BAND-MAIKO has only appeared at OKYUJI of BAND-MAID once, which was at Kyoto OKYUJI on December 22, 2019... in essence, BAND-MAIKO's hometown! At that time, they performed four songs from their mini-album: "secret MAIKO lips", "Akasimahen", "Tora and Tora", and "Gion-cho". But last year, on April 22, 2023, also at Kyoto OKYUJI, BAND-MAID covered BAND-MAIKO's songs😉. Except for the studio version of "Gion-cho" used as the opening entrance song, BAND-MAID performed their own original versions of all other six songs. During that MC, SAIKI, with a slight frown on her face, made the audience laugh by saying, "Because... BAND-MAIKO-san couldn't come to an agreement in terms of the fee." LOL I, too, am eagerly awaiting to hear all the songs performed by BAND-MAIKO in person someday.
There were some clips from the Kyoto Okyuji on the Band Maid Member site. I guess they are still there? The famous one was Misa doing the Secret Maiko Lips vocal intro.
Nice to meet you. I always enjoy looking at your works. I am Japanese and I would like to explain the lyrics used in this song. (I always try to comment on Band-Maiko's reactions with this explanation, so I know some of the viewers who read this comment section have already read it somewhere else, but I'll post it here as well.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In all the songs of BAND-MAIKO, Saiki uses the word called "京ことば Kyo-kotoba (Kyoto dialect)". The Kyo-kotoba has many special phrases that are different from the so-called "Kansai-ben (Kansai region dialect. Kyoto is included in the Kansai region)", and even if you are from Kyoto, it is not a word that ordinary people other than maiko and geisha use on a daily basis. Many maiko are not from Kyoto, but when working as a maiko in Kyoto, it is not desirable to use the dialect of the region in which they were born and raised. Therefore, the training content of Maiko includes the acquisition of this Kyo-kotoba. The Kyo-kotoba is, so to speak, a "common language" for maiko and geisha. ※ "Maiko (Pronunciation is my-ko)" means a person in the apprenticeship stage of Geiko (Geisha). The Japanese instrumental sounds used are 三味線 Shamisen A Shamisen is a three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument derived from the Chinese instrument sanxian. It is played with a plectrum called a Bachi. 琴 Koto Japanese stringed instrument that resembles a zither; has a rectangular wooden sounding board and usually 13 silk strings that are plucked with the fingers. 和太鼓 Wadaiko Japanese drums. 鼓 Tsuzumi Japanese hand drum. 篠笛 Shinobue A traditional Japanese woodwind instrument, that is a simple bamboo cross flute made of thin bamboo called shinodake with a hole for blowing into and a finger hole in the mouth. 尺八 Shakuhachi A shakuhach is a Japanese longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo. However, in fact, the actual instruments are not used, but rather the composer/guitarist KANAMI typed the sounds of the Japanese traditional instruments.
Thank you for the wealth of information. Of those instruments, I think I'm only familiar with the shamisen (Tokyo lens channel had a few videos on it, which led me to others). :-)
I don't know if you have come across the Japanese band Wagakkiband. As well as guitar, bass and drums, they have band members who play tradditional Japanese instruments alongside the modern instruments.
Band-Maiko is where Kanoemi/Kanami proved to me that she could have taken any musical career path if she'd wanted to - traditional Japanese classical, western classical, jazz, hard rock. Fortunately for us, she decide to go with all of them. :)
I do love that the band's influences seem to be all over the place and they've never worried much about "staying in their lane". :-) They can have all the lanes, if my opinion counts for anything.
Hope all is well with your family! Band-Maid…Opps I mean Band-Maiko can brighten your day! Miku is so about Japanese traditions and respecting the history and beauty! 🤘🕊️🦍🥷👸🏻👀PO!
I think we've turned a corner for the better, medically speaking. But more visits and tests and etc. are coming in the next few days. Fingers crossed. :-) Thanks for your concern.
Chan--your Japanese pronunciation is excellent! Don't worry about which syllable should have the accent because none of them do. Japanese is a stress-timed language, not a syllable-timed one like English. I had never heard all of the Band Maiko songs before, so I really enjoyed getting to this time. My favorite was "Akasimahen," their version of "Awkward." The original is one of my best-liked Maids songs and I loved hearing all the traditional instruments used for this new version. I'm also glad Kanami finished with the same incredible outro solo from "Awkward." The best part though, was the Saiki Sigh.
