Buzznet member - Ohiougirl2018 asked Tokio Hotel fans all over Buzznet to submit their need-to-know questions for Tokio Hotel. This is no average TH fan interview, so give it up for all the unique questions asked and submitted and of course Ohiougirl2018 for making this interview happen.
Buzznet: During the song Scream on the album - Bill you hold out the last note of the song for a very long time, however you dont do that live. Is there any reason for this? Maybe pertaining to your recent surgery?
Bill Kaulitz (laughing): No, don’t worry. Everything went great after my surgery and my voice is totally o.k.. The live version of Scream is just different then the album version.
Xblanksface: A priest, a rabbi, and a monkey walk into a bar...who survives the ensuing knife fight?
Tom Kaulitz: We don’t know – you tell us!
Blue52: Bill youre known for having a great presence on stage. What advice do you have for your musician fans who want to communicate with an audience better?
Bill Kaulitz: That’s a hard one. I’m just myself when I walk on stage. I’m always so excited when I go out on stage. I can’t wait to see the audience. It’s like a blind date every time. So I try to really see and meet everyone. I don’t want to miss out anyone and try to enjoy every second.
Linahotel: This is for the twins: Do you boys think the same thing often? When one of you gets hurt does the other one feels the pain? Cause I have a twin sister and that happens all the time.
Bill Kaulitz (laughing): We know what you mean. We always know what the other one is thinking and feeling. Tom Kaulitz: Yeah, cause we can feel it as well. Bill Kaulitz: Sometimes we even dream the same dream in the same night.
Blackkat: What would you like your fans to know about you that he never got the chance to say?
Tom Kaulitz (laughing): All we say is: silent waters are deep – very deep... ;)
Starbreeze: If you could hang out with any famous person, dead or alive, who would it be?
Tom Kaulitz: Jessica Alba or Angelina Jolie ... Or both ... ;)
Jtmbrendon: Which song makes you cry?
Bill Kaulitz: For me it’s not a specific song, it’s more about the mood I am in. And then it can be everything – the music or a line or just the whole song.
Xxnialovesthxx: What is one thing that you dislike about yourself, physically or personality wise?
Tom Kaulitz (smiling): I am actually pretty happy with myself ... Bill Kaulitz: I’m not very patient, that could be something I would like to change.
Skwdrw103182: Have you ever thought that you found someone in a crowd at a show that you wanted to get to know, but lost her in the crowd after the concert?
Tom Kaulitz (smiling): I always say: Never say never ... Bill Kaulitz: Yeah, but so far it hasn’t happen to me. But who knows.
Cashicute12: Are you thinking of having a family and raise kids one day?
Bill Kaulitz: Tom is gonna be the first of us who will settle down, get married and having at least four kids ... Tom Kaulitz: Right ... Bill Kaulitz: But honestly, we are still so young and all that counts at the moment is Tokio Hotel and our music. But unlike Tom I really do believe in true love. I think that there’s the right person for everyone – somewhere. Some of us are lucky and find that person, and some don’t.
Farfora: What was the worst punishment you ever received at school? Did you get in trouble a lot?
Bill Kaulitz: Tom and I hated school. It was really the worst time of our live ... Tom Kaulitz: Definitley. And the worst punishment was when the Bill and me got separated at school cause the teacher couldn’t handle the two of us.
Dpl33: If they made a movie about Tokio Hotel, who would you want to play you in the movie?
Bill Kaulitz (laughing): I think it would be absolutely awesome if we could play us!
Ohiougirl2018: With all of your recent success it would be easy to loose touch with your old friends. Are you still friends with the same people you were friends with before you were famous? Do they still treat you the same?
Bill Kaulitz: Our friends and families are very important to us and all of us spent time with them whenever we are home. Tom Kaulitz: Yeah, we are all still friends with our old friends, I mean our close friends. Of course we lost touch to a couple of people, but not our closest and oldest friends.
"Zis iz ze best band ever! Well, maybe the best German band since Nena, at least. Their latest album Scream has sold 1.5 million copies worldwide and they just won Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards. Brothers Bill and Tom Kaulitz, Georg Listing and Gustav Schäfer gather round to let us in on the keys to their success. And you thought it was the hair."
Intervjuaren: Jag gillar ditt hår, men du borde äta något. Bill: Äta något? Ja, jag är så anorektisk. Allt jag gör om dagarna är att spy. Jag kan kanppt behålla något i magen. Tom och jag har ett allvarligt fall av bulimi och det är så svårt att behålla någon mat. Men jag försöker verkligen!
Scream!!! We already hear the energía echoing across the border for Los Premios! Want to slide your way into the eye of the storm? Entonces grab your trusty sombrilla and prepare yourself to get drenched in our exclusive Tokio Hotel “Monsoon“!
October 16th has finally arrived, which means we have swapped our shameless reminders for dark eyeliner, hairspray, sunblock, and a (virgin) piña colada. Our pre-gaming glory is never complete without an overdose of celebrity chisme, and identical brothers Bill and Tom are here to add an extra cherry to nuestro refresco. The Los Premios performers and nominees, spoke to us exclusively about their trip to Mexico and their secret Spanish-speaking skills (si señor!). Grab your full fix right below the hood!
What artists are you looking forward to spotting at Los Premios?
Bill: Oh, we are really looking forward for the whole event. Being there, seeing all the artists – I bet there will be a lot of great performances. Then our own performance and being nominated … It’s really a big thing for us and we’re excited to be there.
How bad do you want to win the coveted Los Premios tongue award?
Tom: Winning an award is always great but for us it’s really exciting just to be nominated. We’ve only been to Mexico once before. So, like Bill said, we are just excited to be there.
Any particular Latin artist you would like to collaborate with?
Tom: Well, there are a couple of great Latin artists and who knows, maybe someday we’ll do a collaboration – but nothing is set yet.
Does anyone in the band know how to speak Spanish?
Bill: [Laughing] I know ‘Hola’ and ‘Gracias’! But no, unfortunately none of us speak Spanish. You guys definitely need to teach us some when we come.
Tom: [Smiling] Yes, I really need some great lines for the beautiful girls over there …
As German musicians, do you ever feel like your English tracks get lost in translation?
Bill: Our lyrics are really important to us and we really want everybody to understand them. So that was the reason why we as band decided to do an English album. We chose our favorite songs from the first and second German album and did a one-to-one translation. [Laughing] We got some help on that, cause obviously our English isn’t too good. But the most important thing to us was that none of the meaning of each song got lost. That’s why we decided on a one-to-one-translation.
What can fans expect from the band for the rest of 2008?
Bill: We will be busy with working “Scream” the album for the rest of the year. After Los Premios, we’ll go over to the States and play a couple of shows and promote the album. In November we will be at the European Music Awards and I think we’ll be busy until Christmas. Besides that we take every chance to go into the studio to work on our third German Album. So, there’s lot left to do for us till the rest of 2008.
We are glad they are sharing the love! They forgot to mention the unveiling of Bill’s figure at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Germany. Fans all over el mundo are melting for a touch of our flaco! ¿Quieres más Tokio Hotel? Keep it locked for Los Premios TONIGHT at 9pm on MTV Tr3s!
At the beginning of September, the Tokio Hotel returned home after a gruelling American tour. Next step: recording the successor to "Zimmer 483". Just before they go into the studio, we’ve chatted a few minutes with them to take stock of these recent months. Bill and Tom also talk about their next album ...
"I know that it would please some people if we fail with our next album." -Bill
So guys, glad to be back home after your American journey?
Bill: Yes, we are very happy to be back home and with our families ... We really loved to spend all this time in the United States, but we really began to have difficulties with the country. A month abroad is a long time ...
Tom: As for me, I admit that it really wouldn’t have bothered me to stay a little longer. I love the US. First, in terms of clothes, it’s really great there. I brought a ton of clothes and several pairs of sneakers that you can’t find in Europe. And then, I feel really comfortable in big cities like New York and Los Angeles. I really enjoyed it there ...
Your goal was to break through in the United States. Do you have the feeling that you have attained it?
Tom: Frankly, none of us four expected that there’d be so many fans at our concerts. It has always been sold out and the public was as crazy over there as in Europe. I think, we have fulfilled our contract. The mission is accomplished in a way (laughter).
Georg: We all feel to have managed to achieve something great. I don’t think that before us a German band has met such hype in the USA.
Yet, one can slow a bit down the enthusiasm of your American success: during your promo there, you have sold only 100,000 albums, while the goal was to reach 500,000...
Bill: Youre right, despite our efforts, "Scream" has not really taken off in the U.S. charts. Frankly, I don’t know what the reason is. We have done our best to make our music known to as many people, but the U.S. market is very difficult to access for foreign artists. However, without wanting to sing our own praises, selling 100,000 albums is still enormous for a German band. We are not disappointed by this result.
Tom: What we enjoyed the most was to receive an MTV Video Music Awards for Best New Artist. We didn’t expect that at all since we were in competition with Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry or Taylor Swift, who are far more popular than us over there. To receive this award was a real shock. To date, it may be the best reward we have received for our career. In addition, I must say that I really enjoyed seeing the confused puss of Miley Cyrus when the winners, in other words us, have been announced ... (laughter)
You don’t seem to have taken her to your heart...
Tom: On the one hand, I am not a fan of what she does, plus, she doesn’t have the physical criteria that I look for in a girl. So, everything is said. (laughter)
Bill: Tom talks bullshit, as usual! He is an uptight fan of "Hannah Montana", I’ve have already caught him watching some episodes secretly. (laughter)
Tom: We will settle that tonight. Secretly ...
