Relentless: The Memoir

by Yngwie J. Malmsteen

The rock-and-roll memoir of one of the world's greatest guitarists. Yngwie Malmsteen's revolutionary guitar style—combining elements of classical music with the speed and volume of heavy metal—made him a staple of the 80s rock scene. Decades later, he's still a legend among guitarists, having sold 11 million albums and influenced generations of rockers since. In Relentless, Malmsteen shares his personal story, from the moment he burst onto the scene seemingly out of nowhere in the early 80s to become a household name in the annals of heavy metal. Along the way, he talks about his first bands, going solo, his songwriting and recording process, and the seedy side of the rock business.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography

288 pages, ebook

First published February 26, 2013

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another autobiography of a musical artist whom I have always respected for his ability, and discussed with others about his reported "self confidence".

The first 70% of this book is terrifically interesting, talking of his childhood, and how he first started guitaring, and his first bands, and his first recordings. Then how he was "discovered" and moved to the U.S. to follow his dreams. Lie (it appears) many other artists, he also details his dalliances in alcohol abuse, his failed business dealings of his managers who seemed to be able to make money disappear, and his volatile relationship with vocalists and band members alike. Though the last fifty pages or so seem to gloss over the last twenty years of his career in an unsatisfying finale, overall the book is full of insights and details that any fan of Yngwie should read.

[Brahm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't recall when I started listening to Yngwie ("Ing-vay") Malmsteen but when I "discovered" him in the early or mid 2000s, he clicked immediately. I love heavy metal, I love the neo-classical sound (another example, lots of tracks from early Children of Bodom), and I've got a soft spot for his light- and cream-coloured Stratocasters, as my first electric guitar was an Olympic White Mexican Strat, bought used with a nice chip in the paint, from Long & McQuade circa 2001 or 2002.

It was great reading about Yngwie's history, which I knew next to nothing about (other than he was Swedish), how he grew up, his early bands in when he came to the US alone as a teenager (!) in the early 80s, and his early career, the later creation of Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar, other tidbits. "My goal in life is to blow my own mind every day" - his writing is fairly pompous but this is in character as clearly he's a perfectionist (at least in music). "There's the right way, the wrong way, and the Yng-way".

The writing left a lot to be desired. It was quite basic, repetitive, and meandering. It was often extremely light on details, just as an example, I think he dedicated 2-4 paragraphs to each of his two ex-wives. One annoying editorial choice: the two sets of colour photo inserts were not in chronological order. TWO pictures of him in front of four red Ferraris were not required.

I would strongly recommend to big Yngwie fans if they've only listened to his music and don't know his story, I know it will help me appreciate his word more, and branch out and listen to albums I haven't yet given the proper airtime. I would strongly discourage anyone else from reading it.

[Arni · Rating 4 out of 5]

There I was, some ten years ago, still reeling from the overwhelming experience of my first Malmsteen gig. I had brought my signature Malmsteen Strat and I stood outside the venue for two hours in the freezing cold and drizzle waiting for him to show up and sign it. When he finally did, our encounter was very brief. In the end, someone - April, his wife, I think - had to take my guitar unto the tour bus and they almost took of with it! I did get the guitar back and it's been one of my most prized possessions ever since. Yet that encounter was a highly ambivalent experience for me. I got to meet my idol, the man who had inspired my guitar playing more than anyone and whose material I had listened to obsessively for years, and he signed my guitar. Yet, he couldn't be bothered to exchange more than a handful of words with me, even though I had been standing there for two hours.

This event and this feeling came back to me when I read "Relentless: The Memoir". I was mildly stunned to find out that this stand-offish attitude to fans is deliberate on Yngwie's part. He wants to create or sustain the artist-fan mystique which he experienced with Richie Blackmore and the like back in his childhood, before the internet gave you access to every aspect of an artist's life. This seems deeply foolish to me, and counterproductive in that it is probably somewhat detrimental to record sales and fan devotion. But that's Yngwie's rationale for letting me stand in icy drizzle for two hours, only to exchange a handful of words with him.

