Love him or hate him, Yngwie Malmsteen is one of the most influential guitarists in metal. The Swedish musician’s lightning-fingered technique ushered in the 80s shred boom, which countless young guitarists picked up on until it seemed like the whole world was in a six-string arms race to see who could play the most notes in the quickest time.
As revolutionary as he was, Yngwie never made any secret of his classic rock influences. And chief among the people who inspired him was legendary Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore - a man who Malmsteen was frequently accused of ripping off, something he constantly denied.
