Each maiko - apprentice geiko (geisha) - name used by Band-Maiko has some sort of connection to the Band-Maid member's actual name. To briefly explain each one, starting with Akane, her actual name is written 茜, which character originally referred to a red-colored dye. Her maiko name, 紅月, which literally means "crimson moon", includes a character 紅 that also originally referred to a red-colored dye, although a different shade of red. 紅月 appears in Japanese literature as a female name and place name, and, while not common now, has been used as a maiko name in the past. In the case of Miku it’s straightforward: “Kobato” 小鳩 becomes “Hatoko” 鳩子, and has the same meaning, “Little Pigeon”. This is not a common maiko name, and between the two, “Kobato” actually sounds more maiko-ish. Saiki’s maiko name is 富士姫 “Fujiki”. The 富士 “fuji” refers to Mount Fuji. “Fuji” can appear in the names of maiko who are from areas with good views of Mount Fuji. Saiki is from Yamanashi Prefecture, which is known for some stunning views of Mt. Fuji. The 姫 “princess” is not normally used in maiko names, but is taken from Saiki’s actual name 彩姫, and also refers to legends and folktales of maidens or princesses associated with Mt. Fuji. Kanami’s maiko name is a no-brainer. It’s 叶笑 “Kanoemi” (the “no” is not written), and this is a common, traditional maiko name. Individually the kanji are interestingly applicable to Kanami: 叶 can mean being fulfilled or having something go the way you hoped; 笑 can mean a smile, and has a literary connotation of a “smile of humility”. This certainly fits Kanami. Misa’s actual name is not publicized, and “Misa” is always written alphabetically. Her maiko name is 梅美沙 “Umemisa”, and was probably chosen for its similarity to 梅比沙 “Umehisa”, a common, traditional maiko name. The “hi” becomes “mi”; the “mi” is written 美, which means “beautiful” and is very common in Japanese female names. By the way, it’s not known (publicly) if Misa’s actual name is written 美沙. Assuming that her real given name actually sounds like “Misa”, it could be written with any number of kanji combinations. The above is a brief discussion; there’s more detail that could be provided about each name. An important general point to keep in mind about Japanese names is that readings of kanji characters can be quite irregular. Often the kanji is used not for its meaning but only for its sound. So you don’t necessarily “understand” a Japanese name by simply plugging its kanji into Wiktionary or some other source. Also, the total number of strokes of the kanji characters in a name is very important, as some numbers are auspicious and some inauspicious. There’s a far greater variety of names in Japan than in the other traditional “kanji cultures”: China, Korea, and Vietnam.
I'm don't speak Japanese, but from what I read about this song, they also changed the words to a dialect used in Kyoto, where Maiko are traditionally trained. So the message of the song is the same, but with different words. Pretty committed to the April's Fools prank... :)
Yes, it is Maiko dialect! Some words are used only by Maiko (and maybe by Geiko as well) and are not used by ordinary people in Kyoto. Miku said it was a very difficult task to fit Maiko dialect into lyrics, PO (P_O)🕊❣
Maiko, wherever they're actually from, speak modern Kyoto dialect (called Kyo-kotoba or Kyoto-ben in Japanese) when they talk with customers. But they use expressions unique to the geiko/maiko world, some of which go back 100-200 years. The English translations of the Band-Maiko songs are not very good - in fact, in the case of "Gion-cho", really bad. Kansai dialect (Kansai-ben) is spoken in the Kansai region of Japan, which includes Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. Kyoto speech is a sub-dialect of Kansai-ben, and is considered very genteel. Incidentally, Tokyo's geisha culture and Kyoto's geiko culture are quite different, with distinct dialects, terminology, manners, and customs.
It takes a extremely well written song to be able to change it up and still come out with an even greater song. All thanks to our little genius Kanamincho.
When you think you know, they give you even more. the creativity of this band just continues to bring smiles...Band-Maid doing Band-Maid things. a year later cluppo reveals yet more. Peace&Love Po :) Long Live Band-Maid !!
The original song is already great, but I prefer the Maiko version for many of the reasons you mentioned. The traditional instruments give it an additional very interesting layer, the small changes to the composition sound more rounded and the vocals come across better to me, although I don't know if it's the dialect and/or the mix. I love this project of the ladies very much and also find the other songs of the resulting mini-album very good. I can only recommend 'Gion-Cho' to you. Such a wonderful song. At this point I would like to say 'thank you' to all those responsible at the label at the time who approved this project and above all supported it in this form. That is not a matter of course, but it also shows wonderfully what can come out of it. 【 'Our rock never dies, ever. Forever!' - Band-Maid 】
I just adore the Misa "howl" in this number.....and she does it again in Gion Cho....those are the only two times on official song videos where you hear Misa's voice......she has sung in some promotional videos but in any official songs these are the only two songs where you hear her! BTW - nice reaction on your part.....I honestly prefer this version of the song myself....those original Japanese sounds really adds an additional level of emotion to this song.....thanks and respect from 🇨🇦 PS - Cion cho was actually written musically with the traditional instruments in mind by Kanami while this song those instruments were added to the original song track.....
Now it’s time to do a reaction to BAND-MAIKO’s masterpiece “Gion-cho”. It’s their only original song but one of the most beautiful, BAND-MAID’s catalogue included. Besides, KANOEMI is sublime in the official video 👘👁🎸
@@akaalexanderking BAND-MAID will do a live performance on May 10th at 18h00 JST. The live broadcast will be streamed all over the world and tickets will be sold April 10th. That is a great news 😀
'Secret My Lips' is still my favorite BAND-MAID song, so I was very happy when they released 'Secret Maiko Lips'. Miku's shodō (calligraphy) at the beginning was "World Domination". - Members BAND-MAIKO names: Miku = 鳩子 Hatoko. Saiki = 富士姫 Fujiki. Kanami = 叶笑 Kanoemi. Misa = 梅美沙 Umemisa. Akane = 紅月 Akatsuki. "Hatoko" redid the lyrics for this song to use Kansai, the dialect used in the old Capital of Kyoto that is identified with Geisha culture. They followed this up the next year with a new BAND-MAIKO song, 'Gion-cho', and a mini-album of BAND-MAIKO versions of BAND-MAID songs. "Kanoemi" worked with the producer to add virtual traditional instruments like the shamisen, koto and bamboo flute (shakuhachi) in the studio.
