The BAND-MAID thread v.Po!!

[lonestar]

I think I've gotten enough people into these girls to warrant their own thread. The self described impossibly hard rocking maid band from Japan about to kick off their US tour at Lolapalooza. They got a solid ten year discography and aside from Babymetal are probably the most commercially successful of the J-metal bands.

They just released a 10th anniversary 2 disc best of album, that's on spotify as well as a new song, Shambles. For those unfamiliar, these girls kick serious ass, belying their maid ethos....

Shambles - https://youtu.be/lf0mQOiu8J8

Best of Vol 1 - https://open.spotify.com/album/1y1xNiR0afPdNSpCkq2FBT?si=qZ6NZG-uTAmNp36iahB-2Q&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A1y1xNiR0afPdNSpCkq2FBT

Best of Vol 2 - https://open.spotify.com/album/7e36yJEfUdb6IEOi3Yv0bU?si=5bQYay01Q8GGfujwqd5DgA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A7e36yJEfUdb6IEOi3Yv0bU

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I must say that your incessant spamming of them is starting to pay off.  I'd actually already sampled a bit of them before I rejoined here, but I occasionally keep checking out more songs here and there, and I'm certainly intrigued.  You should have been in my roulette.    By the time V2 rolls around they'll probably be banned. 

[lonestar]

They're such a consistent band for sure. And their love shows are an absolute blast, they have such great chemistry together. And no lie, they are probably the best sounding live band I've come across, just fucking pristine sound, and that seems to be the report from every other show friends have seen.

[lonestar]

Actually if anyone is interested in seeing their performance at Lolapalooza, it'll be streamed on Hulu at 1:45pm EST tomorrow.

[TAC]

What's a Hulu?

[LithoJazzoSphere]

[Ben_Jamin]

Actually if anyone is interested in seeing their performance at Lolapalooza, it'll be streamed on Hulu at 1:45pm EST tomorrow.

Hopefully I'll remember.

[lonestar]

The girls are fucking tearing it up....goddamn can they bring it live.

[Ben_Jamin]

The girls are fucking tearing it up....goddamn can they bring it live.

So if we missed it than we can't watch it again?

[lonestar]

The girls are fucking tearing it up....goddamn can they bring it live.

So if we missed it than we can't watch it again?

Not sure how long this will be up but...

https://youtu.be/sb0c-TcZC-s

[Ben_Jamin]

The girls are fucking tearing it up....goddamn can they bring it live.

So if we missed it than we can't watch it again?

Not sure how long this will be up but...

https://youtu.be/sb0c-TcZC-s

 

[lonestar]

The girls are fucking tearing it up....goddamn can they bring it live.

So if we missed it than we can't watch it again?

Not sure how long this will be up but...

https://youtu.be/sb0c-TcZC-s

 

Watch it now dude... There's a moment between Kanami and Misa during Hate that's mind blowing. Fuck those girls can play

[LithoJazzoSphere]

One of the things I find most interesting about them is that it appears that two of them might trade off lead vocals at times.  That's quite a rare occurrence in anything at all approximating their style and format, though one of my favorite bands (All Ends) does it.  Does BAND-MAID do this a fair amount, and if so, what are the songs that best exemplify it? 

[lonestar]

One of the things I find most interesting about them is that it appears that two of them might trade off lead vocals at times.  That's quite a rare occurrence in anything at all approximating their style and format, though one of my favorite bands (All Ends) does it.  Does BAND-MAID do this a fair amount, and if so, what are the songs that best exemplify it?

I'd say Saiki handles about 80% of the lead duties, there are a few songs that Miku handles alone(Sayonakidori is a good example) and occasionally Miku will take a verse or two, but she's primarily backup and Saiki leads.

It's a great story actually, it's Miku's band, she came up with the idea while working in a Maid cafe, and through luck/fortune hooked up with three premiere musicians in Akane (DR), Misa (BS) and Kanami (GT/songwriter). They added Saiki when the label/mngt thought they needed a vocalist with a lower register, they got her to agree before they told her about the maid outfits, and even then she almost said fuck it lol. Miku didn't even play a lick of guitar when she joined the band, but has been taught through the years by Kanami and is now a decent rhythm player.

