Originally Posted by Ice

Do you know how Yngwie Malmsteen got his name?


Taken from a Guitar World article....

In a different world, under different circumstances, the name Lars Lannerback would be known high and wide to aficionados of shred guitar. But in this world, things being what they are, it is Yngwie J. Malmsteen who holds pride of place among the virtuosi.

In the end, it makes no difference: Lannerback and Malmsteen are the same guy.

"I was born Lars Johan Yngwie Lannerback," Malmsteen fesses up. "But no one called me Lars during my youth. I was always called Yngwie.

"Malmsteen" He explains comes from his mother. "I took her maiden name and used it as my last name when she separated from my father, Leonard Lannerback."

The revelation ends more than two decades of secrecy, during which the Scandinavian guitarist has found fame and fortune as one of metal guitar's guiding lights.

There is more but I'm not going to type it all... buy the back issue of Guitar World... Oct 2006