How many times have you been asked where did the band name come from when you were in the US?
Bill: (laughter) I don’t know. 250 times, the number of interviews we gave there ... I thought, we had returned three years back. The total horror.
Tom: "How did you come to music" is also a question that has often been asked ... Of course, it’s boring having to repeat the same thing for the thousandth time. But it makes humble, it reminds us that not everyone is supposed to know us. It does us good to regain that feeling to start from scratch or almost... We’ve got down a bit from our little cloud.
Georg: Yeah, but I admit that its annoying, though. I thought that American journalists would have a little better swot their subject before meeting us. Alas, no ...
If you have to treasure a noteworthy event of this trip, which would it be?
Bill: For me, it would probably be one of the signing sessions that we organized in a record store. Its always great to be able to meet our fans and listen to the stories they tell. These meetings have inspired me a lot for our next album ...
"Despite our efforts, “Scream" has not really taken off in the U.S. charts. Frankly, I do not know what the reason is." - Bill
Tom: As for me, I especially remember the times when two fans managed to get into my hotel room while I was getting ready to go to bed. I have absolutely no idea how they managed to find us ... However, I must say it was a rather pleasant surprise. But I can not tell you the sequel, I let that to your imagination ... (laughter)
Lets talk about serious things now, the preparation of your third album. What is its state of affairs exactly?
Tom: We are just about to go into the studio. Needless to say we are 100% focused on this new project. That is why you will certainly not hear much about us in the coming months ...
Bill: Yes, we are aware that this is one of the most important steps in our career. The pressure is enormous, but we try not to think about it too much. Our goal is to ensure that this album is simply the best we have recorded.
What can we expect sound-wise?
Tom: The idea is to make songs that surprise our fans and show a facet of us they probably don’t know. We don’t want to rest on our achievements and record a second "Zimmer 483". The idea is to take some more risks, while maintaining our identity ...
Bill: We also want our lyrics to be more personal. That is certainly the effort that I make. Everything I’ve experienced in the past year greatly inspired me and I filled notebooks full of lyrics ...
If this third album was going worse than the previous two, would that make you worry about the continuation of your career?
Bill: I know that it would please some people if we fail with our next album. The success has not only attracted sympathies for us, far from it... Now, we don’t rack our brains over it. As I said, we are going to make the best possible album. And if it is less well received than "Schrei" or "Zimmer 483", frankly, it wouldn’t be the end of the world ...
Tom: Actually, no band can stay on top forever, we are aware of that. For now, our career is like a fairy tale, it is almost too good to be true. We’ll surely experience throwbacks. But whatever happens, we are so passionate about music that we’ll never stop doing it, that’s for sure.
It is not all gold that glitters. Tokio Hotel is also annoyed of some sites of their celebrity life...
For three years, they are under constant observation. Whether on holiday on the Maldives, the stroll through Paris or in front of every hotel in the world. Wherever Bill (19), Tom (19), Gustav (20) and Georg (21) stay, paparazzi are not far, an photoflash-storm goes down to the guys. Not always to the delight of the four, as they betrayed BRAVO ...
BRAVO: What do you hate in your life as a star? BILL: The positive outweighs the course. But I hate it, that we dont have any private stuff. And the badest thing are the paparazzi! TOM: For us, its important, to protect the life of our family and freinds. They have nothing to do with our job. If we are with them, its bad for us, especially when paparazzi appear. BILL: You have to be truly an evil man, to be a paparazzi. I hate them.
BRAVO: Thereby, you have luck here in Germany - here are paparazzi harmless ... TOM: Thats true. In other countries its really harder. In France and America are the paparazzi the most glaring.
BRAVO: What is annoying you? BILL: Sometimes, everything it too much for me. Then I lie in the bed and think: "I cant anymore!" Then I will simply not stand up, cant laugh for a shooting into the camera or inspire people. I feel as if someone have to help me. Because I totally lacking self-confidence and I simply want a break. TOM: Sometimes I have homesickness. GEORG: When Im long on the road, I miss my family. And then, sometimes I get a bad mood. BILL: I get oftener sich. And if Im away from home, is this terrible. Then Im missing Germany totally. Im also sad, when Im alone in the hotel room. As much as I love it, to be with the band on the road - in hotel rooms Im really sentimental. I cant even say exactly why. But then I wish myself into my own bed. While Tom would never admit it, but I bet he is sometimes sad. At the latest, when his hotel room acquaintances are gone again. TOM: I also miss often the german toilet paper. (laughs). If we are at the end of the world, were really looking forward to coming home ...
BRAVO: You have to live with many scandals and rumors. How do you handle with it? BILL: Mostly we know it before, what there will be. Sooner, when we had dinner at the club, we knew exactly what there will be at the next day in the newspaper: "Teenagers drink alcohol. How can they be a role model?!" TOM: Or something like: "Tom sits alone at the table - separates the band?", is also very popular. GUSTAV: Or: "Bill looks sad - does he have depressions?" TOM: Everything, that people, who never know us personally, write about us, I dont really care. But if its about our families, its not okay.
BRAVO: There was the story about your grandfather, who allegedly shooted around... BILL: The funny thing is, that this wasnt our grandfather. We even didnt knew this man ... TOM: Just over 20,000 corners. But everbody says, that were related with him. BILL: Just like in school. There was then suddenly every girl with us together and each class mates were our best friends. And I should also owe all the people twenty euro ...
Germany, France, England or the U.S.: No matter where the guys show up - everywhere the same scenes: fans, who totally freak out, who scream the names Bill (19), Tom (19), Gustav (20) and Georg (21), who can sing the songs along. Many TH-fans go even further, making clear offers their darlings - for example on gross poster slogans: "F**k me through the monsoon" or "Tom, we want to give you a blow job" are almost hamrless. In the fifth part of the great BRAVO-series, the boys reveal exclusively what theres real - between them and the fans ...
BRAVO: What are you saying about the partial hard slogans of your fans? TOM: I think its cool, that our fans are so directly (grins). BILL: That makes our fans. But to be honest: Initially, we were sometimes short of breath ...
BRAVO: What were the most beautiful experiences sp far with your fans? BILL: The first gig after "Durch den Monsun" was published - and suddenly so many fans were singing the song along. The concert had even canceled, because the crowd was too big. This has overwhelmed me! TOM: Just until we were in Mesico. Once we had about two hours to write autographs. The fans were so touched, and many have even creid, just because we were there. It was so gross. We were also previously never in the South American country and didnt know, that we are so known. And suddenly there were thousands of people. It was really unbelievable.
BRAVO: Were there once really gross situations with fans? TOM: Oh yes. In Madrid once the situation was out of control. Gustav went into his hotel room. But in his bed were already fans. They were fallen Gustav directly around his neck and he has become so frightened. At Bills and my room were already quite a lot in front of the door. They have constantly knocked, they climbed up the fire brigade, have totally screamed. BILL: Then suddenly the police appeared. They have entered the door and drag me out of the room. "Are you Bill Kaulitz?" they have screamed. Then they took my hands together, interrogated me and claimed that I was responsible for the cahos. The problem was: They couldnt speak English, they only spoke Spanish. I hardly understand something. Tom has then tried to contact our security people. When they arrived, the matter could be resolved. The police really wanted me to take to their police station.
BRAVO: But here, the fans went too far, or? BILL: Well, that was traumatic and violent ... TOM: But since we were holding on as a band - then it bothers us really not. Thats just a part of it and makes us not be afraid or so. While it was already gross, but also actually funny again. But if we are at home, were glad about tranquility. Then were not giving autographs and taking photos. But if were on the road, were doing this for sure.
BRAVO: Were you already nasty to your fans? TOM: So we would never be knowingly nasty to our fans. They are too much important for us. BILL: We certainly never wanted to do something nasty to them. We love them. But everyone has a bad day and looks bad. Sometimes we just couldnt give everyone an autograph. Then were in stress and must continue to the next appointment. Were constantly on the road for our fans and were for sure no assholes.
BRAVO: Hand on the heart - were there also some embarrassing moment with your fans? TOM: Nope. Only once, a girl wanted to come with me to my hotel room and fall down on the way. BILL: Or the scene at the airport: There were girls screaming "We want to f**k you" - right in the dead silence there. That was then embarrassing, but more for them.
BRAVO: Tom, how many groupies did you have had in your bed? TOM: Hmmm, thats really difficult to say. I dont count. BILL: Yeah, but he has such a clicker (laughs)! TOM: What I can say, I had more often a woman in my bed than I was on the toilet (laughs loud). No, nonsense! Now seriously: Im even become somewhat quieter.
BRAVO: That means ... ? TOM: I still dont get it by myself - but perhaps with 19 I already rejected the horns. Not that sex would become boring. But I also prefer watching a DVD in the evening. The other is indeed very strenuous (grins). Meanwhile, I could even imagine something stronger. But the girl really would have to strike me.
BRAVO: And how about the groupies by Georg and Gustav? Are they so wildly like Tom? TOM: As far as we know, there is nothing (laughs)! BILL: There are no guys, which represent a girl. Gustav had at the beginning of our career a girlfriend. But even then was nothing more. TOM: Georg is doing so as if he were a macho. But he prefers it, when shes offensive. BILL: Inside, hes dirty but outwardly too shy. TOM: You have to show him whats happening. There were for sure already some girls, who liked him and the other way too. But none did the first step. With me its different - I belong to the hunters and collectors.