[Ben_Jamin]

The girls are fucking tearing it up....goddamn can they bring it live.

So if we missed it than we can't watch it again?

Not sure how long this will be up but...

https://youtu.be/sb0c-TcZC-s

 

Watch it now dude... There's a moment between Kanami and Misa during Hate that's mind blowing. Fuck those girls can play

About 30 minutes in and an lovin' it all...

It's neat to also see how the crowd gradually comes in and starts jamming hard to them.

I'm also not too familiar with the song names, nor the names of the girls, but the part where the bass player and guitarist do that duel was awesome.

It just makes me smile to know, that crowd did not know the awesome spectacle they were gonna witness.

[TAC]

I'm watching it too, and they really need to ditch the maid outfits.

[Ben_Jamin]

I'm watching it too, and they really need to ditch the maid outfits.

That's like asking Gwar to ditch their costumes. 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I'm watching it too, and they really need to ditch the maid outfits.

Yeah, I'm not generally into costume gimmicks, although it admittedly seems to work for boosting popularity.  But it probably holds back some bands of the type and others from getting more earnest consideration from more "serious" music fans.  *coughGhostcough*   

[TAC]

RJ, to prove you're a real fan, you know what you have to do, right?............

[lonestar]

Ah yes...the Fan Maids...there's a few at every show. Not sure I have the legs to pull it off man. The real fans are the ones in the Dawn Patrol. There's a few guys who hit every show of the last tour...that's 16 shows over a four week span. And they were in line at dawn for each one. That's commitment/obsession. Turns out there really solid dudes, I've become friends with a few of them, and one even hooked my brother up with a free VIP ticket for the Nemophila show in SF. He does that for each show he goes to, buys an extra just in case.

The girls are fucking tearing it up....goddamn can they bring it live.

So if we missed it than we can't watch it again?

Not sure how long this will be up but...

https://youtu.be/sb0c-TcZC-s

 

Watch it now dude... There's a moment between Kanami and Misa during Hate that's mind blowing. Fuck those girls can play

About 30 minutes in and an lovin' it all...

It's neat to also see how the crowd gradually comes in and starts jamming hard to them.

I'm also not too familiar with the song names, nor the names of the girls, but the part where the bass player and guitarist do that duel was awesome.

It just makes me smile to know, that crowd did not know the awesome spectacle they were gonna witness.

They actually have two duels...the first is in Don't you tell me...the second in Hate?...trust me the one in Hate? stands out, it just fucking rips.

[TAC]

Not sure I have the legs to pull it off man.

I don't think you have any choice now.

[lonestar]

As to their names...




L-R... Akane (drums), Saiki (lead vox), Misa (bass), Miku (back vox, gtr), and Kanami (lead gtr)



Also, re-watching it and I gotta say Miku's Zemaitis is such a gorgeous guitar.

[lonestar]

I'm watching it too, and they really need to ditch the maid outfits.

Why?

[TAC]

I'm watching it too, and they really need to ditch the maid outfits.

Why?

Because they don't need them. They clearly have the chops. And only three of them wear them. It's not even like it's a full band thing.

They don't need the gimmick. I don't know, it just comes off as childish to me.

Like...if they want to do the encore with them on..ok, or the first song and then rip them off. That'd be fine too. I wouldn't call them distracting, but I find them unnecessary, and they don't add to the experience for me. It's really doing them a disservice to say..."oh check this band out. They're really good and they dress like maids", because you really can't leave that part out.

[Ben_Jamin]

RJ, to prove you're a real fan, you know what you have to do, right?............

 

I was just about to say...Props to the guy wearing a full maid outfit.

[Ben_Jamin]

Not sure I have the legs to pull it off man.

I don't think you have any choice now.

I definitely have the legs to pull it off. 

[lonestar]

I'm watching it too, and they really need to ditch the maid outfits.

Why?