At least I can console myself with penetrating some of that mystique with this memoir.

Yngwie Malmsteen is the Steve Jobs of guitar playing - so extremely driven, so super talented, so certain in his vision and talent that he both alienates scores of his peers and revolutionises his field.

"Relentless" isn't particularly insightful about the human condition or whatever, but it does give you Yngwie's story in his own words and with his thoughts about various subjects (Ferraris, the internet, family life, the state of rock music, etc.) in a straight forward way. I used to idolise the man as a teen so I really enjoyed hearing the story of his childhood and youth in Sweden, his rise to fame in America and his international fame and notoriety subsequently. He s a fascinating and complicated man. His single-minded drive to, quote, "blow himself away" with his guitar playing every day has made him the amazing guitarist he is, but it has also made him profoundly difficult, if not impossible, to work with - and his music has, in my opinion, suffered for it.

The writing isn't especially good, but then again, it's not supposed to be, is it? He's not a writer - and that's fine. The book could have done with a few less expletives, and the clichés regularly employed remind you that he's not a native English speaker. He makes some claims that seem a bit far fetched, if not factually wrong, like his father having received the Nobel Prize (my googling skills might be deficient, but I couldn't find any confirmation of that claim). I wish he elaborated more on some subjects, like his drinking (is he an alcoholic?) and, I'm kind of ashamed to admit this, his previous marriages.

Overall, "Relentless" was a highly enjoyable book, especially for an old fan like myself. I enjoyed the insight into his childhood, especially, and being walked through his discography. I enjoyed the end as well. Yngwie has had some hard times, some of his own making, others of circumstance, but by all accounts - by *his account - he is in a good place at the moment, with a stable family life and career that allows him to do what he considers the best work of his life.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yngwie turned the guitar world upside-down when I was in college, and his first three albums were favorite listening of mine while studying. I've always loved his playing, and wondered if the interviews I've read over the years were an accurate portrayal. I read this book in a day - just couldn't put it down. He doesn't pull punches, yet has many charitable things to say about familiar names in the music business. The book is written in a conversational style as though you're sitting across the table from him. I loved the behind-the-scenes stories about albums I've listened to so many times. Well worth reading to find out more about this musical legend.

[Andrew Hamblin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did you know?

- That as a teenager, Yngwie recorded music every day in a converted bomb shelter?
- That his father was a Swedish spy in the Cold War?
- That he had a near-fatal drunken car crash that almost caused him the loss of function of his picking hand, but ultimately only made his hair go curly?
- That he has an uncompromising musical vision, but that vision for some reason also includes baffling radio-friendly cock rock?
- That the thing he does is not actually "sweep-picking," even though that's what he called it in his 1991 instructional video, but rather a legato-staccato-something-something?
- That he stopped drinking around 2003, which explains why when I saw him a few years before that he was a fat mess running around barely playing anything except the occasional flourish?
- That he blows his own mind almost every day of his life?

Read this book and you will know all these things, and more.

[Janne Paananen · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Myös yksi oman poikani nimistä on Yngwie, mutta hän tietää, mitä se tarkoittaa. Se tarkoittaa, että hän on viikinki ja ruotsalainen kuningas, kuten isänsä."

Yngwie Malmsteenia ei koskaan ole sanottu vaatimattomaksi tai vähään tyytyväksi. Yksi Ferrari ei ole riittävästi ja kitaroitakin on oltava pari sataa. Omassa elämäkerrassaan hän ei myöskään pelkää korostaa merkitystään kitaran ja klassisen musiikin yhdistämisessä. Lukiessa tulee välillä olo, että kaveri pitää itseään Jumalasta seuraavana. Ylöspäin. Kukapa kissan hännän nostaisi, jollei kissa itse.

Paikoitellen Malmsteenin mahtipontisuutta on virkistävä lukea ja välillä lähinnä vaivaannuttava. Vaivaannuttavaa se on esimerkiksi, kun hän leveilee saavutuksillaan YouTube-kanavallaan. Kukin voi käydä toteamassa sieltä itse, että herran opetusvideot keräävät joitakin tuhansia katselukertoja hänen ilmoittamiensa miljoonien sijaan.

