Why am I only JUST discovering this BAND!? | BAND-MAID 'Alone' Reaction 🤘

[@SquishyJoshy]

What other songs do you want me to check out? :O

[@GaryHolloway-810]

"Don't You Tell Me" live at Yokohama next please, just cos i asked you nicely.🙂🤞

[@jeffedwards9180]

"Shambles" MV is fun! They have a new album coming out in 3 days, this song is on it. 🤘

[@zoob6510]

You should have listened back to the beginning of the guitar solo. This song was a milestone for the band as they wrote their own lyrics for the first time. And it's been legendary ever since. If you like pop-punk-flavored rock, BAND-MAID is like discovering a treasure trove. Your life has changed for the better today. They have top-level skills on each instrument. And the best live performance. They write, play and sing their own music. In my opinion, they are one of the best rock bands right now. My recommendations are 'Protect You' for their recent MV and 'Hate?' for their live MV. Other recommendations include 'From Now On', 'Onset live', 'Choose Me', 'Blooming', 'Influencer' and many more.

[@tonygriffin_]

Start with their 120+ song back catalogue...then the incredible live versions...their acoustic sets...the new album out this week...that should get you started.

[@GaryHolloway-810]

@@tonygriffin_ And then Ohrenje's documentaries & then the interviews :)

[@GaryHolloway-810]

Amazing Mincho fact : #1 ) Kanami calls hailstones "Paindrops" cos she says it's a more accurate description.😌

[@jeffedwards9180]

🤔🤣 Why have I never thought of that?

[@GaryHolloway-810]

​@@jeffedwards9180 Lol. We're not as clever, Jeff.😔

[@SquishyJoshy]

Haha! Love that. XD Thanks for sharing! :)

[@GaryHolloway-810]

The video for "Alone" is dark, same as the Maids faces are only briefly glimpsed until the final chorus of "Blooming" because they wanted the viewer to concentrate on their music rather than their looks :)

[@jjo154]

Also, it's not the bright happy song it might seem to be if you didn't know the lyrics.

[@GaryHolloway-810]

@@jjo154 Yep you're right, Jeff, it's not the happiest song is it :(

[@jjo154]

@@GaryHolloway-810 Nope.😞

[@SquishyJoshy]

Yeah, dang, makes sense. Since it was an initial reaction, wasn't really thinking too deep or analysing it much... I really enjoyed the song though. I am seeing some comments that may have not quite understood what I meant... I think to reiterate my my main point when I talked about the dark footage, I think that the quality may have been the set back and it doesn't really have anything to do with the quality of the music or the song being good or bad. I'm just a silly goofy little graphic designer on the internet and sometimes colour depth can just add something to a video. (It can still be dark but I hope what I'm saying makes more sense!)

[@GaryHolloway-810]

@@SquishyJoshy It's ok i knew what you were saying. Their very first MV "Thrill" was shot in harsh B&W with the odd splash of colour so they're all intensely in focus, i guess that's so they got noticed immediately, but i think it's a conscious decision that some of their vids are deliberately shot the way they are :)

[@emeryharrison9325]

First song they wrote and arranged themselves, the record company used writers for them up till this point, and they have been doing it all themselves since. Choose anything from them ,it's all brilliant.

[@SquishyJoshy]

That's super interesting to know. Thank you for sharing that. I'm glad they were able to get to a point where they could write and arrange their own stuff.

[@Kevin6059]

@@SquishyJoshy Just wait - they got exponentially better over time, and while I still love their earlier stuff, some of their later stuff is mind blowing in terms of musical complexity. They have forged their own unique musical path.

[@TomClark-Futoura]