BRAVO: And what about you, Bill - there was still no kiss for you? BILL: No, not yet. That totally makes me really sad. Im 19 now and thats missing me completely. Id really like to have a girlfriend, with whom I could share my life, whom understands everything, what I do. Although I have Tom. But I absolutely want a girlfriend.
BRAVO: But the offer is huge for you? BILL: Its difficult to open yourself to someone. I have no time, Im always on the road. When I meet on a after-show-party girls, I never know what they really want. I also see in the near future no way - thats bad. But I still have the music, this is my backup. And dogs are my substitutes. Sometime, I want to have many dogs. They make me happy ...
Jag tror inte vi behöver oroa oss så ta inte artikeln på för stort allvar. Men jag postar den iaf.
Bill Kaulitz - The stress is consuming him
The teenie idol is skinnier than ever. Is the Tokio Hotel singer suffering and eating disorder?
Hanging pants and hollow cheeks: In recent photos Bill Kaulitz looks unhealthily skinny that one question comes to surface: Is he anorexic? The Tokio Hotel star denies such: “Don’t worry about my eating habits.” Apparently he shovels down mounts of fast food, noodle casseroles and milk rice. But his reassurance over such back fires. Because: “It’s typical for anorexics to deny their illness.” Explains Dr. Thomas Kurscheid, a nutritional physician. “Sufferers have a warped body perception – they believe they’re too fat.” However, the 19 year old claims that he only weighs 50 kilos - too little for someone with the height of 1.77 m.
His underweight can also be from nature [Bill: “I was always so skinny!”] or a reaction to the stressful life in the limelight, the results of energy taking performances and tours. However, the expert assumes it’s a psychological problem: “Bill’s life is controlled from managers. No wonder that he at least wants to keep the control over his own weight...”
TH blir uppmärksammade på ABC! det här är stort! Det finns både en video och en artikel som heter "Tokio Hotel: The latest german export. Long-haired rockers are the antidote to the Jonas Brothers". Videon och artikeln hittar ni här: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=5665875&page=1 men jag lägger inte artikeln här med.
Tokio Hotel: The Latest German Export - Long-Haired Rockers Are the Antidote to the Jonas Brothers - By MONICA DE LA ROSA - Aug. 27, 2008
Move over Heidi Klum and Hugo Boss. The new ambassadors of German popular culture have arrived in the United States, but they’re not what you’d expect. This German band is gaining popularity in the United States.
Tokio Hotel may sound like a new Japanese resort, but it’s actually a group of four rocker guys whose singer is often mistaken for a girl but is actually the identical twin of the dreadlock-haired guitarist. Puzzled yet? The band scored two No. 1 albums in its native Germany, and yet most of the band members aren’t even old enough to legally drink here.
Tokio Hotel’s sharp rise to fame, from playing school concerts and weddings a few years ago in its hometown of Magdeburg, a hundred miles southwest of Berlin, to currently selling out venues in New Jersey, San Francisco and Chicago, can arguably be seen as Internet-driven. The band has amassed a frenzied fan base of mostly young women who take the title of the band’s first English album, “Scream,” seriously — by doing just that at a mere glimpse of the band.
Wendy is a young fan from Brooklyn, N.Y., but jokingly claims, “Ich bin ein Deutsch!” She thinks the band is “hot,” but also found the music to be so powerful it “can bring tears” to her eyes. “Tokio Hotel ist der beste!,” says Doris, 18, who says she is learning German because of her interest in the band.
“I’ve spent over $600 this past week for all the tickets I just bought and the traveling I have to do,” said Kiila, a 20-year-old student who plans to attend as many concerts as she can on the band’s tour through North America this month. She spent four days hanging around Times Square near MTV’s studio in the hopes of meeting the band, which recently hosted the network’s show “TRL.”
Like the launch of some resplendent blitzkrieg, Tokio Hotel is eager to conquer American shores. Its success abroad draws comparisons here as the “Jonas Brothers of Germany” — if the Jonas Brothers were a long-haired, sexually ambiguous-looking act, blending genres from pop to glam rock to hip-hop.
Tattooed lead singer Bill Kaulitz, 18, is rarely seen without black eye makeup and with his hair, also dyed black, styled in a gravity-defying lion’s mane. Born in the Internet and video game era, he already seems astutely aware of the power of the visual, and credits the Internet with the band’s breakthrough outside Germany. “Especially as newcomers, it’s really important to have the Internet, where people can talk about you and listen to your music,” he said in accented English. When thousands of fan Web sites, blogs and YouTube postings began sprouting up worldwide, its record company noticed.
“The fans outside of Germany send us e-mails, they come together and shoot a video or something, and they say please come to wherever, Israel, whereever,” Kaulitz said. So the band did — not only Israel , but France, Italy, Switzerland, Russia and other countries, often selling out stadiums and fulfilling a kind of prophecy of the band’s chosen name — which band members changed from “Devilish” in 2005 — which evokes their love of foreign destinations.
“It was always our dream to travel the world and play in big cities and …,” Kaulitz starts to say before his twin, Tom, chimes in, “and to stay in good hotels!”
Although the two often complete each other’s thoughts, Tom Kaulitz, who plays lead guitar, prefers the almost opposite look of his sibling — baggy clothes, a sports cap around blond dreads and a lip piercing. Drummer Gustav Schäfer and bass-guitarist Georg Listing complete the four-member band.
Adoration: From Internet to Miles-Long Fan Letter
Several female fans admit to first being intrigued by the band’s looks and mash-up styles, but insist they became hooked, some even obsesses, when listening to the songs. In Germany, the band is a household name, and girls stalk its recording studio, hiding with cameras behind bushes. Pieces of the Kaulitz twins’ former school bus stop were auctioned off last week on eBay for thousands of euros (no bids though). The quartet once received a fan letter that was more than 7 miles long. (They didn’t read the whole thing.)
The Goethe Institute claims increasing interest in its German language classes because of the band, especially in its Paris branch. The San Francisco office organized a concert ticket giveaway earlier this year, and deputy director Anna Weber said in one day without any promotion “we got 80 to 120 e-mails. We got so many phone calls, you have no idea. We thought they were unknown here.”
The Internet has made it easy for fans to chat and share stories with others around the world who share their passion. After a concert ends, girls post videos and pictures from their cameras and phones capturing the band’s performances, it seems, from every possible angle.
The boys have mastered the quality of being exotic, and yet approachable, online. They make video appeals for fans’ award votes and post weekly “Tokio Hotel TV” Web episodes as a way “to take the fans with us.” The band was stopped only momentarily in March, when it had to cancel several concerts so Bill Kaulitz could have surgery to remove a cyst on his vocal chords.
These teenage rockers are becoming accustomed to the idea of growing up in front of the eyes of a 24/7 media world. “Our whole life changed from one day to another,” Kaulitz said. “We have so much inspiration. It’s everywhere. … So I always have a pen with me and a laptop, and I write everything down.” The band has started to work on its new album, which it will release in German and English. The band writes and plays its own music but is helped by a team of four producers. “We are like a big family,” Kaulitz said.
That family seems to have landed on a winning combination of lyrics laced with “emo” angst, wrapped in a flamboyant pop-rock package. It’s PG-rated but still edgy enough for younger fans. Songs range from catchy pop anthems to anti-suicide messages to appealing rock ballads. Tokio Hotel seems to straddle the line between boy band fad and hopeful rock icons, but where it will eventually end up is unpredictable.
Tokio Hotel Vs. Miley Cyrus “Scream” landed in U.S. stores in May and peaked at No. 39 on the Billboard 200, selling quite a bit less below the multiplatinum status the band achieved in Europe, but you wouldn’t know it by the Internet hype. This month fans voted online to give Tokio Hotel two MTV Video Music Award nominations for best new artist and best pop video, pitting the band against best-selling artists like Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears. “We think we have no chance, but it’s just great being nominated,” Bill Kaulitz said.
Right now, the band is just awestruck at the attention they are getting in America. “The fans voted so much for us, it’s a great feeling,” Tom Kaulitz said. “It’s really a big deal for a German band to have the chance to go to the U.S.”
One would have to go back almost a generation when a German band last achieved huge crossover success in America. In the 1980s. The Scorpions topped the charts with songs like “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and artist Nena scored big with her Cold War-era protest song “99 Luftballoons.” Incidentally, watching Nena as a child was what inspired Bill Kaulitz to become a singer, he said.
But for every “next big thing,” there can be an eventual backlash. “I don’t really want them to get really famous here,” posted “Isabella” on Tokio Hotel’s U.S fan site. “Getting big also brings about the question of them losing sight of their German culture.”
As fans grow, so do “haters” of the band, who create and upload anti-Tokio Hotel videos and Web pages. The Internet has other dangerous downsides. Recently in France, a young man was arrested for allegedly posing as Bill Kaulitz in chat rooms, convincing young girls to send him naked pictures, which he then posted on the Web. The band says it doesn’t have personal accounts like MySpace, other than its official Web sites, just for this reason.
But most of the fans simply want to concentrate on the good stuff, like one young brunette who waited on a New York City street to see the band when it visited. She is crying but smiling, her teeth lined in braces. “I got Bill’s autograph. …. I got their autograph, and I love them!” she cried, wiping tears from her eyes with neon-polished fingertips, just another uber-happy Tokio Hotel fan.