Thank you! It was a huge obstacle at the beginning to learn both hiragana and katakana, but now that I have them mastered (reading, not writing!) I can force my way into pronouncing most words. The hard part now is guessing which sounds will be dropped (like the "u" in "です" for example) and of course kanji... I'm still doing just a little Japanese every day. :-)
All the songs have been rearranged by translating the original lyrics into Kyoto dialect. It's great to see so many professionals taking such a joke-based event so seriously.
Always nice to hear your insights. Sometimes I think you underestimate yourself when it comes to your musical knowledge. You notice many things I’ve missed. Yes Saiki is phenomenal!
Thank you. I think I intentionally err on the side of professing ignorance, since that excuses any mistakes. :-) I did ONCE study music (high school band and mixed choir) so I know a handful of terms and themes, but that was nearly 40 years ago...
I am always amazed when I listen to the newer albums how versatile and how much they have evolved. But then they have always had that gift as this album proves.
@Chan Fry Not so much a joke, but definitely a prank. The first time in 2018, there was a press release announcing that they were abandoning the maid image and adopting a maiko image, essentially they told everybody 'we aren't Band-Maid anymore, from now on we are Band-Maiko'. When you combined the press release with the Secret Maiko Lips song/video, the fact that they all adopted maiko names and changed all their social media to those names, and changed the youtube channel and website from Band-Maid to Band Maiko, they tricked a lot of people into believing it. From an interview they did on BARKS: ──In 2018 you released a music video called "secret MAIKO lips," which was a Japanese-style rendition of BAND-MAID's song "secret My lips." Now that the song is available as well, it looks like BAND-MAIKO has created quite the sensation, don't you think? Hatoko (Miku): Oh yeah, I certainly think so too. A lot of people really believed us when we changed our name. Akatsuki (Akane): Even people in the industry were like, "So you're BAND-MAIKO now, not BAND-MAID?" There were all of these people that thought it was real and I would have to explain, "No, it was just a thing we did for April Fools'!"
Thanks for the background info. I didn't realize they'd changed their handles on social media, etc. That part could certainly be considered a prank/joke. :-)
At the time I thought *Saiki* vocals was good, but then I saw her live in DC in 2022 and my jaw dropped. I was amazed with her performance and the vocals she added to the song, that I was kind of sad when she took a break during the show. _BTW Like that ringtone_ 😊
Ringtone at 32:58 for anyone wondering. :-) I've still got my fingers crossed for a Band-Maid return to Texas in 2025, so I can hear in person what you're talking about...
Sorry to hear that you and your family are stressed by medical entanglements. (I know we've spoken about this privately, but since you mentioned it in the video...) I hope the experts are able to get a handle on it very soon. In the meantime, Band-Maid will soothe the soul. :-)
Thanks, Anderson. Things are looking up right now, but a few more appointments and tests are coming up later this week. (Probably as many tests as the insurance can be convinced to pay for.)
This album, to me anyway, shows the true genius of Kanami and the trust and versatility of Band-Maid overall! Your right, this so much more that a April Fools joke!
I'm still reeling from how incredible it was! I get tired of using the "many other bands" phrase, but this could be "their best album" for many other bands. :-)
There was an interview with Barks in which Saiki, Miku and Kanami talked about the changes to the compositions and lyrics. Miku explained that Maiko do not use harsh words so she changed some words and phrases to a softer representation of the original meaning. Ansan (Anemone) does have additional lyrics to open which Miku took from a collection of poetry that she said is read in Kyoto. However what you're hearing mainly is the change to the Kyoto dialect which to my ears is softer and more musical
"softer and more musical" -- Makes sense. Japanese is often said (by people near me anyway) to be a "harsh" language -- lots of hard, percussive consonants.
Spent most of my life listening with speakers, Infinity usually. Headphones were cheap ones. Band-Maid has made better ones a good thing like you said and I've also gotten into using some nice IEMs which don't heat up my head like headphones can at times. Thank you for this listen-through. I haven't pulled up Band-Maiko in a while so this was a pleasant surprise.
I can say with certainty that these $100 headphones have made me strongly consider a higher-end pair (though a few experts have said there are diminishing returns the higher you go up the price list). I do consider my PC speakers to be fairly high quality, but these headphones take the sound up a notch. :-)
Even if the next one is short, Endless Story is so iconic I know it'll be good. I guess the one complication is that the official live version is from Yokohama Arena... which would feel like a pretty significant jump forward in the timeline.