Welcome, Squish. You are embarking on (along with many others - over 210 million views just on their official YT channel, plus over 40 million reactor plays!) an awesome, progressive, hard-rock journey with 5 incredible women. Here's my intro blurb for those who may be new to Band-Maid: BAND-MAID’s songs and sound beat with the heart and soul of all rockers. But you’ll also hear heavy influences of Prog, Punk, Metal and Pop, with nice touches of Blues, Jazz, Funk and Grunge. Sometimes they use multiple genres within the same song. Their Composition, Execution, Joy of Playing, Consistency (130+ songs), Uniqueness, Charisma, Charm and, oh yeah, Cuteness factor, position them as becoming the hard rock Beatles of our time! In other words, they’re destined for mega-stardom. Each member's personalities are super interesting and their musicianship among the best. Their writing, arrangements and overall sound, especially guitar tones and drums, are kick-ass! Having seen them LIVE, I can honestly say their performance, sound, stage appearance, and band synergy is off-the-rails spectacular! Band-Maid is the only band in decades where I love nearly EVERY song they’ve done. I have over 70 favorites! "Thrill" (2014) is a great place to start: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5XWaJppgpJnorM Their songs from albums Unleash, Unseen World, Conqueror, World Domination, Just Bring It, Brand New Maid, and New Beginning drive even more - Hate?, Shambles, Influencer, Warning, No God, Different, Black Hole, Rinne, Blooming, Moratorium, Domination, Clang, Dice, Spirit, Don’t You Tell Me, Turn Me On, Fate, Play, You, Hide-And-Seek, Secret My Lips, Puzzle, Choose Me, I Can’t Live Without You, and on and on. But don’t miss out on their powerful, beautifully written, mid-tempo songs like Daydreaming, Bestie, About Us, Memorable, Anemone, Endless Story, PAGE, At The Drop Of A Hat, Mirage and Smile... or more punky like After Life, Don’t Let Me Down and Screaming… or funky like Bubble… or bluesy like Manners and The Dragon Cries… or poppy like Start Over… or a bit jazzy like Wonderland… or progressive like No God, Giovanni, and Black Hole… or cultural like the Band-Maiko series… or instrumentals like From Now On, Don’t Be Long, Onset, Without Holding Back and Going Nuts… or their many acoustic versions like Catharsis and Sayonakidori... and last but not least, their Anime hits (AniMaid) like Protect You, Sense, Different, Glory and Unleash!!!!! (from their own Anime MV (series?)): kzbin.info/www/bejne/bX2lkHiGiJlrfqc) And many songs are represented with over 50 well produced music videos. kzbin.info Most performances should be experienced from their LIVE audience & online OKYUJI concerts:  2023 Yokohama 10th Year Anniversary Concert “Endless Story” kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJKUqmCIh7uXbZI  ONLINE OKYU-JI (Feb. 11, 2021) “No God” kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHLHiKF_h896l80  Tokyo's LINE CUBE SHIBUYA (February 14, 2020) “Domination” kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5PcgnaAo5ulj8k  ZEPP 2018 “Real Existence” kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6K0n35_gbdoq5I  Shinkiba Studio Coast 2017 and other full concerts are on bandmaidprime.tokyo, bili, and official Band-Maid’s DVD/BD/CD. And some of the better quality fan videos are excellent.  Shot by Pat McKee from their 2023 US tour concert in Detroit: kzbin.info/www/bejne/epjbhmCDi8-nl5I  See the Maids 2023 Rockville Festival’s short-set perfection performance: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJu9nIGbpKygnsU  Great photo collage with older classic songs from P in D: www.youtube.com/@PinD-PANIC If you like Band-Maid, make sure to support them by purchasing some concert tickets, live streams, CD, DVD/BD & merch, etc. bandmaid.tokyo Like most Band-Maid songs, I like them from the get-go but really start to appreciate them after more hearings and seeing their LIVE videos. I'll go back and see an older song like YOLO, Order, Shake That, Freezer, Don’t Let Me Down, Before Yesterday, Real Existence, Non Fiction Days and Alone, etc. and realize there's no band that can consistently construct and play like Band-Maid. For fun, check out:  "Mega Band-Maid Mix" by DJ Ray of some of their earlier stuff: facebook.com/djrayboston/videos/1004709499579009  Band-Maid MIDI covers: www.youtube.com/@DeanF_MIDI  Reimagined compositions of Band-Maid songs: www.youtube.com/@fxdxmusic Band-Maid Members: Saiki Atsumi (Sy-i-Key or Psyche) “StarQueen" - Lead vocals, arrangements and melodies. At 30 and the youngest, “Sensei” (Teacher) as band members call her, has the last word on many musical decisions. High-heels or sneakers, Sai-chan’s smile melts away her sometimes perceived, coldish persona. Saiki’s powerhouse performances, charisma, and voice focus the experience that’s driven her to the top echelon of hard rock frontwomen... or frontmen! Miku Kobato (Me-Ku) "Small Pigeon" - Rhythm guitar, vocals, lyricist, 32 years old. “Koba”, as Saiki calls her, is the Band founder and a firecracker MC & PR SpokesPigeon, po! Her “Magic Spell Time” charm and energy ignite the room. Kuruppo! No, no, no… KURUPPO!! Kanami Tono (Ka-Na-Me) “Princess” - Lead guitar, keyboards, 32 years old, is a prolific writer of most Band-Maid material. Kanami (translates “Song Wave”) is a possessed riff-slayer who’s so damn adorable it hurts. The only thing you want from Mincho is more! Akane Hirose (A-Ka-Nay) "Gorilla" - Drums, 33 years old, band energizer & co-clown with MISA. Achi’s talents include massive consumption of noodles and bananas, of course, (even during performance!) while revolutionizing rock drumming with relentless drive, dynamics and the kick. This “DrumZilla” is the Party! MISA (Me-Sa) "Barefoot Assassin" - Bass, 31 years old. An alluring free spirit driving her 5-string to rapturous low-ends while pulling off surprising counter leads with Kanami, off-stage MISA is the band’s goofball ballerina. Sometimes seen as the Mysterious One because she lets her instrument do the talking, the Assassin literally kills it… every note... uniting Band-Maid’s world-class rhythm section. A slug of JB, a slight grin, and let the slappin’ begin… MISA! MISA! MISA! Maidiacs (Maid-e-acts) - Band-Maid’s crazed yet supportive, knowledgeable and loyal Super Fans. [BAND-MAID NEWS]  BAND-MAID PRIME - Special Video Distribution Website. Along with nearly 50 great play-through’s by each member, concerts and skits, Band-Maid management / label(s) have included the Acoustic Christmas 2021, ZEPP 2018 and Shinkiba Studio Coast 2017 concerts! Fans can now see more than 50 great live performances with awesome audio, etc. like Fate, I Can't Live Without You and the great MISA / Kanami exchange in Don't You Tell Me. Those concerts are two of the best produced & performed concerts ever recorded, IMO. bandmaidprime.tokyo  The Maids SOLD OUT 2023 US & Mexico tour wrapped up and was a fantastic success. And so many great live fancams to watch! Their playing and antics were as fresh and fun to experience from first show to last. BRAVO Band-Maid!!!!! In addition, their Japan tour finished up with 13 concerts, AND they’re writing and recording for their new album. Their 10th Anniversary Tour concluded at Japan’s 17,000 seat Yokohama Arena on Nov. 26, 2023 and in Hong Kong Dec. 21! And their latest 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR SPIN OFF concert at KT ZEPP YOKOHAMA on February 22, 2024, where they played songs not performed at the 10th anniversary tour final at Yokohama Arena, was SOLD OUT, as usual!  📢 Recent Announcements 📢 -- The Warning, a world-famous band from Mexico, and BAND-MAID recently completed their amazing 2-man, collab concert in Japan with the introduction of their new song and OMV, “Show Them.” -- BAND-MAID released a new song, "Protect Me," written for Anime (AniMaid). And their new album "Epic Narratives" drops Sept. 25, 2024. It contains 14 songs: Memorable, Shambles, Bestie, Protect You, SHOW THEM (BAND-MAID with The Warning), Toi et Moi, Magie, Forbidden Tale, Go Easy, Brightest Star, The One, Letters To You, TAMAYA!, and Get To The Top. Order now at CDJapan for bonuses. [OKYUJI] Nov. 2 BAND-MAID ZEPP TOUR 2024 AICHI　 Ticket Lottery Advance until Aug 12 Nov. 3 BAND-MAID ZEPP TOUR 2024 OSAKA　Ticket Lottery Advance until Aug 12 Nov. 25 BAND-MAID ZEPP TOUR 2024 TOKYO　Ticket Lottery Advance until Aug 12 Nov. 26 BAND-MAID ZEPP TOUR 2024 TOKYO　Ticket Lottery Advance until Aug 12 The Maids are one of the hardest working supergroups in the business! Their music, their sound, each of the Maids, and the love that permeates their live events is an experience not to be missed. Hope you can catch them LIVE!

