“Every generation has its Idols...for some it were The Beatles...for the other ones it was Michael Jackson or Take That...12 year olds von today’s generation are adoring Tokio Hotel...World wide.At the moment, the 4 Magdeburg boys are bedazzling their French fans in Paris, in front of 17.000 people, they played all their hits. Let it be here, or in the USA, Italy or France, their amazed fans know their German lyrics by heart.The guys are very happy that this way, they can carry their mother tongue out in the world.
Bill: “We never came out and tried to say “Ok here we are, we want everyone to sing in German”, it just kinda came along and we have noticed that people are having no issues with actually learning the language itself, and we have the most utter respect for them, because we all know how hard it is to learn a language”.
Until now, Tokio Hotel has sold around 3.5 million CD’s and have won many awards for their work. Starting von the “BAMBI” or to the “COMET” or just recently “DIE GOLDENE KAMERA”, many big named awards are there. Even though they have all the fame, they are still always nervous to come out and be on the stage.
Bill: “Yeah, of course you are still nervous when you are on the stage. You get so nervous, it’s not even normal. Especially, like today, with so many people here, the excitement is even bigger. Even the night before you are like thinking about it, and can’t sleep at all...those are all the things that come along with it”.
Just recently, they had some more sleepless nights, but it was about another thing: Next to their music careers, the 4 boys had to get their secondary school diploma. And it felt like a stone in their stomachs...
Tom: “It was a total horror. It’s like even more stress on top of everything, because we are like always on the road, we only had like one week, where we tried really, really hard just to concentrate on school... which is hard ‘cuz then like the phone would ring and people are calling us... but somehow we actually managed to get it done. But like I said...a really stressful, annoying and shitty time for us”.
But that time is now over, and now the 4 Tokio Hotel boys can totally just concentrate on their music careers. Tonight, they play one more show in Paris, and then after comes Portugal, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and many, many more European countries...Bill, Georg, Tom and Gustav are very happy about that!
Tom: “When you are standing on this stage, and you are playing a song, and everyone sings along, and there is like 17.000 of them...and they are happy to see you and that you are there, that’s the moment when you realize why you chose to do this...”
Not many artists were successful to sing in German in other countries, but Tokio Hotel has made it. We shall see what they will surprise us with next!
See interview here:http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=oz4laJ...
[sorry guys the video can't be embedded..]
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Contactmusic.com
Tokio Hotel Biography
TOKIO HOTEL are Bill Kaulitz (vocals) & Tom Kaulitz (guitar), Georg Listing (bass) and Gustav Schafer (drums), and their story reads like the script for a blockbuster movie...
'... A band from a town in East Germany become the biggest stars of the past 20 years in their native country, charting records at No. 1, playing to ten or 20 thousand each night and being feted with every German industry award. Before long, the four musicians are travelling farther afield, and demand is growing fast - not just from an increasingly manic fanbase, but from the mass media too. Much attention is focussed on the frontman and the guitarist - identical twin brothers with a potent 'fight for your dreams' philosophy. The former is a striking, androgynous-looking performer, pierced & tattooed, an artist effortlessly able to drive his followers into a frenzy, whilst the latter cuts a distinctive dash of his own. They record & release two full albums of memorable guitar-driven anthems, complete with German lyrics, and Tokio Fever rages out of control...'
You can already hear the cameras starting to roll, except...
The script would have to include the fact that two of the TH members were just 13 years old when they made their first record, and they are still only 17 today. So no-one would believe it. No way.
Next!
ACTUALLY, NOT only is the above synopsis free from artistic licence, but if anything it underplays the impact these spirited teens have made on a German market where 'Tokio Fever' is now an epidemic...
Since signing with Universal in May 2005, TH have sold approaching three million records & DVDs in Germany alone, making them the country's most successful band, with a host of domestic awards jostling for space in the collective cabinet (nine platinum/four gold, at last count, plus an additional four platinum awards for sales in Austria & Switzerland). And they played the most successful debut live tour EVER to grace German stages.
The two TH albums - 2005's 'Schrei' ('Scream') and follow-up 'Zimmer 483' ('Room 483'), recently released - have both topped the charts at home, spawning four No.1 singles, and in the case of the former, staying on those charts for 66 unbroken weeks. Meanwhile, the first leg of the European stadium tour in support of 'Zimmer...' (April 3rd - May 14th) will see the group playing in front of young crowds six to twenty thousand strong. All going mad. All of the time. Something underlined in the reddest possible ink by the 'Schrei-Live' DVD, issued in 2006, which has now sold approximately 100,000 copies in Germany, pushing total DVD sales for TH to the quarter million mark...
Put simply, it would be an act of rank foolishness to go toe-to-toe with these guys in terms of statues or stats, with existing records being rearranged as a matter of routine. They're the youngest band to reach the top of their charts at home, for example... and now the highest-placed German act ever in France, where 'Zimmer 483' (the meaning of the title is hidden somewhere in the album!) recently stormed the chart at No.2, turning gold week one.
With French national radio station NRJ reporting more text messages & phone calls for TH than for Madonna, and their supporters laying siege to any hotel they book into, it's clear that this audio/visual fan-driven phenomenon is not constrained by either language or location. France, Austria, Switzerland and most East-European countries are all now making their mark on the gold & platinum scale, paving the way for a co-ordinated leap into the wider overseas market, with the US & UK ridin' high on the 'to do' list.
Central to this, the key moments from both albums are being brought together on 'Scream' - a new 12-track package (set to appear on June 4th) that could already, and quite legitimately, be described as a 'Greatest Hits' release. Complete with specially revised artwork plus newly recorded English vocals (seven songs from the debut outing had to be re-worked three keys lower for Bill, since he was only 13 when he sung the original versions), it will serve as the ideal calling card for those markets yet to experience 'The Fever' at first-hand, with high-profile live & promotional activity due to take place in support.
And just to make the 'script' even more improbable, all of the above (and more!) has been achieved in less than two years - although the speed of this breakthrough should in no way imply either fast-tracking or favoritism. In the world of TH, dues have very much been paid...
