to leave Amberdawn went out his house. But luckly, everything turned out ok. ,before long, Yngwie signed a contract with Japan's Pony Canyon label.

                    On December 26th, 1993 Yngwie and Amberdawn were married in Stockholm. On February 3rd, 1994 the new band lineup: Michael Vescera on vocals, Mats Olausson on keyboards, Michael Terrana on drums and Yngwie Malmsteen on guitar and on bass, on the album, but for the tour he invited Barry Sparks to play bass. The new album "The Seventh Sign" was released on February 18th, 1994 in Japan. It was certified triple platinum in Japan. On March 18th, 1994, Yngwie recorded a video tape and a cd of his concert in Budokan. It was released on July 21, 1994. Michael Terrana had to go out of the band during the tour , then Shane Gaalaas replaced Michael. In September, Yngwie released one mini- album, Power and Glory (with Yngwie's theme for japanese wretling champion Takada) and on October 21st, he released another mini -album, I Can't Wait ( with two previously unreleased tracks and several live tracks from Yngwie's concert at Tokyo's Budokan. These albums were just released in Japan. In November '94, Yngwie went to his house.

                    On December '94 , Yngwie started the constrution of his own recording studio in his house in Miami Beach. Meanwhile, he was working in his next album, "Magnum Opus" which was released in June '95 in Japan and in the U.S. on October 3rd, 1995. This album was recorded at Miami's Criteria Studios using Yngwie's own equipment . Yngwie called all the lineup who worked with him in The Seventh Sign's tour. Yngwie and his band went to tour in September in Japan, covering an unprecendented 17 cities and drawing his largest crowds ever. During Yngwie tour's in Japan, he recorded 3 video tapes called "Play Loud", Yngwie shows his technique and teachs how to play some of his songs. Play Loud was released in early '96. Pretty soon, they went to Europe and ended the tour on a Saxon's concert in Germany. Yngwie played the song "Denim in Leather". And then, Yngwie and Amberdawn and the band flew home to the U.S. in the last week of the year.

                    Beginning in January, Yngwie put his Studio 308 to good use. He invited his old pals to play in his next album "Inspiration". In this album they played songs from Deep Purple, Rainbow, Kansas, U.K., Scorpions, Rush and Jimi Hendrix. Firstly, it wasn't a cover album, Yngwie was paying some hamage to the guys that inspire him. With a big lineup, this album was released on September 21st, 1996 in Japan. On August 5th, 1996, Yngwie went to tour in Brazil. He called Mark Boals on vocals, Mats Olausson on keyboards, Tommy Aldridge on drums and Barry Dunaway on bass to Inspiration's tour. Then, Yngwie and the band went to Japan and then Europe. After the European in London on November 29th, Yngwie himself appeared in the 50th Anniversary, Fender Concert whick took place at London's Wimbley Conference Center on November 30 th., at that time, there, he meets Cozy Powell and Yngwie invited him to play in his next album.

                    The next year Yngwie began looking for an orchestra which would like to record an album with him. The best choise was the Prague's orchestra. He recorded this album at Dvorak Hall with 75 musician, in June '97. Actually, Yngwie thought the guitar sound was not so good. So, he recorded every guitar sound again in his studio.

                     On February 4 th, 1998, Yngwie released "Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra In E flat Minor Op.1- Millennium" in Japan. Yngwie wanted to start the Facing the Animal's tour right after, but Cozy Powell hurt his foot. And he was going to be a father, then he decided to go tour later. Antonio Yngwie Johann Malmsteen, Yngwie's son, was born on March 6th, 1998 at 10:26pm. This was a special day in Yngwie's life.

                    Yngwie went to Japan to do some interviews and stuff like that, during his trip, in Japan, Yngwie received the news that Cozy Powell was died in England by riding his motorcycle. To the Facing the Animal's tour Yngwie called a drummer from Sweden called Jonas Ostman to replace Cozy. Yngwie went to tour on May 5th, 1998, in Brazil. He recorded on a cd the concerts that he played in Rio de Janeiro and recorded on a video tape the concerts that he played in Sao Paulo. Then, the records were brought together in a package called LIVE. It was released in February '99.

                    On March 26, 1999, Yngwie concluded Fender Clinic Tour. The clinic tour kicked off in Frankfurt, Germany where Yngwie, Mats Olausson, Anders and Marcel Jacob played a blistering sit for the Frankfurt Music Fair. From there, Yngwie continued on to give several more clinics in Germany and Italy.

                    After that Yngwie went home and started to work in his next album called "Alchemy". He called Mark Boals on Vocals, John Macaluso on drums, Mats Olausson on keyboards and Barry Dunaway on bass. In this album Yngwie took strongly his baroque influences.

                    Alchemy was released on September 17th, 1999, in Japan. No longer, Yngwie was in London to promove his new album, then France. On September 23rd, in Stockholm, Sweden, Yngwie had a secret concert with Marcel Jacob on bass and Mats Leven on vocals. After, Yngwie went to Germany to do interviews and returned to London.

                    Finally, Yngwie went home to rest for a while and to record an instrumental video tape called Full Shred. In this video tape, he teachs some of his songs from his last album, Alchemy, as "Blitzkrieg".

                    On March 15th, 2000, Yngwie released Anthology. It's a cd with Yngwie's songs from The Seventh Sign album to Alchemy album and there are more three songs. Gimme, Gimme, Gimme was a cover song from ABBA, that he played a cd in tribute to ABBA. The others, Flamenco Diablo and Amadeus Quattro Valvole are songs that Yngwie recorded when he was fooling around there in his studio without the band.

                    In March' 2000, Yngwie was knowing that his manager Jim Lewis tricked him out of 4,5 million dollars during 7 years.

                    On June 6th, 2000, Yngwie went to Sweden to play on the Swedish Festival and to play a little tour in Sweden. Right after, he went home to rest and to record some guitar parts and bass to his next album, War to end All Wars, will come out on November 22nd, 2000.