1. How did you get in to music? (Lysa Thompson, Sioux Falls, SD) Bill: We all started really early. Tom and I started when we were about seven. Back then it was only the two of us. Tom got into playing the guitar because of our step dad and I really wanted to sing – I was always too lazy to learn an instrument :-). We started writing our own songs and performed wherever we could – at weddings, birthday parties and little clubs. Gustav: I started playing the drums when I was about five. I always used to drum with my fingers on everything that came along :-) - so my parents decided to give it a real try and got me lessons. Georg: I was in high school when my friends decided to start a band. They where looking for a bass player and I thought “That’s pretty cool, I can do that”…so that’s how I started.
2. Youve just been nominated for Best Pop Video at the MTV VMAs. How does it feel to be gaining so much success here in the U.S.? (Alison Luedke, Oswego, IL) Bill: Oh my god, it is sooooo amazing and we’re all so excited. This is something we didn’t dare to dream of! Tom: We all freaked out when we received the great news. Our fans are really amazing and we can’t believe that they made this happen for us.
3. Why did you pick Tokio Hotel to be your new band name? (Anita Morales, Rockwall, TX) Tom: That happened a few years ago. We decided to look for a new band name when we started to work in the studio – so it must’ve been at least five years ago. That was a really new beginning for us and we wanted to start with a name that really fit us.
4. Bill, what is your favorite song that you wrote? (Alexis Snyder, Saxton, PA) Bill: That’s really hard and I can’t actually pick one ‘cause every song has a special meaning to me and is personal. But if I had to I probably would choose “Live Every Second” - that’s one of the first songs I wrote. I was eight or nine back then.
5. Were the four of you always interested in music? (Saadya Philyor, Saint Petersburg, FL) Bill: Yes, music has always been what we all wanted to do. We put all our time and energy in music. During the week we went to school and on the weekends we played wherever we could. What we are doing today is all we ever wanted. And I can’t even imagine what I would have become besides a singer. Tom: Hmmm, if I wasn’t a musician I would probably work at the playboy mansion as Hugh Hefner’s personal assistant. (lol) Georg would work as construction worker and do a lot of body building in his free time and Gustav would be a trucker!
6. Tom: Is it true that you still have your teddy bear? (Jen Ii, Sandefjord, int, NO) Tom: You must be talking about Georg. He has his one with him all the time. And guess what name he gave him?? Tom!!! Georg: Ohhhhhh sure….
7. What do you like to do during your free time?? (Anetia Jones, Norfolk, VA) Bill: Sleep! We sleep in as long as possible. Tom: If nobody wakes me up I sleep ‘till the afternoon. Georg: Yeah, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, watching DVDs and going to bed Bill: Gustav is a little different – he’s really an early bird. Gustav: Yes, I wake up quiet early and then I like to meet friends, ride my bike, do all kinds of sports and spend time with my family.
8. Did any of you guys have imaginary friends when you were younger and if so, what were their names? (Kendall Green-Grouse, Halifax, NS, CA) All (laughing): NO! Tom (laughing): Well, to tell you a secret: Georg has some imaginary friends and they might be his only ones besides us…
9. Where do you see yourself in ten years? (Kim Leblanc, St-Paul de Joliette, QC, CA) Bill: Hopefully on stage! All: Yes! Bill: We really want to do this as long as possible – till we’re old and gray :-)
10. Which part of the world that have you visited have you liked the most? (Crissy Stubbs, Douglas, GA) Bill: Ohhh, that’s a hard one…! Each and every single country has it’s own nice and special qualities, they are all very different and hard to compare! Tom: In Russia there are the best parties. Georg: We all love Italian food – so Italy is great as well. Gustav: Yeah, and the French have such a sweet accent “Guestaw”… Bill: We also love America! The food, N.Y. , L.A., the weather is so great, and as we are traveling through the middle of the country now we are learning that there are lots of amazing places to discover, it’s just awesome! Tom: I have to say, there are hot girls everywhere, I wanna meet them all! But we are always happy to come home once in a while to be with our families and friends, that is so important!
-The motto of Rock in Rio is For a better world.What would you do to make the world a better place? -Bill:That is a really difficult question and it can´t be answered with only one sentence.There´s always a lot of things that can be done to make the world better.A festival like this is a good first step and participating in it as musicians too.
-How was yesterday´s concert in Barcelona? -Bill:We are verey pleased with our spanish fans.Last night we played there and it was a beautiful concert.We have a very good feeling with our spanish fans.
-Have you ever been afraid of reaching success at such a young age? -Tom:There are things that happen to us that we still can´t believe,like been able to perform at Rock in Rio.It´s true that we´re having success,we know we´ve had a lot of luck and sometimes we´ve needed time to assume all this.
-Are you always dressed up like that? -Tom:We´d love to be able to always dress like this,but what happens is that we can´t anymore.When we went to school we did dress like this because it´s our style,but now it would be a little uncomfortable to go outside like this because everybody would recognise us.
FULLY RECOVERED -Bill,how are you feeling after the operation?Have you noticed any change in your voice? -Bill:No,and i´m really happy.Now finally i can say that everything is like before,which was the aim of the operation.It is true that it was a specially low time in our career and also personally i was deeply touched.The worst was that we we´re very sorry for all our fans for all the concerts we had to cancell.A vocalist is always afraid of being operated(?) on the voice,but fortunately,now i can say i´m fully recovered.
-Yesterday a concert in Barcelona,today in Madrid,tomorrow in Lisboa...How do you keep up with such an intense pace? -Bill:Good,cause we are addicted to work,we´ve been nearly 3 years,almost without stopping. We only rest for two weeks a year,but it´s what we wanted,what we like. -Tom:We arrange our agenda,we decide when and where we perform...no one decides it for us.Obviously,there´s times when you think you can´t take it anymore,there´s days when we are in 3 different citys and sometimes you don´t even know where you get up...but it´s something that fills us.
-What do you think of the fan phenomena that follows you?Are you aware that one day this may be over? -Bill:Yes,of course,but you have to know that we also started as a small group and only 4 or 5 persons would go to watch us perform,so we know what is like not having success,that´s why we appreciate what we have.Bad times can always arrive,like in every job,but we hope this lasts for a long time.
-Do you know the Jonas Brothers? -Tom:Yes,we´ve heard of them,specially when we went to the US,were they are very famous. -Bill:Now they´re starting to be famous in Europe.And that is something that we have in common with them,cause we are starting in the US.Musically we don´t know them very well.
-You guys are rich,single,famous...Do you have any whises left? -Bill:(I can´t see what is written there)...a lot because success hooks you,it´s like a drug,you always want more,more concerts,more tours...and you want to do better each time.And about being single,it has to be clear,that we are all single.(laughs)
-So,is it not true then that Bill is with a spanish girl? -Bill:No,it´s no true,i´ve been 3 years alone now.There are so many things said about us which aren´t true...like that we are little multimillionaires.
Det här är en artikel som publicerats i Tjeckien. Den är översatt av Elle @ thus. Vill ni ha den översatt til svenska kan ni säga till så kan jag nog fixa det. :P Den är inte seriös! Författarens kommentarer står i parenteserna.
One day of Bill Kaulitz’s (real) life 13.46 Loud moans within the bus. He’s having a good time again with someone from groupies – well, yes, just wonderful! Although, in any case, it can’t be Tom – he moans much louder. Probably this is one of the bodyguards, in return they promise girls to let them in backstage. And where are we? Bulgaria? France? Italy? Only one thing is clear – we are abroad where we, at least, can still collect full venues. 14.05 These moans are unbearable. (It’s Georg moaning… probably the bodyguard mixed smth up :)))) As well as my reflection in the mirror. And the last bottle of hair spray is over. Devil’s day! 14.23 Depression begins. Moreover Tom has just mocked at me because I have to give another stupid interview about love. About my dreamgirl. (If you found your dreamgirl, then you can say goodbye to the rest of your dreams)))). Moron. And besides, why did he get a chic car as a gift and I didn’t!? (Because he’s a smart guy and you’re a pain in the neck )))) Maybe I should finally get my driver’s license too… 15.22 F***! F***! F***! The lock of hair was hooked with a thick silver chain and again I had to pull it out. And the nail polish on a little finger has already cracked. I’m so upset that it’s necessary to smoke a cigarette. (Terrible strokes of bad luck come one after another, but our Billchen doesn’t lose courage! True man! )))) But only furtively in a bus’ toilet, the fans should not know about it. Because I’m an example for them and all that. In front of the bus little girls are screaming: “Biiiiiiiill! I want a child from you!” and “Show me your white sauce!” Hah, as if I am a cook! And don’t they sell mayonnaise abroad? (Actually they were screaming not about mayonnaise))))) 15.40 With crazy eyes our manager finally runs in. He mutters something like: “Superhit is written!”, “US market” and “World domination”. They made us sit in a van with tinted windows. Feels like someone is missing… Аааh, Gregor, oops, Georg. He’s a band member too. (The bodyguard went to Gustav but Georg continues moaning))) 16.19 Well, finally something! A visagiste makes me human again! A TV show is planned for today’s program. Christ, and I still do not even know where we are. 18.15 The presenter asks us questions in the language unfamiliar to me. Tom doesn’t bother at all, without waiting for the issue, he simply tells about the 1425 groupies, with whom he had sex. (in May 2008)))) Scheiße, Gustav is not here yet. Probably someone left him in the van. (The bodyguard reached Gustav))) Christ, we’ll have to shoot it once again. 20.12 “Billy, it’s Stage-Time now!” Oh, it seems that we play a concert today. Besides I need to finish a table tennis set with Tom. Thoughts about this clumsy fellow distract me again. The fans are singing our songs, I’m completely moved. 21.21 A large buffet was organized backstage. But there are only such exquisite things as shrimps, caviar etc. And I want Happy Meal! I have only to say that I wouldn’t refuse from rum and the bodyguard already runs to get it. (Probably Georg and Gustav went for rum)))) It’s so cool to be a superstar! 22.36 I was chosen as the second most annoying person in Germany, and because of that Tom keeps making fun of me now. What an idiot! I was so upset that pulled out another lock of hair. However, I must put up a bold front and give the autographs to the fans. They scream “I love you!” so loudly that I already have a shooting in my ear. I hope this is not tinnitus. Gustav is already sick with it and now he became so rediculous. (Poor Gustav))) 23.52 Terribly tired, but our manager by all means wishes to go to a strip-club together with us. “Bravo” and “Bild” will be there too. I will have to put a banknote in girl’s panties, but still hesitate to do it. (He can’t even put in a banknote. What a nightmare!))) Tom, naturally, likes all that madly. (Of course! When the main competitor is dull))) 01.22 Only in the bus I remember: Scheiße! I forgot to buy a hairspray! Trying to understand where we actually were today. Maybe in France – all the time people in the strip-club politely called me “madam”.
