Yngwie Malmsteen has made bold new claims about the late Eddie Van Halen, stating that the legendary guitarist deliberately avoided him during the 1980s, allegedly out of insecurity.
Van Halen exploded onto the scene in 1978 with their self-titled debut album, instantly establishing Eddie Van Halen as a guitar trailblazer. His revolutionary style, especially showcased in the iconic instrumental “Eruption,” cemented his status among the greatest of all time, earning comparisons to fellow guitar hero Randy Rhoads.
Meanwhile, Malmsteen, originally from Sweden, made his U.S. debut with Alcatrazz in 1983 and quickly gained recognition with his groundbreaking neoclassical solo album Rising Force in 1984.
In a recent interview with Classic Rock, Malmsteen revealed a surprising personal history between the two guitar icons, accusing Eddie Van Halen of pretending not to know who he was—despite allegedly listening to his music constantly. As Malmsteen recalled (via Guitar magazine):
“I never said a bad word about him. I never will. Because I think he was amazing. 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.'”
“Meanwhile, Dave Roth told me that Eddie would have his ghetto blaster, playing my sh*t on it all day long.”
Malmsteen went on to allege that during the 1986 Grammy Awards—where he was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance—Van Halen actively avoided him.
“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!”
He further claimed Van Halen canceled a headlining show at a Dutch festival solely to avoid performing on the same bill as him:
“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 find 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.'”
Malmsteen added, with disbelief:
“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!”
These explosive comments are likely to stir debate among rock fans and guitar aficionados, especially given the legendary status of both musicians. While Van Halen is no longer with us to respond, Malmsteen’s claims shed a dramatic new light on the tension between two of the 1980s’ most iconic guitarists