[@SquishyJoshy]

HUGE!!! I'll have to dive into this. Thanks for sharing :)

[@jeffragar3493]

The Rickenbacker is Miku's first guitar. She didn't play when she formed the band and Kanami taught her. She switched to Zemaitis guitars and now has her own signature model, the "Flappy Pigeon".

[@SquishyJoshy]

I love that. I used to mentor a guitarist by association and taught them how to play bass. They became an amazing bass player on their own after that and I just love seeing that happen in other bands. Thank you for the info! That guitar also sounds sick. I'll have to look it up.

[@jjo154]

I believe that the video was intentionally shot dark because it's about someone who is feeling oppressed and suffocating in her relationship. It's a favorite of mine and I'm glad you enjoyed the music. On behalf of my friend Gary - who for some reason didn't recommend it in his comment - I'll request the official live version of "Don't You Tell ME". ☺

[@SquishyJoshy]

Oh sick. Thank you for the suggestion. I definitely need to check out some of their live stuff it seems. Yeah, a lot of these comments have brought to my attention the reasons behind why it was shot dark. My comments were more just nitpicky that there wasn't much colour depth until the lights start flickering but that doesn't take away from the artist or the music. :) I'm always a rock appreciator and excited to hear more :D

[@jjo154]

@@SquishyJoshy That's okay, without translated lyrics it's easy to misunderstand why the video might have been shot the way it was. That mess of cables on the floor is also a hint as to the meaning of the song. ;)

[@Bekka_Noyb]

Welcome to the fandom! I suggest these Band Maid songs: Thrill, Dice, Manners, Bubble, No God (live) & Puzzle (live)

[@SquishyJoshy]

Thank you! Will do my best to check out as much as I can with whatever spare time I got. Thank you for the suggestions! :)

[@mickyhierro3901]

They are rock and roll guardian angels and the best hard rock band on this planet🤘Keep an eye on them!!

[@SquishyJoshy]

I'll do just that 👀👀👀👀👀 Thank you for your comment! :)

[@robertbassham8514]

Their song Blooming is a well crafted song.

[@SquishyJoshy]

Must add to the list of songs to check out...

[@BM4-Life]

🐦 *SquishyJoshy* 🐦 Welcome Back? to the world of *BAND-MAID* (2013 - Present) A group of 5 young ladies from Japan that will rock your world: *Miku Kobato* (Kuruppo) = Lead Vocals / Rhythm Guitar *(Po!)* *Saiki Atsumi* (Sai-Chan) = Lead Vocals / Piano *Kanami Tono* (Kanamincho) = Lead Guitarist *Akane Hirose* (A-Chan) = Drummer *MISA* (MISA, MISA, MISA) = Bassist If you wish to continue down this Pigeon Hole 😊 you will enjoy over 100+ great songs you will start saying to yourself “This is my favorite *BAND-MAID* song”. _(No joke Po!)_ Below is a list of songs that will get you started Choose me (Official Music Video) HATE? (Official Live Video) Blooming (Official Music Video) YOLO (Official Music Video) the non-fiction days (Official Music Video) I discovered *BAND-MAID* in 2019 and came to a realization that *BAND-MAID* more then just a rock band they are a band that does not have any boundaries and is willing experiment into different genre from (Blues, Rock, Punk and Jazz) and a lot of fans including me would say “you got to check out their live videos” from: 2017-STUDIO COAST 2018-Zepp Tokyo 2020-LINE CUBE SHIBUYA 2021-BAND-MAID ONLINE ACOUSTIC In the end I realize that *BAND-MAID* more then just a band but a band that cares about each other and their fan base and in October of 2022 I had a fortune of experiencing them live and with that *BAND-MAID* cemented their Legacy into my heart. Rock On! 🤘 *100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back…*

[@GaryHolloway-810]

Vambot your avatar looks like The Terminator.😁👌

[@BM4-Life]

@@GaryHolloway-810 I'll be -back- Everywhere where a pigeon is needed 🕊 🤖

[@GaryHolloway-810]

​@@BM4-Life Haha. And the video is dark cos the Maids know sunlight isn't good for you.😏

[@RogerChance5309]

@@BM4-Life🍺😆

[@SquishyJoshy]

Good to see you back! Thank you for suggesting this video for me! :D

[@yukikaze-japan]

You knew the title of this song. If you think about it one more night, you might figure out what they meant by lowering the contrast.🤔 They didn't intend for their faces to be clearly seen in this MV. They want to be rock musicians, not idols.🎸🥁🎤🎼 If you like cute idols, there are plenty of groups like that.😍

[@SquishyJoshy]

I appreciate the insight, and I totally get that their intention wasn’t to focus on their faces. I wasn’t critiquing them as musicians or suggesting they should be more like idols-I was just making an observation about the visual quality. As someone with a background in design, the low contrast stood out to me. But it’s clear the focus here is on the music, which I respect and enjoyed! I relate with that because I prefer rock, I don't want my comments to be misunderstood LOL... and I'm definitely not in it just to see "cute idols". Sorry if that was your takeaway... 😅😅

[@grahamreed8774]

Good reaction, but there a few things that you may have forgotten. Band-Maid music videos are probably the best that you will ever see. The dark shadowy style and reluctance to show faces is common in their videos- try Blooming Official Music Video. There are also grainy effects and in complete contrast bright white back grounds. Also, we/I humbly request that if you pause in the middle of a Kanami solo , that you back up to the beginning when you restart. The T shirts say- "Shut up, Kanami is speaking", just saying. More please.

