Akane is the one drummer every band wishes they had. Fortunately for us she landed in the ideal band and thank god for that.

Alone has Kanami at her best in this solo! Choose me is another

When asked what is the most memorable song for Miku and Saiki, Miku answered "Thrill" and Saiki answered "Alone". Thrill is the song that the band broke and they decided to aim for hard rock, and Alone is the first song with the songwriting BAND MAID on the credits. Saiki say that as they has been rejected many times, so the joy at that time was special. They all love their band.

'Alone' is accepted by their record company ..... and a genius Rock music composer awakens her talent to help the Maids dominate the world. We are so damn lucky to live in these times.

About the drums. At the last bar(s) of the guitar solo, Akane doubles the tempo and leads with the snare. Then the first bar of the last chorus starts with toms and two more snare hits in double tempo. THEN she goes back to the normal 4/4 beat. This creates the feeling of "leaving you hanging" as there is no snare hit on the One as you expect, and the tom hits she starts with greatly adds to this IMO. The work they put into creating variation within their songs is one of the things I like so much about them.

I love how Mincho revs her guitar up like an air raid siren before blasting your face off :)

Record label producers "Okay, okay. We lost, we gave up. I won't interfere anymore."

I remember this song when I went to see them for the first time live in Germany. It was an amazing evening, Band-Maid was surprised and did not expect that the crowd sang along with them at certain occasions. Saiki was often flabbergasted that we knew the lyrics even though we did not speak Japanese. FFW in an interview BAND-MAID has said that they were pleasently surprised with the foreign crowd to be able to sing with them on their very first World Tour. It made them surprised on many occasions during their performances. They had new reasons to do more World Tours !!

3 things that make BAND-MAID playing live venues fantastic. 1) Green lasers. 2) Green lasers refracting thru chandeliers. 3) BAND-MAID killing it :)

At MISA's bass lead in to the solo Kanami holds a feedback note ringing until she goes off into the solo, the note ringing out is of course the correct note for the start of the solo, very cool detail.

If I were a record exec, and I heard this, I'd hand 'em the keys and say, "Lock up when you're done."

Now with more gifs! I really believe that if Kanami decided, she could do a power metal shredding melodic 60 second solo. She doesn’t need to, and probably never will if there’s no reason for it. Be she totally could and I’d be loving it.

This song was where the "Band-Maid" sound just burst out, fully formed, and they never looked back. And yes, Kanami's solo! 3,2,1...no survivors. As much as they've evolved over the years, this song remains near the top of my list. It's beautifully written and just rips.

It's all about the chemistry between them. You can't manufacture it, they have effectively caught lightning in a bottle.

One of the most important aspects or realizations about Band Maid is how much detail they’ll put into a song. Like DP says, Maximum Effort! Instead of just strumming a chord, Kanami will compose an intricate, shreddy lead fill. Akane will constantly change her drum patterns while still keeping it all cohesive. MISA can do her own bass runs at will without sounding too busy. I mean they’re songs would still be hits without all these things, but when they do what they do and how they do it, it’s just sonically amazing and so damn satisfying.💪🏻🤘🏻

You adore Kanami too... I can see it, she is freaking cool! So reserved, shy, a little bit of an airhead, because she thinks about music CONSTANTLY, but give her an stage and guitar and she goes into Minchomode and shreds. Her songwriting is something else, we all know it :) I love all the ladies, don´t get me wrong, but Kanami stands out for me personally. Because she is so different on and off stage and off course because of her creativity. Same with "Puzzle" its my absolute favorite song, but i LOVE all the other songs too, they just deliver inspiring songs and its not fair that it looks SO EASY! Have a great day everyone, good start for me at 07:00 AM! Greetings from Germany

This is what freedom means for the maids. And the start of a great journey of their unique style the we came to love. Fantastic reaction man! Til next reaction.✌️🤘👍

Early stuff is pretty dang great. YOLO is one of my favorites still yet, they have a MV on their channel I think. Enjoy watching your reactions sir

