Jeff Scott Soto recently commented on his ongoing relationship with Yngwie Malmsteen. He addressed the matter in a statement shared on Harmless Dave.
When asked about his current relationship with the legendary guitarist, Soto reflected on their complicated history. He shared his efforts to reconcile.
“Unfortunately, it still exists the way it was the last time you asked or the last time anybody saw,” Soto said. “I have my moments where I really am trying to reach out and extend the olive branch.”
Soto emphasized his respect for the work they accomplished together. He noted that their collaboration was a shared effort despite Malmsteen’s reluctance to acknowledge it.
“I’m always focusing and praising and respecting the career that I built from him and with him,” he explained. “This was a team effort to some degree, even though he’s the marquee artist and he insists that we had nothing to do with the creativity and the kind of building that spectrum of his career, but we all had a part to do with it.”
Despite his attempts at reconciliation, Soto made clear that he seeks only friendship and civility. He does not want a professional reunion.
“I don’t want to start a band with him and I don’t want to be a singer again,” he stated. “I just want to be friends. I just want to be civil. I want to be able to reach out and say happy birthday or you know love to the family kind of stuff because that’s the kind of person I am.”
Soto concluded by expressing his broader philosophy on resolving past conflicts.
“I want peace and harmony like Ringo,” he said. “Peace and love. I want to go under when it’s finally my time knowing I buried all the hatchets and there was nobody that had a beef with me. And that’s the bottom line.”
To understand the weight of Soto’s words, it’s essential to look back at the beginning of their professional relationship. Last.fm documents that Jeff Scott Soto’s relationship with Yngwie Malmsteen began in late 1984 when Soto answered an open call for audition tapes by the former Alcatrazz guitarist. This marked the beginning of a significant professional collaboration that would define the early part of Soto’s career and establish him as a respected vocalist in the metal and hard rock genres.
Soto’s major label debut came through his work with Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force. He provided vocals for Malmsteen’s debut album Rising Force, released in 1984 on Polydor Records, as documented on Wikipedia. The following year, in 1985, Soto returned to the recording studio to record Malmsteen’s second album, Marching Out. These early recordings showcased Soto’s ability to handle complex, virtuosic guitar work alongside Malmsteen’s technical prowess.
The band’s early momentum extended beyond the studio. Last.fm notes that the collaboration included a significant tour in Japan, which created considerable buzz in the music industry. A Tokyo concert from this era was filmed and later released on video as Chasing Yngwie: Live in Tokyo, ’85. This release captured the energy and chemistry of their live performances during their peak years together.
After his tenure with Malmsteen, Soto pursued numerous other projects. These included his solo career, work with Journey, Talisman, Sons of Apollo, and various supergroups. However, his work with Yngwie Malmsteen in the mid-1980s remains a defining chapter in his professional history. It continues to be a notable part of his legacy in the metal music community. This shared history makes Soto’s current attempts at reconciliation all the more poignant.