[@SquishyJoshy]

Hahahaha. That is so fair. Thank you for that comment, will definitely be on the look out next time if I react to more BAND-MAID stuff :)

[@JayDavisAtHome]

It's about The Music, man. I'm not sure how long you rambled on about the lighting cuz I had to skip forward till you started the music again.

[@SquishyJoshy]

You’re absolutely right-it is about the music, and I’m sorry for rambling on about the lighting too long, I guess that's just what I do coming from an interactive media and graphic design background. Sometimes I get caught up in the technical stuff. Thanks for checking out the rest of the reaction though! :)

[@JayDavisAtHome]

@@SquishyJoshy I'll be watching

[@daft73games]

Welcome to *Band Maid!*

[@SquishyJoshy]

Happy to be here. Thank you for your comment :)

[@k3w1b3an5]

Thank you for checking out the greatest rock band on the planet.

[@SquishyJoshy]

I am SO surprised by the fan base! So many interesting comments here. Thank you for your comment. I am so keen to listen to more.

[@miqoto]

In a lot of the older videos, it feels like the focus was to stay away from their looks(faces especially) and try to keep the lister focus on the musicality, kind of opposite from the US which makes sure you know what the artist looks like Everyone else does that one last note, thus they won't do it 😂

[@SquishyJoshy]

I definitely understand and appreciate that. That makes things ominous and draws us people in more. I think what I was trying to communicate in my comments though was just a really nit-picky thing but I understand that it's quite an older video. Thanks for the comment! :)

[@barrycounts490]

If you want to see bass solos check out "Play" Official Live or "Don't you tell ME" Official Live =)

[@SquishyJoshy]

I love a good bass solo. Thanks for the suggestion!

Welcom to Band-Maid and our club of Masters and Princesses. There are boatloads of more where that came from

[@SquishyJoshy]

And I'm so keen to check it all out! Thanks for commenting :)

[@shirato39]

The lyrics of Alone are dark to begin with. A confession from a woman who knows her boyfriend treats her as a "convenient woman" but can't let go. She understands there is no happiness ahead, but she escapes reality and convinces herself that it's okay if things are good now. And the maids are shy and don't like to stand out, so they tend to like the dark.

[@SquishyJoshy]

Thanks for the info! That's interesting. Yeah, I see a lot of the comments making that point. I guess I wasn't necessarily trying to hate on them for being in the dark, I just found that the overall colour depth wasn't really there which has nothing to do with them or the music being good or bad. I come from a background in interactive media and graphic design so visuals are quite important to me but I also understand this video was about 9 years old. I think I was basically trying to say that a lot of other bands do "dark" music videos where they can't really be seen but the quality of those vids tend to be better just cause of the use of colour or the way that something pops out even though the video overall is dark. If that makes sense.

[@tonygriffin_]

THE best Hard Rock band in existence. Even better live. They have come a long way since Alone. Try HATE? live to see what they are like today.

[@SquishyJoshy]

Sick. Thank you for the suggestion! So much for me to catch up on.

[@fernandoNovo59]

Hint: Don't stop in the middle of a solo!

[@zinoviylubman5553]

Thats exactly what I wanted to say!

[@SquishyJoshy]

Y'all make a good point about this. I'll keep that in mind for the future, I don't think I was aware I even did that when I cut the video together.

[@KNGoodwin]

I wonder if the darkness is a metaphor because it took them a long time to prove they could bring their own songs into the light?

[@SquishyJoshy]

That's a cool and interesting point. You could be on to something there! :) I'm sure it has multiple meanings though

[@thedocofrock1890]

the rick was miku's first guitar - she had just started learning to play under the tutelage of lead guitarist kanami about a year before this. she graduated later on to some of the most beautiful zemaitis guitars you have ever seen including her own personal model 'the flappy pigeon ' as she identifies herself as an 800 year old pigeon. but don't think she's crazy - the band was her own idea after working in a japanese maid cafe and they are now 11years in with a huge catalog of great songs. she was the original vocalist for the band for a very short time before saiki was added to the mix. in their first mv 'thrill ' she could not play a note but learned quickly and now is a more that adequate rhythm guitarist.