Tom – girls-lover Always dreadlocks Tom, the guitarist from Tokio Hotel, says that there is only one person who can drive him out of his wits: this person is 10 min younger and his name starts with the letter “B”. While Bill combs his hair till XXXL size, Tom takes care of his dreadlocks. He says that he always ties them in tail, and in order to see his flowing hair you need to be with him in a shower: when they become wet, they straighten up and look like mythological hydra’s snakes. This comparison simply left without dreams thousands fans. The point is that Tom is a sex bomb of Tokio Hotel: he personally claims that he had sexual relations with many fans, and it’s rumored that he spent one night along with 25 girls from groupies. Tom is 10 min older than Bill and 2 sm shorter, but they weigh the same. Their tastes often coincide. Tom says that he had many different girls but with none of them he spent more then one day. He had 7 serious relationship but they were all based on lust. Real sex In addition to his incredible thirst for sex, he claims that he becomes ill of such frequency and sometimes has to invent excuses why he always wears sunglasses. It’s to observe what blouses and short skirts conceal. He also admits that he always achieves what he wants and he never has to choose a girl because they always always always choose him. He’s got his lip pierced at the age of 14. He likes to watch action movies, go to parties and paint graffiti. He would never be able to dress like Bill, even if Angelina Jolie asked him to do that. He has 19 guitars and that’s a large number for a 19-year-old guy. One more thing: his most lustful desire begins with the fact that he enters the dark room along with Olsen sisters.
The truth about OP, future concerts and album… - Bill, you had some problems with your vocal chords. How do you feel now? Bill: Everything is ok, thank you. The operation went very successful, but the most difficult thing was my recovery period. I had to spend 10 days without talking, singing or laughing. I could not even listen to music. Then I spent 3 weeks in complete quiet because of my rehabilitation. After that we went to the US to release our English album and to play several concerts there. Now everything is ok. Everybody is ok. - Besides the concert in Parc des Princess is there any other concerts in your schedule? Bill: We will tour Europe in July. Italy, Spain, Scandinavian and Eastern countries. We should have been there even before summer, but most of the concerts had to be cancelled and you all know the reason. Most likely, that after the tour, we’ll return to the United States. And meantime we’ll be recording the album, which will be released at the end of the year.
For those who don’t know you again, how have you four met? Tom: Bill and I, we started making music when we were 7. We have always prefer that to video games! We have devote it all our free time, the evenings, the weekends. Bill played the keyboard, because we didn’t have anyone else to be in charge of the drum and bass. I’ve met Gustav when we were at the Academy, we’ve become friends then. Gustav: And then, one day, I attended one of their performances. When I saw Bill on stage playing the keyboard, I said to myself that we should really change that. (laughs.) We have therefore began to discuss it and I have propose them to play with them. It was at this time that we became a band.
What would you want to reply to the people that say that you are a marketing product? Bill: Oh my God! To say such nonsense, they must be frustated people! Still, it’s the classic bullshit that we hear in the music business. Specially in Germany, because these last years, as in England in the 90’s, there are many castings to form a boys bands and a girls bands. There are even TV shows whose aim is to find THE next band. Suddenly, it’s very difficult for a real formation that didn’t pass by the reality-tv circuit to impose themselves and to make a break out. Nowadays it’s very difficult to convince people that we are a real band, that nobody told us to be friends with Gustav or Georg. In any case people don’t believe us. Consequently, we do our thing without worrying with these rumours. Music, it’s an emotion; if you’re just a puppet, how can you put your soul in what you do? For my part, I believe that I put my soul to it, so I get angry when people think that what I do is plastic. But at one point you have to put some distance between those rumours and you otherwise you are “eaten”.
What relation do you have with your fans? Tom: If we can, we talk to them, sign autographs...it’s the least we can do, because where you go, they are there! Sometimes they wait for hours or they even spend the night there, on the street. Whether it’s cold, raining, snowing, they are there. And then, they offer us gifts that they made with their hearts and souls. So, give them a little of our time, it’s the least we can do to show them how what they do counts to our eyes. We’d like to measure up to their love.
What’s the most remarkable gift that a fan has offered you? Bill: It’s a difficult question, because we receive tons and tons of gifts. We are very touched by the letters of our fans. Some are very long. There is one that has 14 Km! It’s almost a book of 1000 A4 sheets. Georg: If not, we’ve received a car, a Mini Cooper equiped with our photos and names. But it’s really impossible to choose a particular gift, because they all mean something to us.
Do you take the time to go to forums or your MySpace? Bill: You have to be careful because in the forums, there are many people that pretend to be us, that chat with our fans and foul them. If we are on the Internet, is always as a group and is announced officially. Apart from that, we spend many time on the blogs dedicated to us or in our MySpace, because their opinions matters a lot to us.
The girls are crazy for you, but, you, what’s your type of girl? Tom: It’s a difficult question, because I don’t have a certain type of girl in mind. It must just be a good feeling from the start, a connection that starts the relation naturally. She can be blond, brunette, red-haired, it doesn’t matter. But with the life we have, we don’t have the time for a love relationship. At least, I mean a real love relationship. At the same time, that doesn’t interess me to be faithful, commit myself...I mainly want to enjoy myself. I was mad for a lot of girls. Too many girls. (laughs). I really think we can fall in love several times in a lifetime and that, luckily, several people are made for us. Georg: As far as I’m concerned, I’d love to find a girl that looks like Angelina Jolie, the Olsen twins and Eva Langoria. Gustav: So, we will fight for the same girl Georg. (laughs) Bill: I love that the girl has a great look, nice nails and a beautiful skin. And then, especially, that they are positive and playful. I don’t like one night stands. I truly believe in true love, a love that you only find once in a lifetime...if you have the chance. Because I think that many people never find it, which is very sad... I’ve already met girls, I’ve already fall in love. I know what it is to have a flash for someone and the butterflies on your belly, but I still haven’t found love with a big L.
Bill you have a unique look. Did you always like to wear make up, do you do your nails? Bill: I do that since a long time ago. Gustav and Georg didn’t even ever known me with a different look. I started to like to wear make up when I participated in a Halloween evening some years ago. I’ve disguise myself as a vampire. And then I kept that look. It’s part of my personality.
How many time in the morning do you spend to make you beautiful? Bill: Not much. About forty minutes.
Do you have any ritual before going on stage? Bill: It’s not really a ritual. Gustav likes to stay alone, concentrate himself, listen to music. As for Georg, Tom and I we like to meet together backstage before the show starts and stress the three.(laughs) We close ourselves in the green room for half an hour and nobody can came in. Even our manager! We imagine the worst things that can happen, we laugh about it and that relaxes us.
And when you are not on stage how do you spend your free time? Georg: We play ping-pong and kicker! Tom: And when we are not on tour, we like to sleep very late! Expect Gustav, who is an early bird. But Bill, Georg and I we like to eat, watch tv and sleep. And when we can really make a break, we like to go on vacations.
And what’s your favourite destination? Tom: All I can tell you is that we love the little isolated islands very, very, very far from here.(laughs)
By force of circumstance, you spend many time together. Do you keep friendships outside the band? Tom: Yes, of course! Because it’s important for us to be able to talk about other things besides Tokio Hotel. But because we share the same friends, we are always the four. And then, we go on vacations together.(laughs) Thus, yes, Tokio Hotel, is our most beautiful friendship story.
And you never fight? Tom: Oh, we’d want to sometimes. Especially when Georg decides to remove his shoes. (laughs) But our friendship is stronger than the disputes!
Even if you are loved by your fans, is there always something about yourselves that you don’t like? Bill: (laughs) We didn’t change, we are the same. We have the same flaws than before. And we have the same relation with each other than before we’ve known success. So, even if it’s crazy to be 18 years old and see so many girls mad about you, there are always things I don’t like about myself. I don’t walk in the streets telling myself that I’m the greatest guy in the world. Tom does, always.(laughs) Tom: There’s always something that we don’t like about ourselves. But it’s normal; we are 18, we seek. And for our age, we have a strong confidance in ourselves. When I say I’m the best, I don’t take the lead.