Those kimonos are works of art. Im just a dude from the midwest US. But I once heard those outfits can cost more then most cars and can take up 6 months to clean because all 11 pieces need to be unstitched.
They’re also really heavy and restrictive. Akane has hers pulled up to her waist and the sleeves pulled up in order to hit the drums. At one point Mincho dropped her pick and could not pick it back up without help.
Yes. A real high end Kimono set can cost 10s of thousands of dollars, made with the highest quality silk and dyed with the best natural traditional dyes they can find. Yes, you cannot clean a Kimono anywhere except in Japan. You have to send it there to get it cleaned if you want to keep the quality intact. Interesting historical fact is that even in the olden times, the one thing that the Geikos and Maikos feared most was house fire. As you know, in the old historical Japanese homes, the way it's constructed and the way the fire place is located, a fire can be of a real concern. Not only that, most of Geiko and Maikos wealth (asset) back then was in their Kimonos. Much of the money they earned from working went to shares to the house mother, fees to the restaurants - for calling them - and board and lodging - nothing is free. So, if a fire ever happened, they would lose all of their savings (wealth) over night due to the loss of Kimonos. They would become a destitute. Because, most once they got old and decided to retire what they had were their kimonos to sell and get money for them when old unless they had money saved up.
Great job!. I think I prefer this version, making Secret My Lips (one of my favourites) bright in a next level. The intricacy that brings the traditional instrument layers gives a new perspective of the beauty of the songwriting, like watching a complex filigree in a picture or sculpture. Kanami wrote all these new lines of the digital traditional instruments and Miku rewrote the lyrics in Kioto dialect (the place where live Gheisas and Maikos). A great job that proves their ethics in work and their love for the music and culture. They published an EP in 2019 as Band Maiko with six covers of Band Maid songs and a new one only as Band Maiko, GionCho. I think you would like it.
@@crabuki1273 You're right GG Crabuki, My bad. P.S i refuse to go down the Highlander route so no, no song was playing in my who wants to live forever :)
The other Band Maiko song on their channel is Gion-Cho. What is unique is that it is the only Band Maiko song (there are 5 total) that is an original Band Maiko song. It wasn't converted from an existing Band Maid song. The video is gorgeous and too my non musician ears it sounds like they make more use of traditional instruments. Very good song and worth a reaction at some point.
Beautiful is all i can say... Band Maid music is already very strong and pleasing to the ears and this one has that extra touch with the traditional instrumentation that makes it that much mesmerizing! Thanks GG!
I subscribed because of your reactions to BAND-MAID and since you mentioned how much you like the mix of traditional and rock, I dare to tell you about a band I discovered just four or five days ago. "JAMBINAI (잠비나이) is a South Korean trio that fuses Post-Rock with Experimental Rock and Korean Folk using various traditional Korean instruments alongside the typical electric guitar, bass and drums. The band, formed in 2009 and with three albums and one EP already recorded, consists of Kim Bo-mi on the "haegeum", an instrument similar to a two-stringed violin, Lee Il-woo on the "electric guitar", "piri", a kind of piccolo, and "taepyeongso", which resembles an oboe, and Eun-yong on the "geomungo", which is very similar to a citara. I understand that the bass and drums are played by hired musicians, although I don't know if the current players are already part of the group since the promotional photos show all five of them. As for the sound, there are moments that have reminded me of Mogwai and I have also read that they have similarities with Sigur Ròs, but the result is a mixture of passages with a sound that clearly comes from the most tribal music and that, to me at least, takes me to nature, but not in the "bucolic" way we usually think; with other passages totally explosive and to some extent chaotic, full of distortion and almost always marked by the sound of the "haegeum". ruclips.net/video/PB1k7CDVWVk/видео.html This track, "THEY KEEP SILENCE" is from their second album "A Hermitage" (2016) and the instrument with which the track starts is the "geomungo", which I personally love, not only how it sounds, but also to see the way Eun-Yong plays it ;) Greetings from Spain (translated into English with the software DeepL)
Saludos Antonio. Pensaba que practicamente era el único español escuchando rock asiático por aquí. I started listening to Jambinai through a video suggestion from Rob Scallon's channel about the Koto instrument. They are amazing, this another song is Time of Extintion: ruclips.net/video/wje_Uij4aBA/видео.html, an absolutely absorbing and disturbing experience. This one is the song of Naruto (anime), played live by Yasuharu Takanashi&YAIBA: ruclips.net/video/sSJ5J8330MA/видео.html Not need a reaction, simply... Enjoy the ride!