Thanks Ryan for your reaction! That's what I love about the Maids: They evolve with every song, with every album, every year and as a fan and not only as a music expert you can recognize it! Before Band-Maid I only listened to music of bands already "done". It's so much more exciting with this fine ladies! 🤘

"the nonfiction days " cool guitar riffs cool transition

This song definitely gives some hints of things that would become signatures of theirs in future songs. To me it has much more of a pop-punk vibe to it, but I love it and I think they wanted something that would convince the label they knew what they were doing. Before this song, Mincho was writing alot of songs and having them all rejected. I have to wonder if she basically just browbeat them down until they finally gave in and let the band make one. Of course, when asked Mincho will say everything before this one wasn't good enough to be recorded. I can't imagine how many songs she's written and then just threw out for not being good enough. You could probably start whole other bands off them.

I've always loved this song. Akane is hitting quarter notes on the down beat on the snare at the end of the solo (with the kick drum on the offbeats) and she carries that same fill pattern through the first measure of the chorus. And that little pocket of excellence (those little runs the band does together) remind me of something Frank Zappa and the the Mothers of Invention did on a song... Can't place the song though. Just something I remember WAY BACK when I was a kid and my older brother blasting music.

Hi Ryan, Maidiac present, yes, with this song, after fighting with the record company and the various authors to write on their own, everyone was waiting for them... and here the super Maid seems that with this song they said "OK dickheads here's how we write a super fucking pop/rock song" The whole band has given a lesson to some hawks. Akane's counter tempos, Super Misa and her amazing bass lines, Saiki the queen, Miku adding something underneath and The genius, Riff machine Kanami with a super solo in a first phase with Rock Pop undertones and final in metal. a Super Band.... I love, love these girls

their is a fan cam that you can see akane and kanami and it was deleted , akane is a beast on that drums that fan cam also showcase solo In front of a fan how lucky that guy kanami shreds in your face....this song never gets old for me i always play all day i never get bored to hear... kanami solo screams like a samurai ...kanami is my six string samurai

What a treat. Listening to this song today is like visiting the source of a river. What would the previously rejected songs of these ladies be like? Seeing how good their first hit is, I doubt they were very bad. What a level of self-demand!

Nice reaction, love this song. If you are interested in tracking the progression in their music, an even more interesting song for you to react to may be Yolo. Yolo was written by Kanami as an instrumental prior to the band's formation, so it's probably the band's first composition that became a Band-Maid song (Kanami wrote Alone afterwards, but it found earlier approval and release). I think it's a fav of the band as three versions of Yolo have been released: the orig instrumental, the official vocalized version, and even a Band-Maiko version. Personally the song feels like Band-Maid in embryo: the variations from verse to verse, the bass solos, the kickass tapping guitar solo (it's actually a guitar/drum solo), the sheer number of creative riffs; it's one of the best intro songs to the early Band-Maid imo because it just screams talent. I'd recommend the official MV posted on their YT channel if interested. :)

You know when the label hear this they was like "Yo I didn't know yall could do all that... ... You want to create a full album?" LOL Such a great song though. I imagine when the song was written they kept it a bit more standard for the label so they could get approval to write their own stuff but who knows. Anyway thanks again for another awesome BAND-MAID song! Always nice when the YT feed updates and you have another BAND-MAID video posted ^^

I remember reading that this song is actually quite hard for Saiki to sing because Kanami forgot to take into account her vocal range when she decided on the key for the song. She's been more mindful of it since. Also apparently this is the first song that was accepted by the record company, Kanami has submitted who the hell knows how many before this one(She's a known workaholic) and they all got rejected.

Akane, always playing what the song needs, song after song. Its easy to take her for granted😎just consistent excellence....of course, thats every member of this band.

This was their first self written song to be recorded. Thus is where it started.

It is interesting that this video was made before any of them had their sponsorships, no Zemaitis, Black Cloud or PRS.

