It’s Monday, so… BAND-MAID - Alone | REACTION
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
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This song, as well as "Thrill", has a historical significance for Band-Maid and is an emotional soft spot for most Maidiacs.
Through their first two albums Kanami wrote songs but management declined them.Finally on their third album one was approved, Alone, written and arranged solely by BM. It is considered their rebirth. Since then, they have taken the reigns and controlled their direction. The last song not written by BM was Smile in 2019. This is not one of their most complex song but holds a special place in the hearts of fans.
I adore 'Smile'...studio, live or Christmas acoustic 👌
@@philproffitt8363 On Smile, they collaborated with Kentaro Akutsu who wrote Thrill. I think that is telling that he started them on their journey and helped them find their sound and he was the last collaboration to date. It shows their trust in him.
@@cygnetseven
They’ve spoken well of the writers who wrote the first songs and the cooperation between them.
@@cygnetseven Indeed 👍 I don't agree with some people's notions that they were somehow shackled by the industry and broke the chains with Alone. I think the mentorship was perfect so they hit the ground running with Kanami's writing, fanbase already in place. Worked out a dream 👌
@@philproffitt8363 I don't think it's as bad as some make it out to be and I think they had input into the songs that were written for them but there was also a strong desire to break out and I think there is some truth to both sides of the equation. (my opinion)
Great song! Hey Mark, thanks for Band Maid Mondays! Love the analysis.
Thank you!
First song that Kanami wrote that was approved by management! In a sense, this song is the start of their own sound journey and evolution. Thanks for keeping up with Band Maid Mondays!
Special song.
Their first ep "Yolo" comes after this song - it's a must.
"Yolo" - "Matchless Gum" and "Unfair Game".
Love ur work.
Aw thank you!
@@markabusireactionsyes, Unfair games is among the top.
Love everything on that EP
I adore this song. It's definitely in my top 130 Band-Maid songs! 😋
I wouldn't have complained if you'd called this one pop-punk. In fact, I've called it my favourite pop-punk song before. It's a genre I can usually take or leave, but this song stands out because of the harmonies, the chorus melody, the rhythm-section driven second verse, the little bass solo leading into perhaps my favourite 20-second Kanami solo, and the drumming at the end.
It's also the first song they wrote to be accepted by their management and within a year they had creative control, so aside from Thrill I'd say it's the most important song in the band's history.
Definitely has very strong pop-punk vibes....but a very metal solo.
The verse and chorus melodies and the dynamic shifts aren't quite what I would consider typical pop punk. They travel harmonically more. But it's a bit subjective.
The intro/main guitar riff is for sure reminiscent but it also bears some resemblance to NWOBHM in a different context. Actually, so do the two syncopated lead guitar/bass/drum fllls in the second verse. Little bits of Iron Maiden.
And that solo...
@@ApexRadius Yeah true it is one of the very few Band-Maid songs to contain guitar harmonies reminiscent of Iron Maiden. I think the melodies that travel more is just characteristic of the Japanese scene, all the way from metal to pop or even contemporary classical.
@@armynurseboy Probably is the most power metal sounding solo by Kanami.
Milestone track...Maid Rock genre is born (ie, first all-Maid-written song to be approved by the record company) 👍❤
You can tell how important this song is to Band-Maid as it's one of the few they play a pretty much every concert. Also, one of my favourite Kanami solos. Gets me every time.
I'm sure you will see a lot here that Alone is the song they fully wrote themselves. I love the dual singing. Saiki and Miku were almost a duet before and then Miku went to more back up. Though she's fantastic at it i'd love to hear her more in new songs. I'd love a true duet with them again.
Yes, they have Eagles level harmonies, which really separates them from almost every other act. A strength I wish they'd take greater advantage of. See "Freezer" and "Arcadia Girl" for examples.
it is the first Song composed by them self on a Album .
Once they were left "Alone" by their record / management companies to create what they wanted, well... look what they did. Alone's somewhat sad, heavy yet empowering story (topics Miku's known for writing about), up against Kanami's up-tempo, complex yet rockin' music is quintessential Band-Maid. BAND-MAID is an important influence and contributor to the music industry with a continuous, growing worldwide fanbase. But to me, they are just the best sounding, best writers of hard rock music, and the most fun, joyous group of musicians to come along since the Beatles! Thx, Mark!
a day without Band-maid is a sad day
The Tiny Hat! If AKANE is wearing the Tiny Hat, you know it’s an old song. Also, KOBATO is wearing the guitar, but holding the mic. That’s another clue.