@@JuanSan66 Encantado jejeje, no somos demasiados, no, aunque he de reconocer que solo llevo tres meses, pero intensos, buceando en el rock japonés y he descubierto grupos que me han enganchado bastante y de rebote he descubierto grupos sorprendentes en lugares como Ucrania (DakhaBrakha), Australia (King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard), Taiwan (Elephant Gym) o México (The Warning), cada uno por diferentes motivos y de estilos muy distintos ;) Y de acuerdo contigo, Time Of Extintion es otro tema excelente de Jambinai ;)
I love how Band-Maid always turns April Fools into something productive. It's interesting to see other sides of them we don't always get in their usual releases. It was really fun too. Thanks for the reaction GG!! Still waiting for FATE GEAR and Vision Divine reaction from you. Cheers!! 🤘🏼🤘🏼
Yes, they do look gorgeous... Absolutely love the infusion of the traditional instruments, the Kimono's and the different dialect. Yet again, thank you for enjoying this most amazing Band. They have just announced another online concert for the 10th of May and based on the last two I would definitely recommend... 🔥🖤
Many Thanks for the second part. There are 7 songs of them on the Album Band-Maiko. Perhaps the song Gion-Cho of them is very interesting in aspect of the different pacing. They blow my mind daily since almost 6 years. :-)
@@akaalexanderking I will say it isn't rock. Fun song in the female pop idol genre but definitely not a Band Maid type song. Might be worth watching on your own and give your thoughts if you want.
There was a big push to do a tour as band maiko but the outfits we're really hard to drum in for Akane. Apparently Kanami dropped a pick and couldn't even bend over to pick it up.
Definitly react to Miku's Side Project cluppo with The Song Peace & Love which i told you about yesterday on the next MAD Monday and also they made a Band Maiko Version of Anemone, One and only, Yolo and Screaming and they also did an original Band Maiko Song called Gion Cho which is in My Opinion one of the most beautiful Songs next to secret Maiko lips that they created because sadly the others don't have that much traditional Music mixed in then Gion Cho and Secret Maiko Lips has it's more in the back of the other Songs in my Opinion but still all Band Maiko Songs are great
the only band that can pose a serious challenge to band-maid is band-maiko, and the one to keep the maikos on their toes is blind-maid. too bad it was only for funsies.
Thanks for the video, Gent! (sorry in advance if I mess up names or something here. Please double check just in case... and let me know! haha) On a second listen you should try to pay attention to the Wadaiko drums. They could go a bit unnoticed behind the drums, but they also do an amazing work in this song..!! They video has a lot of interesting/funny elements too, like Miku writing "World Domination" (世界征服) at the beginning or the Akane eating ramen scene. It's worth watching a couple times to see what goes on. And for the flutes, the high-pitched one is Nohkan and the lower one is Shakuhachi.
The pick for a shamisen is called a bachi. I've never played a shamisen, but like you said, I'd love to give it a try. Regarding the video, I love the BAND-MAIKO visuals because the five ladies are so lovely in a different way than usual, yet their humor in this video is great. I recently watched a video on how to put on kimono from someone who was actually trained to do it, and there's a lot more layers than I would have thought! They're tight layers, so I don't know how Akane was able to sit and play even for a music video. Here's a link to the kimono thing if you're interested. ruclips.net/video/9nu_l5oQfiA/видео.html I've looked for some behind the scenes stuff on the BAND-MAIKO stuff, and the only thing I've found is MISA laughing and fleeing because Akane farted. I didn't look too hard, so maybe someone out there can provide more because I find this alternate version of BAND-MAID so fascinating.
What's really cool, that most English speakers are going to miss, is Saiki is actually singing with a Kyoto accent, the traditional accent of the Geisha, which the Japanese would have thought extra amusing as well.
I am pretty certain that the shamisen and other traditional 'instruments' were computer generated by Kanami ( who else). This video/ song says everything about Band Maid. They are not only hugely talented but witty, clever and have a great sense of humour. They are so confident in their own capacity they can push the envelope way beyond any other group except perhaps Wagikki Band. Shamisen lovers should check out Beni in Wagikki Band.
_Band Maiko_ made a mini album with 6 tracks covering 5 _Band Maid_ songs, and one original which is on You-Tube....... *BAND-MAIKO / 祇園町 "Gion-cho" (Official Music Video)*
I'd have liked the traditional instruments more forward in the mix, but they still added a lot to the arrangement. The visuals, though. Some serious thought went into the production and direction of this video. A lot of it goes over my head, but I appreciate that it's there. Those little shots of Miku dancing, hiding her face behind her sleeve, show just how incredibly charming she can be. Definitely the most charismatic member of the band, and that's saying something because they've all got a lot of charisma in their own way. Saiki looked incredibly elegant. I don't have the words to describe it. I don't remember getting any lingering shots of the other girls but those stuck with me. That and the scene where they all pause to look at the camera like, "Do you mind?" Akane does not mind, she is hungry.
È vero, la musica tradizionale giapponese è unica e subito riconoscibile...piace molto anche a me. Non so ancora decidere quale delle 2 versioni mi piaccia di più, Maiko o Maid? Ma perché scegliere quando si possono ascoltare una dopo l'altra? 😁 La parte più bella del video è quando sono sedute al tatami al min 4.00 e si voltano a fissarci, Akane se ne frega ed inizia a mangiare 😂 Devi sapere che lei è "un pozzo senza fondo" se le altre lasciano qualcosa lei lo mangia!!
@@akaalexanderking I know they rewrote the song lyrics in the Kyoto dialect, but I swear the original lyrics were on the video when I first saw it, not the Kyoto dialect ones. I just went back to check, and yeah, there's the new lyrics. I think my brain just broke. I must have somehow super imposed the original lyrics in my mind while watching it.
Hey brother get a chance can u react to Brand of Sacrifice and song Demon King or Animal. Both songs of this band have been reacted to many times on the other channels. For me I’m not into international bands that sing in different languages. I can’t get into Baby Metal, Rammestein or this One you are doing. I do our English language cause I don’t want to hear it in Japanese or German.
Most of the Maiko versions of the Maid songs are not so different from the original. YOLO, One and Only, Secret My Lips, Screaming. The Maiko version that feels different from the originals are Anemone and Awkward, and with Gion-Cho being a Maiko original.
I realize your list is way too long at this point, but seeing how you enjoy the mix of traditional instruments and rock music, I cannot help but recommend you this track ruclips.net/video/rm3ndSwA9Fg/видео.html As far as I can tell, it's a collaboration of several Chinese musicians, the concept is pretty similar to Wagakki Band, but the sound is obviously different due to the instruments used.