Excellent point. I've run into that a couple of times already (where the live is from a later era), but I've justified it to myself that the song's *origin* is from 2019, even if the performance is 2023. :-)
I never use the word "joke" when talking about Band Maiko - their "prank" was the band hinting/announcing that the Maiko look and sound was going to be their new image and musical direction - and releasing the music and videos to support that announcement!
Interesting! I hadn't heard that they gave the impression this would be their new direction. Like Chan, I've just seen a bunch of the "best April Fool's joke ever" comments, and I assumed people were referring to Band-Maiko itself. Makes a lot more sense the way you tell it. :-)
@@AndersonConnors They announced it on their home page, and apparently changed the name of their YT channel for the morning, as well as their Facebook and possibly other SNS accounts. They believe in go big or go home!
Yeah, great info. Thanks! I only discovered* Band-Maid in late 2022, so I was unaware that they'd gone whole hog with the joke. :-) (I use "discover" like Europeans "discovered" the Americas.)
As far as a full show as maikos , they said no , outfits r too constricting, theres a making of this video , video kamani couldnt even bend down to pick up the pic she dropped during filming
Just imagine akane in wooden shoes n those outfits I'm sure r highly flammable, just the friction alone would set her on fire , which mincho has been secretly trying to do for Years po!
Oh, I can only imagine -- those outfits aren't something I'd want to try on (about as much as I'd want to be fitted with a straightjacket, LOL). In my dream scenario, it wouldn't bother me if they toned down the constuming a little. :-)
0:00 Intro
1:06 Tora and Tora
8:34 It’s NOT a joke
9:10 YOLOSIOSU
16:38 ansan
22:44 personal story
23:26 Akasimahen
29:53 screaming
37:03 Gion-cho
I really like ANSAN😳🙏
I really appreciate your Band-Maid reactions a lot!
Thanks!
BAND-MAIKO has only appeared at OKYUJI of BAND-MAID once, which was at Kyoto OKYUJI on December 22, 2019... in essence, BAND-MAIKO's hometown! At that time, they performed four songs from their mini-album: "secret MAIKO lips", "Akasimahen", "Tora and Tora", and "Gion-cho".
But last year, on April 22, 2023, also at Kyoto OKYUJI, BAND-MAID covered BAND-MAIKO's songs😉. Except for the studio version of "Gion-cho" used as the opening entrance song, BAND-MAID performed their own original versions of all other six songs.
During that MC, SAIKI, with a slight frown on her face, made the audience laugh by saying, "Because... BAND-MAIKO-san couldn't come to an agreement in terms of the fee." LOL
I, too, am eagerly awaiting to hear all the songs performed by BAND-MAIKO in person someday.
Thanks for the info!
There were some clips from the Kyoto Okyuji on the Band Maid Member site. I guess they are still there? The famous one was Misa doing the Secret Maiko Lips vocal intro.
Nice to meet you. I always enjoy looking at your works.
I am Japanese and I would like to explain the lyrics used in this song.
(I always try to comment on Band-Maiko's reactions with this explanation, so I know some of the viewers who read this comment section have already read it somewhere else, but I'll post it here as well.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In all the songs of BAND-MAIKO, Saiki uses the word called "京ことば Kyo-kotoba (Kyoto dialect)".
The Kyo-kotoba has many special phrases that are different from the so-called "Kansai-ben (Kansai region dialect. Kyoto is included in the Kansai region)", and even if you are from Kyoto, it is not a word that ordinary people other than maiko and geisha use on a daily basis.
Many maiko are not from Kyoto, but when working as a maiko in Kyoto, it is not desirable to use the dialect of the region in which they were born and raised.
Therefore, the training content of Maiko includes the acquisition of this Kyo-kotoba.
The Kyo-kotoba is, so to speak, a "common language" for maiko and geisha.
※ "Maiko (Pronunciation is my-ko)" means a person in the apprenticeship stage of Geiko (Geisha).
The Japanese instrumental sounds used are
三味線 Shamisen
A Shamisen is a three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument derived from the Chinese instrument sanxian. It is played with a plectrum called a Bachi.
琴 Koto
Japanese stringed instrument that resembles a zither; has a rectangular wooden sounding board and usually 13 silk strings that are plucked with the fingers.
和太鼓 Wadaiko
Japanese drums.
鼓 Tsuzumi
Japanese hand drum.
篠笛 Shinobue
A traditional Japanese woodwind instrument, that is a simple bamboo cross flute made of thin bamboo called shinodake with a hole for blowing into and a finger hole in the mouth.