It's been said so many times before but still needs to be said, they are the queens of the "hook". Always giving you more in one song than most other bands give in ten. Every song is a hit. There massive knowledge of music theory is incredible and they use every bit.

in their February online concert... they add a fantastic new intro to "alone" and it was ourstanding. If you can find it, I highly recommend.

Wow... I am impressed that you even know this little side story of this song. It's true that their management finally allowed them to include this song to their album. Saiki and Miku tried truly hard to convince their management at that time.

Alone, Daydreaming, Yolo...my favourit Solos of Kanami.

The transition after the solo has turned the heads of a few musicians wondering what the hell just happened. Was it a mistake? No, just Band-Maid doing things differently and making pop punk much more interesting than it should be. One of my most favorite Akane moments can be found in their 2016 London Comicon fancam performance of "Alone". Before the days of click tracks, Akane would clack her sticks during the song's breaks to get everybody back in on time. Akane's pummeling the drums, stops, clacks her sticks, then goes back to hitting hard. Just something neat. You can find a reaction video of it on YT.

Akane playing 'alone' at london comic con 2016🤘🤘, best video ever.

One of my favorite Band-Maid's songs... and for sure one of their dearest songs too. ("Alone" and "Don't You Tell Me" are the only two songs included in all their four live DVDs) 😎

Glad to see Alone pop up. I was looking for it recently and said I guess he didn't get there yet How about a Miku double feature soon? Rock In Me and Time!

Love this song. Thank you for reacting to this video.

Sometimes they just leave you speechless this is what makes them the living legends known as band maid ( before yesterday please )

They also did the second verse change thing here, maybe you didn't notice it but at 4:01 to 4:12 it's completely different than the first verse

That maybe my favorite guitar solo ever. Just. So. Good.

One of Miku's darker songs. Lyrics: Oh oh… I dived right inside of you It was like a complicated labyrinth I can’t escape from it no matter how long it took Being not aware of it, I found myself in a trap (I’m) suffocating, running out of breath Not being able to do anything, I just I just cried Nothing but troubles, I’m becoming depressed At this point, let me forget it all As if you will just forget about everything Don’t stare at me with those eyes (It) doesn’t matter if it isn’t true If I can just accept it all, then it’s all good right? It’s just an escape from reality Oh oh… I dived right inside of you Being entangled by lies, I’m already tired and sick of it It’s just all a game, like tossing around sloppily After using me, you’ll just cast me away right? Right? Being not aware of it, I found myself in a trap (I’m) suffocating, running out of breath Not being able to do anything, I just I just cried Searching for a way to escape oh At this point, let me forget it all As if you will just forget about everything Don’t stare at me with those eyes (It) doesn’t matter if it isn’t real If I can just accept it all, then it’s all good right? It’s just an escape from reality I’m just suffocating here I need to escape from this place here I wanna go away in 3, 2, 1 GO As if you will just forget about everything Don’t stare at me with those eyes (It) doesn’t matter if it’s all a lie If I can just accept it all, then it’s all good right? It’s just an escape from reality Oh oh…

This is the song where Kanami earned her nick name Tsunami.

Besides the solos Kanami does a lot throughout each song. Her rhythm, accents and fills are nonstop.

Correct Akane, also Kanami, abstract love to mess with timing. Akane will never hold the same tempo, groove, rhythm etc for more than about 10 seconds. And they both love adding or leaving a note or two out to add a little something and mess with your head a little and give you something else to think about.

"What happened there with the drums?" In the place your brain wants a big drum moment / entrance, Akane puts an 8th note rest. It's like coming down stairs where the last step is 2 inches taller than you expect, and your body overrotates giving you a momentary adrenaline surge, and your next few steps are almost at a run as you recover your balance. Akane takes an expected satisfying moment, delays it, and that intensifies the satisfaction when she delivers that moment. I'm going to say Kanami because she writes the core of their music, but it could just as easily be any of the power trio, but whoever writes this is VERY well musically educated and "well listened" and they are constantly throwing tiny tricks and tweaks into the music. BAND-MAID give your ears the pop candy choruses they want, but they challenge your brain at the same time, and it's just so much better.

