10 classic Yngwie Malmsteen quotes – the maestro in his own words: “What I play fast will also sound good at a slower speed. If you slow down the fast licks that a lot of other guitarists do, people would puke”

Yngwie Malmsteen frets a chord and holds it during his set at Wacken 2026.

Yngwie Malmsteen’s existence on this planet reminds us that we might all be unique but some are more unique than others. There is no-one like Yngwie.

He is our shred maestro, the purveyor of the neoclassical before neoclassical was a thing, faithful keeper of the Stratocaster flame and the man whose live rig “could be seen from space”. And he’s also great conversation.