Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen recently joined WPDH for an interview during which he admitted being a fan of Eric Clapton.
Both Yngwie Malmsteen and Eric Clapton have a special place among other guitarists in the music scene. Malmsteen is known for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, while Eric Clapton is a highly influential guitar player who has inspired many other guitarists in music history.
However, there has been a long-debated issue about the two; it’s not clear who first received a signature Fender Stratocaster guitar. According to Malmsteen, Fender had never given a guitar to any other guitarist before him, while most sources believe Clapton was the first owner of a signature Strat.
In a previous interview, Malmsteen stated that every guitar company approached him to work on a signature guitar. Still, he accepted Fender’s offer as the company had never given a unique guitar to anyone. Both Clapton and Malmsteen received their signature Strats in the same period, so it’s hard to learn the truth.
In a recent interview with WPDH, Yngwie Malmsteen claimed that he received his signature Strat in 1986, while Eric Clapton received his around 1987 and 1988. Moreover, Malmsteen revealed he is a fan of Clapton’s music work and said he began listening to him as a little kid.
Asked whether he was a fan of Clapton’s work, Yngwie Malmsteen told WPDH the following:
“Absolutely. I love him. In fact, the funniest thing is that I heard him when I was just a little kid. I didn’t even know it was him because there was a record with John Mayall. I didn’t know it was him playing on it; I was just a little kid.”
So, Malmsteen started listening to Clapton when Clapton was playing with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, and he thought it was Mayall playing the guitar, not Clapton. As it seems, despite the controversy around the pair, Malmsteen is a fan of Clapton and his guitar playing.
