{"id":75583,"date":"2019-03-26T00:00:46","date_gmt":"2019-03-26T00:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/?p=75583"},"modified":"2019-03-26T16:54:02","modified_gmt":"2019-03-26T16:54:02","slug":"news-yngwie-j-malmsteen-releases-20th-studio-album-proper-blue-lightning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/news-yngwie-j-malmsteen-releases-20th-studio-album-proper-blue-lightning\/","title":{"rendered":"YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN Talks About His Inspiration For \u2018Blue Lightning\u2019 Album In New Video Trailer (March 26th, 2019) | News @ Metal Forces Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN Talks About His Inspiration For \u2018Blue Lightning\u2019 Album In New Video Trailer<\/strong><\/span>
\nMarch 26th, 2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Swedish neo-classical rock guitarist Yngwie J. Malmsteen issues 20th full-length studio album proper Blue Lightning<\/em> on March 29th, 2019 through Mascot Label Group.<\/p>\n

A new video trailer has been released for the outing and can be viewed below. In the latest clip, Malmsteen talks about his inspiration for the album.<\/p>\n

Blue Lightning<\/em> pays homage to the blues. \u201cI have always played around with old songs, both live and also in the studio,\u201d Malmsteen commented. \u201cI did a similar album called Inspiration<\/em> a while ago (1996), and it was Mascot who came to me and suggested I do a blues record.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I grew up in a classically trained family, and people know me for playing in what is called a neo-classical style. But when I got a guitar for my fifth birthday, what I would try to emulate were John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers – I would jam along to what they did on record with Eric Clapton (Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton<\/em> album, 1966). That\u2019s something people don\u2019t realize about me – I do have a strong interest in the blues. So, when Mascot came to me with the suggestion of doing an album of songs in this style, it didn\u2019t faze me at all. In fact, it seemed so natural.\u201d<\/p>\n

Various cover renditions are included on Blue Lightning<\/em>. \u201cThere were songs that were immediately clear I wanted to do,\u201d Malmsteen stated. \u201cThese were the likes of \u2018Purple Haze\u2019 and \u2018Smoke On The Water\u2019 which I have been playing since I was a kid. But then I also went for something like \u2018While My Guitar Gently Weeps\u2019 which I wasn\u2019t sure I could do. In this case, it was about trial and error. I am delighted that I was able to do justice to the original.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malmsteen felt he injected his own individual flavour to the cover renditions. \u201cI have never been one of those people who wants to sit down and mimic the way in which a song sounds on record. I don\u2019t see the point in doing that. If all you want to hear is a song the way you remember it, then the originals are there for you. What I have done is add in my own vibe and personality, while paying tribute to what you already know. That way I feel I am being myself, yet also being respectful to those artists.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blue Lightning<\/em>\u2019s cover interpretation of the Eric Clapton number \u2018Forever Man\u2019 was deemed a challenge to tackle. \u201cI heard this on the radio, and honestly I didn\u2019t know whether I could do it for this album,\u201d Malmsteen admitted. \u201cBut I sat down and tried things, and they worked out. I had to rise to the occasion and am delighted to have done exactly that. On the singing side with \u2018Forever Man\u2019, I did it all in one take. I got the lyrics through, went into the studio, and just got them done. I am not someone who likes to do take after take. I feel you should be able to get it right the first time around. That applies to the vocal parts and also my guitar playing. And for the most part, this is the way I did Blue Lightning<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

A particular favourite also makes an appearance. \u201cWhen I was ten years old, I got Deep Purple\u2019s Fireball<\/em> album (1971), which I have always thought was very undervalued,\u201d Malmsteen submitted. \u201cAnd the song that really killed me was \u2018Demon\u2019s Eye\u2019. And I was very keen to do it for the album. Thankfully, the key was just right for my voice, and I had so much fun doing it. In fact, I would say that I had a great time doing all the songs here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rounding out the track listing are four originals. \u201cI have always featured songs with a blues groove on albums,\u201d Malmsteen viewed. \u201cSo, having my own material in this vein was very natural for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blue Lightning<\/em> was produced by Malmsteen himself. \u201cIn the old days, a band would go into the studio, do a couple of songs, then go out on tour, before returning to the studio to do a couple more new tracks,\u201d he shared. \u201cThat\u2019s the way I did things this time. I have been so busy on the road in recent times that it was the most pragmatic way to do the album. In all, it took me about ten months to get it done, but by going in the studio in between touring commitments, I feel it kept everything fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malmsteen\u2019s cover of The Beatles song \u2018While My Guitar Gently Weeps\u2019 can be streamed below.<\/p>\n

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The track listing is as follows;<\/p>\n

01. \u2018Blue Lightning\u2019
\n02. \u2018Foxey Lady\u2019 (Jimi Hendrix)
\n03. \u2018Demon\u2019s Eye\u2019 (Deep Purple)
\n04. \u20181911 Strut\u2019
\n05. \u2018Blue Jean Blues\u2019 (ZZ Top)
\n06. \u2018Purple Haze\u2019 (Jimi Hendrix)
\n07. \u2018While My Guitar Gently Weeps\u2019 (The Beatles)
\n08. \u2018Sun\u2019s Up Top\u2019s Down\u2019
\n09. \u2018Peace, Please\u2019
\n10. \u2018Paint It Black\u2019 (The Rolling Stones)
\n11. \u2018Smoke On The Water\u2019 (Deep Purple)
\n12. \u2018Forever Man\u2019 (Eric Clapton)<\/p>\n

Official lyric videos were created for the title track and the song \u2018Sun\u2019s Up Top\u2019s Down\u2019. Both clips can also be viewed below.<\/p>\n

Nineteenth studio record proper World On Fire<\/em> was released<\/a> in June 2016 via King Records.<\/p>\n