Thanks Sergey, sounds very interesting. If not with a reaction, I'll still get to all of the recommendations I get in my own listening time, so always feel free to suggest anything ;)
Nice reaction! I agree, I prefer listening to this version of the song. It's just got so much more.... flavor? I guess? I don't know how to describe it. Like listening to modern music is nice, and listening to ancient music is nice, but putting them together is like this whole new dynamic food. Rather than one dish, it's a whole feast for the ears~ You'll probably get lots of suggestions for more rock/metal-based traditional+modern fusion music, so I'll give you some from the other end of the spectrum (pop/hip hop/etc). Just for your own music collection even if you don't want to do reactions to those genres. (I swear I really tried to keep this short lmao. There are so many more other great songs I'm restraining myself from adding). LAY - 莲 (Lit) VAVA - My New Swag Mang Chủng - Grain In Ear Sơn Tùng M-TP - Lạc Trôi Hoàng Thuỳ Linh - Tứ Phủ ORANGE x KHÓI x CHÂU ĐĂNG KHOA - CHÂN ÁI Yoshida Brothers x Monkey Majik - Change Nao Toyama - Tomoshibi no Manimani*** Yutaka - Dragonfly Agust D - 대취타 Amber Mark - Monsoon Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna - Manikarnika A-WA - Habib Galbi Abir - Yallah The Halluci Nation - Sisters ft Northern Voice Jon Henrik Fjällgren - The Way You Make Me Feel (feat. Elin Oskal) SOFIA JANNOK - SNÖLEJONINNA The SIDH - Iridium ***This one has an absolutely incredible MV, but the version they uploaded to youtube cuts out the last ~30sec in an effort to get people to go buy the full version. (Which is a pretty common practice in Japan, though usually it's the other way around and we only get 30 seconds for free, so I'm grateful we get most of it this time).
@@akaalexanderking Oh I almost forgot! In case you *are* interested in going that direction and bringing in some of the kpop audience to your channel, I would recommend doing reactions to the Lay song and the August D song from that list.
Each maiko - apprentice geiko (geisha) - name used by Band-Maiko has some sort of connection to the Band-Maid member's actual name. To briefly explain each one, starting with Akane, her actual name is written 茜, which character originally referred to a red-colored dye. Her maiko name, 紅月, which literally means "crimson moon", includes a character 紅 that also originally referred to a red-colored dye, although a different shade of red. 紅月 appears in Japanese literature as a female name and place name, and, while not common now, has been used as a maiko name in the past.
In the case of Miku it’s straightforward: “Kobato” 小鳩 becomes “Hatoko” 鳩子, and has the same meaning, “Little Pigeon”. This is not a common maiko name, and between the two, “Kobato” actually sounds more maiko-ish.
Saiki’s maiko name is 富士姫 “Fujiki”. The 富士 “fuji” refers to Mount Fuji. “Fuji” can appear in the names of maiko who are from areas with good views of Mount Fuji. Saiki is from Yamanashi Prefecture, which is known for some stunning views of Mt. Fuji. The 姫 “princess” is not normally used in maiko names, but is taken from Saiki’s actual name 彩姫, and also refers to legends and folktales of maidens or princesses associated with Mt. Fuji.
Kanami’s maiko name is a no-brainer. It’s 叶笑 “Kanoemi” (the “no” is not written), and this is a common, traditional maiko name. Individually the kanji are interestingly applicable to Kanami: 叶 can mean being fulfilled or having something go the way you hoped; 笑 can mean a smile, and has a literary connotation of a “smile of humility”. This certainly fits Kanami.
Misa’s actual name is not publicized, and “Misa” is always written alphabetically. Her maiko name is 梅美沙 “Umemisa”, and was probably chosen for its similarity to 梅比沙 “Umehisa”, a common, traditional maiko name. The “hi” becomes “mi”; the “mi” is written 美, which means “beautiful” and is very common in Japanese female names. By the way, it’s not known (publicly) if Misa’s actual name is written 美沙. Assuming that her real given name actually sounds like “Misa”, it could be written with any number of kanji combinations.
The above is a brief discussion; there’s more detail that could be provided about each name. An important general point to keep in mind about Japanese names is that readings of kanji characters can be quite irregular. Often the kanji is used not for its meaning but only for its sound. So you don’t necessarily “understand” a Japanese name by simply plugging its kanji into Wiktionary or some other source. Also, the total number of strokes of the kanji characters in a name is very important, as some numbers are auspicious and some inauspicious. There’s a far greater variety of names in Japan than in the other traditional “kanji cultures”: China, Korea, and Vietnam.
Thanks so much for writing this, such an interesting read!
Wow. Thank you!
thats some quality post. 👍
Awesome comment.
Thank you!
I'm don't speak Japanese, but from what I read about this song, they also changed the words to a dialect used in Kyoto, where Maiko are traditionally trained.
So the message of the song is the same, but with different words.
Pretty committed to the April's Fools prank... :)
Gotta respect the dedication! :)
Yes. It’s sung in the Kansai dialect,
Yes, it is Maiko dialect! Some words are used only by Maiko (and maybe by Geiko as well) and are not used by ordinary people in Kyoto. Miku said it was a very difficult task to fit Maiko dialect into lyrics, PO (P_O)🕊❣
Maiko, wherever they're actually from, speak modern Kyoto dialect (called Kyo-kotoba or Kyoto-ben in Japanese) when they talk with customers. But they use expressions unique to the geiko/maiko world, some of which go back 100-200 years. The English translations of the Band-Maiko songs are not very good - in fact, in the case of "Gion-cho", really bad. Kansai dialect (Kansai-ben) is spoken in the Kansai region of Japan, which includes Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. Kyoto speech is a sub-dialect of Kansai-ben, and is considered very genteel. Incidentally, Tokyo's geisha culture and Kyoto's geiko culture are quite different, with distinct dialects, terminology, manners, and customs.
