James Dean Bradfield
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James Dean Bradfield is the lead guitarist and vocalist with the band Manic Street Preachers.
Born: February 21 1969 in Newport, Monmouthshire.
He attended the local Oakdale Comprehensive school in Blackwood along with his cousin Sean Moore who lived with James and his family throughout their childhood and future band members Nicky Wire and Richey James Edwards. His dad wanted originally to call him Clint Eastwood Bradfield, but was vetoed by his mother.
In 1986 James and Sean formed a band called Betty Blue with schoolfriends Flicker and Nicky. James tried writing lyrics but soon gave up as it became apparent that Nicky was far more suited to this role. Since then, James has only written the lyrics to two Manics songs - Ocean Spray, from the 2001 album Know Your Enemy and Firefight from the 2005 God Save the Manics EP. However he still assumes musical responsibility for the Manics along with cousin Sean. (Before releasing their first record they wisely changed their name to the Manic Street Preachers).
Bradfield has also collaborated with Tom Jones on his Reload album, Kylie Minogue on her Impossible Princess album, Patrick Jones on his Commemoration & Amnesia album, and has remixed the track Inertia Creeps for Massive Attack.
In 2003 Bradfield contributed original music for the brand new play The War Is Dead Long Live The War written by Patrick Jones (Nicky's Wire's brother).
James Dean Bradfield was married last year.
External Links
- BBC Wales Biography. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/manicstreetpreachers/pages/james_dean_bradfield.shtml)