It’s an upbeat Pop song, but AKANE’s drums are brutal.
It’s nowhere near my top ten, but at the time, it was a signpost of greater things to come, and the tune still works today.
and Kanami is playing AddicTone guitar & MISA 4 string bass.
and if MISA is wearing the Tiny Hat, it's a really _really_ old song!
I love the harmonies in this song. I feel like the early songs had Miku just flat out singing more. I definitely agree on the Punk/Pop vibe of their early songs. Mark if you really want to dive into one of their oddball early songs. "Don't Let Me Down" reminds me of some punk I might have heard in Berkeley growing up. It also has all English lyrics... though you be surprised if you read them.
Naughty naughty maids!
Is it one of their best? No, but alongside Thrill, it is perhaps the most significant song in the ladies' catalog to date, as it is the first song written by Kanami that has been accepted for a release on an album. I think it's fair to say that they must have done some things right, as all the tracks on the following album were self-written. :) And again, for those who know the story, the MV is a little treasure chest. An empty studio where they can do whatever they want without anyone interfering, and in the first few frames you see Saiki throwing her microphone stand away with full force and never has she used one since. I also celebrate this band for details like that. :)
_____________________
_"America invented rock. England improved it. And now, Japan has perfected it."_ 🔥🤘🏻
※ Band-Maid ※ Gacharic Spin ※ Lovebites ※ Nemophila ※ East of Eden ※ Hanabie ※ Asterism ※ Trident ※ etc.
This is my favourite Band-Maid song. It was tied with Manners for about 6 months but finally won out. This is the first song the label let them write. It was the last song on their 3rd album Brand New Maid, and since then, they wrote every one. Cool react, man. 🙂
Hmm🤔 How did i know this was your fave song? I must be an awesome mind reader or something....Oh hang on you told me in an email.🤦♂️
I tell everybody. I still can't pinpoint why it hits me so right, but it does. 🙂
Mark, you should now call it Maidiac Monday since you have become (whether you like it or not). There's no shame in it. I'm one myself. You start your addiction by listening to them once, you need to hear one more song, then another, then another. Before long, you realize you're hooked.
I'm, not hooked you're hooked I can stop , really I can , stop laughing :)
Another symptom of the addiction is the NEED to listen to each song multiple times to parse out all the intricacies between, and little nuggets of awesome in, each member's part.
Plus it will piss off the fans that hate the term "madiac". 🤣 Trust me, there are a few.
Why do they hate it?!
@@markabusireactions No idea. I guess they consider it a silly play on words.
This was the song that really hooked me in to BAND-MAID and still in my top 5🕊️
This is my favorite Band-Maid song of course.😉
6:53 3 2 1 GO. 3 years of pent up frustration released. (Timestamped so youse all can pass the BS)
If you watch closely at the start Saiki throws down her mike stand signaling her liberation from having to always stand in one place during a song and a statement about the band's liberation to now write their own music and path.
Damnital! I had bet myself a million dollars that this would be your favorite Band Maid song! Now where am I going to find a million dollars!
Great react as always Mark! Rock on!
Also, I believe the final appearance of the Addictone for Mincho.
Oh hell yeah, time for our favorite solo interupting smart-ass :) One of Kanami's best solos for me. This isn't BAND-MAID unfettered, and you even mentioned it without knowing why. As you'll hear, this is the first BAND-MAID original song their record company agreed to put on an album (and the only one, as the last track for their 3rd album). It's BAND-MAID being let off the leash, but hanging relatively close by what they had been doing so they'll be trusted enough for it to happen again. Must've worked, they were allowed to write 9 of the 13 tracks for the next album, where they genre dabble all over the place.
I should probably tell you that this is the first song Kanami wrote for Band-Maid that was accepted by their management and after this the band wrote almost all of their new songs, because I'm sure absolutely no one else will comment about how this song was a turning point in the band's career (not as much as Thrill, but pretty important).
