Why do you think Band-Maid are so popular?

What made me fall in love with Band-Maid: They sound nostalgic and modernized, aggressive and catchy, progressive and digestible. Band-Maid produce a well made package of music with great feel and musicianship. Always leaving you wanting for more and never outstays it welcome.

I am so glad you gave BAND-MAID a chance! They are an amazing band, as you discovered, and they do not dissapoint. We are The Gaijin Guys podcast. We just watched you video! We talk about Japanese artist in hard rock and metal!!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving these ladies a chance and supporting them with your outreach. 🙏🏻 I've known these ladies for close to three years now and think everyone out there who likes hard rock should know about them. Their music is so much more honest and thoughtful than most of what you get served today. _____________________ 「 _'Our rock never dies ever. Forever!'_ 」 --- from *BAND-MAID* 'Manners' 🕊

Not popular enough, this band deserves to be massive. It will happen one day so stay tuned !

"it sounds like the type of project with real integrity" Is there a better "musician to musician" compliment?

I'll make a list :- 1. Kanami (Kanamincho or Mincho)- lead guitar and songwriting genius , in the last 10 months she has become one of my favourite guitarists and is as good a songwriter as anyone. 2. Akane (Gorilla) - drums, tied with Ginger Baker as my favourite drummer 3. Misa (Misa, Misa,Misa or the Barefoot Assassin) - bass, tied with Jack Bruce as my favourite bass player 4. Saiki (Ice Queen) - lead vocals, second only to Janis Joplin as my favourite female vocalist and in the top 10 of my favourite rock vocalists 5. Miku (Little Pigeon) - rhythm guitar, dual/backing vocals, Lyricist and creator of miracles. this band was her idea and she put it together. 6 Their catologue covers every form of rock from ballads through to heavy rock, sometimes bluesy, jazzy, punk, 70's style, 80's style, 90's style etc and sometimes just plain crazy but always distinctly Band Maid. 7 There are only six bands of which I own their complete catologue, The Beatles, Cream, Free, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Band Maid. Band Maid are easily my favourite band from the last forty years.

Miku's plan for subverting expectations worked perfectly here. That "OMG what have I got myself into" look when he read the band's description to where he landed by the end of the video was just perfect.

To all the haters, they are a proper legit rock band, they write their own music, formed the band themselves, write their own songs, don't be sexist or racist because a) they're female and b) from Japan, open your ears and eyes, get past your prejudices

I never checked this group out before because I figured they would probably be a gimmick band of some sort, but this is really good. They can all play super well from what I can see, and I really like the vocal tone. I'm definitely going to be digging into their music more.

So glad you found them! I’ve seen them live twice and they are just incredible. I cover them a lot on my channel 🤩

Justin, I hope you don't mind me bringing over some Band-Maid fans. THANK you for doing this!!!!

Hey you should come on the podcast to talk about BAND-MAID!

Interviewer: Maid outfits aren’t exactly rock ‘n’ roll. What is your ultimate heavy metal costume? MIKU “Now Band-Maid’s outfits are part of rock n roll, so we pick these!” Interviewer: Why should people listen to Band-Maid? MIKU - “We’re not a pop idol group! Don’t judge us on how we look. We want to blow you away with our heavy rock sound.” Miku Kobato - RHYTHM GUITAR - plays Zemaitis C24MF (Zemaitis Endorsement - with a Signature Guitar called Flappy Pigeon) - EVH Amps - Writes the lyrics - Has only been playing guitar for about 7 years. Was the singer but took a back seat voluntarily! KANAMI TONO - LEAD GUITAR - plays PRS Custom 24 (PRS Endorsement) - Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier. - Writes the music (one interview she states that she has a database - 2 years worth?!?!) Misa - BASS GUITAR plays Black Cloud "Smoker" and Privat Reserve (SG Style) bass - (Black Cloud Endorsement) Orange AB200B MKIII Amps Akane Hirose - DRUMS - Plays TAMA drums with Zildjian Cymbals - Roland KD-A22 (Possibly an Endorsement with TAMA and ROLAND) Saiki - VOCALS - Sennheiser microphones and DPA Microphones

Wow! Another "new" band added to my subscriptions. Thanks Justin, as entertaining as ever... and thanks to all those that requested a reaction and got Band-Maid some extra attention they obviously so deserve.

