James Byrd - first ever video clip!

[strat110]

I know there are number of James Byrd fans here and admirers of his guitar company Byrd Guitars (although I think I am the only owner of one here!). But he has just made his first ever video available at his official website or at this link on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gASJA7naqM

The glitch in the middle is due to a lightning strike when the clip was being recorded on a camcorder about 6 or 7 years ago. Its only just been transfered from VHS to digital format.

This is something fans like me have been waiting years for and its been worth it IMO. For those that are unfamilar with Byrd he formed the band Fifth Angel in the early 1980's, then went solo and released 4 albums on the Shrapnel label during the 1990's (including appearing in ads in Guitar World etc around 1990 when he endorsed Ibanez guitars) and has more recently recorded stuff for Lion Music. Fans of tasteful playing should enjoy this!

[Lefty Robb]

Honestly I think thats the worst video he could have put up, because people who don't know him are just gonna see another Malmsteen fan boy and walk away, when, in turn, like you said, he's far more tasteful than Yngwie ever was or ever will be. He really needs to record something now and put it up, because, unlike Malmsteen, his playing has evolved.

[OLIE_ROCKS_THE_80'S]

I am a HUGE Byrd fan! I have been following him for 2 decades and if I lived in seattle I would take lesson from him. He is the perfect combination of most of my Guitar Heros. Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Hendrix and Malmsteen!!

Did you guys know that this is probably one of the only Neoclassical shredders that Yngwie actually respects and endorses!!!

[T-MAN]

James rocks, but the guitarist that replaced him in Fifth Angel (Kendall Bechtel) is equally amazing...awesome vibrato and attack similar in style to Europe's Kee Marcello.

[OLIE_ROCKS_THE_80'S]

Kee is a fantastic player and I love his Guitar work in Europe but I would never put Kendall in the same league as Byrd! there's just no way!!!