In the ever-evolving mythology of rock guitar, legends often come paired with rivalry, real or perceived. One of the more curious cold wars in shredder history resurfaced recently, as Yngwie Malmsteen opened up in a new interview with Classic Rock (translated via Ultimate Guitar), alleging that the late Eddie Van Halen, long considered a guitar revolutionary, once felt threatened by his presence on the scene.
“I never said a bad word about him. I never will. Because I think he was amazing,” Malmsteen insisted, emphasizing his respect for Van Halen. But the Swedish-born guitarist went on to share stories that, if true, paint a picture of distance, deliberate and awkward, between the two guitar icons.
According to Malmsteen, despite Van Halen’s public posture of indifference, there was private admiration at play. “But I used to know a guy who worked in the grocery store where Eddie would shop, and the guy would ask him: ‘Hey, what do you think about Yngwie Malmsteen, the new Swedish kid?’ And Eddie would say: ‘I don’t know who that is.’” But in the next breath, Malmsteen adds: “Meanwhile, Dave Roth told me that Eddie would have his ghetto blaster, playing my sh*t on it all day long.”
Whether it was a matter of competition or simply ego, Malmsteen recalled several moments where he felt actively avoided. One of the most vivid memories comes from the 1986 Grammys. “I go to the show – I had my tux on and everything – and I see Eddie there. I’m waving at him, trying to get his attention, and he sees me… and he runs away. He literally ran away!”
For a rising guitar phenom like Malmsteen, who had made his solo mark with Rising Force in 1984 after his stateside debut with Alcatrazz, these moments were more than missed hellos — they suggested something deeper. He also recounted a festival in Holland where he believed Van Halen pulled out just to avoid sharing a stage. “I was doing a concert festival in Holland, and Van Halen were headlining. I’m like, ‘Great, I finally get to meet Eddie and give him my concerto.’ Because I’m proud of my concerto, you know?”
“But I found out they cancelled the show. They said Alex Van Halen had broken his little finger or something. And then I hear that the promoter got a phone call from Eddie himself, who said: ‘Just to let you know, if Yngwie Malmsteen is playing, I’m not playing. And I will never fu**ing play the same stage as Yngwie Malmsteen.”
To Malmsteen, the idea that Van Halen might have seen him as a threat was difficult to digest. “I’m like, ‘What?’ He obviously felt threatened. Which is crazy to me. You’re fu**ing Eddie Van Halen. No one could threaten you!”
Whether or not Van Halen ever actually saw Malmsteen as a threat or merely preferred not to be directly compared is unknown, lost to the ages and backstage gossip. But the dynamic offers a revealing insight into the unspoken hierarchies and insecurities that even the most popular artists sometimes carry.