Thank you for reacting to, sorry, the best rock band I discovered the last 30 years. They've restored my love in modern rock music again, which I thought I have lost a long time ago. Been listening to the same old stuff over and over again. They're extraordinary good musicians, excellent song writers and over all just adorable human beings. Thanks again 🤘🏻🙂

I had never known about this band until now, I like it!

BAND-MAID play hard Rock music with genuine smiles. They don't look like they've just walked out of a serial killer convention :)

These ladies are really great. Been hooked on their music for the last 2 yrs.

I think they are so popular because they are true to their ideals. The singer said as much in an interview when they were asked "why rock music? Isn't that genre dead?" She replied "we won't compromise our standards." There's so much more to Band Maid than meets the eye... And don't stop at just Band Maid, there's a veritable treasure trove of incredible talent and music coming out of Asia today. All you have to do is look for it.

Band Maid are one of the very rare bands that do not have a single crap song. Not one. I’ve heard them all and i like them all.

Justin: It's really good, innit? Hell yes it is! Loved Band Maid for years. I'm really happy they are getting recognition and starting to tour around the world. Wish these ladies much success!

Thank you for checking them out Justin, they are truly special. I hope you don't stop with this one, pretty much every single one of the 100+ songs they've released are not merely good but great. Their sound and aesthetics are absolutely right up your alley.

Because even if you're a seasoned musician, they keep on surprising you with each album and each song out of those albums - no musical formula. Their composer (guitarist Kanami Tono, composing their music since their first "full" album - there's been three mini-albums before) is kind of a mad scientist. And the lyrics are much more well-written and interesting than the appearance would suggest (at this point, you probably got that their appearance is deliberately misleading). I suppose people recommended "Dice" because it's a straight rock'n roller, but they venture in many unexpected territories musically speaking. But even more important: they're even better live and always deliver a great rock show (sweet memories). Genuine musicians who love what they're doing. Thx for your nice reaction 👍

Band Maid will be hitting the USA in October with their tour.

I actually just discovered Band Maid literally yesterday -- I actually kinda like them :D

"A project with real integrity" - YES!!!!!

Justin, thank you for reacting to Band-Maid!

Huge fan of both The Darkness and Band-Maid, so I'm thrilled to see Justin appreciates how talented they are

I’d never heard of em either, Justin. Thanks for the vid that introduced me to some new music.

Skill? Check Creativity? Check Integrity? Check Geniune Passion for their music? Check The list could go on and on

Also Tony Visconti produced a song on one of their albums because he wanted to work with them. That's a pretty good seal of approval.

Such a lovely surprise to see Band Maid in the show today. Discovered them back in the early days of the pandemic and just loved them from the start. A group of wonderfully talented musicians who are so humble in interviews yet totally in the zone on stage. Totally kept my spirits up. They really deserve a bigger audience.

What a cool band, thanks for the introduction, to me at least. How did I miss them?

Justin, thank you for introducing me to this band. It has been a while since I heard music with so much energy!. Will be lisening to more of this band for sure. Brilliant!

So glad you found Band-Maid. These ladies ARE The Real Deal!!

Once you get past the gimmick of the maid cafe outfits, you see how talented they are. Incredible rock band.

Here's to feeling good about rock again. A great beat delivered with a smile.

Welcome home Master. Enjoy your trip down the pigeon hole. Now that you've had a wee taste of Band-Maid time to jump to see them performing live. You could choose from Domination (live), Freedom (live), Play (live), Choose Me (live) and get 4 different styles/sounds from these amazing ladies. They just played Download Festival Japan on Aug 13 as the opening act and only Japanese band participating. They are also playing Aftershock Festival in the US in October along with an extensive, mostly sold out US tour after that.

Thanks for introducing me to something new again. You never disappoint Justin. Cheers to the fans who suggested this song.

Awesome review on this song. BAND MAID is one of the best live acts you will hear today. They just opened the Download Festival last night in Japan.

Thanks for looking into our obsession band!

