Wave Potter Reacts to BAND-MAID 'Unfair Game'

[@craigfenson]

"unfair game" is the brooding stepsister of the mad and frantic"i can't live without you".

[@TheJerm]

It's UNBELIEVABLE that "Unfair Game" is somewhere around 7 years old. To me, this sounds like it coulda come off Unseen World or Unleash. The Maids have ALWAYS had the POWER. Thanks Wave! 🕊

[@SpaTZz9]

There are many hidden Gems on their short EPs.

[@frankandre4385]

If you look up the modern version of the word "SICK" you should see a reference to Unfair Game...if not,the dictionary is too old !

[@a3Sif]

One of their best and most criminally underrated songs.

[@elevown]

It was funny the first time Ryan heard this solo- his expression was great and he swore at the viewers for holding out on him and not telling him about this song with the super long Kanami solo lol.

[@septimusseverus7237]

This song, along with "Matchless Gum", was a side B of their 4 songs "Yolo" single which included an instrumental version of Yolo. A gem.

I remember Ryan put it like Mincho's left hand is like printer arm going up and down the neck. So precise it's a bit scary

[@VegetaRabbit]

My favorite lyrics from this song: Life is an unfair game. We delude. We deceive. Get violent.

[@Samcon1]

The B-sides from YOLO are great songs. Imagine the killer set list that just Band-Maid single B-sides would make. Unfair game, matchless gum, hide and seek, screaming, smile, Don't be long, Hibana, and Choose me.

[@haggaisimon7748]

Corallium?

[@UltraHD.7]

If the term "hidden gem" was ever more fitting, then definitely for this song. Easyly in my top 10. There's something so special about their B-sides, like Screaming, Hide and seak, Hibana, etc., which are often even better than the A ones. Coming out in 2016, I always thought Unfair game was somehow ahead of it's time.

[@surfingasongwave]

Way ahead of it's time.

[@JuanSan66]

Fantastic!. Great video Wave. Excellent song, isn't it? A disturbing riff like a Van Gogh painting, MISA off the rails, Akane with her unmistakable double bass style... A progressive song, a mix of styles, sounding like Vai, Paige or Petrucci at the same time, terribly modern and classic at the same time... which, believe it or not, was the FOURTH song written by the band (right after Alone, YOLO and Matchless Gum) in 2016. A masterpiece in a B side of a single. These girls were already songwriting prodigies six years ago.

[@jtdg5849]

Yeah, this is a real banger. I don't know why it isn't more available. It is on the YOLO EP, which has an all instrumental version of YOLO on it and Matchless Gum.

[@Jonas_S_]

One of my favorite Kanami solos! And one of her longest! If not the longest? Someone will know ;)

[@haggaisimon7748]

Yes, it is the longest. 35 seconds I believe.

[@K.H.D710]

I couldn't find my previous comments on this photo collage. So I may be repeating myself, but these were what I felt about some photos: 1:03 I thought that JUJU, a Japanese female singer, disguised as MISA😁 1:15 Each year, the size of the birthday cake is growing🎂 1:24 No, you are wrong! I am not getting the bigger one, both beer are mine🍻 1:27 Oops, Ah-chan already expected me to sneak in. 1:43 Lol. The bass guitar is not big enough! We can still see you, MISA-chan😄 1:46 Oh, there you are, Ah-chan! 5:22 My tiny hat was gone with the wind (according to Ah-chan)...shirankedoh😏 5:28 So that big fan was causing the strong wind🤔 6:30 This was what I did when I turned my back on everyone😉 9:33 Nope, I'm not doing the dead swan dance🦢...you know what I mean😏 11:47 This is what Maids do just before they start their live shows. You know what will happen right after this moment, right? No, they do not put a yell. Band-Maid is an unfair game to all other bands...shirandedoh😁

[@geoffb5]

It's quite unfair that this song never turned up in any of the released live concerts. It was played at Akasaka Blitz and at Studio Coast but each time was one of the songs not put out on the video release. Every song on that YOLO EP is epic. Especially knowing that that EP was their first release where Band-Maid composed all of it.