Great reaction. Lovely version of “secret my lips”. Thank you for the double reaction this week.
Thanks for watching both John 😁
It takes a extremely well written song to be able to change it up and still come out with an even greater song. All thanks to our little genius Kanamincho.
Yep, Kanami added all those Japanese "instruments" via her Cubase. What a talent to have all those instruments playing in your head.
Couldn't have said it better myself
They don't only write songs, they make compositions! Amazing!
🔥
When you think you know, they give you even more. the creativity of this
band just continues to bring smiles...Band-Maid doing Band-Maid things.
a year later cluppo reveals yet more. Peace&Love Po :) Long Live Band-Maid !!
Long live 😁🤘🏻
The original song is already great, but I prefer the Maiko version for many of the reasons you mentioned. The traditional instruments give it an additional very interesting layer, the small changes to the composition sound more rounded and the vocals come across better to me, although I don't know if it's the dialect and/or the mix.
I love this project of the ladies very much and also find the other songs of the resulting mini-album very good. I can only recommend 'Gion-Cho' to you. Such a wonderful song.
At this point I would like to say 'thank you' to all those responsible at the label at the time who approved this project and above all supported it in this form. That is not a matter of course, but it also shows wonderfully what can come out of it.
【 'Our rock never dies, ever. Forever!' - Band-Maid 】
True, everyone involved in this mini project needs to be thanked!
I called this one. But I didn't predict Band-maid's April Fools release.
The side project? 😂
@@akaalexanderking the other project for 2021. It’s “cluppo” and a new genre of “hippie-poppo”.
There's no stopping the Hippie-poppo
I just adore the Misa "howl" in this number.....and she does it again in Gion Cho....those are the only two times on official song videos where you hear Misa's voice......she has sung in some promotional videos but in any official songs these are the only two songs where you hear her!
BTW - nice reaction on your part.....I honestly prefer this version of the song myself....those original Japanese sounds really adds an additional level of emotion to this song.....thanks and respect from 🇨🇦
PS - Cion cho was actually written musically with the traditional instruments in mind by Kanami while this song those instruments were added to the original song track.....
Gion Cho coming on Monday ;) cheers from Ireland 🤘🏻
Here it goes, see you all at the premiere!
Now it’s time to do a reaction to BAND-MAIKO’s masterpiece “Gion-cho”. It’s their only original song but one of the most beautiful, BAND-MAID’s catalogue included. Besides, KANOEMI is sublime in the official video 👘👁🎸
#MaikoMondays 😉
@@akaalexanderking BAND-MAID will do a live performance on May 10th at 18h00 JST. The live broadcast will be streamed all over the world and tickets will be sold April 10th. That is a great news 😀
'Secret My Lips' is still my favorite BAND-MAID song, so I was very happy when they released 'Secret Maiko Lips'.
Miku's shodō (calligraphy) at the beginning was "World Domination".
- Members BAND-MAIKO names:
Miku = 鳩子 Hatoko.
Saiki = 富士姫 Fujiki.
Kanami = 叶笑 Kanoemi.
Misa = 梅美沙 Umemisa.
Akane = 紅月 Akatsuki.
"Hatoko" redid the lyrics for this song to use Kansai, the dialect used in the old Capital of Kyoto that is identified with Geisha culture.
They followed this up the next year with a new BAND-MAIKO song, 'Gion-cho', and a mini-album of BAND-MAIKO versions of BAND-MAID songs.
"Kanoemi" worked with the producer to add virtual traditional instruments like the shamisen, koto and bamboo flute (shakuhachi) in the studio.
Impressive, not many bands would have gone this far for an April Fools project
...and Miku did her Cluppo April Fools video today, which will also likely go to #1 on the Oricon; which would be BAND-MAID's first #1 in Japan.
Coming soon ;)
Those kimonos are works of art. Im just a dude from the midwest US. But I once heard those outfits can cost more then most cars and can take up 6 months to clean because all 11 pieces need to be unstitched.
Crazy, and wonderful at the same time
They’re also really heavy and restrictive.
Akane has hers pulled up to her waist and the sleeves pulled up in order to hit the drums.
At one point Mincho dropped her pick and could not pick it back up without help.
Yes. A real high end Kimono set can cost 10s of thousands of dollars, made with the highest quality silk and dyed with the best natural traditional dyes they can find. Yes, you cannot clean a Kimono anywhere except in Japan. You have to send it there to get it cleaned if you want to keep the quality intact. Interesting historical fact is that even in the olden times, the one thing that the Geikos and Maikos feared most was house fire. As you know, in the old historical Japanese homes, the way it's constructed and the way the fire place is located, a fire can be of a real concern. Not only that, most of Geiko and Maikos wealth (asset) back then was in their Kimonos. Much of the money they earned from working went to shares to the house mother, fees to the restaurants - for calling them - and board and lodging - nothing is free. So, if a fire ever happened, they would lose all of their savings (wealth) over night due to the loss of Kimonos. They would become a destitute. Because, most once they got old and decided to retire what they had were their kimonos to sell and get money for them when old unless they had money saved up.
Great job!. I think I prefer this version, making Secret My Lips (one of my favourites) bright in a next level. The intricacy that brings the traditional instrument layers gives a new perspective of the beauty of the songwriting, like watching a complex filigree in a picture or sculpture. Kanami wrote all these new lines of the digital traditional instruments and Miku rewrote the lyrics in Kioto dialect (the place where live Gheisas and Maikos). A great job that proves their ethics in work and their love for the music and culture. They published an EP in 2019 as Band Maiko with six covers of Band Maid songs and a new one only as Band Maiko, GionCho. I think you would like it.