It's definitely pop-punk, maybe the MOST pop-punk song in their whole catalog. As you said, it's a straightforward song, but the bass and drums are just more interesting than what you hear in a lot of pop-punk, and then it's got that guitar solo (and it's actually one of Kanami's longer solos).
The lyrics of this song are somewhat meaningful.
It also sounds like a sarcasm towards the music industry or rock fans.
And as a declaration of their musical independence.
The guitar solo from "3, 2, 1 go" is super cool.
I get a real feeling of pride on behalf of the Maids when I hear this song: to me it represents the reward for their persistence, not being content with just doing what their management decided for them. It reminds me that if you stick to your guns, anything is achievable.
Thanks, ladies!
There was a live recording from ComicCon in London 2016 (I think) that shows Akane going absolutely ape on drums. They weren't well known yet but they were certainly energetic and ambitious! There was also a live stream recording in 2021 (I think) that opens with an ethereal bass solo from MISA and Kanami joins in playing something unidentifiable that eventually morphs into the intro.
Kanami was using an AddicTone here, before she started using PRS and it has a sort of "single coil" sound, if you know what I mean.
Despite what some say, I think this song is one of the best in BM arsenal. The harmonies, this is what I love in this song. Miku and Saiki chorus is so sexy.
Love this song! Love this band!!!
'Alone' is a great example of BAND-MAID showing just how much restraint they're willing to have to serve the song. Even when they do go nuts in a song, no ones solos more than a few bars and then they get on with it. Some people like Metal Show Off Bands, and they will probably be frustrated by BAND-MAID unless it's a version of the song where they threw in a Kanami and MISA Call & Response "Battle". But those people they can always go listen to Aldious or Lovebites. They may not have great songs like BAND-MAID, but Lovebites just added Fami as their new bass player. So, she'll fit right in, and people can marvel at them showing off and not have to worry if the song is any good or not. And we can marvel at just how many of BAND-MAID's songs are really great songs. Because if a BAND-MAID song is only just good, you feel a little let down. Very few of their songs are anywhere close to being filler, and almost none of those get a video. But is 'Alone' a Top 10 BAND-MAID song? No, not anymore. But, back then? Yes, yes it was.
Before became a maidiac and learned all the lore, I thought this song was memorable but it wasn't one of my favorites. My co-worker who I relentlessly subjected to Band-Maid for months until he agreed to go seem them live with me, this was INSTANTLY his favorite song. I even caught him singing it to himself when he was still in the denial phase. When I found the maidiac community, and learned the lore and discovered that this was their first self composed/written song I realized my co-worker is the REAL maidiac; I'm just a po-ser. :(
Yeah we get that a lot of what comes from Band Maid sounds like other songs in parts. Same for other bands for me, I can definitely hear influences from other bands or genres, that's music isn't it. We have preferences and things that our ears catch on to so we know when something is similar or familiar.
Sonny von Cleveland (former reactor) said something I wish I could remember correctly. That many Band-Maid songs sound familiar like a song you're sure you've heard before, but you can't quite put your finger on which one.
Huge song for them. First ever song written by Kanami that their management let them record.
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 up their gear to make history... 🤠 🐎 🐦 🎀
Yes! This is such a fun one to listen to. Thank you for all your insights and thoughts, I probably don't say that enough.
Ohrenje's documentaries on the ladies are great..well worth watching to find out more about the band and the ladies..BUT!!...he has recently announced that he is remaking them..Updating with more info and info missed out on in the first editions....The series runs..Saiki, Kanami, Akane, MISA, Miku...But it might be worth holding out till the new versions come out...Then again, watch them..then also watch the new ones...The new Saiki one is set be be out soon..so he says.
@ 2:31 - I guess Kanami was feeling peckish.
Mark don't tell scottie he doesn't know
There are other songs from Band-Maid I liked more, but I still enjoyed listening to this one. Even the less impressive songs are better than many from other bands. =)
Another common theme is Kanami's music always seems to push some one's limits. Saiki supposedly said that the vocal melody key was lower than she could sing. Akane has remarked about having to rework the drum part of some other song because what Kanami wanted would require 3 arms!
What Excuse Will Mark Use to Call Band-Maid EMo-nday
Please, don't give him any ideas.