Because they don't need them. They clearly have the chops. And only three of them wear them. It's not even like it's a full band thing.

They don't need the gimmick. I don't know, it just comes off as childish to me.

Like...if they want to do the encore with them on..ok, or the first song and then rip them off. That'd be fine too. I wouldn't call them distracting, but I find them unnecessary, and they don't add to the experience for me. It's really doing them a disservice to say..."oh check this band out. They're really good and they dress like maids", because you really can't leave that part out.

Well, they won't be ditching them anytime soon, sounds like something you're going to just have to work through. The rest of their fan base is pretty cool with it lol


All the Japanese bands have a style or wardrobe gimmick, lovebites has their goth gowns, Nemophila has their sloppy grunge look, Hanabie has whatever the hell style they do (which is adorable but I have no word for it lol). It's just the thing for them.

[TAC]

All the Japanese bands have a style or wardrobe gimmick, lovebites has their goth gowns, Nemophila has their sloppy grunge look, Hanabie has whatever the hell style they do (which is adorable but I have no word for it lol). It's just the thing for them.

Yeah, true.

Still...

[Ben_Jamin]

I'm watching it too, and they really need to ditch the maid outfits.

Why?

Because they don't need them. They clearly have the chops. And only three of them wear them. It's not even like it's a full band thing.

They don't need the gimmick. I don't know, it just comes off as childish to me.

Like...if they want to do the encore with them on..ok, or the first song and then rip them off. That'd be fine too. I wouldn't call them distracting, but I find them unnecessary, and they don't add to the experience for me. It's really doing them a disservice to say..."oh check this band out. They're really good and they dress like maids", because you really can't leave that part out.

It's like saying Slipknot's masks are a gimmick. Like Kiss makeup is a gimmick...and we all know how that went when Kiss ditched that "gimmick".

[TAC]

I'm watching it too, and they really need to ditch the maid outfits.

Why?

Because they don't need them. They clearly have the chops. And only three of them wear them. It's not even like it's a full band thing.

They don't need the gimmick. I don't know, it just comes off as childish to me.

Like...if they want to do the encore with them on..ok, or the first song and then rip them off. That'd be fine too. I wouldn't call them distracting, but I find them unnecessary, and they don't add to the experience for me. It's really doing them a disservice to say..."oh check this band out. They're really good and they dress like maids", because you really can't leave that part out.

It's like saying Slipknot's masks are a gimmick. Like Kiss makeup is a gimmick...and we all know how that went when Kiss ditched that "gimmick".

No, I know.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

There are certain types of potential fans who are always going to struggle with visual gimmicks, whether it's KISS, Twisted Sister, Behemoth, Slipknot, Ad Infinitum, etc.  I think I myself have a tendency to write off bands due to it, so it's something I've had to wrestle with. 

[lonestar]

Here's a funny one...so I was in line for Asterism with a bunch of the hardcore BAND MAID fans, and we were having a similar discussion, and they were all "it's about the music man..." and the like. So I piped in "so, if they all had dicks under their maid outfits you'd be cool"...man did things get quiet and awkward 

[Ben_Jamin]

Here's a funny one...so I was in line for Asterism with a bunch of the hardcore BAND MAID fans, and we were having a similar discussion, and they were all "it's about the music man..." and the like. So I piped in "so, if they all had dicks under their maid outfits you'd be cool"...man did things get quiet and awkward 

 

[King Postwhore]

Here's a funny one...so I was in line for Asterism with a bunch of the hardcore BAND MAID fans, and we were having a similar discussion, and they were all "it's about the music man..." and the like. So I piped in "so, if they all had dicks under their maid outfits you'd be cool"...man did things get quiet and awkward 

You bastard.   Lol

[lonestar]

Here's a funny one...so I was in line for Asterism with a bunch of the hardcore BAND MAID fans, and we were having a similar discussion, and they were all "it's about the music man..." and the like. So I piped in "so, if they all had dicks under their maid outfits you'd be cool"...man did things get quiet and awkward 

You bastard.   Lol

Definitely one of my prouder moments