BY VISITING the website of their hometown Magdeburg you can see who the town (population 230,000) considers its foremost sons & daughters. Top of the list is Otto von Guericke, inventor of the air pump, born there in 1602, but also on this roll of honour (and destined to knock Otto from his primary perch) are Tokio Hotel. It was in this vicinity, some 405 years later, that the Kaulitz brothers came into the world, Tom 10 minutes before Bill...
For their guitarist stepfather, encouraging the boys' musical instincts seemed the natural thing to do, and by the age of 12, a band had been formed. It was called Devilish, with Georg & Gustav - who had seen the twins play using keyboards rather than live bass & drums - coming on board to add sinew to the spine. Bound together by shared musical likes (and dislikes), the group launched itself onto the clubs & bars of Magdeburg, then booked time in a small budget studio to put the live set to tape. By the end of that session, however, it was obvious to all parties that lack of time, money & experience had taken its toll, leaving the sonics and the songs a little frayed around the edges.
In short, more work was required, and once that work was underway (in conjunction with the producer team: Dave Roth, Patrick Benzner, Peter Hoffmann & David Jost, who had previously worked for Mötley Crüe, Jewel, Faith Hill & Falco, amongst others - they even did remix work for The DOORS), a whole new level of composition was quick to emerge. Sturdy of hook, emotive of vocal and walking a confident middle path between pop sensibility and prime rock rebellion, it was at this point that the TH sound of today began to find its feet. Accessible? Absolutely. Modern? Most certainly. But at no point conceived to fall in line with fashion.
FOR BILL, Tom, Gustav & Georg, this learning curve is something that still gets discussed in (rare) quieter moments; their first time as members of an experienced/extended team, and their first chance to sit in a hi-tech control room, jet-fighter-cockpit-and- bridge-of-The-Enterprise all rolled into one. Out of these early sessions came a selection of songs powerful enough to pull in major industry interest (Universal offered their deal after another label had 'fumbled the ball'), and also to captivate the public in a way that seldom happens, with debut single/video 'Durch Den Monsun' ('Through The Monsoon') leading the charge in spectacular style...
A prime example of restrained drama and telling melody, '... Monsun' charted at No.1 in Germany on August 20th 2005, with Tokio Hotel now the name of the band; by the following week, the track had rocketed to No.1 in Austria as well... which at this point makes 'the script' impossible to put down!
Sure, the song was a hit, and a serious one, occupying the top spot in Germany for seven consecutive weeks and staying in the Top 100 for a further 16. More than that, however, it took a rather large flame to the TH fuse, connecting with receptive hearts & minds on a level that flagged up a healthy future for the group beyond this early assault. It was also, significantly, the 'tipping point' track in France, where radio reticence was finally overcome with an English language version (!)... and now it will be the launch song from the international 'Scream' album, supported by a new video filmed in Cape Town, South Africa with director Daniel Siegler.
FROM THE initial release of '... Monsun' onwards, the words 'Tokio Hotel' and 'major chart success' have never been out of the same sentence, with the next four singles all striking home: 'Schrei' (Top Five), 'Rette Mich' (No.1), 'Der Letzte Tag' (No.1) & 'Ubers Ende Der Welt' (No.1), the latter from 'Zimmer 483'. No great surprise then that the band have been consistently honoured at such high-profile events as the World Music Awards, the Eins Live Krone Awards, the European Borders Breaker Awards and the Echo Awards, where they recently premiered new single 'Spring Nicht' ('Don't Jump') before collecting the 'Best Video' award for 'Der Letzte Tag' ('The Final Day').
With 'Spring Nicht' (also from 'Zimmer...') due out shortly in Europe plus the international release for '... Monsoon' now set at May 7th, 'the script' continues to be a page-turner, with extra cast & crew added all of the time. What there's no need for, however, is a stylist, as right from the start the four - particularly, Bill & Tom - have chosen to explore their own ideas about image, giving an extra-wide berth to convention & conformity (the clip for 'Ubers Ende Der Welt' tackles this subject with non-political aplomb).
There is a story that, when very young, Bill & Tom would wear T-shirts bearing their names so as to stop people mixing them up, but there's no chance of such confusion occurring today...
On one side, there's Bill, almost an anime character come to life with his exotic appearance and shock of hair - a 'live for the moment' personality who basically 'invented' himself when he was six years old. He has since become the biggest and most passionate stage performer in the country.
Tom, on the other hand, favours a different, more urban look, though one that's just as defined - all in marked relief to his brother's tight-fit taste in fashion. Not unexpectedly, their musical leanings are individual too, with Tom's early regard for AC/DC & Aerosmith now giving way to artists such as German hip hop star Samy Deluxe, whereas Bill, if pressed, is more likely to talk about David Bowie or veteran German singer Nena, for whom he's long nursed an affection.
With so much media attention focussed on the pair (the circulation of German youth title Bravo has risen by 22 per cent in the wake of TH's booming popularity), it can sometimes be hard for decisions to be taken with a fully level head. In this respect, the 'two G's' - whose musical loves range from Fall Out Boy & Green Day (Georg) through to Metallica & Foo Fighters (Gustav) - are on hand to provide the more measured view, the calm at the eye of the storm. Actually, make that monsoon...
GIVE ALL of the above a stir, and the result is a young band who pride themselves on playing their instruments since they could walk (Gustav started on drums when he was four) putting on great live shows (they've recently taken delivery of a new all-moving stage-set) and having positive things to say to fans their own age. Yes, their demeanour and their dress have played a significant role in bringing them into the spotlight, and yes, their average age is only 18, but it would be foolish to attribute such dramatic (and fast-growing) success to pin-up power alone. No cheekbones are that sturdily chiselled.
(I thought it may be of some interest for you guys...Hmm.. Tokio Hotel..THE MOVIE!..
)
TOKIO HOTEL are Bill Kaulitz (vocals) & Tom Kaulitz (guitar), Georg Listing (bass) and Gustav Schafer (drums), and their story reads like the script for a blockbuster movie...