The record company reluctance at first to let them release their self-penned songs may seems bizarre or even cruel. But it gave them time to learn how to work as a band, it showed Kanami how to write songs (she has no problem to admit she learned a lot from their house composers, and still respect them) and it probably gave them the desire to work even more at getting better. So maybe the record company was right after all.

The solo in this song *chef's kiss*

Ok, now the live version from Shinkiba Studio Coast 🔥🔥🔥

Right in time and after Kanami's solo, it's just Akane slappin' her floor tom announcing the last bridge verse before the outro.

Yup, they had it from the beginning. :)

You know it's early Band Maid when MISA still rawkin' the old 4 string bass.

This is pure friggin' pop-punk and I love every gawdamned second of it! It's also one of my favorite Akane tunes. She's so unbelievably innovative and refreshing. I think that bit that sounded weird after Kanami lit the studio on fire was a half-timed triplet transition googer (technical term), but you should ask Wave, he'll know. Thanks Ryan! Oh...and I'll just drop this little prediction here: "Blooming" will be for you like "Manners" and "Choose Me". That's a pretty high bar, but I'll lay money on it. :)

My favorite solo and I think it's the longest one

In this solo my eyes are always get wet. For me this is the best emotional solo...

One of my top 5 for sure! They had the magic right from the start. 🤟🏻

From what I've read in interviews, early on they would get a bunch of demos, and they could choose the ones they wanted to do, and then they would flesh out their parts. I think it was Akane that said she would often completely rewrite the drum parts. Probably an important step in getting to the point of completely writing their own songs.

akane's little change to a thrash beat at 6:00 gets me every time

This is the Kanami I love. Please Mincho write yourself more solos like this. No one will complain.

ARIGATO for the good good choice!! I like this song so much. Especially, KANAMI's guitar riff. I think this is one of her best play.

Well let me tell you about a story about a group named *BAND-MAID* A group of lovely girls who played rock music that thought was dead And then one day *BAND-MAID* went to the record producers And the next thing you know they started writing on their own *Alone* that is the first song they wrote on their own Well the next thing you know *BAND-MAID* is now and free To write their own music as they shouted out with glee They said *Domination* is where you oughta be And they pack their up gear to make history...

Oh yes back to band maid, nice, like you getting in to this blind, but like it., thanks

at 8:40 (im no muscician) i think Akane does and extra line of triplets before going back to the standard rhythm after the solo

You can really hear the seeds of what they do to a song in this. It rocks, it pops, it grooves and it shreds all in one song. Saiki is so under appreciated for her vocals. Unlike a lot of Japanese females her voice doesn't sound "little' and she always hits the right tone and emotion for each song. Truly a great band.

🤘🤘❤🤘🤘 MISA MISA MISA!!!!! 🤘🤘 I really dig this song!!!! 😉❤✌

It's the Akane Show, Po!

From the beginning the sublime combination of Akane and MISA allow the other three to just do whatever feels right.

The solo guitar solo has goose bumps.🎸🎸🎸👍

Here for the 200th comment. Great reaction as always (btw, first time I saw you actually react to this; slipped through the cracks)

こんばんは、お疲れ様です。 この曲聴くと、なぜか涙が出てきます。

Nice reaction! This song is soooo good! If you want to continue with some of their classics take a look at Real Eixtence (Live) and Non Fiction Days. You should also try Blooming (Kanami unleashes the fury in that one) and YOLO (the 2nd verse may be one of the best thing ever written imo). Also I listened to your album yesterday and really liked it good job! Keep up the good work. Greetings from 🇫🇷

Ryan, I think you were referring to the practice the band has of not playing the 2nd verse the same way as the first verse. And if you listen closely, the 2nd verse IS different from the first. In the first, Kanami is playing clean arpeggiated chords with Misa and Akane backing. In the second verse both bass and guitar drop out and it's only Saiki and Akane (except for the combined guitar and bass run). Akane's drum fill after the solo that caught your ear also caught Champ's ear as well. Not a drummer, but if you isolate it, it doesn't sound so weird. Sounds like a a syncopated triplet (?) on the toms followed by eigth notes that are played slightly behind the beat.

