Yngwie Malmsteen , the famous Swedish guitarist, spoke in an interview with Eonmusic about his strategy of throwing and kicking guitar picks into the audience during his performances. The idea is to be able to execute his guitar licks more smoothly.
When asked about his eccentric performances and the reason he always threw guitar picks into the audience as if handing out candy, Malmsteen stated:
“The thing is, it started out of necessity, right? When you play the bass strings, you're going to get little cuts in the pick, so when you want to do an arpeggio on two, three, four, five, or six strings, there can be some kind of friction. So, I like to have completely new picks, and when I play these things, I just throw them away.”
Jim Dunlop brand guitar picks and how he requested that they be custom-made:
“I want you guys to make them white so people can see them, so I did it out of necessity and also because it was part of the show. I don’t like it when they have cuts, so why not just throw them away, or I kick them out, whatever? So it’s not just stupidity, you know? I mean, it’s kind of a trick, I guess, but it’s because I need to have a new pick when I play fast stuff.”.
Yngwie Malmsteen releases new album
Tokyo Live is Yngwie's new live album. Released by Music Theories Recordings, the show was recorded at Zepp DiverCity in Tokyo, Japan on May 11, 2024. The performance is part of his world tour marking his 40-year career.
The musician recalls that he was in the same country at the beginning of his career:
“It’s funny, because 40 years ago, in January 1984, I was touring Japan with another band (Alcatrazz), and they said, ‘Oh, you guys must have a solo album!’ So, I signed my first solo contract in January 1984 in Japan, so it was a full circle, so to speak.”
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