'... A band from a town in East Germany become the biggest stars of the past 20 years in their native country, charting records at No. 1, playing to ten or 20 thousand each night and being feted with every German industry award. Before long, the four musicians are travelling farther afield, and demand is growing fast - not just from an increasingly manic fanbase, but from the mass media too. Much attention is focussed on the frontman and the guitarist - identical twin brothers with a potent 'fight for your dreams' philosophy. The former is a striking, androgynous-looking performer, pierced & tattooed, an artist effortlessly able to drive his followers into a frenzy, whilst the latter cuts a distinctive dash of his own. They record & release two full albums of memorable guitar-driven anthems, complete with German lyrics, and Tokio Fever rages out of control...'
You can already hear the cameras starting to roll, except...
The script would have to include the fact that two of the TH members were just 13 years old when they made their first record, and they are still only 17 today. So no-one would believe it. No way.
Next!
ACTUALLY, NOT only is the above synopsis free from artistic licence, but if anything it underplays the impact these spirited teens have made on a German market where 'Tokio Fever' is now an epidemic...
Since signing with Universal in May 2005, TH have sold approaching three million records & DVDs in Germany alone, making them the country's most successful band, with a host of domestic awards jostling for space in the collective cabinet (nine platinum/four gold, at last count, plus an additional four platinum awards for sales in Austria & Switzerland). And they played the most successful debut live tour EVER to grace German stages.
The two TH albums - 2005's 'Schrei' ('Scream') and follow-up 'Zimmer 483' ('Room 483'), recently released - have both topped the charts at home, spawning four No.1 singles, and in the case of the former, staying on those charts for 66 unbroken weeks. Meanwhile, the first leg of the European stadium tour in support of 'Zimmer...' (April 3rd - May 14th) will see the group playing in front of young crowds six to twenty thousand strong. All going mad. All of the time. Something underlined in the reddest possible ink by the 'Schrei-Live' DVD, issued in 2006, which has now sold approximately 100,000 copies in Germany, pushing total DVD sales for TH to the quarter million mark...
Put simply, it would be an act of rank foolishness to go toe-to-toe with these guys in terms of statues or stats, with existing records being rearranged as a matter of routine. They're the youngest band to reach the top of their charts at home, for example... and now the highest-placed German act ever in France, where 'Zimmer 483' (the meaning of the title is hidden somewhere in the album!) recently stormed the chart at No.2, turning gold week one.
With French national radio station NRJ reporting more text messages & phone calls for TH than for Madonna, and their supporters laying siege to any hotel they book into, it's clear that this audio/visual fan-driven phenomenon is not constrained by either language or location. France, Austria, Switzerland and most East-European countries are all now making their mark on the gold & platinum scale, paving the way for a co-ordinated leap into the wider overseas market, with the US & UK ridin' high on the 'to do' list.
Central to this, the key moments from both albums are being brought together on 'Scream' - a new 12-track package (set to appear on June 4th) that could already, and quite legitimately, be described as a 'Greatest Hits' release. Complete with specially revised artwork plus newly recorded English vocals (seven songs from the debut outing had to be re-worked three keys lower for Bill, since he was only 13 when he sung the original versions), it will serve as the ideal calling card for those markets yet to experience 'The Fever' at first-hand, with high-profile live & promotional activity due to take place in support.
And just to make the 'script' even more improbable, all of the above (and more!) has been achieved in less than two years - although the speed of this breakthrough should in no way imply either fast-tracking or favoritism. In the world of TH, dues have very much been paid...
BY VISITING the website of their hometown Magdeburg you can see who the town (population 230,000) considers its foremost sons & daughters. Top of the list is Otto von Guericke, inventor of the air pump, born there in 1602, but also on this roll of honour (and destined to knock Otto from his primary perch) are Tokio Hotel. It was in this vicinity, some 405 years later, that the Kaulitz brothers came into the world, Tom 10 minutes before Bill...
For their guitarist stepfather, encouraging the boys' musical instincts seemed the natural thing to do, and by the age of 12, a band had been formed. It was called Devilish, with Georg & Gustav - who had seen the twins play using keyboards rather than live bass & drums - coming on board to add sinew to the spine. Bound together by shared musical likes (and dislikes), the group launched itself onto the clubs & bars of Magdeburg, then booked time in a small budget studio to put the live set to tape. By the end of that session, however, it was obvious to all parties that lack of time, money & experience had taken its toll, leaving the sonics and the songs a little frayed around the edges.
In short, more work was required, and once that work was underway (in conjunction with the producer team: Dave Roth, Patrick Benzner, Peter Hoffmann & David Jost, who had previously worked for Mötley Crüe, Jewel, Faith Hill & Falco, amongst others - they even did remix work for The DOORS), a whole new level of composition was quick to emerge. Sturdy of hook, emotive of vocal and walking a confident middle path between pop sensibility and prime rock rebellion, it was at this point that the TH sound of today began to find its feet. Accessible? Absolutely. Modern? Most certainly. But at no point conceived to fall in line with fashion.
FOR BILL, Tom, Gustav & Georg, this learning curve is something that still gets discussed in (rare) quieter moments; their first time as members of an experienced/extended team, and their first chance to sit in a hi-tech control room, jet-fighter-cockpit-and- bridge-of-The-Enterprise all rolled into one. Out of these early sessions came a selection of songs powerful enough to pull in major industry interest (Universal offered their deal after another label had 'fumbled the ball'), and also to captivate the public in a way that seldom happens, with debut single/video 'Durch Den Monsun' ('Through The Monsoon') leading the charge in spectacular style...
A prime example of restrained drama and telling melody, '... Monsun' charted at No.1 in Germany on August 20th 2005, with Tokio Hotel now the name of the band; by the following week, the track had rocketed to No.1 in Austria as well... which at this point makes 'the script' impossible to put down!