Elämäkerta kulkee poukkoilevassa kronologisessa järjestyksessä, jossa pysähdytään välillä muistelemaan menneitä tai keskitytään johonkin yksittäiseen asiaan tai näkökulmaan. Rakenne on aivan toimiva.

Muistelmat on kuitenkin hieman huonosti kirjoitettu. Toistoa on monissa paikoin. Se sopii Kalevalaan, mutta rock-muistelman ollessa kyseessä, aloin jo diagnosoida Malmsteenille Alzheimerin tautia.

Kitarateknistä hienosäätöä ei onneksi ole kirjassa liikaa. Varmaankin juuri sopivasti, jotta kitaristit saavat omansa ja muut lukijat eivät niihin kyllästy. Etukäteen pelkäsin, että tämän elämäkerran kohdalla tekniikkahommat saisivat liiankin paljon huomiota.

Tyylikkäät kuvaliitteet ja hakemisto sopivat toki musiikkikirjaan, mutta muilta kitarasankareilta ja musiikkiteollisuuden pampuilta pyydetyt hehkutukset olisi voinut jättää laittamatta.

[Peter Diggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Summary: Yngwie J. Malmsteen is arguably the paramount technical metal guitarist on this planet. And possibly several more planets as well. He has written a fascinating memoir that is presented from his unique perspective on life, music… and his undeniable confidence in his own ability that many find too abrasive.

Rating: 80%

Review in a bit more detail:

Anyone who knows Yngwie Malmsteen’s work generally falls in to one of two extreme categories - you either love him or hate him. He revolutionised metal guitar in the 80’s, combining elements of classical music with the speed and volume of heavy metal.

I found it hard to have any empathy for Yngwie. He clearly thinks that he was born to be a rock god. Yngwie always knew he was destined for the spotlight. He writes with complete confidence that he was as good, or better, than any other guitarist. He also plays that way…

Having said that, it was a very good read. Yngwie tells of his life growing up in Sweden, where he felt that he was destined for better things (i.e. Miami, Ferrari’s and Rolex’s). He pays tribute to his upbringing, his love of Fender Guitars, Marshall Amps, his wife… did I mention Miami, Ferrari’s and Rolex’s? There was a degree of repetition in what Yngwie says, but he generally writes with good humour which makes for an easy read.

For all of the bad press Yngwie gets, it is easy to misinterpret his confidence as ego; his honesty as abrasive. In Relentless, he shows that he has a degree of humility (not a large degree, but at least it’s there). There’s a little bit there for the casual music fan, guitarists and the die-hard Yngwie worshipper.

I enjoyed the book, both as a fan and a reader.

Pete Diggins
17 August 2015

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know that frequent, unpleasant occurrence when you talk to someone who only talks about how awesome he is at everything, and how he's almost never made any mistakes, or has never suffered like most people suffer? This book is basically like that. There's a lot of delusion to sift through. He talks about how smooth his shows are now that he's sober and that he only hires sober people. But I went to a workshop of his recently and it was a mess. Further, he raves about how great his guitar tone is now, but at that clinic he played obnoxiously loud and his tone was shrill and brittle. You'd thing 11 Marshall cabs (or was it 11 heads? I forget) would have a fuller, deeper sound. I think his hearing is damaged. Mine might be too after that show. Thanks, Yngwie.

But it's fairly interesting to hear his take on things.

[Carlton Duff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of this book finds the heroic Yngwie making a valiant ‘Viking’ like effort to dispel the rumors…”arrogant asshole”, “all flash and little substance”, “unbelievable narcissist”, etc etc…only to give us a written confirmation of those “rumors”.