What souvenirs do you keep from your childhood? How you describe yourselves at that time? Bill: We always had confidence in ourselves and in our future. We had a lot of character. We have started very early making music, because we have since young known what was good for us. That wasn’t always easy to live. At school, we didn’t want to fit in a mold, that’s what created clashes between us and the teachers and the other students. But apart from the fact of hating highschool, we had truly great fun. Tom: Me, I’m always crazy. I’ve always in me the child I was. Fourtunely, he isn’t in the people.(laughs) He guides me everyday. Bill: But contrary to what our fans may think, we are far from being perfect. We recognize the success that we have, but we don’t want to be an example to people!
Jag hittade en lång sak på engelska. Ska försöka orka/hinna översätta den till svenska så snart jag kan. ^^
The lovely purplehaze at tokiohotelamerica.net/forum did the long translation for us. Please credit her if you carry this translation to another site. p.s. Did I mention this is a long article? *g*
The concert Saturday evening at the Parc des Princes undoubtedly marks the dedication of these young unrestrained rockers: Tokio Hotel has never been so up/on top…. From Trabendo to the Parc des Princes in just two years, only one of many records erupted by Tokio Hotel. Bringing an entire generation to sing along in German, when even Kraftwerk had capitulated there, know how to impose guitars at a time when they are considered to be overtaken by the keyboard, implode all record sales and rekindle the flickering flame of “manias” as in the good old days of the Beatles mania, all this was reached by the kids of Tokio Hotel.
In just two years of existence and despite - or thanks to - their GV (German version) rock the band of the twins from Magdeburg has beaten all records of sales and popularity this year. In this storm of furious Tokio Hotel mania, here’s from “A” like German to “Z” like “Zimmer 483″, the small lexicon of everything that one really needs to know about Bill, Tom, Georg and Gustav.
A: GERMAN
Since the very first concert at Trabendo, in Paris last summer, it was already a halu (hallucination?) ALL French fans sang the songs in German by heart… even if they did not speak a single German word. The German contributes to the phenomenon Tokio Hotel… even with the French accent!
Bill: “We did not expect that at all, even in our greatest dreams! I have never imagined such a success and to have so many fans in France who, in addition, sing our songs in German. That has surprised us very much and it makes us really feel warm at heart.
B: BILL
Bill Kaulitz, singer and twin brother of guitarist Tom, is just 18 years old. His dyed raven hair, his makeup, his fragility, his ambiguity and his neo-goth look between Robert Smith and Marilyn Manson contribute significantly to the phenomenal success of the band. By the way, like with the Cure and Manson, some of the fans adopted and reproduced Bill’s style as closely as possible.
C: COMPOSITIONS
Bill: “All our songs are written in cooperation with our producers, we would never come to the idea of singing stuff written by others who have nothing to do with us. In a song, there must be something personal in it to sing it like it has to be. Often the producers have an idea, but sometimes it is us. We meet and work together. And after that the rights are shared, it depends on the track, depending on the importance of everyone’s work/input. ”
D: DESTROY
In their very first video “Schrei,” we see them destroying a villa. Yet in real life, the Tokios are rather cool guys.
Bill: “It was a house that had to be destroyed; it was razed two weeks after the shooting. But that does not really resemble what happens during our concerts. I would not hate to destroy a hotel room, for example. Obviously, I would enjoy that! But on the other hand, I’m too stingy, I would not like to pay to have it all repaired later. So that’s why I don’t do it. ”
E: RECORDING
According to our information, the recording of the latest CD could sometimes be an excuse to party.
Bill: “We recorded the album in the country.
Tom: We have to say however that there is an apartment above the studio where we lived and that was a big mess! Each week a housekeeper was passing and cleaning with Kärcher (pressure washer)!”
F: FANS
Bill: “We are always amazed at what fans are able and willing to do for us. From time to time, that is very impressive, but it makes us very happy, sometimes we even find it hard to believe it! ”
Tom: “Personally, I am very happy when girls scream my name!” (Laughter)
G: GEORG & GUSTAV
Georg: “In fact Bill and Tom make rock music together for a really long time, since the age of 7 years. Gustav and I, we met at the school of music and we quickly played together, the two of us. And one night, we went to see Bill and Tom playing in this club Gröninger Bad and while hearing them, it was obvious that they needed help. We went to see them backstage and so the band was born.”
H: NINA HAGEN
Along with Nena, who sang the immortal “99 Red Balloons” in the early 80’s, Nina Hagen is one of the very rare German influences of Tokio Hotel. Whimsical and frosty character, she had been able to make the whole planet dance with her “African Reggae”.
Bill: “Nina Hagen was really brilliant. Nena also, even if it is more pop and less rock. Me, personally, I’m a great fan of Nina and Nena, since the age of eight.”
I: THE ISLAND
When the promo of the album and the tour will be completed, what are they dreaming of? Of a paradisiacal island … and pretty girls!
Tom: “I dream of a remote island with plenty of sunshine, a fantastic beach with white sand, clear and turquoise water and long siestas. And pretty girls! For me the summer often means going out with one or more chicks. With Bill and my parents, we used to spend all our summers in these mega-destinations in southern Spain. There was such a concentration of pretty girls that it was not difficult to seduce some of them.”
J: TWINS
Bill and Tom were born 10 minutes apart.
Bill: “I’ve stayed a little longer because I went back again in the belly of my mother, so it lasted a little longer. Normally the intervals are only two or three minutes. It’s great to have a twin brother. We do everything together, it’s true, but we started making music at the same time. We have the same interests, so this is not a calamity, on the contrary.
Tom: Often brothers and sisters do not get along very well, do not understand each other. But we are twins. And as we have the same interests, it’s great to work together.”
L: LAFEE
With her powerful hit and rock music, with her charming and perfect German, the Beautiful Lafee appears to be the female response to the band from Magdeburg. But from the top of her 17 years, does Lafee threat the media power of Tokio Hotel? With her glowing eyes, La Belle (the beautiful) Christina Klein has success anyway with the release of her second CD “Jetzt Erst Recht.”
M: MAGDEBURG
Bill: “In fact Magdeburg is really not terrible as a city. There, we all agree actually. It is true that we were all grown up there, we still live there, but we don’t imagine at all spending our whole life there. Seriously, that is not a city that you want to visit when you are tourists in Germany. It is a total boring hole, especially for young people.”
N: NEXT
Next, the next step for TH, with the release of “Scream”, their first CD in English that joyfully mixes their first two German albums, that’s the conquest of England and the New World: America.
Bill: “We will go on tour, and go on touring. We will go to a maximum of countries where we have never been before to play and do promo. For the moment, we concentrate a lot on the United Kingdom because it is a great step forward for a German band to succeed there.”
P: PARENTS
The Parents of Georg and Gustav and the brothers have affirmed from the beginning to be the most fervent supporters of the band.
Bill: “Our mother is an artist, she paints on canvas. Our parents are divorced. And our stepfather is a musician. He plays acoustic guitar and it was him who introduced us to the music. He has made everything available. At home, he had all the necessary equipment.
Tom: Me, he has put the guitar and amplifier in my room, that was great. It was him who helped me to learn music.”
R: ROCK
Tom: “Our sound is fast and powerful. It is sweeping as well as emotional. It’s good German rock. We have always tried to create our own style so that we remain original. Since the very beginning of the band, seven years ago, we have always composed our music. So far, we have only sung a single cover, that was “Instant Karma” by John Lennon and it was a sampler for the benefit of Amnesty International where you also found U2 and Green Day.
Bill: Doing our own thing, creating our own style and our sound has always been our priority.”
S: SPRING NICHT (DO NOT JUMP)
Bill: “We have listened to our hearts because last year we received many letters and e-mails from our fans, we have been on the forums on the Internet and we perceived that suicide was a thing of which many people thought, not always seriously, but some really think of doing it. It is a subject that is present very early in the heads of teenagers. It happens as a result of their first break-up, loss of a loved one and one no longer knows what retains us in life? That’s an issue that we wanted to deal with because it has touched us.”
T: TOM
Tom Kaulitz, the twin of Bill, is the guitarist of the band. His look is light years away from that of his brother. Far from the neo-gothic, with his cool locks and his wide clothes, Tom belongs to the galaxy of riders, surfers and other skaters.
Tom: “Music is my biggest passion, my childhood dream. And today I have the privilege to accomplish this dream in the best conditions. I wake up with music and I go to bed with music, I play in front of a great audience, I could not imagine doing anything else. ”
U: UNIVERSAL
With the global success, the rock of Tokio Hotel is aimed at kids of an amount of nations: the energetic and fun rock has become universal pulverizing language barriers on the passage.
V: VIDEOS
Since the first video from “Schrei”, Tokio Hotel has used to its advantage the offensive weapon of the video-clip to capture new sonic territories.
W: WIR STERBEN NIEMALS AUS (WE DO NOT DIE OUT)
Bill: “This song doesn’t only speak about staying together all our lives. It rather answers the question: “What will we become after our death?” I thought a lot about that and for me each person on Earth is there to leave something behind him/her when he/she dies. I can not imagine that everything is over after death and that there is nothing left of us. I believe that every person, famous or not, leaves something the day when he/she leaves.”
Z: ZIMMER 483
Tom: “The idea of the title came up during the time of our vacation in Spain last year where we decided to relax and write songs at the same time. We had rented a little dilapidated house in Spain, which had the number 483, that’s where we wrote the first title of our second album “Wir Sterben Niemals Aus.” We’ve found that that characterized well this new album.”
