Manic Street Preachers' James Dean Bradfield talks guitar and plays Manics hits
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- Full interview in Guitarist issue 385, on sale 22 August 2014
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James Dean Bradfield picks out a few choice guitars from his formidable collection and plays parts from Motorcycle Emptiness, Slash 'N' Burn, A Design For Life, My Little Empire, Kevin Carter and This Is Yesterday.
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James Dean Bradfield doesn't get the recognition he deserves for his guitar playing.
His playing is really good, great riffs , and well structured songs.
Massively underrated
He's really good, great song writer, and a great vocalist clean and powerful.
@Billy Borgan Well, he was the songwriter, just not the lyricist - although he's done that too.
@Billy Borgan You're right but to me especially in pop music composers are cleverer than lyricists.
At their best the Manics could count on both talents which is quite rare nowadays.
Whatever James's music has been one of the most inspiring musicians to me.
The true leader of this...underrated band.
This man is my hero, and probably the most underrated frontman ever.
Daryl Castillo agree!!!
Daryl Castillo
I think so.
Even so, Kevin Carter is his favorite song?
Immensely talented singer, immensely talented guitarist, and never gets the accolades he deserves for The Holy Bible being such an incredible album.
One of the best songwriters of this generation IMO.
Only underrated by those that don't really matter, us fans, however, know better!
"here's what the riff goes like, from slash n burn, if i can remember it" *JDB goes on to play it PERFECTLY*
I don't understand why people call JDB underrated. Everyone I know rates him, and not just as a guitarist - he's an awesome singer too - and a fking immense composer. So much talent in one person, but humble with it. If he was an asshole, he'd be a celebrity, maybe that's what people mean by underrated.
I agree, and you smacked the nail on the head with that last sentence.
munckymagic I totally agree with both of you, thats an absolutely perfect posting from secallen.
Spot on
A lot of people get underrated get confused with overlooked
secallen
Humble is the word! My mate and I worked in his house for weeks a few years back. He was at home most of the time and if you didn't know what he did for a living (he kept one acoustic in his front room, and that was it - no rock paraphernalia anywhere) you'd assume he was just a really nice guy who worked in an office somewhere.
There isn't an ounce of pretention in the man. And he makes a tidy cup of tea too!
James Dean Bradfield is a living legend. Incomparable
That’s overstating it. A living legend who is incomparable is someone like Bob Dylan and I don’t think Bradfield would remotely suggest he’s in that league!
@@MarlboroughBlenheim1 no, but the audience makes a living legend, not the legend's opinion of themselves. if bob dylan wouldn't suggest he's in that league, and I've no idea if he would or not, it wouldn't STOP him being a living legend
Your correct.
fucking legend. this video is about 2 hours too short
My best friend who is no longer in this world went to britain and worked in a guitar shop in doncaster in the 90s.. I think it was called music ground.. when he came back to sweden he brought these guys music with him, totally obsessed about it.. didnt get it at first but it grew on me .. These days this music has a special place in my heart
Wouldn't be making music if it weren't for this chap. Biggest inspiration of my life.
Ditto
0:32 Motorcycle Emptiness
1:57 Design for Life
3:16 Slash and Burn
4:57 My Little Empire
5:37 Kevin Carter
8:49 This is Yesterday
Thanks man.
Apologies didn't realise you'd already done this when I did mine above.
Thank you.
That Kevin Carter riff is really unique....love it!
James is a guitar genius. Yet he seems so humble. I wish certain pop singers could take a lesson re chord progression and lyrics. Long live James and the Manics.
Those first arpeggios of A Design For Life still send shivers down my spine.
Always the signal that it's sadly the end of your gigs though, such an awesome & emotional track.
An ode to all us common working class folk. Cheers fellas.
Richard Buxton I was at Southampton gig in 2005, and Design for life was one of the first songs, I was a bit taken a back. Lol. I think they played Motown Junk as the close
Not sure i count as working class but i did buy the single when it came out aged 14. At the time I think Oasis were always a band who got more working class support, the Manics having too much of a cerebral edge for the mainstream.
Don't even know how many times I've watched this video..
I do know I'll be watching it for as long as it's up here.
The quiet genius of JDB
I started to play guitar because of this guy.
Guilherme Ogawa same here
Me too 👍🏻
Me 3
Me 4!!
Me 5!