[@SquishyJoshy]

someone else mentioned this in the comments! really cool info. thanks for sharing :)

[@BRO-HI808]

Welcome to, or back, to the wonderful world of Band-Maid. Glad you liked the song. Saiki (lead singers): "3...2..1. GO!" Kanami (lead guitar): Hold my coffee...🎸🎵🎶🎵🎶. And boy did they ever GO! This was the first song the Maids wrote on their own, which was approved by their Label. And from that moment on, they blazed a trail in the sound they envisioned. With very few exception after this song, they've composed and written their own lyrics. Next, try one of the two composition masterpieces..."Blooming" OMV and "Daydreaming" OMV. Good news for you, this is only scratching the tip of the iceberg, as their portfolio is deep and diverse. The Bad news...you are only scratching the tip of the iceberg, and you only have about 130+ songs to go. Good and bad...win win in my book. PO!🕊 🤘😆🤘

[@SquishyJoshy]

Thanks for your comment! Yes I saw someone else mentioned that... 130+ songs is gonna be a lot. I need to know the best of the best. (If that's even possible) 🤣🤣

[@leeredose9192]

Band-maid is a top live Band nice reaction greeting from germany

[@SquishyJoshy]

Hi friend! Thank you, I'll definitely have to listen to more of them :D Hello from Australia 👋👋

[@daveboehle6027]

If you like that check Band Maid "YOU" ( live in Tokyo 2018)

[@SquishyJoshy]

Definitely gotta check out some of the live stuff, y'all are hyping it up for me XD

[@zer0tzer0]

Oh they've been commissioned to do several anime theme songs, but I suggest the OMV for 'Unleash', in which they appear in anime form themselves.

[@SquishyJoshy]

That's heaps cool. Thank you for the comment and suggestion. Someone else commented about me mentioning the correlation with Anime but to be frank, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't think it was true. I listen to A LOT and I mean A LOT of music, that includes even experimental/alt stuff (ie. artists like "downy") which I feel are definitely not "anime". Oh well everyone's going to have some kind of opinion. XD

[@WilliamCoyle-ll6bq]

You notice the Rickenbacker she doesn't really play that one too much anymore now she uses her own signature series Zemitis called The floppy pigeon and while these girls put out great music videos they're in their element live so much better

[@SquishyJoshy]

It seems like a bunch of comments have been highly praising the live shows. I'll have to check some of the live performances out. I mainly noticed the Rickenbacker because I have one myself and I know how pricey some of them can be :')

[@greylocke100]

