Jeff Scott Soto recently opened up about the financial difficulties he faced during his time with Yngwie Malmsteen. He revealed payment issues that contributed to his departure from the band. The singer shared his experience in an interview with The Hair Metal Guru.<\/p>\n
When asked about his compensation while waiting for the album \u201cMarching Out\u201d and during the touring period, Soto explained the salary arrangement and the problems that eventually arose.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot while I was waiting, but when we were touring, I was put on a salary. I don\u2019t remember if I was put on any kind of retainer, but the salary and I got to be there. I\u2019m not giving away anything that\u2019s like mind-boggling, like, \u2018I can\u2019t believe they paid you so little.\u2019 Back then it seemed like a lot of money. I had roommates and it was fine for me. 500 bucks a week plus PDM,\u201d Soto said.<\/p>\n
The singer reflected on his mindset at the time. He emphasized his passion for music over financial concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a little money when you look at the long scope of it now. But for that time, for being 18 years old or 19 years old, I didn\u2019t care. All I cared was I got a break. I\u2019m singing with Yngwie Malmsteen. I think he\u2019s amazing and this is going to start escalating me. If the money\u2019s not there now, it\u2019ll eventually come. If it comes, I don\u2019t care. I just want to be a rockstar. I want to go on the road. I want to sing,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
However, Soto revealed that payment issues became a significant problem during his tenure with the band.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the problems I\u2019m just going to put you off there because I got to tell you that\u2019s one of the reasons I left the band. And again, it\u2019s not Yngwie\u2019s fault. It was whether it\u2019s management\u2019s fault, whether accounting\u2019s fault, whatever. There were so many weeks we weren\u2019t paid on time. And then it got to the point where we\u2019re begging for the money that we\u2019re supposed to have already earned, but we look we look ungrateful because all we\u2019re talking about is money. So it got to the point where I don\u2019t want to deal with things like that. This is not how I envisioned it was going to be,\u201d Soto explained.<\/p>\n
The singer also addressed the working dynamic within the band. This differed from his previous experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been in cover bands. I\u2019ve been in other bands like where it was a brotherhood. Everything was shared and it was a democracy. Now I\u2019m in something thinking this is the big time. It\u2019s going to be even that and more. But it was absolutely the opposite. There was no, you know, Yngwie\u2019s name was the marquee as the marquee artist, which we all expected and knew.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew our place in the band, but we also didn\u2019t think that we were going to be treated and looked upon as kind of the help. It was kind of a hired gun situation at the time. It wasn\u2019t presented that way. We didn\u2019t feel it was going to be that way. And when it started becoming more and more that way, that\u2019s when I\u2019m like, yeah, you know what? I can work for anybody at any time. I want to be in a situation where I\u2019m working with people, not working for people. That was one of the reasons why I left,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n
Soto\u2019s collaboration with Malmsteen marked a significant chapter in both musicians\u2019 careers. It proved to be relatively brief despite its impact on the rock and metal scene.<\/p>\n
2Loud2OldMusic reported that Soto joined Yngwie Malmsteen\u2019s band in 1984 as the vocalist for Malmsteen\u2019s debut solo project. He sang on the albums Rising Force (1984), which was mostly instrumental but featured Soto on vocals for two songs, and Marching Out (1985), where he served as the lead vocalist. The partnership ended shortly after 1985 when Soto decided to leave the band.<\/p>\n
Following his departure from Malmsteen\u2019s band, Soto built an impressive and diverse career in the rock and metal world. Wikipedia noted that he formed the hard rock band Talisman with bassist Marcel Jacob in 1989. The band released several albums and toured extensively. He also launched a successful solo career starting with Love Parade in 1995. He continued with various projects under his own name and the band SOTO.<\/p>\n
Soto\u2019s versatility as a vocalist led him to join several notable acts throughout his career. Jane Emperador\u2019s Metal Archives documented that he briefly fronted the legendary band Journey from 2006 to 2007. This showcased his ability to handle classic rock material. He also joined supergroups such as Sons of Apollo and W.E.T., and performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This demonstrated his range across different musical styles.<\/p>\n
The singer\u2019s career has continued to flourish in recent years. Wikipedia indicated that in 2020, Soto joined the band Art of Anarchy. Their debut album with him was released in 2024. Throughout his career spanning over four decades, Soto has collaborated with numerous artists including Axel Rudi Pell. He participated in various projects throughout the 1990s and 2000s. This established him as one of rock\u2019s most versatile and respected vocalists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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