Sure, the song was a hit, and a serious one, occupying the top spot in Germany for seven consecutive weeks and staying in the Top 100 for a further 16. More than that, however, it took a rather large flame to the TH fuse, connecting with receptive hearts & minds on a level that flagged up a healthy future for the group beyond this early assault. It was also, significantly, the 'tipping point' track in France, where radio reticence was finally overcome with an English language version (!)... and now it will be the launch song from the international 'Scream' album, supported by a new video filmed in Cape Town, South Africa with director Daniel Siegler.
FROM THE initial release of '... Monsun' onwards, the words 'Tokio Hotel' and 'major chart success' have never been out of the same sentence, with the next four singles all striking home: 'Schrei' (Top Five), 'Rette Mich' (No.1), 'Der Letzte Tag' (No.1) & 'Ubers Ende Der Welt' (No.1), the latter from 'Zimmer 483'. No great surprise then that the band have been consistently honoured at such high-profile events as the World Music Awards, the Eins Live Krone Awards, the European Borders Breaker Awards and the Echo Awards, where they recently premiered new single 'Spring Nicht' ('Don't Jump') before collecting the 'Best Video' award for 'Der Letzte Tag' ('The Final Day').
With 'Spring Nicht' (also from 'Zimmer...') due out shortly in Europe plus the international release for '... Monsoon' now set at May 7th, 'the script' continues to be a page-turner, with extra cast & crew added all of the time. What there's no need for, however, is a stylist, as right from the start the four - particularly, Bill & Tom - have chosen to explore their own ideas about image, giving an extra-wide berth to convention & conformity (the clip for 'Ubers Ende Der Welt' tackles this subject with non-political aplomb).
There is a story that, when very young, Bill & Tom would wear T-shirts bearing their names so as to stop people mixing them up, but there's no chance of such confusion occurring today...
On one side, there's Bill, almost an anime character come to life with his exotic appearance and shock of hair - a 'live for the moment' personality who basically 'invented' himself when he was six years old. He has since become the biggest and most passionate stage performer in the country.
Tom, on the other hand, favours a different, more urban look, though one that's just as defined - all in marked relief to his brother's tight-fit taste in fashion. Not unexpectedly, their musical leanings are individual too, with Tom's early regard for AC/DC & Aerosmith now giving way to artists such as German hip hop star Samy Deluxe, whereas Bill, if pressed, is more likely to talk about David Bowie or veteran German singer Nena, for whom he's long nursed an affection.
With so much media attention focussed on the pair (the circulation of German youth title Bravo has risen by 22 per cent in the wake of TH's booming popularity), it can sometimes be hard for decisions to be taken with a fully level head. In this respect, the 'two G's' - whose musical loves range from Fall Out Boy & Green Day (Georg) through to Metallica & Foo Fighters (Gustav) - are on hand to provide the more measured view, the calm at the eye of the storm. Actually, make that monsoon...
GIVE ALL of the above a stir, and the result is a young band who pride themselves on playing their instruments since they could walk (Gustav started on drums when he was four) putting on great live shows (they've recently taken delivery of a new all-moving stage-set) and having positive things to say to fans their own age. Yes, their demeanour and their dress have played a significant role in bringing them into the spotlight, and yes, their average age is only 18, but it would be foolish to attribute such dramatic (and fast-growing) success to pin-up power alone. No cheekbones are that sturdily chiselled.
(I thought it may be of some interest for you guys...Hmm.. Tokio Hotel..THE MOVIE!..
)
TRL For Canadians!
Canadians are in luck this month! MTV2, which shows TRL, is a free preview channel this month on some Canadian cable providers. This means that Canadians who get their cable from those providers will be able to watch Tokio Hotel on TRL this week from Tuesday to Thursday acting as cohosts on the show. See if you have one of the participating cable providers:
Access Communication customers
Free Preview On Channel #118
Call 1-866-363-2225 or visit www.accesscomm.ca
Bell ExpressVu Customers
Free Preview On Channel #577
Call 1-888-SKYDISH or visit www.bell.ca/satellite
Cogeco Customers
Free Preview On Channel #172
Call 1-877-9COGECO (264326) or visit www.cogeco.com
EastLink Customers
Free Preview On Channel #170
Call 1-888-345-1111 or visit www.eastlink.ca
MTS Customers
Free Preview On Channel #324
Call 941-4545 or visit www.mts.ca/mtstv
Rogers Customers
Free Preview On Channel #706
Call 1-888-ROGERS-1 (1-888-764-3771) or visit www.rogers.com
SaskTel Customers
Free Preview On Channel #140
Call 1-800-SASKTEL (1-800-727-5835) or visit www.sasktel.com
Star Choice Customers
Free Preview On Channel #590
Call 1-888-472-2222 or visit www.starchoice.com
Shaw Customers
Free Preview On Channel #98
Call 1-888-472-2222 or visit www.shaw.ca
Telus Customers in Edmonton or Calgary
Free Preview On Channel #254
Call 310-MYTV or visit www.mytelus.com/tv
Vidéotron Customers
Free Preview On Channel #163
Call 1-877-380-2511 or visit www.videotron.com
Access Communication customers
Free Preview On Channel #118
Call 1-866-363-2225 or visit www.accesscomm.ca
Bell ExpressVu Customers
Free Preview On Channel #577
Call 1-888-SKYDISH or visit www.bell.ca/satellite
Cogeco Customers
Free Preview On Channel #172
Call 1-877-9COGECO (264326) or visit www.cogeco.com
EastLink Customers
Free Preview On Channel #170
Call 1-888-345-1111 or visit www.eastlink.ca
MTS Customers
Free Preview On Channel #324
Call 941-4545 or visit www.mts.ca/mtstv
Rogers Customers
Free Preview On Channel #706
Call 1-888-ROGERS-1 (1-888-764-3771) or visit www.rogers.com
SaskTel Customers
Free Preview On Channel #140
Call 1-800-SASKTEL (1-800-727-5835) or visit www.sasktel.com
Star Choice Customers
Free Preview On Channel #590
Call 1-888-472-2222 or visit www.starchoice.com
Shaw Customers
Free Preview On Channel #98
Call 1-888-472-2222 or visit www.shaw.ca
Telus Customers in Edmonton or Calgary
Free Preview On Channel #254
Call 310-MYTV or visit www.mytelus.com/tv
Vidéotron Customers
Free Preview On Channel #163
Call 1-877-380-2511 or visit www.videotron.com
News, Gossips and Articles!