Band Maid Is; (In order of joining band) Name/Age: Nickname: Position: Miku Kobato Small Pigeon/ Band Founder, Secondary Lead Vocalist, Rhythm Guitarist, Age: 32 Koba/Kuruppo/ Main Lyricist, Backing Vocals, Backing Tracks, Arrangements 10/21/91 Cluppo Kanami Tono Princess/ Lead Guitarist, Primary Composer, Backing Vocals, Piano, Age: 32 Kanamincho/ Keyboards, Backing Tracks, Backing Vocals on Backing 9/28/91 Mincho Tracks, Arrangements Akane Hirose Gorilla/ Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals on Backing Tracks, Age: 33 Ah-Chan Backing Tracks, Arrangements 12/14/90 MISA Barefoot Assassin/ 5 String Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals on Backing Tracks, Age: 31 MISA-MISA-MISA Backing Tracks, Arrangements 10/15/92 Saiki Atsumi Ice Queen/ Primary Lead Vocalist, Backing Vocals, Lyricist, Piano, Age: 30 Sai-Chan/ Backing Vocals on Backing Tracks, Backing tracks, 2/8/94 Sensei (Teacher) Arrangements Now for what I term the Band-Maid Info-Dump; Band Maid was started in 2013 by Miku Kobato. At the time she had just left the Idol Group, Lil Cumin and she didn't like the type of music she had been performing. She approached her management agency with the idea of making an actual band playing rock music but dressed as maids. She had worked in a Maid Cafe and thought the image of maids playing rockin music would create what she called "The Gap" between what you see and what you hear. The Management company was like Ok, go ahead. Miku then looked around and found Kanami a singer/songwriter who was posting her own videos on the internet. Miku had her agency contact her and Kanami thought the idea was cool and agreed to join. Miku then asked if Kanami knew a drummer who might be interested. Kanami had worked with Akane in the past and there is 2 versions of this, the first is, Kanami literally walked over to Akane's apartment and asked her, the second is Kanami called Akane and asked her. (Akane has said in 2 different interviews that 1: Kanami called her and asked if she could come over and 2: in a second interview Kanami just came over) Akane was actually hesitant as she had worked in an "All Girl Group" before and didn't enjoy it as it wasn't the type of music she wanted to play. After hearing a Demo, Akane was like ok, but was still slightly hesitant because of the "Maid Outfits", but she agreed to give it a try. Akane was asked if she knew a bass player and she had gone to Tokyo School of Music with MISA and had worked a couple of jobs with her. So Misa was contacted and after she heard a demo she was like I like the music, but she also was hesitant about the "Maid Outfits", but she relented and joined in as she really wanted to play the kind of music she heard in the demo. The 3 of them then "Auditioned" for the record company and passed the audition. Now we have the "Core" members. The 4 members worked out some songs provided for them by the record company, and a setlist and they had performed 3 times with just Miku on main vocals. Miku after those performances felt that her voice wasn't powerful enough to really perform the songs she wanted. So she approached her management company again and asked if they had any singers who weren't in other projects. They then auditioned several singers. Miku heard Saiki rehearsing in a room across the hall and asked if she could be auditioned, the record company then had Saiki audition. Saiki was signed to the same management company and had done some work as a backup singer and dancer and was asked if she would be interested in auditioning for this new group which currently had 4 members and she would be the fifth. She had been a member of a group with 8 other people as a backup singer and dancer, and HATED it. So she listened to the demo and thought "Cool" because she liked the music. Now we come to the tricky part. Miku KNEW that if Saiki was told about the "Maid Outfits" she would say NO WAY!, so they didn't tell her. They told her they would have "Cool/cute Clothes"(I've read it translated either way), and she never met Miku until a few days before they had a contracted performance. She wasn't told about the "Maid Outfits" until the day before the performance, and she had considered backing out, but she had signed the contract. (Saiki also had NEVER met Miku until then as well) So the Ladies, went and did the performance and Saiki really, REALLY liked the crowds reaction and the music they were performing. She DIDN'T like the apron she wore so it got ditched after the first performance. And you now have the beginnings of the BEST LIVE HARD ROCK BAND in the WORLD! ALL HAIL BAND MAID!!!!! Now that we have the Full band, it was felt that there needed to be a second guitar. Saiki was like, "Not Me, No Way." So Miku said, "I'll do it.", at first that was literally all she did, was hold the guitar and mime playing it, until Akane said, if you are going to hold it, you NEED to learn to play it. And Miku said, "Ok.", and Kanami started to teach Miku how to play. The Ladies released their first album in 2014 "Maid in Japan" which failed to chart, but later after "Thrill" it was reissued and charted to #26 in Japan. Then in 2015 they released "New Beginning" On New Beginning was the song that changed Band Maid's entire existence. "Thrill"... The band was getting ready to release their first music video and the choice was between "Love, Passion, Matador" and "Thrill" and the ladies chose Thrill. (Little known fact, Miku helped with the lyrics on Thrill but did not get credited) This became the seminal moment of Band Maid. Because their second album charted at #64, the record company was seriously considering disbanding the Ladies and switching them to other projects. (In fact they had Kanami and Akane work with Mochi to Cheese thinking that when Band Maid cratered they could use them in another band. MISA had also just started working with Mochi to Cheese as well). However about 6 months after the video's release, a Facebook page "JRock Radio" posted the video to their timeline. And the video went viral. Having over a million views in just a few short weeks. The Ladies Twitter page got so many hits they thought their page had been hacked. Their KZbin channel also started getting more and more subscribers and views to Thrill. Now the ladies knew where their fans wanted them to go. Harder Rock, less pop. And history was Maid. And in the Ladies videos, they choose how they want their image and music to be presented. If thy want it dark, they chose that for a reason. If they want it light, they chose that for a reason. If they want to show their faces, or not, the Ladies chose that for a reason. And how many bands do you know that would have a Jazz bass solo followed by a Metal guitar solo. And please either rewind if you stop during a solo or don't pause during them.