På RollingStones hemsida kan man nu se en video där Tokio Hotel försöker lära amerikanerna lite tyska. Klicka här! om du också vill öva upp dina färdigheter i det vackra språket!
Här är den första videon från MTVs TRL som jag hittade. Kommer säkert bättre sen, men ja ni kan ju titta på den här så länge. Jag blir lite stolt över att se Tokio Hotel på TRL.
It was so fun to have Tokio Hotel hang out in Habbo and then answer some questions from you the Habbos. Be sure to check out the their group page Tokio Hotel Fan Group!
Burning Questions for Tokio Hotel...
souljaboy88: Are you guys from Germany? Tom: Yes, of course. We are all from a little place called Magdeburg.
The-Forgotten.: Where You Been Friends Before You Formed The Band? Georg: Gustav and I met at music school and we became friends before we met Tom and Bill after one of their performances. That’s seven years ago and we all became really close friends.
lollipopthe: How did you guys get discovered? Bill: We really put all our time and energy in our music. We sent tapes to record labels and Mtv, we made our own CD and sold it, we played as often and as much as we could. And then, finally one night, a producer saw us performing in a club!
:Michael,: What inspired you to choose the name: "TokioHotel"? Tom: We used to have another band name. But after we met our producer and we started working in the studio we wanted another name – one that fit us better. We all like big cities, plus it really sounds cool. Also we were looking for a symbol that would represent our live as musicians – we pictured us staying most of the time in hotels, which became true. Here you go: Tokio Hotel.
.:Dragon16:.: How old are you? Bill: Tom and I will turn 19 in September, Gustav will turn 20 and Georg just turned 21 in March.
btm=12: Who is your idol? Tom: We never really had idols. We always wanted to do our own stuff, create our own style. Also we never could agree on ONE band or artist cause we have such a different taste in music.
Foxigirl: Do you have any pets? Gustav: We all have a dog and a cat.
:CutiePatutie:: Why is your new album called Scream? Bill: Well, it’s the title of our first German album. The English version is a mix of our favorite songs from the first and second album. Scream is def. one of them. And we love it’s message. The song is about standing up for yourself, speaking your mind and express yourself no matter what other people might say!
Elmo!,: I love the song Ready Set Go. But What Is It Really About? Bill: It’s about going for you dreams, leaving everything behind you to start something new. It’s about tearing down walls and not being caught in life and rules.
Sxiandbad!: Do you prefer singing and recording songs in English or German? Bill: By now the English songs feel like the German ones. But when it comes to writing I will always write in German and the songs will be then translated into English. German is my native language and it helps me express myself the best.
MattInc: What’s it like being on the road 24/7? Tom: We love if. Of course you don’t get to see your friends and family very often but you get to see so much. It’s über-exciting and what we always wanted.
!.NeWYorK122.!: Do you all get along or do you get in fights sometimes? Tom: We are friends but of course we do fight as well. Even me and Bill. Georg (laughing): Yeah, and you don’t want to be involved...
uloveme731: Did you always want to be rockstars? Bill: I always wanted become a singer and the others wanted to become musicians. That’s why we started so early.
EasyFries: How do you get your hair so cool :D? Bill: With a lot of hairspray ;)
luv.tOkiOhOtel: Hey Bill !! Hows your throat ?! Got any cool scars ?? Bill: I’m totally fine thank you! No scars! I feel great and can’t wait to go back on stage!
Stonewolf:Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? All: ON STAGE!
As promised, we served them up with a handful of questions that you guys sent us, and so we bring you those right now!
Asked by Chloroform What bands would you say helped influence your music? Theres no specific band. We all are into different music!
Asked by .Star.Princess. Which city was your all time favorite to be in and to perform in? We cant pick one – we played so many amazing places!
Asked by alex0013 What do you do if you have a bad day and how do you fix it? We know each other really well and first if one of us has a bad day we just let him do his thing – or we all laugh about georg
Asked by Apple.11 I love your song “Ready, Set, Go!” I was just wondering what is that song about? Its about going for your dream! Its about being brave and going for your dreams whatever people might say or think – its about leaving everything behind you!
Asked by BabyFayceTM Question for Tom: I saw in some pictures of you, in the time of Monsoon that you have a scar on your eyebrow...how that happen? Any twins fight? Bill gave me a hard push – I fell – and a snowboard hit me – we were 6 years old
Asked by baffling What made you come up with the group name TokioHotel? Well we had a different band name in former times – then we changed and we wanted a name that really fit us – so, we all love really big cities and especially Tokio. We think it sounds great and we were looking for a symbol that would represent our lives – so we thought being musicians, traveling al the time we would live in hotels all the time – so here you go: Tokio Hotel!
Asked by biega101 What do u guys like to do when you aren’t making music or touring? We all like to relax – to eat and sleep and eat and watch tv… and sleep and sleep
Asked by Toper If I was to start a band someday is there any advice you would give me? Oh we hate people who give advices, people who think they know everything and need to tell you how the world is running! Its important to do your thing, thats what we always did.
Asked by Kohaul You recently played Canada for the first time. What do you think of our Country? We loved it! We had a really great time and the Canadian fans were really amazing – we cant wait to come back!
- Puffin and Teetoo, wishing Bill well and hoping for a Canada tour soon!
Om ni vill se en ganska gullig intervju ifrån Toronto ska ni klicka här. Den är från dose.ca och killarna svarar bland annat på vad de skulle göra om de inte var med i Tokio Hotel och svaret är väl inte helt vad man skulle kunna tänka sig, men helt i grabbarnas stil.
Här hittar ni en intervju med Tom och Bill som Much Music i Kanada har gjort. För att se videon kan du behöva klicka på high bandwidth. Tydligen funkar videon inte i alla länder, men jag kunde se den iaf...
HÄR kan du läsa en engelsk intervju ifrån popculturemadness.com.
Även myyearbook.com har gjort en intervju med dem och den hittar du HÄR. I skrivande stund är den sajten tyvärr nedstängd för service, men den kommer komma igång igen.
Bills blogg funkar tydligen inte för alla. Men senast var det iaf Tom som skrev och då lät det såhär:
"We came to Canada last Thursday, and we are in Toronto right now. I’m sitting in my hotel room, thinking about being here and I have to say we love it. We’ve done two performances, one in Montreal on Saturday and one in Toronto on Sunday night. In between that, we did a lot interviews. We were really surprised when we got here — we expected that no one would really know us. We saw ourselves selling tickets for our shows on the streets to have at least a couple of people show up, but both shows sold out!!! Our fans were waiting for us everywhere – screaming, cheering, talking in German, singing our songs, and, might I add, were very good looking! I saw a lot of beautiful girls in both cities, which made me very happy!
Today, we went to the CN Tower, that was exciting -– it’s sooo high. Georg didn’t feel that well because he’s afraid of heights, but come to think of it, he’s usually afraid of something. Anyway, afterward we went to MuchMusic, where we were guests on a show. We taught the hosts some German words (that was really funny) and performed “Ready Set Go” live — that was cool, too.
Well, I have to go ‘cause I need to pack my stuff. We’re flying to L.A. tomorrow. You should see my room -– my clothes are everywhere, it will take me hours to pack.
Till One Magazine har Tom tydligen sagt att fansen måste lugna sig.
Tom of course puts some joking in here, but I hope that people will read this and heed his words. Apparently things were REALLY bad at the concert last night and it just does not have to be that way.
“Frankly, it doesn’t bother me if people scratch me in the back or pull my clothes during a concert…But more seriously, we’ve already heard alarming stories about fans fighting during our concerts or in front of our hotels. Occasionally, when I’m on stage, I’ll even pick out and locate the fans who are behaving badly. Sometimes I want to just put down my guitar and ask them to calm down and behave, but that might really kill the atmosphere. The fans have to learn to control themselves. We’re just normal guys, and, frankly, if they really knew me, they wouldn’t want to see me so badly!”
Hinner inte översätta till svenska nu, men jag kan göra det sen om någon så önskar...
Innan NRJ Awards intervjuades Tokio Hotel på sitt hotellrum av en radiokanal. Intervjun kan ni läsa översatt till engelska om ni klickar på länken. Ber ni lite snällt kan jag nog ha översatt det till svenska om ett par dagar. Men bara om ni ber om det för annars använder jag tiden till lite annat. ^^
Rösta på Echo awards
Glöm inte bort att rösta på TH som bästa live akt i Echo awards! De har tagit sig vidare till rond två och är alltså bland topp 10. Fortsätt rösta så att de tar sig vidare till tredje omgången! (Länk finns i tidigare inlägg)
Inställd Amerika spelning
Tyvärr blir killarnas spelning i Anaheim inställd, eftersom stället hade svårt att möta bandets krav på utrustning och säkerhet.
Den förra svenska översättningen var rätt dålig. Hittade den nånstans. Så vi tar den på engelska istället: Bravo No. 36, 29.08.07: birthday-party
That will become the birthday of their life! The Tokio Hotel-twins Bill and Tom Kaulitz will celebrate their 18.th birthday at 01. September. Both megastars are looking forward to that date already for ages. The super-twins tell in an exclusive Bravo-interview, how they will “es krachen lassen” (“really make party”) – and what will change now for them!
Bravo: Why are you looking so forward to your 18.th birtday?
Bill: We are looking forward to that since 18 years (laughs)! This is the most important birthday at all! It was always so far away. I always made plans with friends and Tom, what we will do then. Since now our whole life is open for us. But the 21st is also cool. Because you can booze then in many countries. (grins!)