尺八 Shakuhachi
A shakuhach is a Japanese longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo.
However, in fact, the actual instruments are not used, but rather the composer/guitarist KANAMI typed the sounds of the Japanese traditional instruments.
Thank you for the wealth of information. Of those instruments, I think I'm only familiar with the shamisen (Tokyo lens channel had a few videos on it, which led me to others). :-)
I don't know if you have come across the Japanese band Wagakkiband. As well as guitar, bass and drums, they have band members who play tradditional Japanese instruments alongside the modern instruments.
Band-Maiko is where Kanoemi/Kanami proved to me that she could have taken any musical career path if she'd wanted to - traditional Japanese classical, western classical, jazz, hard rock. Fortunately for us, she decide to go with all of them. :)
I do love that the band's influences seem to be all over the place and they've never worried much about "staying in their lane". :-) They can have all the lanes, if my opinion counts for anything.
Hope all is well with your family!
Band-Maid…Opps I mean Band-Maiko can brighten your day!
Miku is so about Japanese traditions and respecting the history and beauty!
🤘🕊️🦍🥷👸🏻👀PO!
I think we've turned a corner for the better, medically speaking. But more visits and tests and etc. are coming in the next few days. Fingers crossed. :-) Thanks for your concern.
Chan--your Japanese pronunciation is excellent! Don't worry about which syllable should have the accent because none of them do. Japanese is a stress-timed language, not a syllable-timed one like English.
I had never heard all of the Band Maiko songs before, so I really enjoyed getting to this time. My favorite was "Akasimahen," their version of "Awkward." The original is one of my best-liked Maids songs and I loved hearing all the traditional instruments used for this new version. I'm also glad Kanami finished with the same incredible outro solo from "Awkward." The best part though, was the Saiki Sigh.
Thank you! It was a huge obstacle at the beginning to learn both hiragana and katakana, but now that I have them mastered (reading, not writing!) I can force my way into pronouncing most words. The hard part now is guessing which sounds will be dropped (like the "u" in "です" for example) and of course kanji... I'm still doing just a little Japanese every day. :-)
All the songs have been rearranged by translating the original lyrics into Kyoto dialect.
It's great to see so many professionals taking such a joke-based event so seriously.
Always nice to hear your insights. Sometimes I think you underestimate yourself when it comes to your musical knowledge. You notice many things I’ve missed. Yes Saiki is phenomenal!
Thank you. I think I intentionally err on the side of professing ignorance, since that excuses any mistakes. :-) I did ONCE study music (high school band and mixed choir) so I know a handful of terms and themes, but that was nearly 40 years ago...
I am always amazed when I listen to the newer albums how versatile and how much they have evolved. But then they have always had that gift as this album proves.
Versatility is certainly one of their main weapons. :-)
@Chan Fry Not so much a joke, but definitely a prank. The first time in 2018, there was a press release announcing that they were abandoning the maid image and adopting a maiko image, essentially they told everybody 'we aren't Band-Maid anymore, from now on we are Band-Maiko'. When you combined the press release with the Secret Maiko Lips song/video, the fact that they all adopted maiko names and changed all their social media to those names, and changed the youtube channel and website from Band-Maid to Band Maiko, they tricked a lot of people into believing it.
From an interview they did on BARKS: ──In 2018 you released a music video called "secret MAIKO lips," which was a Japanese-style rendition of BAND-MAID's song "secret My lips." Now that the song is available as well, it looks like BAND-MAIKO has created quite the sensation, don't you think?
Hatoko (Miku): Oh yeah, I certainly think so too. A lot of people really believed us when we changed our name.
Akatsuki (Akane): Even people in the industry were like, "So you're BAND-MAIKO now, not BAND-MAID?" There were all of these people that thought it was real and I would have to explain, "No, it was just a thing we did for April Fools'!"
Thanks for the background info. I didn't realize they'd changed their handles on social media, etc. That part could certainly be considered a prank/joke. :-)
At the time I thought *Saiki* vocals was good, but then I saw her live in DC in 2022 and my jaw dropped. I was amazed with her performance and the vocals she added to the song, that I was kind of sad when she took a break during the show. _BTW Like that ringtone_ 😊
Ringtone at 32:58 for anyone wondering. :-)
I've still got my fingers crossed for a Band-Maid return to Texas in 2025, so I can hear in person what you're talking about...
