Just for the record, no "shred" guitarists, other than Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and John Petrucci, are making BIG money. I've even heard of some lesser known guitarist joining the 'n Sync live band recently, and I'm sure he's making a LOT more money that way.(talking about "selling out! but I'd take that gig too in a heartbeat)
So, by it not being dead, I mean that there ARE people who are recording and bringing out music like this, and there ARE people who listen to it. So how could it be dead? Is every style of music that is not mainstream dead? Nope!
If you enjoy listening to "shred"(I hate that name btw), then great! But if you don't, why do you waste you're time and energy bitching and whining about how dead it is?
That is all! ;)
Greetz, TK