Interview by Miriam C.
After BABYMETAL, it’s time to welcome this new fenomenal musical sensation from Japan called BAND-MAID. Beside playing in an all-female rock band, these 5 girls are some real maids cafe that are still on service and they have just released their second album “New Beginning”. The whole band took some time to reply at my questions and I would like to thank Resonance Media for make it happen. Yes, they wear cute dresses but at the end of the day they’re gonna kick our asses…
Hello there to everyone, welcome to Femme Metal Webzine! How are you today?
Miku: Hajimemashite! I’m genki and on my service today! Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu!
Saiki: Hello! I’m genki!
Akane: Hello! I’m… very genki!
First and foremost, would you like to introduce BAND-MAID. How and when the band was founded?
Saiki: Miku gathered the members.
Miku: I wanted to have a cool band, so I started it. The guitarist Kanami joined first, next the drummer Akane who already knew Kanami. We found Misa and then Saiki joined us to finally complete the band.
I love your style and I’m enjoying quite a lot. There’s any specific reason for using this specific uniforms?
Saiki: Because Miku is actually a maid!
Akane: Miku was working at a maid cafe in Akihabara.
Miku: I had a part time job at a maid cafe. I thought that it’d be interesting to mix cool and cute. This was my inspiration.
On Nov 4, you’ll release your second album “New Beginning”, what you can tell us about its genesis?
Akane: It took almost one year, I think.
Miku: One year with everything considered. It took about half a year from recording until release!
I remember that “Made in Japan” was released back in 2013. If you could draw a parallel between “Made in Japan” and “New Beginning”, how did the band evolve from the debut?
Miku: After we released the song “Thrill”, we got a clear vision for the direction and music we want to achieve, so the songs have become even more harder.
Saiki: Sounds harder.
Akane: It’s definitely a harder sound. Also, with this album, I used double-bass drums for almost all of the songs.
Which are your favourite bands/artists? And, in particulary, on which ones BAND-MAID get influenced?
Miku: It might be different from being inspired, but I like a band called Tokyo Jihen. I think that had some impact.
Kanami: Carlos Santana.
Misa: The Smashing Pumpkins, Paz Lenchantin.
Akane: Maximum the Hormone. This is the band that got me started on the drums. When you see me play the drums, I’m sure that you can see I’m very influenced by them.
Would you like to spend some words about the MV of “Don’t Let Me Down”?
Akane: The famous places in Japan are the highlights.
Saiki: We’re making an appeal for Japan.
Miku: We asked the same director who directed “REAL EXISTENCE” to direct this MV. It turned out to be a wonderful video which makes you feel the Japanese feeling and a really speedy feeling.
“REAL EXISTENCE” is another fun video. How do you feel about all the comments that you’ve received from your overseas fans?
Miku: I feel really happy. I’d appreciate it if more people overseas would listen to our music.
Akane: I’m very happy that so many people overseas support us!
Kanami: It makes us happy that overseas fans enjoy our music.
Saiki: Happy, of course.
What are your next band plans? Do you have any projects for an overseas tour?
Miku: We have a Tokyo-Nagoya-Osaka tour planned next year. Besides Japan, I’d like to serve (perform live) in many countries. The goal of BAND-MAID is world domination.
Saiki: Anywhere is OK! Let’s do all of them!
Akane: We’ve been energetic and active mainly through live shows. I want to go all around the world! (laughs)
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. In conclusion, do you have any final words for your overseas fans? Thank you very much for your time!
Miku: We will continue to work hard so that many of our masters and ladies can listen to wonderful music. Please support us!
Saiki: Let’s enjoy BAND-MAID music together!
Akane: Thank you for support! We will do our best so we can go serve (play) you in your country, so please wait for us!