[@surfingasongwave]

A very early Kanami-written song - and she's always "had it." I hope we hear this on tour some day.

[@surfingasongwave]

@P in D² Hopefully youtube won't get mad at me for this (they can get pretty jealous) but setlistfm shows they played it some in 2019; the last time at Club Junk Box, Nagano, on December 15. IMO that venue has a great name.

[@surfingasongwave]

@P in D² That's why I was looking at setlist ... I'd heard they hadn't played it for five years and I think its a phreaking awesome song. If they had played it last October I'd have gone fuckin' crazy, just as Saiki suggested. I found an old post on reddit (titled "Shallow Dive Vol. II - Unfair game and Matchless GUM") and it mentioned setlist statistics. It has given me renewed hope!

[@Parker--]

I love how this song starts and ends with a riff that sounds straight off a Tool album. EDIT: lol I was wondering if you were gonna figure out it was Van Gogh. Don't worry about it, names are hard and I doubt he'll take offense. I think they actually take some of his paintings and drawings around on exhibits. You don't realize how small some of the most famous art in the world really is. Some of it is like just a little bigger than the size of regular sheets of paper.

[@Kevin6059]

This song fell off my radar for too long - we'll put a stop to that right now!

[@rodcarter3767]

Just a FYI.. at 6:32 is a picture of MISA having drinks with the crew of Black Cloud guitars...

[@Glen.Black.]

What other band can be described as adorable, funny, cute, hilarious, badass, caring, feeling, awesome, crazy talented and on and on! Love these girls! And then Wave says Kanami sounds like {and names a dozen different artists}. This is what is meant by taking the best elements of various approaches and combining them into the best overall performance! This is why Kanami is the GOAT!

[@2abug]

10:04 Quiz: 1) Van Halen 🥁🎸 2) Van Gogh 👂🏻 3) Van Damme 🥊

[@stevehall5128]

4) Van Down By The River 😁

[@tinyhato]

No need to apologise for giving your detailed thoughts! Love to hear anything you've got to say. As much as I love your deep dives, I'm going to miss these first time reactions. I think you're one of only a handful of reactors who "get" Band-Maid in the same way that many of us do, and it makes for the best reactions; the closest we can come to reliving our own amazement. So thanks, Wave.

[@kent-oveprestberg3578]

This is their third best song ever!

[@ViiOlet810]

Criminally underrated song 💜 and one of my all time favorites ❤️‍🔥 sadly, there is no good quality live video of it 🥺 But I'm glad you got around checking this one out ✨ don't fear catching up to their repertoire, they will continue gifting us with great music 🥰 Rock on, Po! 🤘🕊️🖤😎

[@haggaisimon7748]

There’s one in Sydney. Not the best quality but yet…

[@ViiOlet810]

@@haggaisimon7748 I've seen it. Probably the best we'll ever get of this one 😅

[@Space_Ranger]

Go ahead and do some in depths. We'll wait :)

[@satocalbee8857]

The riffs that Kanami and MISA are doing in the background of Saiki's song are ridiculously cool! Don't you agree?

[@makmiskell3733]

Thanks Juan,PnDand Wave! Great!

[@grahamreed8774]

Unfair Game from the YOLO single 2016, along with Matchless Gum, both non album songs. YOLO from the Just Bring It album 2017. Kanami was so experimental in her playing during this period- missing it.

[@rocotocloc]

What a freakin badass song right?, it's like a barrage of artillery coming from Kanami, Akane and MISA at the same time Great analysis Wave, and don't worry about pausing, we B-M fans know and love your style of reactions. So now... it's Matchless Gum turn, amirite?

[@lewissmith4123]

Another hidden gem, we need a live of this now ! Please Band Maid !! Wave can you learn the solo? It will probably be the only chance we ever get to see it live !

