Speaking with Guitar World in a new feature, guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen discussed some of his career highlights. An excerpt from the rundown is available below.

The F Word

Malmsteen: "The first guitar I ever wanted was a Fender Stratocaster. As far as I was concerned, I wasn’t even considering anything else. But I couldn’t afford one. So I would buy copies when I was a little kid. When I was 12 or something, my mum wanted to have the house repainted. And I asked her, 'Well, how much are you gonna pay the painters?' 'Two grand.' So I said, 'Tell the painters to go to hell. You can pay me instead.' So then I had the money to get a Strat. It was actually a kind of shitty guitar. Eventually, I found a better one."

Coming To America

Malmsteen: "When I first came from Sweden to America in 1982, I was in a very run-of-the-mill LA band called Steeler. I remember, 30 people came to our first show, but one week later we played the Troubadour and from the dressing room window, I was looking down the street and there was a line around the block. I asked the bartender, 'Hey, who’s playing in town tonight?' And the guy says, 'You are.' That was after one week in America. It was fucking crazy."

High Flyer

Malmsteen: "There’s no doubt I’d react differently now, but the 'air rage' incident of 1988 is still funny as shit. Here’s the part that people might not know. I fly first-class and the band and crew flies coach – that’s the way it is. But back then, some knucklehead decided to put everybody in first class. 

“The flight to Japan is 16 hours – and everybody gets shit-faced. I was drinking then, too, and I’m sure I wasn’t perfect, but I definitely wasn’t the biggest problem, either. So I fall asleep and this woman decides to take a pitcher of iced water and pour it over me, saying, 'Cool down, boys!' So I totally lose it. But it’s always the same. One time, I was in a bar and the drummer starts throwing beer at people, but they threw my ass out – because I’m the face of the band."

Read more here.

Malmsteen released his new album, Parabellum, on July 23. Order here.

Tracklisting:

"Wolves At The Door"
"Presto Vivace in C# Minor"
"Relentless Fury"
"(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum"
"Eternal Bliss"
"Toccata"
"God Particle"
"Magic Bullet"
"(Fight) The Good Fight"
"Sea Of Tranquility"

"(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum" video:

“Relentless Fury”:

"Wolves At The Door" lyric video: