Musician reacts to BAND-MAID & BAND-MAIKO Secret My Lips 

Now...Gion-Cho! The only all original BAND-MAIKO song and is truly a masterpiece.

It's astonising how much effort B-M put into creating Secret Maiko Lips, regarding it's "only" a april fools joke. funtastic

I wish everyone would react to these two songs, and in this order. : ) At this point it's less like BAND-MAID are playing April Fool's Day pranks, and more like they're periodically giving us an April Fool's Day present. For 'Secret Maiko Lips' Kanami worked with the producer to add virtual traditional instruments like the shamisen, koto and bamboo flute in the studio. - 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.

Gion Cho is also fantastic. I guess the whole Maiko thing was a big April fools joke. Saying they were changing the look of the band and all that. It's a fantastic experiment and I can't tell which version I love more. Each is fantastic in it's own way.

Maiko are usually the teenage girls who are training to become a Geisha. Pretty cool stuff. Playing rock music in heavy kimonos is basically impossible though. Those threads are heavier than a winter parka and much tighter to the body, cant move around much. The only other music video like this, that they have online, is "Gion-Cho" which was specifically made for Band-Maiko (not a remix i believe)....and it has subtitles!

Here's the BAND-MAIKO story. For April Fool's Day in 2018, B-M said they were changing their name to BAND-MAIKO (pronounced my-koh), changing their stage names, changing their looks to that of maiko (a maiko is an apprentice geisha), incorporating traditional instruments into their music, and they released this video with the lyrics being sung in the Kansai (Kyoto region ) dialect. The response was so positive that in 2019, they released an BAND-MAIKO EP and a second video, the only 100% original BAND-MAIKO song, "Gion-cho," which I think is one of Saiki's top vocal performances and undoubtedly BAND-MAID's most beautiful video. They didn't to anything for 2020 due to the pandemic, 2021's AFD saw the debut of cluppo, and 2022 had cluppo "reacting" to BAND-MAID news. The traditional instruments (wagakki) are, as I understand it, samples chosen and placed by Kanami (who else?). While I can definitely hear a koto and shamisen, I'm not 100% certain which woodwind that would be since Japan has eight different types of traditional flutes. It's probably a shakuhachi, but I can't say for sure since I don't know how the others sound. The fan throwing game at 6:39 is an old game called "tosenkyo" that was outlawed a time or two in the 1800s due to the common people gambling on the results and getting too rowdy. I don't know if what the girls in the background are doing at 9:01 is anything significant. I know maiko have games they would play, but I don't know if what they're doing is one of them. If you'd like to see a basic demonstration of tosenkyo, here's a link to a video about that. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QMRtPwp6TWk.html If you would like to see an actual maiko at work, here's a link to that! I'm not requesting a reaction to either of these two videos, this is just an FYI thing. Shout out to Shogo and his team for these two videos! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LB3SHW0WqrU.html Lastly, here's a link to "Gion-cho" by BAND-MAIKO. I _am_ requesting a reaction to this one. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-umSt7oMUMcs.html

In the intro to "Maiko," that cheeky, goofy, yet completely badass _pop!_ on the hand drum really epitomizes their attitude, even just the audio without seeing Akane do it.

It’s very nice to hear the two version back to back, to catch the differences. One major difference that most non-Japanese speakers don’t catch is the change in the lyrics AND the dialect. Band-Maid is from Tokyo and use more or less a standard Japanese dialect in their lyrics (English additions excepted), but Band-Maiko uses a kansai dialect (specifically Kyoto-ben, the dialect of the city and region of the former capital city Kyoto), because historically Kyoto has been the cultural center of Geisha and Maiko (apprentice geisha). The dialect uses not just a different accent, but different conjugations of common words and different particles of speech. It’s not a perfect analogy, but it would be somewhat like a band from New York or Los Angeles writing a song that uses genteel Southern Belle “Gone With the Wind” type lyrics and delivery. Today, Kansai-ben (dialect of the Kansai region) is associated in Japan with both a bygone era (imperial Kyoto) as well as being a sort of warm, funny, quick witted, but perhaps rougher type of speech (modern Osaka, a major trade city in the region). Anyway, it’s just another example of the thought and care Band Maid (and Band Maiko!) put into their music

The Maids are not only masters at genre melding, transitions, riff production, structure and execution... they are also masters of cultural melding. Maidiacs are MAIKOACS, too! 😆 Thx, Steve!

MISA MISA MISA "Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup!" I can die happy now.

It's so crazy to me how much better the bridge sounds with the traditional instruments. Also, how crazy is it that their "Joke" is better than what 80% of bands can produce.

Love the reaction. The funny thing about Band Maid is their sound is so uplifting, but the song can be very dark. But you still walk away with a smile. 😎🤘✌️❤️

As a 58 year old rock fan,i find it amazing that i have never heard a song from them that i dont like. Best compliment i can pay that band. Great reaction and review as usual.Thanks Stu.

Once hearing "secret Maiko lips"..it's all you hear when listening to "secret my lips"...Your brain keep filling in the blanks with the Japanese instruments..hehehe... Plus it is sang in a Kyoto dialect I believe. An area Miku is very keen on for all the tea houses in "Gion Cho"..Which is also the name of another BAND-MAIKO track.!.

Fark me I haven't listened to the two versions before back to back, glorious thank you, what a farking band makes me want to believe in people again , peace and love Po 👍🎼🥁🎤🎸🍻

Thanks for doing both versions of the song, Steve, love it when reactors have that chance to compare and contrast. BTW, Akane's pedals at 3:50 are not sloppy at all. On the contrary, it's a great example of her unorthodox drumming style. At the bridge, she plays 16th note downbeats to 8th notes, then inserts 16th note rests between two pairs of 16th notes. And that's just the first measure. It's complex, but it's a great way to build up tension to the final chorus. You'll hear a lot more of that style of counterpoint as get into later Band-Maid, especially some of the proggier songs on Unseen World.

Good job sir. Fantastic reaction. Their Maiko project started almost as a joke to crystallize a year later in a EP with 7 songs. In it there is a song written exclusively for its Maiko version. Its name is Gioncho, it has a video on YT and, of course, it's a masterpiece.

I agree, Japanese Culture is mesmerizing especially experiencing it in person. The girls I have met at live performances and they are equally talented as beautiful

secret My lips only gets better and better the more you listen and start picking up on all the little layers of it, like how they never play the main verse riff the same twice, always adding an extra something every time. Joyous is the perfect word to describe it! 😊 Great job, Steve! 👍

Both are AWESOME songs, but the breathtaking visual beauty of Secret Maiko Lips gives it the edge! Thanks! 🤘🤩🤘

You MUST watch Band Maiko - Gion Cho. It is simply beautiful aurally and visually! Cheers and thanks from Australia, m8!

Miku's Shodo says, "World Domination." "Yoooooooooooooo" - MISA

Yay! I love when reactors do this double feature, so glad you got around it as well 🖤 I'm always here for your reactions Steve, especially if you do some more Band-Maid! Rock on, Po! 🥃🤘😎🕊️

I have just recently returned from Japan..where I saw BAND-MAID LIVE in Tokyo!.

Great reaction as always! I reckon you should do YOLO as your next Band Maid reaction. Think you will like that song!

I like when musicians react to Band Maid. I feel that me opinion get support from professionals that BM is a unique band.

B-M's April fools prank for their fans in 2018.

I would recommend you listen to Gion Cho, this is the only Maiko track that is original and Miku has some gorgeous harmonies near the end.

Gion-cho is another April Fools Maiko video that very good as well, another must view if you like this one.

I like that Saiki also changes her dialect(way of speech) for the Maiko concept as well

Maiko are girls training to become geiko (geisha), they have very specific outfits, hair, makeup, etc. They changed the lyrics to add Kyoto specific words and phrases, they also changed some lyrics to match the demeanor of a maiko. It started as an April Fools' Day joke but resulted in a mini-album. Gion-cho is the only original BAND-MAIKO song and is a love song to maiko and the city of Kyoto.

I am always entertained and grateful. I try to comment on Band-Maiko's reactions with this explanation, so some of you may have already read it, 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).

In those 2" Geta and Tabi, MISA is right around 5'10"...insanely tall for a Japanese woman.

You probably didn't notice but it's actually sung in another Japanese language. Gion Cho is a Band Maiko song only and has a beautiful video clip. Thanks for doing more BAND-MAID I know you can't do them all the time. Saki from NEMOPHILA fell and had to have stitches in her head bur it didn't stop them from making a video for their next song. I'm not sure when it will be released but it will be soon.

Thanks Steve!

Check out Band-Maiko 'Gion Cho'. It's an original Band-Maiko song and has no Band-Maid counterpart. It has a lovely video. Worse thing is, the only time Band-Maid play it live is in Kyoto - Gion-Cho is the Maiko district in Kyoto. It's a shame as its my favourite track by these ladies, and I will probably never hear it live.....

Now you have to do 'Gion-Cho'. HAVE To!

at 4:40 you are the most friendly reactor to watch & listen to (well at other moments also) I bob my head just the way you do ! :D (you're really good at what you're doing)

Glad u liked SML-I forgot how great and interesting the original Band Maid version was! About 5 musical genres in 4 minutes. We haven't heard much lately from their arch rivals and cover band, Band Maiko, but there's always hope they'll make a comeback. If you have a chance check out the rest of their self-named mini album. The production is breathtaking.

If you are wondering what Miku wrote at the beginning >>> 世界征服 (se-kai-sei-fuku) and it means "World Domination" !

Appreciate you doing this back to back comparison of SML. You can finally appreciate the skill these ladies have in writing rock songs. Not many bands can do it this well. Thanks again.

A bit of trivia, if you wondered why the white face makeup doesn't go to the hairline, Maiko makeup leaves about 1cm of space to the hairline, where Geisha makeup goes to the hairline. Also juniour maiko only have red lip colour on the lower lip and senior maiko have lip colour on upper and lower lips (but not yet the full lips), so we're seeing senior maiko makeup here, on the way to juniour geisha. The things you can find on Google... 👍

There is a running joke in the Maiko version (and in some other videos) about Akane´s "healthy" appetite .🤣

Band Maiko began (with this song) as a very elaborate April Fools prank the band played on their fans in 2018, changing their RU-vid channel and all social media to state that Band Maid were transitioning to Band Maiko (apprentice Geisha) and from that point forward would incorporate a more traditional Japanese sound into their music, with Secret Maiko Lips as their first offering... The reaction was so positive that the ladies have since released several more songs and an EP as Band Maiko... A certain small pigeon repeated this prank (or was hers a prank?)... emerging as solo-artist Cluppo on Aprils Fools Day in 2021, with a similar positive reaction from fans and follow-up songs/EP... recommend checking out "Peace and Love" to see Cluppo her first spreading her wings...

I love both versions of the song, however I prefer the Maiko version even more. As it sounds much more full and expansive.

Great reaction,I recommend you Daydreaming is a masterpiece in my opinion.🤟

If you love Japanese instruments, you should check out Wagakki Band. They fuse modern and traditional japanese instruments into some absolutely beautiful Rock.

as much as i love this song (and well done for doing both versions) the second BAND-MAIKO video they did is my favorite of their aprils fool joke/experiment / 祇園町 "Gion-cho" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-umSt7oMUMcs.html

Different song, but you enjoying the Japanese culture, you may like this Behind the Scenes of another Band Maiko video, ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-M4LuyZ6WYow.html

I admire their dedication to the music, they have said the kimonos they wore were very stiff and heavy (it seems they could barely lift their arms to play their instruments). I have never been to Japan but I love the culture, and seeing my favourite bass player in a kimono made me happy :)

Gion-Cho!!! Lips is a good appetizer for Band-Maiko. Are you ready for the meat of the meal?

Apparently the shoot to this and other maiko videos took 26 hours 😳

This song doesn't get reacted to enough.

Most of the comments here are from outside of japan. but it makes me feel kind of lucky to be a japanese cuz probably none of them could tell the difference between the original tune and maiko version which was sung in kyoto dialect with little humour.

it was spose to be an april fools joke the girls thought up, the band changing their image, but it took off on YT so they made a couple different songs

For those who love the hard rock and traditional Japanese fusion I suggest Wagakki Band

I think of this as a remix with Kanami having fun with her DAW.

BAND MAIKO - the greatest april fools joke ;)

Steve if you get a chance to check secret my lips (LIVE) Kanami and Misa have a guitar/bass battle...thanks 🐌

I think these ladies should do an anime intro song. I'd suggest this one because of it's energy and upbeat tone, but I'm not sure the lyrics would fit. lol

My secret tips: One time, come together tha Ms. Maids and Ms. Beni Ninagawa from Wagakki Band. :)

Secret Maiko Lips still remains tied/flip flop with Blooming as the #1/2 Band-Maid songs for me. It was one of those songs where I didn't need to listen to it multiple times to love it. I prefer the Maiko version with all the added sampled Japanese instruments. I believe there's 4 main instruments they added. The Shamisen, the percussive stringed instrument, that provides another beat as well as tune, the Shuhaku, the flute that you can hear running off in the back sometimes, the Koto, the lying down harp like instrument that you can hear chromatic ascensions, and variations of a drum, possibly Taiko, that add those little pops. Kanami, the lead guitarist and main composer, got some advice on how to mix in these elements and did a wonderful job. On top of all that mash of musicality, the song is simply just wonderful on the ears. It has a great melody, it's paced well, and it just feels good. One major difference to note between the Maiko and Maid version is after the solo and jazzy vocal bit, the Band-Maiko version comes back in a lot softer, using the Japanese instruments, whereas the Band-Maid version hits heavy right away. Also, you are saying MAIKO correctly!

この曲は歌詞が素晴らしい。歌詞の内容を理解すると、よりこの曲が好きになってくると思うのだけど、海外の皆は果たして理解してくれているのだろうか・・・

If I close my eyes, I like them more 🤣 I just have such a hard time getting past the costume schtick. But all things considered, the original was good, but the alt version was really fucking good. I've said it before (I think on a Bloodywood video?) that I love hearing other instruments and sounds from other cultures being intertwined into modern music. I have no idea what the name of the instrument is here, but it adds such a unique percussive element to the song. And the wind instruments (some kind of flute?) lift the chorus in all the right ways. Super groovy and the hook is fantastic. If they'd just ditch the wacky costumes and bring these sounds into their catalog for the rest of their music, I'd be sold. I know a lot of ppl disagree with me 🤐 But I would much rather HEAR bands from other parts of the world incorporating their culture into their music rather than SEEING it... This version of the song really shines - especially when you just listen to it for what it is. Great tune. This might be the first BM track that I'm gonna add to a playlist.

BAND-MAIKO was a April fools joke they played on the fans .

You won't find two cooler bands anywhere. Their music is extremely fan friendly and should be enjoyed by everyone. BAND-MAID and BAND-MAIKO are Awesome. Peace.

Want something a little different to check out?....try "Cluppo"..Miku's own April Fools adventure. Miku doing awesome J-POP.

MISA MISA MISA! Umemisa Umemisa Umemisa! just curious why you thought they would leave a "sloppy" kick drum in a studio recording ?????????????????????????????????????????????? I think you will find it is just a different pattern that what you might think should be there, or I could be totally wrong and they do things half assed when recording.

『世界征服』

I love Secret My Lips but I love Secret Maiko Lips is better IMO.

Another great reaction. It's definitely "my-co" (like Mai Tai) and you may already know if you've been to Japan but they are "apprentice" geisha's, often young women learning the geisha ways. We were lucky enough to meet a Geiko (geisha) and a Maiko during our (unbelievably fabulous) 2019 trip to Japan, and learn about the geisha culture. Their numbers are dwindling, and and there are also a lot of misconceptions about them - like that they are prostitutes (false). Interestingly though, the one hard rule is that they can can have a relationship with someone, but cannot marry. If they marry, they're no longer allowed to be a geisha.

Don't know why they put for this video. The studio version audio over the live performance video. Because I have seen the actual live performance with the actual original audio with it. And it sounds pretty darn good as well. I don't know if somebody knows the answer to that one. Obviously the Band Maiko version is just on another level, especially for the eyes !

Akanes drum pedal sloppy? i dont get it maybe it is intentional cuz it refreshes the song. It is not like the drum pedal in the metal scene where they hit it non stop in the same pattern so boring after a while

Akane sloppy?!? Hush yo mouth!

BAND-MAID are the irresistable force to BAND-MAIKO's immovable object. BAND-MAIKO nearly were immovable after shooting the vid cos they said their costumes were so heavy :)

Hermosa eleccion 3😍 XXXGIRLS.Uno de mejor siempre en mi corazónu mañas no se la.🌹🤩💜 Son unos de los mejores conciertos.