I love this. He makes everything sounds totally fresh, like it was written yesterday, and it gives me shivers. Sometimes forget how amazing that riff from Slash and Burn is.
Love the little nod to John Frusciante there. JDB is a criminally underrated guitarist.
John Frusciante is a musical genius, as is JDB.
He is indeed!!! And a all round nice geezer....I know cause I’ve met him.
Robcatist and he’s a Nottingham Forest fan which makes him even more cooler!! ✌🏻
game recognize game
He's a great admirer of John Frusciante I believe.
I met him a few times in the late 90's, seriously the nicest guy ever.
Seen them live. He is just the best.
The melodies and guitar playing, the vocals. It pushes every button on point. The last album, the piano playing. Still classic JDB tunes.
James is provably the most modest musical geniuses of all time. Such a creative guitar player and amazing composer of incredible music, not to mention one the most unique and accomplished vocalists of the last 30 years
I don't know a thing about playing guitar but surely James is one of the top guitarists working in popular music today. What a cool dude.
Yer he's a top guitarist mate that's coming from a guitar player
He's been doing itv long time.. but has mastered the guitar
Majorly under rated songwriter of the 90's, This is yesterday is a beautiful song.
This was a real treat. Kevin Carter especially.
What a beautiful riff. This guy is like a music machine. Every song by the Manics has the catchiest guitar riffs ever
The guitar part on the chorus of Kevin Carter is just genius
how he does what he does live AND SING is beyond me..JDB IS up there witth anyone
Den Brodie he's the best frontman / song craftsman to come from Britain in the last 30 years, and there's been some good ones. Bellamy, Yorke.............. Martin!
I've seen Johnny Marr play with The The on the Mind Bomb-tour. I've seen Bernard Butler play with Suede in Brixton Academy in 93. Black Francis/Pixies on the Doolittle-tour, and loads of other personal guitar heros through the years. But my nr.1 guitar moment is this man. Some time around 2012 Manics played in Oslo. His guitar suddenly fell out. The way he actually sang the guitar lines to fill in the missing sound on Motorcycle emptiness...and seamlessly started playing when the sound was back...Just an amazing musician and man. There is no musician alive today that i respect more.
It's about time james started getting the recognition he deserves!my favourite guitarist & singer,the man is a genius!
fantastic, unique guitarist who constantly flies under the radar. massive respect for this guy
How he manages to remember all those lyrics and play the riffs is incredible. Definitely an underrated guitar hero.
Thought he was going to do a Trigger from Fools and Horses about his guitar having four different necks etc.😁
How the bloody hell is it the same guitar then?
nah....neck repaired twice...so it's the same neck...pickups changed 4 times...Trigger upgrades 😂
Such an underrated guitarist and a top bloke! Long live James Dean Bradfield! ✌🏼
The intro to Slash and Burn still gives me goosebumps. Pure class.
JDB has that rare ability of not just being a great singer, but an accomplished guitarist. I love how he combines gentle arpeggios, a keen sense of melody, yet can rip out a big solo from his Les Paul Custom.
Quite simply my favourite guitarist and frontman of all time. And the reason I play a white Custom.
He's a really good guitarist. It's easy to just focus on the great, higher register vocals but the playing is really solid with some nice little arpeggios and riffs. In all honesty, this style of playing interests me so much more than wanky noodling!
Jez Creed That's the thing, all well known guitarists are well known for doing memorable stuff. Chuck Berry doing that rolling intro of "Johnny B Goode" or Link Wray doing that two chord three strums that is "Rumble" It's simple but it catches people's attention.
Ritchie Blackmoore is the kind of guitarist who can (And will) play hundreds of notes per minute but where do people know him from? "Smoke on the water" which is dead simple.
Its very hard to be lead guitarist and lead singer.
I couldn't agree more. his guitar playing is what hooked me into this band.
Steve Gad Amen
It's all about emotions it evokes. Technical stuff is ok, but if it's technique for techniqes sake, it's just useless noise making, nothing else. The 'motorcycle' riffs are incredibly emotional. All it takes is the right three or four notes, those are usually the most memorable ones.
You get lost watching and listening to him, mesmerising ❤️❤️
I used to listen to manics when I was in junior high. Long time has passed since then, but I've just got to think I want to be able to play guitar by seeing this. I'm over 40 now though. Good music and good sound never fade.
his Les Paul has had 4 pickup changes and a new neck, a bit like Trigger's broom
Asif Khan he could probably get a decent tune out of trigs broom too
First thing I thought of!