Creepy fan videos Tom at Studio 
:
:On Bushido’s fanboard, he and his crew have joined Tokio Hotel fans in voting for Tokio Hotel as Best New Artist.
Click HERE to check it out!
Very kind of him, I must say...although TH would probably win it anyhow
.THE LEADER OF THE GERMAN BAND HAS RECEIVED HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE AND HAS BOUGHT HIS FIRST CAR...
Bill Kaulitz, he's handsome, he sings well, he's stylish, he's rich, he is...
In short, he lacked nothing, but one thing to complete it all: a car. The problem is, while all the other members of Tokio Hotel have passed the eam, Bill missed his on the first try...
But after a few weeks of additional driving courses, Bill from Tokio Hotel has finally overcome it and got his driver's license two days ago, last Wednesday, on his second attempt.
Once the paper in his pocket, he we left there to choose the equipment of his dreams. Here, Bill opted for a German brand by offering himself a grey convertible BMW (see it here) Price of the jewel? Around 90,000 euros. This is the price he must pay to ventilate his hair with class...
(voici.fr)
Tokiohotelamerica:
Rumor has it Tokio Hotel will be visiting Mexico when they are in North America. The rumor says it will be a private concert for radio and music people. That’s all we know. Don’t go crazy yet. It’s ONLY a rumor.
For any of you who like to run outside and breathe your North American air simply because the band is on the same continent? Well, you can run outside now because rumor has it Tokio Hotel has landed and their takeover of the Americas is beginning.
On the 7th, next Wednesday, in Sayreville, New Jersey, Tokio Hotel's US Tour starts and will end sometime at the end of the month.
A total of 11 concerts in small enclosures, where we can check out the realistic prospect of the band in the US...a musically contradictory country, difficult to win, but essential in a takeoff on a global basis.
The importance of the mini-tour goes beyond what is strictly musical, so much, that the future and planning of future months for the band depends largely on the month of August, which causes us to compare the American cities as a final exam.
The trajectory of the Magdeburg boys could be considered meteoric. That is why, far from lifting the foot off the accelerator, it is precisely now that the Tokio Hotel universe has so much at stake, and will now step on the pedal.
If fans and the American press respond with the same predisposition that they did during TH's promotional tour for "Scream," the management will plan the World Tour's next studio album in many different ways, giving priority to a new market and drastically reducing the dates in Europe (!!!), replacing the flags in Champion League stadiums, accommodating the same number of fans, but fewer dates.
The USA tour plays a role and takes place in reduced enclosures or average-sized ones. We cannot overlook the radical change that this can make in the new continent. Obviously, we talk about the maximum degree which any band can aspire, but let us not forget the harshness that results for most European bands on their first American tour, where they spend a least a couple months and have been everyday in places where flags, cities, fans, food, hotels...virtually everything. The leader of a great and famous Swedish band in the 80s once said that the US was like working in an assembly line of Scania truck company, where employers are happy to be able to work, but then eventually got burned out because America's industrializes through art.
Today, having recognition in the US is like having Harry Potter's wand, and being able to see the rest of the planet's doors open automatically. The Japanese, Australian, and South American markets are waiting...
(destinorock)
News, News and More NEWS!
TRL Week Starts Tuesday:
According to the schedule on TRL’s website, there will be no show on Monday and Tokio Hotel on TRL week won’t start until Tuesday. This means only three days of Tokio Hotel, not four. Make sure to tune in on Thursday though, when they’ll perform live!
TRL Week-In-Review:
This was Monsoon’s first full week on MTV TRL’s countdown. They started off on Monday at #6 and jumped to #4 on Tuesday. On Wednesday they retained their #4 spot, but on Thrusday they dropped off the chart completey. This was very unexpected, but is a reminder to everyone to keep voting for Tokio Hotel week starting Tuesday. You can vote for Monsoon here.
MOD Week-In-Review:
Monsoon had a disappointing week on the MOD Daily 10. They started off on Monday at #4, dropped to #6 on Tuesday and then down to #8 on Wednesday. Thursday saw them drop another spot to #9 until they finally started to move up again on Friday to #8. We’ve really got to start voting again or next week we could see Monsoon fall off the Daily 10. Remember, you can vote on the Daily 10’s site as many times as you want. Vote HERE.
Hmm..we shall have to get this fixed, lets get voting everyone!!
TOKIO HOTEL GET NOMINATED!!...
Tokio Hotel has been nominated for Best Pop Video in the MTV VMAs, but not for the video we expected. Although the focus was to vote for Monsoon, somehow Ready, Set, Go! has been nominated instead. This is still great news, but it is also a bit confusing. To see al the nominees for best Pop Video, look here.
Win Tickets at TRL!!
A new post on Tokio Hotel’s Official US Site says that if you go to MTV TRL’s studio between 3PM and 4PM on Monday, or between 11AM and 12Noon or 3PM and 4PM on Tuesday you could have a chance to win two tickets and a Meet & Greet pass to the sold out Sayreville, NJ concert on August 7th.
"Come out to the Times Square TRL studio this Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 4th & 5th), and you can win 2 tickets to Tokio Hotel´s SOLD OUT show in Sayreville, NJ on Aug. 7th PLUS a meet and greet with the band.
We are going to give away a pair of tickets and a meet and greet with the band at the following times:
Monday, between 3 and 4pm
Tuesday, between 11am and 12noon
And AGAIN between 3 and 4pm
Bring your best Tokio Hotel signs, outfits, posters, and you could be the WINNER! Get there early, and get creative!"
Several months ago, we heard that Tom had his license and bought a new Escalade. Now, Bill has his license and bought a BMW 650i Cabrio.!!
Ohhh Bill's new car again!!, its so beautiful!..
MTV Creeps Ever Closer To Staging A Live Tokio Hotel-Jonas Brothers Cage Match
Idolator is suggesting that we may see Tokio Hotel and the Jonas Brothers together on the VMAs. They say that MTV is looking to bring in a lot of viewers, and they know such a feature would do that.