MISA!!! MISA!!! MISA!!! 🥃🥃🥃 Badass Bass Assassin and Band-Maid are one of the best Hard Rock bands in the world right now 🤙🏼

holy fuck. beautiful playing, beautiful sounds, and beautiful maids. how does this even happen???

Discovered them on KZfaq years back when I was going down a rabbithole of Japanese Rock bands. So many weird and wonderful groups, many with themes like Band-Maid. Hopefully I can catch them live when they tour the US this fall.

Wow, these girls are good. I love the bassist, so cool! As soon as the music started, I heard the same thing, G'n'r, but better because of the bassist. Duff is great on bass too, I just like where this bassist takes the song.

Thank you for that! They are some kind of a well kept, badly kept secret by now. The irony is deep in the sense that if ever there was a band seeking an audience of young female Japanese fans, to sway to the path of hard but massively catchy rock music, and found one made up of middle aged western rock-dudes in the process instead, well, this is the band. What you see is not what you get, by design. And they are best live.

Really fun song that seems to have several layers of complexity when analyzed... kind of like Band-Maid themselves

PRS guitar looks like. This song has a serious jam vibe and very cool. Never heard of them until now. Gonna check them out a bit more after watching this analogy. "Justin Hawkins rides again, again". 👍👍

These are a group I'll be checking out for sure. Thanks Justin!

Thanks for this one! Never heard of them before I saw this.

My favorite hard rock band period, I love everything they do... great musicians and very well written songs!! Thanks for the reaction, this is just the start, you have about 100 more to try :).

I discovered Band-Maid a couple of years ago and Justin Hawkins Rides Again a few months ago. I'm so happy to see him check them out and introduce his fans to what I believe is the best current rock band anywhere.

Goodness me those girls rock !! Thanks for introducing them to me them ! Wonder if they are Darkness fans - Justin fancy appearing with them live ?!

I'll be amazed if, everyone who watches this channel, doesn't immediately go searching for Band Maid next. Like me...

Thanks for checking them out. I really like their stuff.

So cool of you to check ‘em out! One of my favorite bands and I’m gonna go see them this November in Chicago!! My first concert but I’m excited!!

I hope you check out their live shows. That's where they really shine. I can't believe this band has surpassed the number of songs from other bands I love put together! I'm getting to be an old guy on the wrong side of 50 too! My top 10 Band-Maid songs is like 50!

Glad you finally checked them out! Band-Maid is great! They have a lot of variety in their songs and a great mix of catchiness and surprising complexity. You should check out a few more songs in your free time. They're also better live!

To be honest I thought they would be s joke and a manufactured type of band when I first discovered them. Unfortunately for a lot of established bands they are not. They are an excellent band, fantastic musicians and have a back catalogue to die for already. Oh and to rub salt in the wounds they are phenomenal live!

Yo! You did Band-Maid? There’s only maybe 3 or 4 bands I ever heard that stopped me dead in my tracks and made me go, “What is this?!” Band-Maid is one of them. I genuinely fucking love that band. The blending of pop sensibilities with hard rock and vocal harmonies just get me.