Sorry to hear that you and your family are stressed by medical entanglements. (I know we've spoken about this privately, but since you mentioned it in the video...) I hope the experts are able to get a handle on it very soon. In the meantime, Band-Maid will soothe the soul. :-)
Thanks, Anderson. Things are looking up right now, but a few more appointments and tests are coming up later this week. (Probably as many tests as the insurance can be convinced to pay for.)
Gion-cho !!!
Okini Chan Fry-san, Po. 🎎🎎🕊️
This album, to me anyway, shows the true genius of Kanami and the trust and versatility of Band-Maid overall! Your right, this so much more that a April Fools joke!
I'm still reeling from how incredible it was! I get tired of using the "many other bands" phrase, but this could be "their best album" for many other bands. :-)
@@Chan_Fry Most ANY other band!
There was an interview with Barks in which Saiki, Miku and Kanami talked about the changes to the compositions and lyrics. Miku explained that Maiko do not use harsh words so she changed some words and phrases to a softer representation of the original meaning. Ansan (Anemone) does have additional lyrics to open which Miku took from a collection of poetry that she said is read in Kyoto. However what you're hearing mainly is the change to the Kyoto dialect which to my ears is softer and more musical
"softer and more musical" -- Makes sense. Japanese is often said (by people near me anyway) to be a "harsh" language -- lots of hard, percussive consonants.
Spent most of my life listening with speakers, Infinity usually. Headphones were cheap ones. Band-Maid has made better ones a good thing like you said and I've also gotten into using some nice IEMs which don't heat up my head like headphones can at times.
Thank you for this listen-through. I haven't pulled up Band-Maiko in a while so this was a pleasant surprise.
I can say with certainty that these $100 headphones have made me strongly consider a higher-end pair (though a few experts have said there are diminishing returns the higher you go up the price list). I do consider my PC speakers to be fairly high quality, but these headphones take the sound up a notch. :-)
Thank you for taking the time to explain this.
Thank you enjoyed PO!
Band-Maiko, the only band that surpasses Band-Maid.
I want a 2nd Band-Maiko album :D
Very impressive work to be sure.
Char when I 1st heard this album I thought they changed awkward the most but they left the punch In upon this hearing
Have it, excellent.
Even if the next one is short, Endless Story is so iconic I know it'll be good. I guess the one complication is that the official live version is from Yokohama Arena... which would feel like a pretty significant jump forward in the timeline.
Excellent point. I've run into that a couple of times already (where the live is from a later era), but I've justified it to myself that the song's *origin* is from 2019, even if the performance is 2023. :-)
@@Chan_Fry Then I look forward to what you think of their new look.
Hopefully all will be well with your challenges. 🙏🙏
Thank you! We're not out of the woods yet (more tests and appointments in the coming days), but I think the worst might be behind us. :-)
I never use the word "joke" when talking about Band Maiko - their "prank" was the band hinting/announcing that the Maiko look and sound was going to be their new image and musical direction - and releasing the music and videos to support that announcement!
Interesting! I hadn't heard that they gave the impression this would be their new direction. Like Chan, I've just seen a bunch of the "best April Fool's joke ever" comments, and I assumed people were referring to Band-Maiko itself. Makes a lot more sense the way you tell it. :-)
@@AndersonConnors They announced it on their home page, and apparently changed the name of their YT channel for the morning, as well as their Facebook and possibly other SNS accounts. They believe in go big or go home!
Yeah, great info. Thanks! I only discovered* Band-Maid in late 2022, so I was unaware that they'd gone whole hog with the joke. :-)
(I use "discover" like Europeans "discovered" the Americas.)
Char is summer day ur ringtone po!
It's "愛と情熱のマタドール" (Love, Passion, Matador) -- my selected ringtone for my wife. :-)
@Chan_Fry I knew it is off the 1st album
As far as a full show as maikos , they said no , outfits r too constricting, theres a making of this video , video kamani couldnt even bend down to pick up the pic she dropped during filming
Just imagine akane in wooden shoes n those outfits I'm sure r highly flammable, just the friction alone would set her on fire , which mincho has been secretly trying to do for
Years po!
Oh, I can only imagine -- those outfits aren't something I'd want to try on (about as much as I'd want to be fitted with a straightjacket, LOL). In my dream scenario, it wouldn't bother me if they toned down the constuming a little. :-)
You'll need to get some specialized tools now, cos you're gonna need some more notches, I'm warning you now!!
Ha! Fortunately, I'm a frequent visitor to hardware/tool stores, so I'll be prepared to construct more notches. :-)