[Kolbjørn Brønnick · Rating 2 out of 5]

While it is interesting to read about the early years of Yngwie´s career, this book quickly gets boring due to three problems: a) Yngwie comes across as very shallow in his reflections about his history. He does not analyze his relational problems as seen from the perpectives of others, hence most people he describes in this book are very superficially described. That is a shame, as Yngwie has a very interesting history with other musicians. b) The book is very poorly structured. It feels as there was no editor involved. Yngwie rambles on, repeats himself and at times it is almost free association. c) Yngwie is very self-obsessed. Almost everything is about himself and how incredibly talented he is at everything. This makes the book uninteresting. Seen from a distance, not all is well in Yngwie´s universe. His records nowadays are not up to the standard of his earliest records, yet he insists that he now makes his best music ever. I guess few people would agree with him in this.

I guess the best part of the book is the part where no humans are involved, only guitars, amps and pickups. His "lecture" about Ferraris is also interesting. Thus, the book is worth it to fans of Yngwie but others should stay away.

[Tom Erik Frydenlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting story about totalt dedication to creating music and a lifestyle in music from very early age.

[Julian · Rating 3 out of 5]

At some point I was a bog fan of Yngwie and I'll still enjoy some of that material. Caught in the middle, for instance, is one of my favorite songs ever, but I eventually I found him too repetitive, constantly unable to deliver memorable songs, but I guess that's his market.

On the book, most of it is interesting. You learn how he started in Sweden, his discipline, dedication, and complete focus on his craft. He obviously had a natural talent that, combined with an obsession, gave us this guitar monster. I liked that he talks details about the music, gear, composition, scales, etc. It's not too technical, so you can understand, even if you don't play. I appreciated this part because other musicians don't talk too much about music in their books.

At the end, the book loses steam and gets a bit repetitive and boring. This seems to be common with biographies of people who had their popularity peaks in the 80s/90s, e.g. Mike Tyson, Motley Crue: they might still be kicking around and maybe even having financial success, but the story is no longer interesting.

Yngwie's character is well known. He compares himself with Mozart, never sees other's points of view, says his dad got a Nobel Prize, etc. This is obvious throughout the whole book. But hey, if you buy Malmsteen's book, you unleash the fury.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book. Never read an autobiography before. It was like Yngwie Malmsteen himself was talking in my head all the time I was reading the book. It didn't really sound like i am ready a book, it was like he was sitting in front of me and telling me stories of his life.
I didn't like the fact that the book wasn't based on a timeline.
the other issue i didn't like was that it was not very detailed. I still have tons of questions and probably if he wanted to tell all it would be a 500 pages book.

Overall, I gave the book 4/5 and i think it is worth reading.

[Melanie Falina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's awesome getting inside the maestro's head.

[Emil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spellbound

Yngwie J Malmsteen is one of the most talented Guitar players in the world. His ambition, determination, obsession, and dedication have proven themselves in the face of all adversities. His story is profound and his musical results are proof of his journey.

I can only learn from him to have the same dedication to my craft, day and night, despite all feedback, criticism, obstacles, and challenges in my way.

In terms of character build, I think that because Yngwie has spent so much time dedicated to his craft, his character remained somewhat unpolished, a bit bratty childish, and overly arrogant. Of course, he would not care what you say about him, not about his reputation and status and that is fair. I see how such traits have brought him to where he is. But there comes a time when there is also work to be done on oneself, not only regarding one's craft.

Overall I wish Yngwie a good life and hope he makes great music and perhaps teaches the next generation much of his playing and dedication.

[KariG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruotsalainen kitarasankari ja mestaritiluttaja kertoo elämästään ja... eh, elämästään. Toki soittohommiakin on, mutta esimerkiksi levyjen ruotiminen ei selvästikään ole Ynkkää kiinnostanut - ei ainakaan Odysseyn jälkeen - joten tämä puoli jää pahasti muun kerronnan varjoon. Itseäni se harmittaa, koska olisin mieluusti lukenut tietoa kuinka ja miksi ja miten kunkin levyn kohdalla on käynyt kuten on käynyt.

Vaikka en Malmsteenin musiikkia enää juuri kuuntelekaan, nostan silti hattua miehen tinkimättömyydelle jopa siinäkin vaiheessa, kun taas yksi manageri katoaa miljoonat taskussaan ja jättää edustamansa muusikon tyhjän päälle. Moni olisi pistänyt pillit pussiin ja antanut koko homman olla, mutta Ynkkä vain jatkoi soittamistaan ja pääsi taas kerran jaloilleen.

