Yngwie J. Malmsteen

Yngwie J. Malmsteen (born Lars Yngve Johann Lannerbäck, June 30, 1963) is a guitarist from Sweden who achieved widespread acclaim in the 1980s due to his technical proficiency and fusion of classical music elements with heavy rock guitar. The Americanized pronunciation of his first name is ING-vay.

Criticism

Although he was initially regarded with respect by the musical fraternity, and is revered by many guitar enthusiasts, Malmsteen's music has also been heavily criticized. A review of 1988's Odyssey notes "little difference in approach from his previous output, lending credence to critics' charges that Malmsteen plays with mindless technique at the expense of substance, fire, and emotion." http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:bauk6j3h71q0

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The most frequent criticism of Malmsteen is that his musical style focuses more on showing technical prowess than on substance, although a comparison between his different solos shows that he rarely chooses to play close to the edge of his skills or speed. Further, some of the lyrics employed in some of Malmsteen's songs have been questioned as commercial or "cheesy", but it is likely that these were merely a tool to gain more exposure and radio play in order to showcase his guitar playing. Instrumental passages such as "Sorrow" and "Far beyond the Sun" are generally considered to be his finest work.

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Malmsteen's personality has also caused criticism. Both his friends and enemies have said that he is usually a very pleasant and friendly person but sometimes gets provoked and acts intolerably, and has a huge ego.

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