I'm sure I will like that, thanks Juan!
I agree this version is more striking than the "normal" Secret My Lips. Gion-Cho is quite good as well, and I probably like it slightly more.
That's coming on Monday ;)
Hey GG Crabuki, GuitarGent has the same initials as you. His last name's not Crabuki is it?
@@GaryHolloway-810 No, Gary. There can be only one.
(Bonus points if a Queen song started playing in your mind after reading that.)
@@crabuki1273 You're right GG Crabuki, My bad. P.S i refuse to go down the Highlander route so no, no song was playing in my who wants to live forever :)
The other Band Maiko song on their channel is Gion-Cho. What is unique is that it is the only Band Maiko song (there are 5 total) that is an original Band Maiko song. It wasn't converted from an existing Band Maid song. The video is gorgeous and too my non musician ears it sounds like they make more use of traditional instruments. Very good song and worth a reaction at some point.
#MaikoMondays ;)
Gion Cho is a unique fantastic song that gets far too little attention!
There are 7 Band-Maiko songs.
@@weilima9316 Your right. Good catcg!
So much beauty, both musically and visually! 🤘😍🤘
Agree:)
Beautiful is all i can say... Band Maid music is already very strong and pleasing to the ears and this one has that extra touch with the traditional instrumentation that makes it that much mesmerizing!
Thanks GG!
Completely agreed 🤘🏻
I think I read somewhere Kanami sampled and programmed the traditional instrument parts.
Really? If that's the case, fantastic samples
@@akaalexanderking Yeah, Kanami arranged the whole thing by adding electronically all the traditional instruments.
MISA's howl and Akane's eating is just 👏
I subscribed because of your reactions to BAND-MAID and since you mentioned how much you like the mix of traditional and rock, I dare to tell you about a band I discovered just four or five days ago.
"JAMBINAI (잠비나이) is a South Korean trio that fuses Post-Rock with Experimental Rock and Korean Folk using various traditional Korean instruments alongside the typical electric guitar, bass and drums.
The band, formed in 2009 and with three albums and one EP already recorded, consists of Kim Bo-mi on the "haegeum", an instrument similar to a two-stringed violin, Lee Il-woo on the "electric guitar", "piri", a kind of piccolo, and "taepyeongso", which resembles an oboe, and Eun-yong on the "geomungo", which is very similar to a citara. I understand that the bass and drums are played by hired musicians, although I don't know if the current players are already part of the group since the promotional photos show all five of them.
As for the sound, there are moments that have reminded me of Mogwai and I have also read that they have similarities with Sigur Ròs, but the result is a mixture of passages with a sound that clearly comes from the most tribal music and that, to me at least, takes me to nature, but not in the "bucolic" way we usually think; with other passages totally explosive and to some extent chaotic, full of distortion and almost always marked by the sound of the "haegeum".
ruclips.net/video/PB1k7CDVWVk/видео.html
This track, "THEY KEEP SILENCE" is from their second album "A Hermitage" (2016) and the instrument with which the track starts is the "geomungo", which I personally love, not only how it sounds, but also to see the way Eun-Yong plays it ;)
Greetings from Spain (translated into English with the software DeepL)
Thanks a million, sounds extremely interesting! I'll make sure to check them out ;)
Saludos Antonio. Pensaba que practicamente era el único español escuchando rock asiático por aquí.
I started listening to Jambinai through a video suggestion from Rob Scallon's channel about the Koto instrument. They are amazing, this another song is Time of Extintion: ruclips.net/video/wje_Uij4aBA/видео.html, an absolutely absorbing and disturbing experience.
This one is the song of Naruto (anime), played live by Yasuharu Takanashi&YAIBA: ruclips.net/video/sSJ5J8330MA/видео.html
Not need a reaction, simply... Enjoy the ride!
@@akaalexanderking You're welcome, it's a pleasure to share things I find interesting ;)
Thanks for the answer ;)
@@JuanSan66 Encantado jejeje, no somos demasiados, no, aunque he de reconocer que solo llevo tres meses, pero intensos, buceando en el rock japonés y he descubierto grupos que me han enganchado bastante y de rebote he descubierto grupos sorprendentes en lugares como Ucrania (DakhaBrakha), Australia (King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard), Taiwan (Elephant Gym) o México (The Warning), cada uno por diferentes motivos y de estilos muy distintos ;)
Y de acuerdo contigo, Time Of Extintion es otro tema excelente de Jambinai ;)
@@AntonioGraell Que haríamos sin la música!. Un abrazo.
I love how Band-Maid always turns April Fools into something productive. It's interesting to see other sides of them we don't always get in their usual releases. It was really fun too.
Thanks for the reaction GG!! Still waiting for FATE GEAR and Vision Divine reaction from you. Cheers!! 🤘🏼🤘🏼
Cheers man, something tells me next week we might finally get to one of them ;)
@@akaalexanderking more and more excited each day hahaha. Thank you so much!!
Gion Cho is also a song by Band Maiko, which is their original and not a Band Maid cover ;-)
Coming on Monday, stay tuned ;)
They even changed their names as Band Maiko :)
Miku - Hatoko
Saiki - Fujiki
Kanami - Kanoemi
Misa - Umemisa
Akane - Akatsuki
That's commitment right there ahahah
I was hoping for a new April Fools fun video from Band Maid. Although I am still in love with the Band Maiko music.
Maybe they'll get back at it in a post covid world 🤞🏻
Yes, they do look gorgeous... Absolutely love the infusion of the traditional instruments, the Kimono's and the different dialect. Yet again, thank you for enjoying this most amazing Band. They have just announced another online concert for the 10th of May and based on the last two I would definitely recommend... 🔥🖤
Definitely something to add to my calendar, thanks Jeremy 😁
Umemisa Umemisa Umemisa! here it is the 2nd of April but still well worth the wait chow from Australia
It's always a good day for Band-Maid 😁
Many Thanks for the second part.