He said the neck was broken twice, jesus, I thought I had bad luck with my neck break.
Asif Khan best comment on TH-cam
Do you have a picture?!...
My James Dean Bradfield anecdotes:
1. Mid 90s: I was behind him in the queue at M&S in central Cardiff. He was buying a yoghurt. This must've been around the time they were recording Everything Must Go. Can't remember what flavour; might've been rhubarb.
2. 2019: I was browsing guitars in a guitar specialist shop somewhere in South Wales. I turned around and there he was. I said hello & we chatted about telecasters for about 5 minutes. He put me totally at ease and is absolutely a genuine and humble guy - which is surprising given his immense talent, but not so surprising given where he grew up.
He's just an all round awesome human being.
Absolutely love this blokes style of playing and writing
An unbelievable vocalist too
i love james met him so many times when i lived in cardiff and hes a proper gentleman.always makes time for his people.x
Been a Manic's fan for a LONG time. If only we had YT back in the day ...
I heard that James also has the same broom for 20 years, its had 7 new handles and 13 heads.
After this is it still the same broom?
@@Quattro79 It is the Broom of Theseus...
Trigger'-ed
Meanwhile Nicky has to make do with the same ‘arl hoover
You’ve had the same broom for 20 years, mate, if anyone has...
This is amazing but the bit where James starts singing Kevin Carter is pure goosebumps.
This just underlines what an astonishingly creative guitarist and songwriter he is. As a musician myself, this is mind-blowing and inspiring...
I agree
Don't want this vid to end!
Saw them live once, amazing. He did the ME riff hopping around on one leg in a circle. Fucking incredible.
Amazing james, as ever. Probably my favorite guitarist / singer ever, from one of my all time favorite bands. Thank you from france
One of my favourite singers + guitarists for the last 20-odd years, he's amazing. 'This Is Yesterday' was bloody beautiful!
Brilliant guitarist. When you hear it in isolation you realise just how talented he is!!
Best thing I have seen for months.
I screamed throughout this whole video. What a legend.
My later teenage years and beyond were listening to the manics and Suede. A unfortunate side effect of that is in my view I took this man's brilliance for granted. He deserves far more credit than he gets. Seems like a really nice person too.
Genuinely hope you live in the UK or Ireland mate because you can see both on the same night next year
@@DR.MF.DOOMSDAY Really? That would be so amazing. I do live in the UK so this means happy days!
Yeah mate they announced a co-headline tour for next year
Tickets on sale next week
He has such a brilliant way of riffing, jazzy , rocky and all so melodic, he has done so many, a vastly underrated guitarist in my opinion
One of the best without a doubt.
Incredible! Brilliance defined!
Still come back to this to enjoy the great man playing and talking - my all time hero!
Legend! Got goosebumps when he starred singing Design For Life!
His control of the guitar is fucking spot on. So good!!
Could listen to James singing and playing all day, so down to earth and so humble but an amazing artist in one of the best British bands in the past 25 years! The manic street preachers. Check out James,s solo album. The great western. It deserved much more publicity when released in 2006, it,s pure class and shows what a great musician James is. Love it!
I just love his singing and playing guitar. It's so unique. Simply Manics.
I dont even play guitar, infact im a drummer but this is awesome. James is such a under-rated guitarist and also a down to earth guy, such great feeling
Only just got into the Manic Street Preachers a few weeks ago, always thought they were just another indie band. Never realized this guy could play the way he can. :-)
*****
I think I understand. I felt the same way about Oasis a long time ago. I was a massive fan but connected the band to a girlfriend of mine, so after we broke up I couldn't listen to them for a very long time. When I realized some feelings had faded I played their entire discography for the first time in two years and completely rediscovered some stuff I'd kind of forgotten about. So yeah, I know what you mean. :-)
Consider your life changed. :)
I urge you to go back to the start of the manics and buy an album a week and listen to them develop. Amazing band
Such a class act, so good at everything he does and so humble and casual about it
Just found this vid. Absolutely brilliant. Motorcycle Emptiness was the first riff I ever learned. I was lucky enough and in the right place at the right time to meet him a few weeks ago just by chance. He stopped and had a chat. I can honestly say that he is a genuinely nice bloke.
