Classical Composer Reacts to Rising Force (Yngwie Malmsteen) and the cover by Ayu Gusfanz | Ep. 520 

I worked at a music store and around 1986-87 a guy came walking in and was looking at bass guitars. I started small talk and eventually asked him if he was in a band. He said “yes I’m the bassist for Yngwie. It was like “Malmsteen?” And i just so happened to have “Trilogy” in my music rotation. Turns out it was Wally Voss. He was super nice, ended up taking me up to the hotel where I got to meet the Johansson Brothers and Jeff Scott Soto who was singing for Ynqwie at the time. They all signed a drum head for me and told me they’d leave me backstage passes at Will Call when they were back in town. I went to their show a month or so later and there were no tickets at will call. 😕. But I did enjoy the show. Black and Blue opened for them. I was deaf for about a week after. The LOUDEST concert I’ve ever experienced. But indeed, the Johnssson brothers are just incredible musicians.

@@kensteckelberg7013 wonderful story!

I know Jens Johansson first and foremost as the keyboard player of Stratovarius. I think it's remarkable that in a power metal band with as great of a lead guitarist as Timo Tolkki, their most rememberable riff (at least in my opinion) is the keyboard riff in Black Diamond.

@@kensteckelberg7013 wow, what a story

For sure my favorite. I've listened to everything he's done (I often listen to full catalogs) and this is easily the most listenable.

Very fast

I love this album too. People complain it's too commercial, including Yngwie, but for me, it just works. Of course, he still plays this title track live. I still think his best work was when collaborating with other strong songwriters.

@@maestrojon the title track is from Powerhouse days (1978). It was called Voodoo Nights

​@@Nissardpertugiu I heard this quite a long time ago, and it's interesting to hear those early versions of songs that came later. It's still just a demo though. To my ears, it's only the intro and verse riff. The best parts of the finished version to me is the chorus progression and the trade-off solos between Yngwie and Jens. Joe's lyrics didn't hurt, either.

Yeah, I noticed that, too. But I can understand on an initial listen thinking they were, since it blasts by so quickly and lands on the starting note two octaves up (if I remember correctly. It's been probably 15 years since I listened to this or tried to play it and failed)

Indeed

@@tedkord1968 Or because typically don't use harmonic minor descending in classical music? Melodic or natural preferred for descending.

Facts!

Yes indeed. I remember playing this to my mother, who was a classical pianist. She didn't like the song until that first ascending run hit her like a bomb. And then soon after he does a similar descending run, she couldn't believe it! And the final pattern with the guitar and keys in unison had her saying "play that last part again!".

Youre soo right, proper 80's aceness !!!

The whole album is a banger, honestly. Crystal Ball is another highlight for the more “casual” listener, and my favorite over Heaven Tonight

1978 to be exact, Powerhouse

Thanks for the heads up. Because at first I thought he might be one of the other ones.

Yeah, i met Yngwie Doug Malmsteen. Doesn't play guitar and only listens to old disco...

@@prs149 The song Rising Force is on the Odyssey album, and Joe Lynn Turner sings on it. Have you ever even heard the song before or watched the video here?

@@prs149 It's Joe Lynn Turner.

Joe Lynn Turner was the best vocalist Yngwie had imo

@@prs149 Have you even watched the video?? The debut album was called Rising Force, which indeed has Jeff Scott Soto on vocals. The SONG Rising Force however is from the album Odyssey, with vocals by Joe Lynn Turner. Both are outstanding vocalists.

@@prs149 Jeff Scott Soto was in the Rising Force Album, not in the Rising Force song from the album called Odissey. Both amazing singers.

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-d7O4IjWAOIc.html

I think what we are seeing on those end bends is intensity, not pain. Anyone practiced enough to pull this off is going to have some pretty tough fingers.

So sorry. I gave the wrong link previously to the beautiful Tribute To Enda by Ayu Gusfanz. I hope this is correct!! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UFrdfITAPYQ.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UFrdfITAPYQ.html

Hi. I very respectfully disagree with you. His best sound, live or recording were his first 3 solo recordings and Alcatraz records, plus anything he did live with those lineups. His tone was cleaner his playing was cleaner and absolutely phenomenal. Not taking anything away from what he did after that but I believe his accident had something to do with everything I mentioned above. Either way, he'll always be one of the greats in my book. Seen him live numerous times over the years.

Agreed! Alcatrazz and the first LP is all I need from the guy frankly!@@Dreamstate96

Not really.

Jens in stratovarius is amazing

Surprisingly for the many times Doug has reacted to Dream Theater, he's never done a video about Steve Morse who is John Petrucci's biggest influence. A little odd considering like Doug , Steve is a legitimate classical musician with a degree in classical guitar from the University of Miami.

@Mark Chow-Young I strongly agree with you. In his time Steve has been nominated more times as the guitars of the year than most new ones who were praised to the roof and beyond. Plus, Steve's music is versatile, and very uplifting. Flawlessly covering not only certain styles but many other music genres.

No doubt, although he doesn't have nearly the composing talent of Blackmore.

@@Siloguy Yngwe is about playing "one string really fast", Richie the opposite, and composing some real great songs. Yngwe is really good at what he can do, but yeah. He got a lot to live up to as a musician and composer :)

No doubt Blackmore was a huge influence on Yngwie. The first album he bought was Deep Purple's Fireball. But with that said I don't hear Blackmore's licks when I listen to Far Beyond the Sun, I'll See the Light Tonight, Rising Force, Seventh Sign, Disciples of Hell, Demon Driver, Trilogy Suite etc... Yngwie has a distinct style. The way I look at it is Blackmore is mostly blues with a touch of classical, whereas Yngwie is mostly classical with a touch of blues. They are similar in some ways, yet very different. Both are great, and both are forever linked. Yngwie took what players like Uli Jon Roth and Blackmore started and brought it to a different level.

@@JoriDiculous - Even though Yngwie plays fast much of the time there's still a lot of substance behind what he plays. His critics often overlook his vibrato and bending, both are top notch. If you get a chance checkout songs like Crying, Brothers, Icarus Dream Suite, Overture 1383, Black Star, and Marching Out just to name a few. You'll see Yngwie plays with a lot of heart and feeling. Those songs are the epitome of inspiration.

@@epic103 - Yngwie is unquestionably a pivot point for rock guitar. His feel and talent is also unquestionable, and anyone that does is objectively wrong. Contrary to detractors, he's a fine songwriter. However, he peaked around the Facing the Animal period (His 90's work is fantastic). He got the guitar direction from Uli Roth, Blackmore, & Al Di Meola, and the style/persona from Blackmore. He could have been a household name guitar star like Clapton or BB King, but too many bad moves in his life/career.

RIP Alexi. Met him at a CoB show in the early 2000s, and the guy was friendly, humble, and pretty danged funny. There’s a great video on here of him busking and getting told to “Move along” by the cops. Might have been scripted, but that makes me appreciate his humor even more.

Specifically Alcatrazz. Everyone needs more Graham Bonnet.

And the other is Marty Friedman.🎸 He's even more famous for his work with Megadeth....

and Jens Johansson from Finland!