In a recent conversation with Metal Rules, singer Mark Boals provided intriguing insights into his time with Yngwie Malmsteen’s band. One notable revelation was the deep admiration Yngwie Malmsteen held for the iconic rock group Deep Purple.
Boals took a trip down memory lane as he reminisced about his audition and early days with Malmsteen’s band. It became evident that Deep Purple songs played a significant role in shaping their musical journey together.
During Boals’ audition, Malmsteen and the band listened to a demo tape he had been working on. Surprisingly, he was asked to sing Deep Purple songs despite Malmsteen’s claim of not being influenced by Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. Boals shared, “He was never influenced by Ritchie Blackmore, but he loves Deep Purple songs.”
The connection to Deep Purple continued as they prepared for their first gig at Oakland Stadium’s Day On the Green. Despite having two weeks of rehearsal time, they focused solely on playing Deep Purple songs instead of Malmsteen’s own compositions. Boals recalled, “So if we had played Deep Purple songs, it would have been perfect, but we played his songs, which I didn’t know. So I had to make up stuff.”
Malmsteen’s admiration for Deep Purple has been no secret. In a 2021 interview with Classic Rock, he revealed that his first-ever album was Deep Purple’s “Fireball,” which he listened to at the tender age of eight. The influence of Deep Purple continued to shape his musical journey, leading him to delve into diverse genres such as progressive rock and classical music. Malmsteen explained, “And this resulted in me becoming a fan of ‘Selling England By The Pound’ by Genesis, and then Emerson Lake And Palmer, then classical — Vivaldi, Bach — and eventually Paganini.”
Since parting ways with Malmsteen’s band, Mark Boals has collaborated with various notable musicians in the industry. Presently, he is a member of Shining Black, a band that released the album ‘Postcards from the End of the World’ in 2022.
The connection between Yngwie Malmsteen and Deep Purple goes beyond mere appreciation. Malmsteen’s love for Deep Purple songs and their influence on his musical development is evident, as corroborated by Mark Boals.