[@WavePotter]

It's a pretty dang cool solo... Okay.. Give me a few months! 😅

[@JuanSan66]

There is only one live shot of this song from a fancam at Islington's O2 Academy in 2017, the channel is from Sidney Lodge. The quality is not very good but it gives you a good perspective of how this song should sound in a good live performance.

[@lewissmith4123]

@@JuanSan66 Do you have the link, i cant find it ?

[@JuanSan66]

@@lewissmith4123 YT don't let me send links. I'll try it again

[@JuanSan66]

@@lewissmith4123 kzbin.info/www/bejne/b52tc4KkrJx9rtk

[@stevenclark7600]

Defo in my top 10 BM songs,the bass and drums in this song are awesome,and then add in Kanamis solo,jeez,what a banger.

[@ontaka5997]

This is one of my favorite BM songs. What is also cool about the guitar solo is the way the drum builds in unison the atmosphere of the guitar.

[@rr3satrijoe397]

I admire Wave's ability to focus on the song. I just watched the collage. Will have to go back to listen to it now.

[@jeffersoncosgrove1910]

Love how Saiki resolves that first stanza of the chorus to the major third, even though it's a minor key. She does that during the verse in Moratorium as well. Nice musical surprise.

[@Kissthetoad321]

Thank you Wave for reacting to Unfair Game even long after Ryan. Haha! By far my favorite song from single Yolo. Mincho's solo is awesome but the chaotic ending with Akane (unleashed) is absolutely sick. Misa is great too. There is a 5 year old video of this song in Islington on YT but the sound is bad. This song is a gem.

[@martinlangstrom8036]

Wow! What a song. This is among the absolute best things i have ever heard from Band Maid😍 Love it

[@larryhoopingarner6445]

Unfair Game, Matchless Gum, Manners, Choose Me always 1234 in my playlist and nowadays 6 songs off of Unleash, great reaction and review (as always) Wave.

[@mattdhorstman]

So you have heard this before, but it was in a livestream (I think the Unseen World album listen). This song is pure fire... top 20 song for sure... Kanami's longest solo, great lead work, great vocals, great drums... It's Band-Maid... what more can you say? I wish there was a professionally recorded live out there. This mini-album is Yolo, Unfair Game, and Matchless Gum The next mini-album is Daydreaming, Choose Me, and Play Which one is better? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@motley22crue]

Would the song you're working on be "Chemical Reaction"? lol

[@me262a1]

I heard some Michael Schenker in her solo, just a tiny bit but it is in there. She is amazing.

[@DavidMISAMISAMISACook]

MISA MISA MISA!!!!!

[@glenns9495]

You never give credit to the vocal arrangements which is the other half of the song. I’d like to know who’s the main input for vocal arrangements and back up vocals. Maybe that can be a future video you can do.

[@stevehall5128]

Based on interviews I've read, Kanami writes the main vocal melody and may allow Miku to make changes to fit lyrics - but only sometimes, when it doesn't interfere with her vision of the song. Then Miku and Saiki lay down a ton of different vocal tracks in the studio and battle it out over which ones to use. They do also have a "vocal director" credited - the impression I get is that the valued "Staff" members give lots of suggestions and advice but the final artistic decisions come from the band.

[@glenns9495]

@@stevehall5128 Thanks for the info Steve. The final results are always amazing.

[@rodcarter3767]

Yes.. Kanami writes the main vocal melody, and in one of the radio interviews between Miku and Saiki they mentioned having both a vocal coach and a vocal director.. I imagine that the vocal director also has input into their arrangements as well..

[@lurkmerchant]

I don't think you've done "Matchless Gum", which is the b-side of Yolo single. Very experimental for the era of Band-Maid, it's more of the kind that you'd expect to be on Conqueror album. I hope you'll find the shinkiba studio Coast live version of this song.

[@christopherjimenez9758]

Have you done any "Rolling Quartz" reactions

[@kschell286]

The bass sounds so awesome in this song. It's so present like a Tool song. Wish they would do it a bit more