Absolutely bloody brilliant!
Seriously, I think this is one of the most valuable videos on TH-cam.
What a guy!
Idolise jdb my favourite guitarist of all time love his screaming vocals too "legend "
Pure joy to listen to...
He seems so down to earth and a very nice man... Great guitarplayer and singer, i could spend hours just listening to him alone and telling stories bout the guitsrs and albums
What a brilliant guitar player.
A friend of mine took me to see the Manic Street Preachers at the Fonda Theater, in Hollywood a few weeks back. I am "in love" with this band. Great songwriting, guitar playing, singing, Nicky Wire is an awesome bassist with a very cool stage vibe, and from what I know of them, he writes most of the lyrics. My new favorite band.
Carla DeMarco I would highly recommend delving into their back story.
I will check that out. Thanks!
+Carla DeMarco welcome to the club, you wont be dissapointed, the reality, the power, the passion, enjoy.
+Carla DeMarco best band in the world. No other has their integrity, their intelligence, their purpose, lyrically as well as musically - and all the majestic riffs on top!
Also, like Bowie, they've tried to go in new musical directions almost with every album, never staying long in one mode. And like Ian Curtis their lyrics can be so deep, political, a critique of culture, society, everything. No need to fall back on pointless songs about sex and love.
Also you might find that their album songs are better than their singles - but then the B sides of the singles are even better yet, true hidden gems. I think it might be a game they play with the industy. Their best songs will have never been played on the radio, and only live a handful of times.
Look up the B side 'Donkeys' for a perfect example of this. World class.
Would love to just be in your shoes Carla going through the bands music and history for the first time. You will get to know a certain Richey James Edwards too.
JDB is a legend, my guitar hero❤❤
Great music James - these tunes will last forever - legend hope to see you gigging one day
James is a great musician.
A living legend. He is a one man band. It' s totally insane his style of playng, singing and writing at the top. Usually are necessary 3 genius.
This is Yesterday is such a beautiful song, and incredibly sad when you think of Richey. I still have the original cd bought in 1994 ( Holy Bible)
A brilliant guitarist and frontman, singer. His guitar playing is exceptional. Very underrated.
Man has beautiful voice and great guitar skills
Seen them 4times, fantastic live. James is such an underrated guitarist, and a thoroughly nice bloke.
James is one of the best ever, he's an understated bloke so he doesnt put himself about. Every one of us who's listened to his work knows how great he is.
Why have I only just found this? I fucking love JDB.
Definitely one of the most underrated guitarists, and in one of the most underrated bands in the world.
Not being funny but that says more about your understanding than the facts. Everyone rates JDB for his guitar and singing skills, as well as the entire band. The accolades and awards heaped on them is immense. NME, Mercury and Q awards all over the place as well as many nominations for top 20 albums of all time from most music magazines and music critics.
my fave guitarist
The gut is a true legend. his music got me through lockdown. Rock on the manics
guy
Underrated player. Always overlooked in polls etc . Solid playing with no flash pretentiousness....
Adorable 💙 Half of the views are mine. I could listen to him for ages
Guitar work totally awsome, vocals perfectly crisp and clear and no effort needed.....absolute LEGEND..!!
Thanks for the music James
Easy to forget how many great and catchy riffs James Dean has written
JDB is unreal. That Slash 'n Burn riff is immortal.
Not to diminish Nicky or Sean's contributions in anyway but that performance of Kevin Carter shows just how much of the MSP sound is James. Hugely underrated for his playing and his songwriting both.
Top of the tree in my day. Still enjoy these tunes . They never get old.
So many great classics. Thanks for this James!
Motorcycle Emptiness giving me shivers after more than 30 years. They ushered in the new millennium for me and my mates at the National Stadium, pretty fucking epic
Brilliant! ..eleven minutes well spent.
Incredible guitar skills.
This man is incredible. He plays AND sings at such an exceptionally high level... And of course his writing is spectacular.
It's richey and Nicky who wrote all the songs and when richey went missing Nicky took over the writing James writes the music along with Sean
@@paulgrahamedwardspencer5161 Obviously they wrote the _lyrics..._ but Bradfiend wrote all that spectacular music.
One of the best ever to string a song together on a guitar
'Member seeing him play 'Yes' acoustic at MCR Apollo in 07, guy's a musical hero