[@SquishyJoshy]

Wow, huge facts there... thanks for sharing I'll have to take a dive into this message once I get a chance :)

[@bandmaidfanATL]

There is an alternate original music video that was a bit brighter and kinda reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim cinematography and you can see the Maids better. You can find it if you look.

[@SquishyJoshy]

oh no way! I'll have to check it out. Thanks for letting me know! :D

[@bandmaidfanATL]

@@SquishyJoshy kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJCtkJmbn56egKMsi=2KUhIrt2i5bvdesg

[@RogerChance5309]

BM4! 🍺😁🤘🏻🕊️

[@SquishyJoshy]

🤩🤘

[@tamotsuish]

Thanks so much nice reaction! How about Moratorium is the next song? I hope you`ll enjoy their many music!

[@SquishyJoshy]

I have to be very strategic when it comes to reacting to songs, because I can get heaps of suggestions but it will be hard to get to them all. Thank you for your suggestion though, I'll see if I can look into it! :D

[@eatsmylifeYT]

Can reactors PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE just STOP it with the anime correlation "JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE FROM JAPAN"! It's getting really tiring to hear that. Why not say "I feel like eating sushi" or "I want to play my Zemaitis guitar" whenever you hear them? You people are showing your ignorance by ALWAYS making a reference to anime whenever you hear a Japanese song, except they DON'T sound like anime at all. Jesus.

[@SquishyJoshy]

I totally get it-anime references can sometimes be overused. I made the connection because the music genuinely gave me that vibe, but I respect BAND-MAID’s work though from what I've heard so far. Also, I’m not just a reactor, but someone who appreciates and creates in many different spaces, so I’ll keep diversifying my takes. Thanks for sharing your perspective!

[@VegetaRabbit]

Enjoyed your reaction. I can recommend a couple of videos that not only have great music but are also visually pleasing: BAND-MAIKO "Gion-cho" (by their alter-ego BAND-MAIKO, it is perhaps their most beautiful video), "Daydreaming" (outside shoot that looks gorgeous, nice use of filters) Not all of their artistic choices please everyone, for one of their best songs, "Blooming", they made one of their most iconic videos using colored lighting, however, some complained their faces weren't shown enough. Thanks for reacting to them!

[@johngiambrone2994]

Rule 1 : No stopping in any solos. Don’t let your dislike of the video production overshadow the music and their talent. Remember,this is an older video and as you continue on this amazing journey with Band Maid you’ll see an evolution of the music and video production. Enjoy your journey with one of the best rock bands going. They’ve brought back what a lot of us have been missing for years. Yes I’m an old guy who loves good rock music.

[@SquishyJoshy]

Thanks for the great tip! I’ll keep evolving my approach and definitely try my best to not pause during solos again (I actually didn't realise when I made/cut the vid so that's my bad)!

[@thelmamatic5004]

then try nemophila g.o.d. or rise also all female metal band from japan, great reaction to the ladies amd by the way if you also like power trash metal also try lovebites or harajuko core try hanabie thanks

[@SquishyJoshy]

Cheers, thank you for the suggestion, I'll definitely have to take a look.

[@美津江-m2c]

コメントは間奏でした方がいいのでは

[@SquishyJoshy]

I appreciate the suggestion. I think I need to find the right balance between adding pausing and adding comments. I'm not primarily a reactor and this is one of my first videos reacting to BAND-MAID, one of the reasons why we need to split the song up though is to minimise copyright and be able make videos like this in the first place as commentary is what makes it seen as "Fair use". Anyways, Thank you for the comment! :)

[@wt4555]

Ah another reactors that ruined guitar solo. Do not paused the video during guitar solo smh 😒

[@SquishyJoshy]

I hear you! I actually didn’t realise I paused at that moment, but I also do a lot more than just reactions, and sometimes editing calls for cuts, especially in this case I kinda speed through edits. I’ll be more mindful next time though, especially when it comes to guitar solos-thanks for the feedback!

[@ΝασιαΣωτηριαδου]

If you like shredding you should check Lovebites. Two lead guitarists

[@SquishyJoshy]

I'm more of a riff and motif person but I do appreciate a good shred. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@VEGERRO]

Never interrupt Kanami. Dislike.

[@SquishyJoshy]

Sorry the solo got cut the way it did. I think I didn't even realise when making the video. I’ll keep that in mind for future content. I'm sure Kanami’s solos deserve uninterrupted focus! Appreciate the time you took to comment though!