Band-Maid
Band-Maid | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Japan |
Genres | |
Years active | 2013–present |
Labels |
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Band-Maid, stylized as BAND-MAID and formerly as BAND-MAID®, is a Japanese rock band formed in 2013. The band combines a rock sound with a maid image modeled on Japanese maid cafés.[5] Originally signed to Gump Records, an imprint of the Platinum Passport artist management and talent agency, itself a division of Avex Group, they switched to major label Crown Stones in 2016.
History
The band, first known as BAND-MAID®, formed in July 2013. Singer/guitarist Miku Kobato, formerly an employee of a Japanese maid café, envisioned forming a band that juxtaposed the maid image with rock music. Kobato recruited lead guitarist Kanami Tōno after an Internet search. Tōno had performed as a singer-songwriter and suggested her occasional backing drummer Akane Hirose for the new band. Hirose in turn suggested bassist Misa, with whom she had attended music school.[6] On July 24, 2013 they had their first live performance at the PP Audition held at Osaka Deep, as a quartet with Kobato on vocals.[7] The band then decided to add an additional lead singer and selected Saiki Atsumi during auditions.[8] Their first performance as a five-piece was at the P Festival at Shibuya-AX on August 22, 2013.[7]
Since their formation, Band-Maid has regularly performed live at various venues around the Tokyo area.[9] The group released their debut mini-album Maid in Japan in January 2014, written in collaboration with musicians Masahiko Fukui[10] and Kentaro Akutsu[11] (the latter formerly of the musical group Zero). In August 2014, they released the maxi-single "Ai to Jōnetsu no Matador" (titled "Love, Passion, Matador" internationally). In November 2015 they released their sophomore mini-album New Beginning.[12] The album was their first chart placement, reaching #64 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart.[13] The band undertook a tour of Tokyo venues to promote the album through February 2016, culminating in a sold-out concert on February 14.[14] In March 2016 they had their first overseas performance at Sakura-Con in Seattle, Washington.[5][15] The group released their third mini-album and major label debut, Brand New Maid, in May 2016 on the Nippon Crown sub-label Crown Stones.[16] That album reached #19 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart.[17] In October and November 2016, they went on their first world tour that took them to Mexico, Hong Kong, and six countries in Europe.[18][19][20][21]
In January 2017, Band-Maid released their first full-length album titled Just Bring It. It was preceded by the single "YOLO," released in November 2016. Just Bring It reached #16 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart.[22] Band-Maid appeared at the 2017 Golden Melody Awards and festival in Taiwan on June 23-24.[23][24] The maxi-single "Daydreaming/Choose Me" was released in July 2017.[25] They covered "Honey" for the November 2017 Mucc tribute album Tribute of Mucc -En-.[26] They released their second full-length album titled World Domination on February 14, 2018 .[27][28] World Domination reached #9 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart.[29] Also on February 14, 2018, they reissued their 2014 debut album Maid in Japan with two bonus tracks.[30][31] While the original version of that album did not chart, the reissued version reached #26 on the Japanese Oricon weekly albums chart.[32] On April 1, 2018, they performed at Warped Tour at Makuhari Messe,[33] as the first date on a world tour.
The maxi-single "Start Over" was released on July 25, 2018[34], both "Glory" and "Bubble" will be released on January 16, 2019[35].
Image and music
Band-Maid's image is modeled on maid café hostesses. In interviews, they explained the concept came from founding member Miku Kobato who had previously worked at a maid cafe in Akihabara.[8] This theme is reinforced by the band, who refer to their male fans as "masters," their female fans as "princesses," and their concerts as "servings."[36] The band's "submissive" maid appearance is meant to contrast with their aggressive rock style.[37] They decided to have two vocalists in order to allow a larger variety of music with two different voice types.[8]
Kobato draws inspiration from Japanese enka music; she attended a vocal school around 2012, but started playing guitar with the formation of Band-Maid the following year. Atsumi started singing when she was 14 and Band-Maid is her first band. Tōno is a big fan of Carlos Santana, has played classical piano since she was a child, and began playing guitar when she joined her high school band club. Hirose is a fan of Deep Purple and Maximum the Hormone, particularly the latter's female drummer Nao Kawakita, and also plays trombone and piano. Misa likes The Smashing Pumpkins and Jimi Hendrix; she started playing piano at around 3 or 4 years of age, and also plays trumpet, alto horn, and guitar.[36][6][8]
Related acts
Akane Hirose and Kanami Tōno also perform as guest members of the acoustic group Mochi to Cheeze (もちとちーず) (roughly translated as "Rice Cake and Cheese"), a sub-unit of the Platinum Passport group Predia.