Don’t think he needs an excuse, but not he’s been prompted 😅 it’ll work
Great song and when you're an EMO, you're all alone.
Search "Band-Maid Moratorium live Zepp Tokyo" It's God-tier status.
Yes, you nailed the Papa Roach influence. “Last Resort” uses a very similar riff played staccato; Kanami plays through. Other than that, it’s pretty close.
I guess most of the suggestions for next B-M song come from the patreons et al. But in case suggestions are taken - there is a possible compare-and-contrast to be made re the maid theme (costumes, Kobato's spellcasting antics etc.). Kobato just arrived in Tokyo got a job at the atHome maid café. Wise girl, unlike a lot of Akihabara maid cafés that one is NOT controlled by he yakuza. It is in fact a cooperative, joined by the maids, the girls working there, and the brain-child of a lady who started it, and today writes books and lectures on management. But the atHome café, now a chain, also featured song and dance performances by the staff, and in the end put together its own idol band of café maids.
So, it suggest itself that it might be possible to compare the musical antics and aesthetics of the actual maid café that inspired Kobato for Band-Maid, and how the band now tackles the mad café theme - by pitting this:
ua-cam.com/video/rVrk2o_B8Z4/v-deo.html
Against this:
ua-cam.com/video/2MOvCkCqz_U/v-deo.html
When their song writers heard this they knew their days were numbered.
Not my #1 favorite, but definitely in the top 10
Got to be honest, this is not one of my favourites. But I still bloody love it. Especially the little guitar/bass run at the beginning of the second verse, the slightly discordant high-pitched guitar line in the background of the super-poppy chorus, and Saiki's use of a lower register than usual.
Aside from that, a superbly timed solo pause. Top marks. Have a biscuit.
Thank you for BandMaid Mondays! A bad BandMaid song (doesn't exist)has enough riffs and hooks to furnish most bands with an album's worth of songs. Miku's lyrics make e want to learn Japanese! Each facet of this gem of a band shines as bright as any other. How lucky are we to share the planet with this remarkable group!?
I have tried and tried and tried to post a certain comment..but YT appears to not like it and will NOT post it!....Why?..is anyone's guess.
It has happened to me too. Don't know why.
Was you cussing?
@@chrisegbertky Nope....
@Bodneyblue ummm . .. try cussing. Seriously who knows why our AI overlords decide this or that..
Good as ever. Not one that really grabs me tbh but important in that it allowed the ladies to gain control of their own future.
Here's a suggestion. When you say this part sounds like another band you should splice in the part from the other band for context. Just sayin'. 🤷🏻♂ Peace. 2.77
That would be cool!
The opening riff doesn't even sound that much like "Last Resort" in my opinion.. It's more similar to "Scotty Doesn't Know" by Lustra.
I have figured out a way that I can start doing that, so I shall!
@@markabusireactions Thanks Mark. You're the man. 🤘🏻🍺🎸
As every Maidiac knows, this song was the moment that Kanami's dam burst, and her songs flooded out. Until then Kanami's compositions were rejected by management. She just had Saiki's encouragement to offset the repeated rejections. All those rejected songs were thrown away -- lost. And then ... one song, Alone, was accepted. Next album -- everything was by Band-Maid. The dam had burst, and we were swept into the Kanami Age of Band-Maid. Alone was the first pebble of the new Band-Maid avalanche. Kanami had finally matured as a song writer. Band-Maid had their own, self-written sound.
These are my favorite comments!!!!!! But they say your favorite comment is the one your reading right now..🕊🍌🍻☕🚂
Every time I hear this song, I hear Blink-182.
Oh well i did comment but like 4 of my 6 replies yesterday it's gone....& my reply to Bodney Blue here too. Thx YT.😒
YT may try to silence you Gary, but you will never be ALONE amongst the Band Maid family
@@poncedeleon759 Aw sucks,🤭 thx Mr Delyon :)
I am sure you will have several listeners tell you ALONE is the first song by Kanami/BM that frickin' management finally allowed to be recorded. And, I am sure BAND-MAID made sure they kept within the 'acceptable boundaries' so the bigwigs would puff on their cigars and finally give a 'thumbs up' on songwriting. When listening to this song, I think you can tell the ability to write a good song is already a part of these gals' talent. Thank you for your reaction, Mark.