Teksti on helppolukuista ja kulkee lineaarisesti. Vajaa viikko tässä meni, mutta nopeamminkin olisi ollut luettavissa.

[Mariah Startzman · Rating 2 out of 5]

On December 3, 2021 I am going to go see a Yngwie Malmsteen show with my boyfriend. My exposure to Yngwie is very minimal, most of it being only what I’ve seen of him on “That Metal Show” (a television show previously aired on VH1 Classic about all things rock and metal). Since learning I’d be going to the concert, I’ve slowly been listening to his albums, but I wanted to know more about him to be truly prepared. So when I found out Yngwie had a book, I decided this was the best way to go about it. To be honest, reading “Relentless: The Memoir” was not an enjoyable experience. If you know anything about Yngwie Malmsteen, you know he is said to have a large ego and he doesn’t work well with others. And even though Yngwie tries to make himself look good, I think everyone’s assumptions are correct. Yngwie speaks of himself very highly, and while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, so much of the book feels disingenuous. Many parts of the book are very interesting, but I can’t tell if it’s even true. I craved more realness from his writing. That said, Yngwie Malmsteen is an amazingly talented musician, but I definitely would not read this book again.

[James Traxler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Malmsteen, of course, a game-changer in the guitar world (in my opinion), whether or not you like his playing.
However, he has trod the same path since day one, never diverging.
In his book, he would have you believe he is the most amazing thing ever and everything he has done is down to him alone. And anything bad that's been said about him was not due to him.
It's an interesting read for someone like me - I must confess, I did love his stuff up until the Eclipse album.
He does come across almost child-like in some ways.
It's a shame he can't be humble at all. Humble is not in his vocabulary.

[Jacob Berg · Rating 2 out of 5]

A tedious read, clearly written by himself (you can really hear his ”swenglish”), so in that sense a very authentic read since he himself seems to be a bit tedious! Interesting to hear about his years in Sweden and Stockholm, my home city, especially since I am from the same suburb, Hässelby, so a nice time stamp. And of course his drive and his passion is very impressive, I admire his playing.

[DeHoyos Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazing musician and a controversial character. The early years are pretty interesting but I got “This is how amazing I am” fatigue about half way through. Not really a surprise. Still looking forward to seeing him play live next month

[Jiri Vidgren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't read it through. Too much sugar and syrup.

[Pip Carter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute rubbish. Bloated ego, narcissistic, pompous drivel. Edits out wives, gives no one any credit apart from himself. Just awful.

[Rob Dwyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yngwie's memoir is quite interesting from the start and does serve to illuminate his formative years. As a guitarist, Yngwie was undoubtedly a huge influence upon me and so many others as a player. He does share plenty of insights about his early career and rise to success.

Yngwie also spends a lot of time praising himself for his contributions to music. Mr. Malmsteen doles out only the most sparing praise to his collaborators, most of whom he doesn't even bother to mention. As an author, he does have a tendency to repeat himself quite a lot. Yngwie also spends a lot of time trying to justify his own arrogance along the way, but often digs himself a deeper hole.

During the final quarter of the book, I got the impression that he was either uncomfortable or uninterested in writing about the albums he made from 1990 through 1997. He also refuses to acknowledge his first two wives by name, dismissing both of them as "groupies" for the most part. Instead, he quickly concludes the book by talking by his current wife and son - April & Antonio Malmsteen. For that reason, the book feels almost unfinished and unsatisfying as a whole. Yngwie mostly tells us what he wants us to know, which is to essentially say how great he believes he is.

I won't deny that I still admire Yngwie's playing, but his narcissism is disappointing to behold. I'm happy to see that he has turned his life around and has found a healthier perspective in sobriety and do wish him continued spiritual development.

I'd still recommend the book to anyone who admires his playing. It's just not the sort of confessional one might hope for.