Kanami's solo is awesome 😭😭😭

Great reaction, Ryan.

Ryan, this is my favorite Band-Maid song!!! Until I'm listening to the next one. Then that one is my favorite. Until the next one. And so on, and so on, and on and on and on. Like you, I've been playing for decades, and like you, they never cease to amaze me. If you happen to be at the Dallas show in October, I'm the old fat dude in a headband and the 'Shut Up Kanami Is Speaking' shirt. Hit me up, I'll buy you a beer.

Real Existence - Live

Minchoooooo!٩( 'ω' )و

It’s so interesting. Even though I play guitar and drums (badly), at the beginning of the first chorus, when you are waxing rhapsodic over the subtleties of Anake’s drumming, all I can hear is Saiki’s amazing vocals and Miki’s harmonies. When I was a kid, I used to list to the tracks on Lee Zeppelin’s first three albums over and over again, focusing one time on the guitar, the next time on the drums, then on the bass, and finally the vocals, gaining a deeper appreciation of each band member’s outstanding abilities and unique contribution to the song. It seems you always tune out BAND-MAID’s vocals. I encourage you to have another listen.

They even go harder live

We gotta go to Screaming next. No video but another different sound.

wow - great song. thanks for the review -

In my opinion Saiki's the best vocalist coming out of Japan and better than most English singers. These ladies are an unstoppable force. They signed with live wire so hopefully they'll be touring more in the US after this dumb ass covid lockdowns

Please react to their song YOLO.

I also want to see Kanami turn completely loose. It is strange to say, but I think her skills are still being underrated, because she holds back. Cool reaction btw. You must have had a blast with the editing 😄

your not reading into it too much at all the powe that drums have to build and release tension is underused and extremely powerful when done well, it can truly take an album to the next level dir en grey comes to mind wtih the song VINUSHKA which is one of thebest metal songs of all time live is worth check out for the sheer power of the message and passion of the vocal

If you want a longer Kanami solo, check out "Blooming".

Ask the people on your Discord about alone at London ComicCon, somebody should be able to hook you up. It's something that has to be seen.

Turn Me On and YOLO next!

Finally, you listen to this song. I've been waiting for you to hear that solo. It's such a cool solo. Still my favourite after all these years.

You're right about Akane leading with her beat - like Ringo led the Beatles. And Bonham with Zep. She's a once in a generation drummer, imho.

MISA!!! MISA!!! MISA!!! 🥃🥃🥃

Does this not bring a smile to your soul??😉

Some of Kanami's older solos are her most shreddy.

That "WTF" moment of Akane's drum after Kanami's solo was brilliant for me. Her "went-off" double drums keep the hype flow to be non-stopping after the freaking solo and bring you back right to the chorus, crazy transitions are the point of Band-Maid unique style

I know you are going to at least one of their shows... lol What song are you excited/hopeful that they play? October can't get here fast enough!

I saw it elsewhere but I think it's worth a thought; Kanami may be a musical savant. It would explain the cleverness and complexity of her compositions, her thinking outside the box and the marked difference between her on stage presecense and the endearing but slightly goofy manner off stage. She is clearly highly intelligent and very clued up technically and speaks with clarity and confidence in her demos for PRS and Morley. It would also explain her huge work rate on stage as if she has to get every note in her head out into the song.

MISA MISA MISA!

Sounds to me like Akane is bangin' a down beat on the snare skips a beat and switches to an up beat.....not to mention her flawless tempo changes. I just realized MISA is on her four string bass here too, Fender Deluxe Jazz maybe......I'm sure someone will straighten me out if it's not.