Inexplicably enigmatic German outfit Tokio Hotel has apparently snagged the first Video Music Awards nomination of its career, with the band's clip for "Ready, Set, Go!" getting nominated in the Best Pop Video category. This victory-before-the-victory was no doubt assisted by the fact that Internet fan voting helped determine said division's picks, what with Tokio Hotel fans rivaling only Jonas Brothers diehards in the current pantheon of "bands who have crazed, computer-equipped teen girl squads as their fanbases." And hey, given that the Jonas Brothers have already been announced as a performer on the Sept. 7 broadcast, and that MTV—no stranger to the fans of those two bands waging war on behalf of their beloved musicians—wants the broadcast to make a Britney-sized ratings splash again this year, I suspect this is all going to lead up to some sort of wresting match. Or at least a hairdo-off of some kind. The "Ready, Set, Go!" clip is after the jump, just so you all know what we'll be getting into a month from now.
Tokio Hotel ThankYou Video (aww)
Tokio Hotel recently released a YouTube video thanking us for voting for them as Best Pop Video, and asking us to vote for them as Best New Artist.
According to the schedule on TRL’s website, there will be no show on Monday and Tokio Hotel on TRL week won’t start until Tuesday. This means only three days of Tokio Hotel, not four. Make sure to tune in on Thursday though, when they’ll perform live!
TRL Week-In-Review:
This was Monsoon’s first full week on MTV TRL’s countdown. They started off on Monday at #6 and jumped to #4 on Tuesday. On Wednesday they retained their #4 spot, but on Thrusday they dropped off the chart completey. This was very unexpected, but is a reminder to everyone to keep voting for Tokio Hotel week starting Tuesday. You can vote for Monsoon here.
MOD Week-In-Review:
Monsoon had a disappointing week on the MOD Daily 10. They started off on Monday at #4, dropped to #6 on Tuesday and then down to #8 on Wednesday. Thursday saw them drop another spot to #9 until they finally started to move up again on Friday to #8. We’ve really got to start voting again or next week we could see Monsoon fall off the Daily 10. Remember, you can vote on the Daily 10’s site as many times as you want. Vote HERE.
Hmm..we shall have to get this fixed, lets get voting everyone!!
TOKIO HOTEL GET NOMINATED!!...
Tokio Hotel has been nominated for Best Pop Video in the MTV VMAs, but not for the video we expected. Although the focus was to vote for Monsoon, somehow Ready, Set, Go! has been nominated instead. This is still great news, but it is also a bit confusing. To see al the nominees for best Pop Video, look here.
Win Tickets at TRL!!
A new post on Tokio Hotel’s Official US Site says that if you go to MTV TRL’s studio between 3PM and 4PM on Monday, or between 11AM and 12Noon or 3PM and 4PM on Tuesday you could have a chance to win two tickets and a Meet & Greet pass to the sold out Sayreville, NJ concert on August 7th.
"Come out to the Times Square TRL studio this Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 4th & 5th), and you can win 2 tickets to Tokio Hotel´s SOLD OUT show in Sayreville, NJ on Aug. 7th PLUS a meet and greet with the band.
We are going to give away a pair of tickets and a meet and greet with the band at the following times:
Monday, between 3 and 4pm
Tuesday, between 11am and 12noon
And AGAIN between 3 and 4pm
Bring your best Tokio Hotel signs, outfits, posters, and you could be the WINNER! Get there early, and get creative!"
Several months ago, we heard that Tom had his license and bought a new Escalade. Now, Bill has his license and bought a BMW 650i Cabrio.!!
Ahhh so exciting!...Bill's new car!..
Ohhh Bill's new car again!!, its so beautiful!..
MTV Creeps Ever Closer To Staging A Live Tokio Hotel-Jonas Brothers Cage Match
Idolator is suggesting that we may see Tokio Hotel and the Jonas Brothers together on the VMAs. They say that MTV is looking to bring in a lot of viewers, and they know such a feature would do that.
Inexplicably enigmatic German outfit Tokio Hotel has apparently snagged the first Video Music Awards nomination of its career, with the band's clip for "Ready, Set, Go!" getting nominated in the Best Pop Video category. This victory-before-the-victory was no doubt assisted by the fact that Internet fan voting helped determine said division's picks, what with Tokio Hotel fans rivaling only Jonas Brothers diehards in the current pantheon of "bands who have crazed, computer-equipped teen girl squads as their fanbases." And hey, given that the Jonas Brothers have already been announced as a performer on the Sept. 7 broadcast, and that MTV—no stranger to the fans of those two bands waging war on behalf of their beloved musicians—wants the broadcast to make a Britney-sized ratings splash again this year, I suspect this is all going to lead up to some sort of wresting match. Or at least a hairdo-off of some kind. The "Ready, Set, Go!" clip is after the jump, just so you all know what we'll be getting into a month from now.
Tokio Hotel ThankYou Video (aww)
Tokio Hotel recently released a YouTube video thanking us for voting for them as Best Pop Video, and asking us to vote for them as Best New Artist.
News - Cherry Tree House Performances!!
Tokio Hotel for Best New Artist
MTV VMA ‘08
Starting today, the MTV VMA poll is open for the category “BEST NEW ARTIST”! Click HERE to support Bill, Tom, Gustav & Georg by casting your vote for MONSOON right now!!! Please keep in mind that this poll closes on Wednesday morning and you need to have a MTV account to be able to participate in this voting – if you don’t have one yet simply click HERE to sign up for your own free MTV account.
After you supported the guys at the VMA’s make sure to also drop by at the MTV TRL voting to help the Bill, Tom, Gustav & Georg get in the countdown and for the finish - lean back, relax and watch the full Tokio Hotel Monsoon video!
Take care & rock on!!!!
The San Francisco gig is sold out!
