Yngwie Malmsteen has discussed the time David Lee Roth offered him a chance to join his band before Steve Vai came on board, and expressed some regret about turning down the opportunity in a conversation with Eon Music.
Malmsteen was touring with his solo band in 1985 when Roth, who had recently left Van Halen, approached him about working together. The guitarist was asked about the offer and what happened before Vai joined Roth’s band.
Question: “And what about David Lee Roth; that was prior to Steve Vai joining with him yeah?”
“Yes, what happened was that I was on tour with my solo band in 1985, and I had a band called Talas as an opening act, and the bass player in Talas was Billy Sheehan,” Yngwie Malmsteen explained. “Roth would come to the shows all the time, and he had just left Van Halen, and he wanted to get the hottest guitar player, I guess.”
“So he told me he thought we could do a great thing together, and I think he’s an awesome guy, and I really like the Van Halen albums with him, they’re really good and everything. I probably should have done it, but I didn’t.”
Malmsteen said he declined the offer quickly. “So I just basically said, ‘Thanks, but no thanks. I’m honoured, but I’m really on a roll now,’ which I kind of was, but not really [laughing].”
He added that the two musicians maintained a good relationship after that moment. “So we’re on a friendly basis. He would give me a lot of advice about how to deal with the press and shit. A very, very smart guy. And then he got Steve, which was great, so it all worked out.”
These remarks came as Malmsteen reflected on opportunities he had turned down during his career before Steve Vai eventually took the role with Roth.
Malmsteen was at a high point in his solo career when Roth made his offer. His second album Marching Out came out on 19 August 1985 and reached No. 52 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Malmsteen played 112 concerts in 1985, establishing himself as one of the decade’s most technically accomplished guitarists.
Roth had left Van Halen and was building his solo band in 1985. He wanted an elite electric guitar player to match the level of Eddie Van Halen in his new group. Talas, which had Billy Sheehan on bass, opened for major acts on the touring circuit, which made it a good place for Roth to see and meet potential musicians.
Steve Vai joined Roth’s band in 1985 as the guitarist. Vai had gained fame as Frank Zappa’s “stunt guitarist” and had also played with Alcatrazz, where he replaced Malmsteen. Billy Sheehan left Talas to join Roth’s band as bassist, completing the lineup that would record Roth’s debut album Eat ‘Em and Smile in 1986. Vai and Sheehan created complex musical parts together on the album, which brought Vai into public view as a major guitarist.
