Why is Yngwie so hated?

[Dee]

Wait a sec. I never said I hated him, I said my girlfriend dislikes him from hearing his playing, she thinks he w*nks on his guitar, and she's right.

I have come to realize that he can certainly act like a jerk, just look at the plane incident. He deserved it for being openly homophobic in public. Someone took offence and I'm not suprised she threw water at him. Maybe he'll think twice about being homophobic in public next time? Homophobia is pretty much just as bad as being racist. So for that, Yngwie gets the finger from me. And let's face it -- his rant was pathetic. "You unleashed the fury"? How can anyone take that seriously!!?

"I think that many guitarists dislike him because his virtuosity makes them feel inadequate".

No musician has ever made me feel inadequate, not a single one. I doubt that anyone else has been made to feel inadequate by Yngwie either. The problem is he's full of himself, he talks s*** about other guitarists, he's openly homophobic, many people find his music not to their taste (I'm being nice), and they dislike his personality. I don't see anything wrong.

[ibanez2005]

People who are homophobic are usually arseholes anyway ive found. I aint *** but i dont mind men or women who are ***. I know some *** blokes and they are really fun people to be around.
Yngwie can f**k himself.

[jim777]

I think people's feelings about Yngwie have been very plainly stated in this thread. If the ortiginal poster wanted to know why people don't like him, there's plenty of reasons here. Keep in mind it's easy to respect someone's talent and dislike them as an individual. I don't think even Don Dokken's mother can stand him, but that man can certainly sing.

[Tom Gilroy]

Originally Posted by jemplayer55

Bigshred..... I define "shred guitar" as it refers to a virtuosic, highly technical style of playing the instrument. Yeah, something both Lee and Hendrix were doing for there time. Sorry that just doesn't fit your time line or obviously your narrow definition of "shred".

A virtuoso is a musician of extreme technical competence. Neither Hendrix nor Lee were very technically capable, so your definition rules them out, not his. Sorry to bring sucky news, but those guys are sloppy, and the music they played was simple in a technical and musical sense even for their time, ie not virtuosic or technical, hence not shred.

Originally Posted by jemplayer55

Remember, it was stated in the original post he (Yngwie) was the inventor of shred! By the way, you still skipped over DiMeola? I think he was sweep picking and arpeggiating, yes?!

No, Yngwie didn't invent shred. Fair point. The vast majority of Di Meola's work is heavily modal, but with little arpeggiation, and I've never heard or seen him sweep pick, he prefers very strict alternate picking.

[Clydefrog]

Originally Posted by jj

Okay, so I just check in to see if anyone came up with a truly legitimate reason for my original question of why they hate Yngwie and this is mostly what I've gotten so far:

He is a horrible person, but a great guitarist.

Because his music is very boring???

His attitude is very self centered.

It is all just too repetitive.

Basically he is a self-centered jerk.

His ego is bigger than his art.

My girlfriend really dislikes him.

A complete prick all the time.

It's his personality more than anything.

a major ass.

Yngiwe Fu**ing nobody.

All of these answers are superficial cop-outs my friends. They are interesting observations but they are certainly not reasons to hate another human being, especially a guy who didn't do anything against any of you personally.

It seems that only one person (quik) got it right and I quote:

"I think that many guitarists dislike him because his virtuosity makes them feel inadequate".

Absolutely correct quik, a very perceptive comment and the only truly legitimate answer there can be. You win the contest, to claim your Fender YJM Strat go to Yngwie's house in the middle of the night and break a window. Doesn't matter which window, he keeps a dozen strats in every room).

Always remember: You cannot change the truth, but the truth can change you.

It must be nice to just sweep every arguement and point under the rug without actually debating against them.

[red5]

Originally Posted by pawel

Semantics - "hate" is an emotion reserved for rare occasions, but the actual word has been used these days (especially on the net) to describe a range of feelings.

Good point. I only hate republicans. I dislike Yngwie and democrats.

[jemplayer55]

Tom, two things to remember:
1- In "68" there were only a hand full of guitar players playing what can be considered a melodic style of lead guitar in a rock context. That was just two examples. Heck, Santana was quite the player on his debut album. I agree, maybe not exacting players but if you don't consider Hendrix an innovator/virtuoso.... sorry, that's MO.

2- If those players were pushing the "boundaries" of music when compared to the likes of mainstream "rock" at the time..... how else would you classify them other than shredders?

Regarding Al.... you have a point about sweep picking and him using it very little. He is obsessed with alternate picking. However, I have seen him several times and he was sweeping at some point whether it was a show or a clinic.