MISA MISA MISA!!!!! definitely top half probably top 30
This is a bit far off from Band Maid but if you haven't heard of the band named Haken, please listen any one or all of the songs named Veil, Crystallized, Elephants Never Forget, Falling Back to Earth, or Nightingale. It's definitely a rabbit hole and you'll love every second of it.
the bands first real song of their own
Is it Emo? Who knows really. :) But if one checks out the lyrics, this is not a happy song. In fact, it's a song about being stuck in a toxic relationship. Kobato insists she doesn't write her life, and it seems pretty certain she doesn't - she insists she gets her inspiration from manga, movies, or at a pinch through telepathic messaging from the denizens of the Tokyo Aquarium shark-tank (the lady concedes that one on probably not true, but she would like it to be...) - but she can't quite skirt the fact that on some level she is writing from a measure of lived experience, to allow her to interpret things like that.
Their lyrics sometimes express their intentions or talk about the current situation. The subject is intentionally left vague. At least that's how I feel.
IMO, this lyric seems like a satire to the music industry and rock fans and a declaration of independence for BAND-MAID.
There seem to be some people who insist Band-Maid play happy up-beat songs. They clearly haven't paid much attention to the lyrics. Although (not knowing anything about Japanese) it seems the Japanese language doesn't have definite articles like English which sometimes leaves the object vague. There was a social media post where Kanami was having doubts about the quality of her work and asked if her songs were any good. Misa replied (translated) "I love YOU!" which an actual Japanese fan said was incorrect, she said "I love THEM!" The language allows ambiguity and Japanese fans say it's sometimes hard to tell exactly what she means. Of course, like good writing everywhere, sometimes one thing becomes a metaphor for something else.
Interesting.... you randomly picked what many regard as the second most historically-important Band-Maid song, and (without knowing how important this song is) did the review some fair justice. Nice.
Well, I asked the guys in discord to throw me out some bandmaid songs, and then I just randomly chose from there lol. If I had known the importance of the song I’d have given it a little more heft 😂
Wait, first you stop during that epic guitar solo. Then you back it up to the beginning and play it back. AND THEN YOU BARELY MENTION IT???
Kanami will have her revenge...
...and maybe some coffee and cake after.
You said pao roach halfway right they copied Iron Maiden Fear of the Dark 1992....But its all good Love Bandmaid 💘
As this is a MAID's video....I am asking..any others finding that YT is saying you have not viewed MAID related videos..when you know you certainly have?....No longer showing the red line indicating you have?..There are MAID videos I have seen so many times it is ridiculous...yet YT is saying I have not viewed it?..Or is it just me?..Wondering.
That data is not stored forever. The upside is you can like videos more than once after the personal history ages out.
@@_DriveTime Ah..ok..thank you..Didn't know that....Just that videos I have seen recently (reactors)..some say nope..yet some I watched years ago say yes...just bizarre. I'll just ignore it as I know I have watched..so..
Great song and one of my favourite Kanami solos. This is an important song in their catalogue as it was the song that broke the shackles of force-fed management songs and allowed them to write their own music moving forward. Huzzah!
I've always felt "Don't Let Me Down" was the catalyst that pushed their desire to control their message even more. I'm sure there was a feeling of, we're not playing this garbage anymore. The song writers probably laughed at them after that song.
@@cygnetseven Nah, Tokunaga Akihito certainly put the song on his own solo album, and sang it himself completely unironically. They're Japanese, after all - he clearly just though it was cool, edgy, sort of...
But I now feel Mark needs to listen to "Don't Let Me Down" regardless, naughty lyrics in English and all. Band-Maid is still not fantastic at the English language, and starting out their knowledge of it was clearly rudimentary at best (and somehow Kobato got hold of something like a British phrase-book from the 1950's, and continues to use it to this day, with charming results).
So apparently they were told what the lyrics meant, sort of, except maybe not in such a way that it viscerally impacted for them. It's often the case with a foreign language - you might know what it all means, but it is all a bit... abstract. You are just not jacked into how it all hits for a native speaker.
Glad @cygnetseven said it first because I was going to.