Band members
- Miku Kobato (小鳩 ミク) – guitar, vocals (2013–present)
- Kanami Tōno (遠乃 歌波) – guitar (2013–present)
- Akane Hirose (廣瀬 茜) – drums (2013–present)
- Misa (stylized as MISA) – bass (2013–present)
- Saiki Atsumi (厚見 彩姫) – vocals (2013–present)
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
JPN Oricon[38] | ||
Maid in Japan |
|
26 (re-issue) |
New Beginning |
|
64 |
Brand New Maid |
|
19 |
Just Bring It |
|
16 |
World Domination | 9 |
Singles
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
JPN Oricon[38] | ||
"Ai to Jōnetsu no Matador" (愛と情熱のマタドール) |
|
— |
"YOLO" |
|
36 |
"Daydreaming/Choose Me" |
|
20 |
"Start Over" |
|
16 |
"Glory" |
|
- |
"Bubble" |
|
- |
Digital Singles
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
JPN Oricon[38] | ||
"Secret Maiko Lips" |
|
— |
"Glory" |
|
— |
Awards and nominations
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Band-Maid | Japan Next Generation[39] | Won |
References
- ^ "Hard-rock maid band BAND-MAID to start world tour in 2 weeks". Japan Today. 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
- ^ Morton, Luke (2016-10-14). "5 things we learned at Band-Maid's first ever UK show". TeamRock.com. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
- ^ "BAND-MAID Overview". JaME USA. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
- ^ "メイド服着用ロックバンド BAND-MAID(R)、日本を背負った新作MV公開". Barks Japan (in Japanese). 2015-10-06. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
- ^ a b Aoki, Emiri (2016-03-11). "Maid in Japan — Japanese rock group BAND-MAID to debut overseas at Sakura-Con". Northwest Asian Weekly. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ a b "BAND-MAID – Interview (2015)". jrock247. 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
- ^ a b "Band-Maid History". Retrieved 2015-12-08.
- ^ a b c d "Interview with BAND-MAID". jame-world. 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
- ^ "Band-Maid Live". Retrieved 2015-12-08.
- ^ "Fukui Masahiko". Retrieved 2015-12-08.
- ^ "Akutsu Kentaro". Retrieved 2015-12-08.
- ^ "New Mini-Album from BAND-MAID". jame-world. 2015-07-10. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
- ^ "Oricon: New Beginning". Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ^ "下北沢LIVEHOLIC(ライブハウス)on Twitter - Band-Maid show sold out update". Retrieved 2016-01-07.
- ^ "BAND-MAID to Release New Mini-Album and Appear at MCM London Comic Con". jame-world. 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
- ^ "BAND-MAID to Make USA Debut at Sakura-Con 2016". jame-world. 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
- ^ "Oricon: Brand New Maid". Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ ""Brand New MAID" Release Tour World Series: 1st Europe Tour Decided!". Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- ^ "New single "YOLO" set for release on November 16! & "Brand New MAID" Release Tour World Series: Additional shows in Italy & Spain!". Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- ^ "BAND-MAID Announce First European Tour this October". 27 July 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- ^ "Hard-rock maid band BAND-MAID to start world tour in 2 weeks". Japan Today.
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(help) - ^ "Oricon: Just Bring It". Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ^ Koh, Jocelle (2017-07-11). "2017 Golden Melody Awards Showcase Announces Performances by William Wei, Crowd Lu, Eli Hsieh, Band-Maid and More". HelloAsia.com.au. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ "今月末、台湾で行われる"Golden Melody Awards & Festival 2017金曲獎頒獎典禮暨國際音樂節"の詳細発表!". Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- ^ "See BAND-MAID's New 'Choose Me' Video, Tour Dates". Billboard. 2017-07-13. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ "Tribute Of MUCC -en-". CDJapan. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
- ^ "Japanese Rockers BAND-MAID Release New 'Domination' Video: Watch". Billboard. 2018-02-10. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ "BAND-MAID、来年2/14にメジャー2ndアルバム『WORLD DOMINATION』&インディーズ時代の音源のリマスタリング盤リリース決定!東名阪ツアーも開催!". December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "Oricon:World Domination". Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^ "BAND-MAID to Re-Release First Album 'Maid in Japan'". JRock 24-7. January 6, 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ^ "BAND-MAID Announce Second Album Release & Unveil New Band Logo and Symbol". Moshi Moshi Nippon. December 12, 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ^ "Oricon: Maid in Japan reissue". Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ^ "【フェス】4/1(日)WARPED TOUR JAPANにBAND-MAID出演決定!". February 23, 2018. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
- ^ start over | BAND-MAID Official Web Site
- ^ 【NEWS】BAND-MAID「Bubble」ドラマ「パーフェクトクライム」の主題歌に決定! | BAND-MAID Official Web Site Template:Ja icon
- ^ a b "Meet BAND-MAID, The Maid-Themed Rock Band Who Love Bitter And Rocked Comic Con". Rock Sound. 2016-06-21. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
- ^ "Who are Band-Maid and what do they want?". Teamrock.com. 2016-08-30. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
- ^ a b c "Band-Maid Oricon album chart". oricon.jp (in Japanese).
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Lach, Stef (November 11, 2016). "Jeff Beck, Joe Perry and All-Star Band triumph at Classic Rock Awards in Tokyo". TeamRock.com. Retrieved October 17, 2017.