Loved this reaction

Welcome aboard, Justin. You are embarking on (along with many others - 150 million YT views plus over 30 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 (124 songs with their new album “Unleash” dropping September 21, 2022), 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: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i8qjaspkspOYnIU.html Their later songs from albums Unseen World, Conqueror, World Domination, Just Bring It, Brand New Maid, and New Beginning drive even more - Warning, No God, Different, Black Hole, Rinne, Blooming, Moratorium, Domination, Clang, Dice, Spirit, Don’t You Tell Me, Turn Me On, Fate, Play, 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, About Us, 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 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 like Sense, Glory and Unleash (from their own Anime series!: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bbJykqiBuJqceHk.html) And many songs are represented with over 40 well produced music videos. kzfaq.info Most performances should be experienced from their LIVE audience & online OKYU-JI concerts:  ONLINE OKYU-JI (Feb. 11, 2021) “No God” kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pKeUitF6t9CrkZ8.html  Tokyo's LINE CUBE SHIBUYA on February 14th “Domination” kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h8iphKZ705zWiZs.html  ZEPP 2018 “Real Existence” kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Y9eBoa56sbiZpWQ.html  Shinkiba Studio Coast 2017 (Full concerts from the last two songs are on bandmaidprime.tokyo and DVD/BD/CD) And some of the better quality 2019 tour Fan vids are excellent. Here’s two of what it’s like to see Band-Maid LIVE at super intimate venues:  Taken by Vladimir Chupin in Hamburg: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/lcVhp8toyNrLfaM.html  And by JOSER8845 in LA: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q9mHjdmdrK2og6c.html. If you like Band-Maid, make sure to support them by purchasing some concert tickets, 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, 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 an awesome, little known "Mega Band-Maid Mix" by DJ Ray of some of their earlier stuff: facebook.com/djrayboston/videos/1004709499579009 Band-Maid Members: Saiki Atsumi (Sy-i-Key or Psyche) “Ice Queen" - Lead vocals, arrangements and melodies. At 28 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, 30 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, 30 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, 31 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, 29 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 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  Got your tickets yet? BAND-MAID's 8 state, 11 gig USA tour is SOLD OUT! HOWEVER, they just added two more venues in New Jersey Oct. 30 (4,000 seats), and Chicago, Nov. 1. And the "AFTERSHOCK FESTIVAL 2022" in Sacramento, California on Sunday, October 9 may still have tickets. Check Ticketmaster and Band-Maid’s website quickly!

Bass player is pretty sick in this band but they all shred. Great musicians.

That grinding bass at the beginning was so good. What a tone. It's there the whole song but at that intro it sounded so great.

I like them because they’re walking rock encyclopedias from the 70s to present day (some 60s too), and they’re ambitious in sound like the best bands were. One song, “No God,” is Motörhead -> Jane’s Addiction funk gallop -> No Doubt chorus -> breakdown into slap bass solo -> build back up into half time chorus -> Motörhead. And yes, it works. WELL. Another, “Black Hole,” is 220 BPM prog speed metal. They can play incredibly and have dozens of live videos to prove it.

AAAA seeing you discuss one of my lowkey favourite bands of recent years makes me so happy!! I've LOVED Band-Maid for quite a while, and you sure chose a banger right away to introduce yourself to them ^_^ Saw them at Islington Assembly Hall back in 2019 and it was honestly one of the best shows I've been to - they are SO ferociously tight live, it's wild!

Band Maid are one of my favourite bands. They're simply incredible.

Probably the best hard Rock band on the Planet. Honestly you could have picked and one of 50 songs and been impressed. Kanami plays a PRS Custom 24 through Mesa Boogies.

Ah, BAND-MAID - the best rock band to come out of Japan and one of the best on the planet. I hope you can give them a listen in your own time, you won't regret it.

thank you for checking out band-maid. Absolutely love their music. It has a very nostalgic vibe with a modern feeling.

They are sensational. Can’t wait to see them live this fall!

Thank you for taking it up! Band-maid is a girl band that is working hard now, having been selected as the opening act at yesterday's Download Festival Japan.

Hi Justin, thanks for adding Band-Maid to your list. As far as I'm concerned, if a song gives me goosebumps, it's a good one. "Black Shuck" or "Open fire" are 2 examples of this kind of rock titles that make me feel alive, as "Thrill" , "Dice" or "Freedom" from this Japanese gem. Salutations de France !

I saw these in a tiny venue in London a few years ago, really entertaining and great musicians

Dice was my 1st Band Maid song I have been hooked ever since. Their new song is a look back of their career. It would be confusing to a newbie.

This band is actually incredibly talented and have a few instrumental tracks that showcase their talent. And probably the best and most entertaining live rock band I've seen in a while.

I have the biggest grin on my face right now! Love both The Darkness and BAND-MAID! Glad you enjoyed them Justin! The thing that really grabbed me about BAND MAID is what you described that combination of technicality and that catchiness. I think the reason why some people don't want to recomend newer BAND MAID at least off the bat is that leans more experimental and but to my ear its still very catchy. I love their new song "UNLEASHED!!!". I would highly suggest checking out their catalog even if you don't do it on camera, its worth it just because of how deep it is!