Bravo: That sounds like you wanna really (“es krachen lassen”) make party at your birthday party…
Bill: I will drink a lot. And I`m happy that I can tell that frankly now. Up to now we had always stress, when we were caught by something, that wasn`t allowed at the age of 16 or 17. Though actually every young person does it ….
Tom: Depends on my mood for me, how I will (“abgehen”) celebrate. I don`t make now the plan, to booze totally. But at your 18th birthday you can (”kann man sich mal abschießen”) you “can shoot yourself”……
Bravo: What have you planned for your birthday party?
Bill: We will celebrate into it at 31. August. We have rent a bar – a room just for us. The party will have the motto “Casino Night”. Because you can finally go in a casino at the age of 18. We find that cool (“geil”). Everybody has to wear chic clothes – with suit and so. Except Tom, who wants to wear a black tracksuit. I have already a suit in my wardrobe. We let decorate the room now – with cool lounge-furniture and so.
Bravo: What`s at the menu card?
Bill: I`m planing that right now. Tomorrow I `ll have a date, where I will taste everything. I would like to have Fast Food, but also thailand dainties. It should become more a relaxed eating. People should not sit there stiff with knife and fork, besides they can take always something fresh.
Bravo: Who will come to your party?
Bill: That will take place in a more small scale. I estimate around 50 people. Acquaintance, relatives, friends and of course family.
Bravo: Have you sent the invitations yet?
Bill: Yes, we have already something mailed. But I don`t have seen it yet. I believe, the invitations will arrive just one day before the party in the mailboxes. For that reason I`ve preferred to invite everybody via SMS.
Bravo: Will come VIP-friends?
Bill: No – we don`t want to have VIP-people at our party. We separate private life and job. We know some VIP`s, but there`s nobody we`re friended with.
Bravo: What do you wish for your birthday?
Tom: Good question! We are really happy that we`re not invited for ourselves. We wouldn`t know, what we would give us as a present. But we don`t have wishes. The main point is, that all people come and have fun.
Bravo: And what is with your driver license?
Bill: Time has thwarted our plans. Actually we wanted to get in a car and start driving. I hope, we can make it soon.
Tom: I hope that, too. Then we could finally visit our families and friends spontanously.
Bravo: Do you feel actually adultlike yet?
Tom: We have felt adultlike since we were 13. We stood in front of a disco and said: „Let us in!“ We were early by ourselves and bore always a lot of responsibility.
Bravo: Is there something, you always wanted to do? Maybe going in a strip-club?
Tom: I thought about that already. It would be really cool to go in a strip-club – at the Reeperbahn, the red-light-mile in Hamburg, for example. But a brothel would be nothing for me. I don`t pay for sex, when I can get it for free – and that since I`m 12! (laughs)
Bravo: But as adult you`ll become more mature…
Tom: We will see…. I`m not against relationships anyway. But it just didn`t work so far. But maybe now – with 18 (grins).
1. What do you do with all the necklaces, rings, bracelets and other presents, you got from fans? Must be difficult for you to know, where to keep? Yes ;-) it`s true. I have really a lot, but that is very good *grins* I cannot have enough of that stuff! Meanwhile I have a suitcase just for my jewellery. My most favourite stuff is stored in big boxes at home.
2. You are rich, famous, you are successful with your band. Are you happy? Or do you miss something for being happy? I`m very happy with my life. Of course, there are always things you wish or make you sad! You have that always and everywhere...Sometimes I cannot believe at all, how much luck I had and in such moments I don`t dare to feel unhappy or to claim about something.. But then I do it anyway sometimes ;-) ..hehe..No, honestly...I have really a cool life, but if you wanna know, whether I`m still to have (available?);..Yes, I am!!!
3. What do you think, when you read placards like: "I want to see your dicks"? ...my big brother will be happy.
4. And another question, many are terribly interested in: What do you do, when you get a hiccups or forget your lyrics during a concert? That`s really a good question! I never had a hiccups luckily, but if that should happen, then I let you sing! You always know the lyrics and I can count on you! I have never forgotten the lyrics. I don`t know why, but when I stay on stage, it comes automatically!
5. How can you deal with being an angel? ...well, you know..Really well! I`m always flying through the city and looking around everywhere! I give away a little luck or shoot love arrows through the area and when I have time, I go shopping. That is always good, because I can hang all the bags at my wings. You know, eternally wandering through the area by feet is not my thing.
6. Do you look often in the fanclub? Do you look in the forum at all? What do you think about that, when you read, what kind of ideas the fans have? Yes, of course, I do! I`m totally fascinated about what the fans think and discuss. Good to know, that you watch at us so exactly;-) I think it`s great that you accompany us all the way and don`t abandon us. That is a nice feeling and when I`m alone and don`t know to whom I could go, then I can just look in the fanclub and I know, there are many people with me...
7. I don`t know, whether you realize that...but you are a very fascinating personality, what leads to the fact, that many very different people dream about you, desire you - little and "big" girls, boys at teenage age, adult men and mature women. Do you think about that and if yes, what`s your opinion about that? Are you frightened or do you feel flattered or don`t you care about that? ...I don`t know¡...I don`t think about that. I cannot believe all that sometimes! Wow...if it is that way, it sounds really incredible for me! Of course, I`m very happy, though everything is not really within reach for me!
8. How do you find your character, would you change anything? Where are your strong and weak points? ..yes, yes.. the others would say now, I`m egoistic! But I would not describe me being very egoistic. I admit, I`m not so busy in carrying guitars or suitcases, but apart from that I find, the deion doesn`t fit to me. Everybody has a little bid egoism and it`s okay until a certain point. I always believed in me and I always wanted to reach, what I have planned in my mind. If something doesn`t go like I had it in my mind, I can become really angry. But that is exactly my weak point. Compromises are nothing for me! I`m such a perfectionist and that is sometimes really exhausting. I would wish, being a little bit more relaxed sometimes¡Khmm¡Kbut that didn`t work so far. At any rate I`m very determined and abnormal perfectionist and jealous...*g*...
9. Do you really cuddle with Tom? Would you both "cuddle" together with a girl? hahaha...well, of course I embrace my brother sometimes like siblings do that. Actually Tom and me have shared a girl, but not at the same time. First Tom had flirted with her and the next day it was my turn. But that happened just one time!
10. What do you think about fanfictions and topics about an intimate relationship to your brother? Everybody can have his fantasies...though they are sometimes really absurd...but they do exist for that...
11. What would you say, if a child would ask you, where babies come from? ..ask my brother, it`s his most favourite topic...
12. Do you believe in supernatural things (Life after death, spiritual healing, and so on)? And what do you think about esotericism in general? Did you have an experience that was "not explainable"? ...ohh..I had this question never before! Well, I really believe in such things! I believe, that in life happens so many unexplainable things, that there must be something "supernatural¡". I believe strongly in fate and that everything in life is good for something. Nothing in life happens without reason. Life after death? This exists in my opinion. I can`t imagine, that everything is over...there must be something, whatever it is and how it feels! I could write complete essays about this topic. At any rate, I believe in supernatural things and life after death strongly...
13. Have you ever performed a TH-private concert for family or friends? OMG...sure!! We did that really often! We have even performed at a birthday party of a girl in the living room! That were times..hehe...But at that times our name was Devillish, not Tokio Hotel!
14. What can make you really upset? I hate unpunctuality so much!!! Further more I don`t like it, when people are sloppy or start things with not enough seriousness. Like I said before¡K If I do something, I want it perfect and if somebody destroys that because he was sloppy, then I can be really annoyed! I have met so many different people and a lot of them were lying! It was always very important for me treating honestly with people! Especially now, when it is very difficult for me to trust in people, honesty is the most important thing for me at all!
15. You have thousands of female fans, who say they are "in love"with you. Do you believe, that this is really love and do you think, these fans care about your music at all? I don`t know, whether this is really love! That can just everybody for himself answer. The main thing is, you feel well. I know exactly, what a wonderful feeling it is, being in love. I believe, that happens not very often in life and it happened also to me not very often. But I know, that all of these girls also like our music. I`m very sure about that! You don`t have to decide for one thing!
16. What don`t you like at girls (character and look)? I hate unfaithfulness and lying!....and she should have beautiful hands..*grins*
17. Why have you kicked at Tom at the Hannover concert during "In die Nacht"? Because the idiot never looks at me...I look always to him and he`s always busy with other things...then he needs a kick sometimes!
18. Do you like more natural girls or girls with a lot of make up? ...You cannot say that in general. That is different for every girl. I think, every girl can be happy, when she don`t need much make up for looking good.
19. How would you prove a girl, that you are in love with her strongly? Do you believe, there could be a situation, in that you would deceive her, though you are in love with her? I would never deceive my girl friend! That is the worth you could do!
20. Do you plan to change your hairdo soon? If yes, do you have an imagination yet? I would like to do that, but I wouldn`t reveal that before...it should be a surprise and besides such things happens spontanously to me!
21. Your favourite parfum/deo? ...I don`t use parfum and I change the deos always. I don`t decide on a special one.
22. Can you explain us women, why you guys always make the BCG (balls-control-grab)? What??...haha..I don`t do that...not in front of you;-) ieslaughing:
23. Are you really so well-behaved in connection with sex¡..or is there a little rebell in you? ..well¡K.I would say..that depends on the girl!
24. What has to give you anybody, who wants permission to make pictures of you in boxer-shorts? ..hehe..will happen¡Kyou have seen me already in swimming trunks. That`s enough for the beginning!