by 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.
When asked about his compensation while waiting for the album “Marching Out” and during the touring period, Soto explained the salary arrangement and the problems that eventually arose.
“Not while I was waiting, but when we were touring, I was put on a salary. I don’t remember if I was put on any kind of retainer, but the salary and I got to be there. I’m not giving away anything that’s like mind-boggling, like, ‘I can’t believe they paid you so little.’ Back then it seemed like a lot of money. I had roommates and it was fine for me. 500 bucks a week plus PDM,” Soto said.
The singer reflected on his mindset at the time. He emphasized his passion for music over financial concerns.
“It 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’t care. All I cared was I got a break. I’m singing with Yngwie Malmsteen. I think he’s amazing and this is going to start escalating me. If the money’s not there now, it’ll eventually come. If it comes, I don’t care. I just want to be a rockstar. I want to go on the road. I want to sing,” he continued.
However, Soto revealed that payment issues became a significant problem during his tenure with the band.
“So the problems I’m just going to put you off there because I got to tell you that’s one of the reasons I left the band. And again, it’s not Yngwie’s fault. It was whether it’s management’s fault, whether accounting’s fault, whatever. There were so many weeks we weren’t paid on time. And then it got to the point where we’re begging for the money that we’re supposed to have already earned, but we look we look ungrateful because all we’re talking about is money. So it got to the point where I don’t want to deal with things like that. This is not how I envisioned it was going to be,” Soto explained.
The singer also addressed the working dynamic within the band. This differed from his previous experiences.
“I’ve been in cover bands. I’ve been in other bands like where it was a brotherhood. Everything was shared and it was a democracy. Now I’m in something thinking this is the big time. It’s going to be even that and more. But it was absolutely the opposite. There was no, you know, Yngwie’s name was the marquee as the marquee artist, which we all expected and knew.”
“We knew our place in the band, but we also didn’t 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’t presented that way. We didn’t feel it was going to be that way. And when it started becoming more and more that way, that’s when I’m like, yeah, you know what? I can work for anybody at any time. I want to be in a situation where I’m working with people, not working for people. That was one of the reasons why I left,” he concluded.
Soto’s collaboration with Malmsteen marked a significant chapter in both musicians’ careers. It proved to be relatively brief despite its impact on the rock and metal scene.
2Loud2OldMusic reported that Soto joined Yngwie Malmsteen’s band in 1984 as the vocalist for Malmsteen’s 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.
Following his departure from Malmsteen’s 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.
Soto’s versatility as a vocalist led him to join several notable acts throughout his career. Jane Emperador’s 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.
The singer’s 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’s most versatile and respected vocalists.