[Alexis Vélez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recuerdo con lujo de detalles hace aproximadamente 24 años cuando conocí a Ingüi (jamás podré pronunciar su nombre como debería que es algo como Yngvei, no me parece correcto a estas alturas y nadie sabría de quién estoy hablando). El álbum fué Trilogy y recuerdo que un amigo lo estaba tocando en su camión al lado de casa y al pasar la vecina dijo que era música del diablo. La canción que sonaba era I'm a Viking. Yngwie ha sido uno de esos músicos, que aunque no lo escucho frecuente, se ha quedado conmigo a lo largo de los años, su música definitivamente no tiene comparación y está claro que es uno de los músicos más virtuosos y rápidos que existe en el mundo. En cuanto a estas memorias puedo decir que son bien entretenidas de leer, en todo momento nos muestra lo que siempre había sospechado; el tipo es demasiado estricto con su música y desde pequeño nunca ha querido que nadie influencie en la misma. Por tal razón nunca mantiene sus mismos músicos. En cuanto a la estructura del libro, me parece que no cuidaron bien la secuencia y continuidad de sus capítulos ya que repite constantemente anécdotas o maneras de pensar. Sus últimos tres capítulos son más técnicos y abunda más en su equipo y estilo mientras que el resto es un buen resúmen de su historia. Altamente recomendado para los fans de este gran artista.

[Joe Canas · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 stars for Yngwie, but only 3 for his book. There's definitely some interesting material for rabid fans like me: Run-ins with various former bands and bandmates; years (and years) of excessive drinking and "rock star behavior;" crooked managers and the fortunes they stole; two failed marriages; one great marriage; the birth of his son (and his greatest pal) Antonio; and above all, Yngwie's love of music. He's "telling it like it is" (and not in his native language)... but at times the cliches and repetitious writing distracted me from whatever points he was making. Still, he's not known for writing memoirs -- he's viking guitar god numero uno, baby! Best to speed through this book the way he speeds through his solos, and then cue up some classic albums and enjoy what he does best. As he jokes when owning up to his need to control everything he produces (including this memoir): There's the right way, the wrong way, and the Yng-way!

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly amazing. I read this eBook very slowly. I didn't want to finish it.
I can really connect with this book as I am a musician with obsessive tendencies and have always been an individual . It's like reading about myself in the way that I approach thinking about music and how to write music.
Yngwie Malmsteen to me has always been misunderstood. This book hopefully will help explain how Yngwie does things. He is a modern day J S Bach rather than an electric guitar player in a band.
The magic does not disappear when you know how he does things. It's an extraordinary book about an inspirational musician and person. Superb.

[Mark All · Rating 5 out of 5]

At last the biography of one of the most accomplished composers, arrangers, and instrumental virtuosos ever. I was impressed by the author's intellect and insights as well as the profundity and breadth of his knowledge and understanding of music. Guitarists will find a few worthwhile tips, although not nearly as many as I'd hoped for. A unique glimpse into the founder of neo-classical heavy metal.

[gekko100 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly enjoyable tell-all memoir from the original enfant terrible of shred guitar. Sure, his ego looms larger than a stack of vintage Marshalls over every page, and he does go on about his love of Ferraris and Rolexes a little more than I'd like, but for the most part it's refreshingly candid and heartfelt.

The infamous "you've unleashed the #%$%ing fury" incident can be heard here (and it's hilarious): https://soundcloud.com/massivecoiler/...

[Nidal · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai toujours apprécié la musique de Malmsteen mais comme personne je l'ai par contre toujours detesté, si quelqu'un à la même vision que j'avais de lui je l'invite à lire ce livre, au pire des cas il remontera un chti peu dans votre estime.

Livre très intéressant, AC/DC, KISS, Billy Sheehan et j'en passe sont mentionnés dans le livre.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the Kerrang! headline once read (when reviewing the Odyssey album)..."Ready, Steady, Ego!!!".
For committed YJM fans only, fills in some of his bio history and guitar kit gaps.
If only he would just play a little bit faster!