There are 7 songs of them on the Album Band-Maiko.
Perhaps the song Gion-Cho of them is very interesting in aspect of the different pacing.
They blow my mind daily since almost 6 years. :-)
Coming on Monday 😁
#BAND-Miku released today.
You gonna have to do Miku's April's fools!!! Was released earlier today.
I record my videos a couple of days in advance, I'll try to see if I can squeeze it in for tomorrow ;)
@@akaalexanderking No rush, i just wanted to let you know that they did something for April's Fools! 😀
@@akaalexanderking I will say it isn't rock. Fun song in the female pop idol genre but definitely not a Band Maid type song. Might be worth watching on your own and give your thoughts if you want.
Thanks guys, will do 😁
@@falconsooner its Hippie Poppo (new genre ) and is Cluppos take on 70's hippy music with 80's pop rock thrown in
There was a big push to do a tour as band maiko but the outfits we're really hard to drum in for Akane. Apparently Kanami dropped a pick and couldn't even bend over to pick it up.
Yeah, you don't want that happening in a rock concert 😂
this is the 4/1 joke in 2018 LOL
and you post this reaction video at the same day but in 2021
what a coincidence!
I've actually planned this, thanks to the comment sections in my previous Band-Maid reactions 😁
Definitly react to Miku's Side Project cluppo with The Song Peace & Love which i told you about yesterday on the next MAD Monday and also they made a Band Maiko Version of Anemone, One and only, Yolo and Screaming and they also did an original Band Maiko Song called Gion Cho which is in My Opinion one of the most beautiful Songs next to secret Maiko lips that they created because sadly the others don't have that much traditional Music mixed in then Gion Cho and Secret Maiko Lips has it's more in the back of the other Songs in my Opinion but still all Band Maiko Songs are great
Thanks David, that's coming on Monday ;)
CLUPPO CLUPPO CLUPPO!....Well someone had to do it ;)
Seems right 😁
Well, pigeons will save the world sir 😆😁
@@jimmoriarty8235 Jim there are even a flock of giant pigeons that'll fly us Maidiacs to safety. Now that might not be true but i'm gonna say it is :D
Pigeons will save the world!
@@GaryHolloway-810 i want to believe that was the same giant pigeons who brought frodo and sam from the mordor sir 😆😆😆
今気づいたのだけれど、このMVを撮影したのは、京都ではなく東京だったのね。
Thanks for letting me know, both of the cities are on my bucket list 👍🏻
wonderful song and vid, thanks.
Thank you for watching Kevin :)
BAND-MAIKO was a great band but we don’t hear any news from them anymore. I guess they became BAND-GEISHA by now
Who knows, maybe they'll move their exclusive apparitions to a different time of the year
the only band that can pose a serious challenge to band-maid is band-maiko, and the one to keep the maikos on their toes is blind-maid. too bad it was only for funsies.
Still hoping for a reunion 🤘🏻
👍
👍🏻
Thanks for the video, Gent!
(sorry in advance if I mess up names or something here. Please double check just in case... and let me know! haha)
On a second listen you should try to pay attention to the Wadaiko drums. They could go a bit unnoticed behind the drums, but they also do an amazing work in this song..!!
They video has a lot of interesting/funny elements too, like Miku writing "World Domination" (世界征服) at the beginning or the Akane eating ramen scene. It's worth watching a couple times to see what goes on.
And for the flutes, the high-pitched one is Nohkan and the lower one is Shakuhachi.
Thanks a million, I'll try to remember those names going forward 😁
How often do you consistently hear terms like beautiful applied to a rock band, to a rock song? Bandmaid makes beautiful rock.
They undeniably do 🤘🏻
The pick for a shamisen is called a bachi. I've never played a shamisen, but like you said, I'd love to give it a try. Regarding the video, I love the BAND-MAIKO visuals because the five ladies are so lovely in a different way than usual, yet their humor in this video is great. I recently watched a video on how to put on kimono from someone who was actually trained to do it, and there's a lot more layers than I would have thought! They're tight layers, so I don't know how Akane was able to sit and play even for a music video.
Here's a link to the kimono thing if you're interested.
ruclips.net/video/9nu_l5oQfiA/видео.html
I've looked for some behind the scenes stuff on the BAND-MAIKO stuff, and the only thing I've found is MISA laughing and fleeing because Akane farted. I didn't look too hard, so maybe someone out there can provide more because I find this alternate version of BAND-MAID so fascinating.
Thanks for the link, very curious to check that out. Sounds mental ahahah
What's really cool, that most English speakers are going to miss, is Saiki is actually singing with a Kyoto accent, the traditional accent of the Geisha, which the Japanese would have thought extra amusing as well.
Fantastic level of commitment
I am pretty certain that the shamisen and other traditional 'instruments' were computer generated by Kanami ( who else). This video/ song says everything about Band Maid. They are not only hugely talented but witty, clever and have a great sense of humour. They are so confident in their own capacity they can push the envelope way beyond any other group except perhaps Wagikki Band. Shamisen lovers should check out Beni in Wagikki Band.
Wagakki band are by far one of the best things I've found in this journey, fantastic music 👍🏻
_Band Maiko_ made a mini album with 6 tracks covering 5 _Band Maid_ songs, and one original which is on You-Tube....... *BAND-MAIKO / 祇園町 "Gion-cho" (Official Music Video)*
Coming this Monday ;)
MISA in platform geta and tabi, which would make her just under 5'10" in this video.
Taller than myself 😂
Did you notice that MISA, the barefoot assassin, is the only one wearing shoes?