Hot Topic : August 8th
It has been confirmed that Tokio Hotel will be at the Hot Topic at the Freehold Raceway Mall, in Freehold, New Jersey. To get an autograph, you will need to buy a CD or a shirt from Hot Topic to get a wristband for the signing. There are only 300 wristbands available and they are already on sale. So, if you want one, you might want to run to that Hot Topic, if it is near you. You may start lining up at 10 am on that day and the signing is at 3 pm.
(tokiohotelamerica)
Buzznet is giving away tickets to the USA concerts!
Terms and Conditions:
* If you WIN you get a pair of tix to the date you choose.
* 1 photo pass will also be issued to the winner.
* Deadline to enter is about a week before the show date.
* Winners will be contacted at least 3 days before the show.
* Contest is only open to legal residents of the US.
* Winners must have their own transportation to the concert.
* Read the full contest rules here!
Is there anything you always wanted to ask Bill, Tom, Gustav or Georg? Well, over at TeenMag.com you have the chance to get your questions answered directly by Tokio Hotel. Simply head over there right now and submit all your questions for the guys!!!
THcanada.com has just won the August Site of the Month Award of Portrait Magazine!
Don't forget to support TH by voting for them as much as you can!
MTV VMA ‘08
Starting today, the MTV VMA poll is open for the category “BEST NEW ARTIST”! Click HERE to support Bill, Tom, Gustav & Georg by casting your vote for MONSOON right now!!! Please keep in mind that this poll closes on Wednesday morning and you need to have a MTV account to be able to participate in this voting – if you don’t have one yet simply click HERE to sign up for your own free MTV account.
After you supported the guys at the VMA’s make sure to also drop by at the MTV TRL voting to help the Bill, Tom, Gustav & Georg get in the countdown and for the finish - lean back, relax and watch the full Tokio Hotel Monsoon video!
Take care & rock on!!!!
The San Francisco gig is sold out!
Tokio Hotel at the Cherry Tree House:
The Fulls performance can be found HERE
(Hey, sorry for the little butt in here, but omg, please check out the full performances at the Cherrt Tree House, there amazing...and surprisingly, the videos DONT have to load, it just plays!..
(Hey, sorry for the little butt in here, but omg, please check out the full performances at the Cherrt Tree House, there amazing...and surprisingly, the videos DONT have to load, it just plays!..
It has been confirmed that Tokio Hotel will be at the Hot Topic at the Freehold Raceway Mall, in Freehold, New Jersey. To get an autograph, you will need to buy a CD or a shirt from Hot Topic to get a wristband for the signing. There are only 300 wristbands available and they are already on sale. So, if you want one, you might want to run to that Hot Topic, if it is near you. You may start lining up at 10 am on that day and the signing is at 3 pm.
(tokiohotelamerica)
Buzznet is giving away tickets to the USA concerts!
Terms and Conditions:
* If you WIN you get a pair of tix to the date you choose.
* 1 photo pass will also be issued to the winner.
* Deadline to enter is about a week before the show date.
* Winners will be contacted at least 3 days before the show.
* Contest is only open to legal residents of the US.
* Winners must have their own transportation to the concert.
* Read the full contest rules here!
Is there anything you always wanted to ask Bill, Tom, Gustav or Georg? Well, over at TeenMag.com you have the chance to get your questions answered directly by Tokio Hotel. Simply head over there right now and submit all your questions for the guys!!!
THcanada.com has just won the August Site of the Month Award of Portrait Magazine!
Don't forget to support TH by voting for them as much as you can!
Censoring Vacation Pictures
I think we've heard about it before, but I think Tokio Hotel are really adament in keeping there private life..well Private!
Star Agora has posted an article about Bill and Tom’s vacation photos. They say that the boys may be seeking to censor the photos, because they don’t like their private life to be exploited.
Have the leaders of the group Tokio Hotel started a censorship operation to remove vacation photos? Tom and Bill Kaulitz were very sexy in swimwear! The fans would have TH easily imagined them on the beach, tanning in the sun, or by the pool of their luxurious palace of Maldives.
The German site Bild offered photos of Tom and Bill Kaulitz torso naked, smoking and drinking their cocktails. But now, no more of their private life! Obviously these unofficial photos were not in the interest of TH. The Kaulitz brothers are real stars, better than Britney Spears in Mexico (see NEWS).
Thus we would not see the Magdeburg twins in total relaxation mode. The private side of the young Kaulitz brothers was altogether removed! However, there is a Russian blog with fairly recent, and very sexy, photos of the twins at the beach.
But beware, there are other relatively recent photos of Tom and Bill in the Maldives. The photos date from this winter. This seems to be a habit for the singer and guitarist of Tokio Hotel to escape the German cold to get in this archipelago of islands like paradise in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is hot, far away and expensive, which enables the two to relax in peace.
On these blog pictures we see Tom and Bill Kaulitz without make-up, stripped to the waist, but Bill is still wearing his nail polish. They bathe with smokes to thei mouthes, with the orange juice cocktail and ice Miko. We can easily distinguish the tattoos Bill has on his left arm: he tattooed his last name in nice letters… It is undoubtedly not to lose it!
Tom and Bill Kaulitz are two Robinson Crusoe on their island wilderness. Tom is much more relaxed than his brother. At 18, he is ready to crack all girls and women! And you, do you prefer Tom or Bill in a bathing suit?
Star Agora has posted an article about Bill and Tom’s vacation photos. They say that the boys may be seeking to censor the photos, because they don’t like their private life to be exploited.
Have the leaders of the group Tokio Hotel started a censorship operation to remove vacation photos? Tom and Bill Kaulitz were very sexy in swimwear! The fans would have TH easily imagined them on the beach, tanning in the sun, or by the pool of their luxurious palace of Maldives.
The German site Bild offered photos of Tom and Bill Kaulitz torso naked, smoking and drinking their cocktails. But now, no more of their private life! Obviously these unofficial photos were not in the interest of TH. The Kaulitz brothers are real stars, better than Britney Spears in Mexico (see NEWS).
Thus we would not see the Magdeburg twins in total relaxation mode. The private side of the young Kaulitz brothers was altogether removed! However, there is a Russian blog with fairly recent, and very sexy, photos of the twins at the beach.