First time I've heard this band they got a killer bass sound and the guitar looks like a Paul Read Smith

Japanese music scene in general is brilliant, lots of really good stuff to be found

Because they are all super talented musicians who compose music rock fans and musicians-(tons to break down) all love- it is often deceptively very catchy but also complex compositions with a LOT of stuff going on with every instrument beyond what they need to do. They are also all great people. Best rock band in the world atm. And yes they mix a lot of styles as they see fit- but rock with progressive and pop and punk and metal elements gives you an idea. Try the Warning MV next if you want to hear another great rock track- tho tbh you cant go wrong- they have never wrote a bad song- and all their live performances are amazing. try freedom or domination or onset (instrumental) if you'd rather hear a live.

One of the best of the new bands I have heard in a decade. Brilliant guitar and bass playing and the drummer is spot on and very energetic.

So happy that you took the time to check out BAND-MAID. It was great to see they made you smile, a common reaction. I always recommend the LIVE version of DOMINATION as the best introduction to BAND-MADE. I hope you might take a look at that one as well.

No matter how good the ladies are today we have not heard the best of them yet as Kanami always writes things to push therm to learn new things and improve their skills.

My favorite band on the planet! They explore every rock Genre and throw in some Jazz and Blues. They're the real deal. Seeing them in October Washington DC. Rock on brother 😊😎🤘✌️

Great job sir!. Thank you for spread the word with this band.

Because they're awesome live and that's where it counts...love them

A big thank you for featuring my favourite band.

Hi Justin - fantastic video as usual and what a great band. She's playing some kind of PRS

Would anyone else like to see Mr. Hawkins chat about songwriting with Tono/Kobato like Herman Li of DragonForce did a while ago on his Twitch channel? ( By "like", I'm not referring to dressing in drag the way Li did. That would be optional.)

72 yr. Old multi genre listener. Band-Maid is my favorite rock band. I prefer them live. They can also do great acoustic versions of their songs. And, they have alot of fun playing.

Thank you Mr. Hawkins for giving BAND-MAID an honest listen on your channel and for introducing them to your 200k subscribers. Many tend to write them off out of hand because of their looks and their outfits (I did for years), but the vast majority of people who give them a chance wind up becoming fans because they realize that they are very talented musicians and songwriters and not just pretty girls in maid dresses.

I got into Band-Maid around the time this video dropped on KZfaq (early 2018) and was impressed enough to buy the album, World Domination. It's a cracker, and there's something very satisfying to me in the way they walk that line between proggy muso complexity (their second verses are rarely replicas of the first) and big fun hard rock swagger. Anyone whose curiosity has been piqued (and that includes you, Mr Hawkins) should check out the song Daydreaming (video also on KZfaq) for a different side of their repertoire, and if you like that, definitely investigate the album. Cheers!

What some detractors say about Band-Maid, and Japanese rock/metal in general, is that's it's nothing new, and we've heard it before in 80s/90s/00s etc. What they see as a negative is seen as a massive positive by people who love that 80s/90/00s sound, and haven't heard anything similar for a long time. There are also a ton of all-female bands in Japan, and what I like about them is that they seemed concerned much more about the music than having some ego-driven rock star image.

Ah yes, BAND-MAID, my favorite band in the last... idk 20 years?, when i found about them in 2020 i was mindblowed by their insane talent and spectacular live perfomances. Their music and charisma helped me a lot through these difficult pandemic years and re-ignite my passion for good hard rock Thanks for checking them out Justin!, i'm sure your video will bring some new fans into the pigeon's hole (it's an inside joke lol)

Thank you, Justin. Band-Maid songs for me hit the sweet spot for complexity and accessibility; enjoyable whether you want to rock out or sing along, but interesting and surprising enough to reward repeated, attentive listening. Loved your review!

That Axl Rose impression was pretty hilarious. As a Band-Maid fan it's difficult to get past the hyperbole, my own included. Tnx for the critical listen.

For any classic rock fans who want to hear stuff more in that style you can try their songs "Manners", "Turn Me On", and "The Dragon Cries". Fans of more progressive styles can try "Corralium" or "Giovanni".

My favorite band of the last 10 years!!

Thanks for reviewing them Justin. Just went to their channel and watched several videos. holy smokes these girls can play! Between Band-Maid, Suspended 4th, Sakuran-Zensen, and Sunny Day Carwash Japan has it going on with rock music.