[Dee]

Labels, such as "shredder" don't matter. Why does anyone even care? Hendrix changed music more than any other guitar player on the face of the earth. Simple as that.

Throw away the labels.

[Tom Gilroy]

Originally Posted by jemplayer55

Tom, two things to remember:
1- In "68" there were only a hand full of guitar players playing what can be considered a melodic style of lead guitar in a rock context. That was just two examples. Heck, Santana was quite the player on his debut album. I agree, maybe not exacting players but if you don't consider Hendrix an innovator/virtuoso.... sorry, that's MO.

I agree that Hendrix was an innovator, an important one, but saying he was a virtuoso is absolutely ridiculous. I know many people that could play their most difficult songs flawlessly after a year of playing, not even an intense year either. Technical competence really doesn't come down to opinion.

Originally Posted by jemplayer55

2- If those players were pushing the "boundaries" of music when compared to the likes of mainstream "rock" at the time..... how else would you classify them other than shredders?

Easy, I'd class them as innovators.

Originally Posted by jemplayer55

Regarding Al.... you have a point about sweep picking and him using it very little. He is obsessed with alternate picking. However, I have seen him several times and he was sweeping at some point whether it was a show or a clinic.

I don't know, I've seen ALOT of videos of him, always looks like he's alternate picking, but you might be right on that.

[Algiman]

Originally Posted by Tom Gilroy

I know many people that could play their most difficult songs flawlessly after a year of playing, not even an intense year either. .

Tom, I agree with pretty much all of what you are saying but not that bit. People might be able to put the right notes in the right order after a year, but there is a vibe behind Hendrix’s playing that the vast majority of us will never come close to. If you think of Hendrix tunes as technical exercises you've missed the point.

Back OT, Ynwie pushed the boundaries with his first album, then made the same album again and again.

[jemplayer55]

OK.....I definitely agree "innovators". Still..... in "68" there was a distinct divide between classically trained players and all others including jazz, country, and rock musicians. It wasn't until the mid 70's that we began to see a hybrid type player. One who studied his instrument but was also enamored with the sound of rock and an amp in overdrive. Hence, I still say shredders for their day! Reasoning was they introduced melodic "lead" playing and influenced the first round of Neoclassical shredders. Heck we could start a class on modern rock history. LOL

[rgr]

Originally Posted by Tom Gilroy

I agree that Hendrix was an innovator, an important one, but saying he was a virtuoso is absolutely ridiculous.

From dictionary.com, http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=virtuoso:

Virtuoso
1) A musician with masterly ability, technique, or personal style.
2) A person with masterly skill or technique in the arts.
3) A person with a strong interest in the fine arts, especially in antiquities.
4) Archaic. A very learned person.

By definitions 1 and 2 Hendrix was a virtuoso. Shredder and virtuoso are not synonymous.

Originally Posted by jim777

I don't think even Don Dokken's mother can stand him, but that man can certainly sing.

I would debate that, I bought the albums for Geo's playing. When I saw the first LM tour Oni blew DD out of the water on the Dokken songs they played. But, that's just my opinion and stated as such.

[Tom Gilroy]

Originally Posted by Algiman

Tom, I agree with pretty much all of what you are saying but not that bit. People might be able to put the right notes in the right order after a year, but there is a vibe behind Hendrix’s playing that the vast majority of us will never come close to. If you think of Hendrix tunes as technical exercises you've missed the point.

That "vibe" doesn't make him any more technically competant that those friends of mine playing for about a year, and it certainly doesn't make him a virtuoso. Thats the point I was making.

[Algiman]

You can play the notes after a year, you can't play the music!

[Tom Gilroy]

Originally Posted by rgr

From dictionary.com, http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=virtuoso:

Virtuoso
1) A musician with masterly ability, technique, or personal style.
2) A person with masterly skill or technique in the arts.
3) A person with a strong interest in the fine arts, especially in antiquities.
4) Archaic. A very learned person.

By definitions 1 and 2 Hendrix was a virtuoso. Shredder and virtuoso are not synonymous.

Explain 2. Hendrix did not have masterly skill or technique. Sorry, I'm just being factual.

Plus, 1 is only the way it is due to the evolution of language, which basically means, too many people used the word wrong for so long, its kind of lost its meaning. The original definition is an artist, especially a musician that has attained technical mastery of their art.

I look at it this way, if you're a shredder, you're not necessarily a virtuoso, if you're a virtuoso, you should be able to shred.