Waiting, I refuse to die, must watch this, I won't let Covid kill the fun,
Are you doing ok man? Hope you enjoyed the video at least!
@@akaalexanderking yes I did, and the fun just got better when Miku makes another April fool stuff for this year,
🐦
I'd have liked the traditional instruments more forward in the mix, but they still added a lot to the arrangement. The visuals, though. Some serious thought went into the production and direction of this video. A lot of it goes over my head, but I appreciate that it's there.
Those little shots of Miku dancing, hiding her face behind her sleeve, show just how incredibly charming she can be. Definitely the most charismatic member of the band, and that's saying something because they've all got a lot of charisma in their own way.
Saiki looked incredibly elegant. I don't have the words to describe it.
I don't remember getting any lingering shots of the other girls but those stuck with me. That and the scene where they all pause to look at the camera like, "Do you mind?" Akane does not mind, she is hungry.
Same, I'd love to hear those instruments louder in the mix. But still, better than none at all 👌🏻
Honestly I prefer this version.
Likewise 😁
È vero, la musica tradizionale giapponese è unica e subito riconoscibile...piace molto anche a me.
Non so ancora decidere quale delle 2 versioni mi piaccia di più, Maiko o Maid?
Ma perché scegliere quando si possono ascoltare una dopo l'altra? 😁
La parte più bella del video è quando sono sedute al tatami al min 4.00 e si voltano a fissarci, Akane se ne frega ed inizia a mangiare 😂
Devi sapere che lei è "un pozzo senza fondo" se le altre lasciano qualcosa lei lo mangia!!
Mi ci rivedo molto 😂
You should react to Ladybaby. I think you'll get a kick out of it :)
Thanks Jeremy, noted ;)
Bro, watch Bandmaid April Fools 2021, Miku single MV Cluppo, Peace and Love...
Coming soon ;)
They look so beautiful in the traditional clothing, right?
Undeniably so
Cluppo, Miku and Pigeons will save the world, Po!
What the? I'm a little confused. I swear when I first watched this, it had the original lyrics.
Yeah, I've been told they rewrote them for the song. I have no clue though 😅
@@akaalexanderking I know they rewrote the song lyrics in the Kyoto dialect, but I swear the original lyrics were on the video when I first saw it, not the Kyoto dialect ones. I just went back to check, and yeah, there's the new lyrics. I think my brain just broke. I must have somehow super imposed the original lyrics in my mind while watching it.
If it makes you feel better, at this stage I think we've all gone a bit mad, myself more than anyone else 😂
85% BAND-MAID sound with 15% traditional instruments.
There's got to be taiko drums in there, too.
Kind of wish the percentages were a bit more balanced, but still great track 🤘🏻
Hey brother get a chance can u react to Brand of Sacrifice and song Demon King or Animal. Both songs of this band have been reacted to many times on the other channels. For me I’m not into international bands that sing in different languages. I can’t get into Baby Metal, Rammestein or this One you are doing. I do our English language cause I don’t want to hear it in Japanese or German.
Sure Derek, added to the list. Hope I'll get to them 😁
Most of the Maiko versions of the Maid songs are not so different from the original. YOLO, One and Only, Secret My Lips, Screaming.
The Maiko version that feels different from the originals are Anemone and Awkward, and with Gion-Cho being a Maiko original.
Will check them out ;)
I realize your list is way too long at this point, but seeing how you enjoy the mix of traditional instruments and rock music, I cannot help but recommend you this track
ruclips.net/video/rm3ndSwA9Fg/видео.html
As far as I can tell, it's a collaboration of several Chinese musicians, the concept is pretty similar to Wagakki Band, but the sound is obviously different due to the instruments used.
Thanks Sergey, sounds very interesting. If not with a reaction, I'll still get to all of the recommendations I get in my own listening time, so always feel free to suggest anything ;)
Nice reaction! I agree, I prefer listening to this version of the song. It's just got so much more.... flavor? I guess? I don't know how to describe it. Like listening to modern music is nice, and listening to ancient music is nice, but putting them together is like this whole new dynamic food. Rather than one dish, it's a whole feast for the ears~
You'll probably get lots of suggestions for more rock/metal-based traditional+modern fusion music, so I'll give you some from the other end of the spectrum (pop/hip hop/etc). Just for your own music collection even if you don't want to do reactions to those genres.
(I swear I really tried to keep this short lmao. There are so many more other great songs I'm restraining myself from adding).
LAY - 莲 (Lit)
VAVA - My New Swag
Mang Chủng - Grain In Ear
Sơn Tùng M-TP - Lạc Trôi
Hoàng Thuỳ Linh - Tứ Phủ
ORANGE x KHÓI x CHÂU ĐĂNG KHOA - CHÂN ÁI
Yoshida Brothers x Monkey Majik - Change
Nao Toyama - Tomoshibi no Manimani***
Yutaka - Dragonfly
Agust D - 대취타
Amber Mark - Monsoon
Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna - Manikarnika
A-WA - Habib Galbi
Abir - Yallah
The Halluci Nation - Sisters ft Northern Voice
Jon Henrik Fjällgren - The Way You Make Me Feel (feat. Elin Oskal)
SOFIA JANNOK - SNÖLEJONINNA
The SIDH - Iridium
***This one has an absolutely incredible MV, but the version they uploaded to youtube cuts out the last ~30sec in an effort to get people to go buy the full version.
(Which is a pretty common practice in Japan, though usually it's the other way around and we only get 30 seconds for free, so I'm grateful we get most of it this time).
Wow, thanks so much for all of these! I'll make my way through them :)
@@akaalexanderking You're very welcome! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do :)
@@akaalexanderking Oh I almost forgot! In case you *are* interested in going that direction and bringing in some of the kpop audience to your channel, I would recommend doing reactions to the Lay song and the August D song from that list.
👍🏻👍🏻