But beware, there are other relatively recent photos of Tom and Bill in the Maldives. The photos date from this winter. This seems to be a habit for the singer and guitarist of Tokio Hotel to escape the German cold to get in this archipelago of islands like paradise in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is hot, far away and expensive, which enables the two to relax in peace.
On these blog pictures we see Tom and Bill Kaulitz without make-up, stripped to the waist, but Bill is still wearing his nail polish. They bathe with smokes to thei mouthes, with the orange juice cocktail and ice Miko. We can easily distinguish the tattoos Bill has on his left arm: he tattooed his last name in nice letters… It is undoubtedly not to lose it!
Tom and Bill Kaulitz are two Robinson Crusoe on their island wilderness. Tom is much more relaxed than his brother. At 18, he is ready to crack all girls and women! And you, do you prefer Tom or Bill in a bathing suit?
Some News
Anyone with Viva will be able to enjoy a Viva special Saturday night which will feature an old and a new song from 20 artists, with fans votes determining which song is better. Tokio Hotel will be one of those 20 artists, so tune in to Viva at 8PM (in Germany) to watch!
Yeah! Finally, it’s time again! We’ll show you a “VIVA Special - The Vs. Show”! This theme: “Old vs. New”.
You have voted: 20 Artists started with two songs - an older from the early days of her career and a current! Here you see the outcome of the votes!
Air date:
“VIVA Special - The Vs. Show: Old vs.. New”
Saturday, 02.08. — 20:00 clock
Portrait Top 30 Under 30!
During voting, Tokio Hotel and the Twilight Cast had far more votes than everyone else fighting for the top spot, but it seems as though the Twilight Cast won. With the list now released, Tokio Hotel took the second spot. Although they didn’t win, second place is still very good, seeing how much of a lead they had on the Jonas Brothers (third place) during voting.
2. Rockin’ Around the World: Tokio Hotel
Bill Kaulitz (vocals – September 1, 1989), Tom Kaulitz (guitar – September 1, 1989), Georg Listing (bass – March 31, 1987), Gustav Schafer (drums – September 8, 1988)
Since the release of their first single “Durch den Monsun” back in 2005, this German rock quartet’s popularity has just risen and risen. If you already not familiar with them now, you soon will be because this band is set for international domination set to spread the “Tokio fever”. They’re Germany’s most successful band at present and have sold almost three million DVDs and records in Germany alone and most of them aren’t even 21 yet!
What’s Next: World domination. Oh and plenty more touring.
Tokio Hotel on Mi TRL
Interscope reveals that Tokio Hotel will be on MTV Tr3s’ Mi TRL, a Latin American version of MTV TRL, on August 7th. Monsoon will also be premiering on the show that day, and you can vote for it here. For tickets to the show, email tr3scasting@mtv.com.
Yeah! Finally, it’s time again! We’ll show you a “VIVA Special - The Vs. Show”! This theme: “Old vs. New”.
You have voted: 20 Artists started with two songs - an older from the early days of her career and a current! Here you see the outcome of the votes!
Air date:
“VIVA Special - The Vs. Show: Old vs.. New”
Saturday, 02.08. — 20:00 clock
Portrait Top 30 Under 30!
During voting, Tokio Hotel and the Twilight Cast had far more votes than everyone else fighting for the top spot, but it seems as though the Twilight Cast won. With the list now released, Tokio Hotel took the second spot. Although they didn’t win, second place is still very good, seeing how much of a lead they had on the Jonas Brothers (third place) during voting.
2. Rockin’ Around the World: Tokio Hotel
Bill Kaulitz (vocals – September 1, 1989), Tom Kaulitz (guitar – September 1, 1989), Georg Listing (bass – March 31, 1987), Gustav Schafer (drums – September 8, 1988)
Since the release of their first single “Durch den Monsun” back in 2005, this German rock quartet’s popularity has just risen and risen. If you already not familiar with them now, you soon will be because this band is set for international domination set to spread the “Tokio fever”. They’re Germany’s most successful band at present and have sold almost three million DVDs and records in Germany alone and most of them aren’t even 21 yet!
What’s Next: World domination. Oh and plenty more touring.
Tokio Hotel on Mi TRL
Interscope reveals that Tokio Hotel will be on MTV Tr3s’ Mi TRL, a Latin American version of MTV TRL, on August 7th. Monsoon will also be premiering on the show that day, and you can vote for it here. For tickets to the show, email tr3scasting@mtv.com.
Portrait Magazine Article
LadyVamp of Portrait Magazine has written an article all about Tokio Hotel for their August issue.
You’ve heard the screams and witnessed the hysteria that comes in their wake, but just who are Tokio Hotel? It’s no doubt that this little German band has taken the world by storm, covering the music scene in an intoxicating monsoon of giant hair and moving lyrics. You’ve seen the videos and heard the songs, but just who is this quartet of youth and how did this hysteria come about?
Tokio Hotel is comprised of the Kaultiz twins; lead vocalist Bill and Guitarist Tom. The Band also contains drummer Gustav Schafer and Bass player Georg Listing. The Boys musical interests began when they were around seven years of age. Bill and Tom‘s musical interest was sparked by their step father who was a musician himself. The twins started out by playing local pubs in their hometown of Magdeburg, Germany. Bill would do vocals while attempting to play the keyboards and Tom would accompany on the guitar. Bill composed his first song at the age of nine. One night while playing a local club called Gröninger Bad, the twins caught the attention of two young musicians in the crowd. Georg Listing and Gustav Schafer, who knew each other from school, witnessed the twin’s musical abilities and knew they needed their help. “It was obvious that these two guys needed some help, so we talked to them after their gig” Laughs Georg in an interview with PopCultureMadness.com. Tom goes on to joke “Yeah, they actually begged us to join the band - that’s how we got together”.
The band began their early career under the name Devilish. The first gigs they undertook were for no more than five or six people. “Yeah, sometime we have ten or twelve people.“ Bill laughed in an early Devilish interview for a German TV program. Despite their lack luster start the boys soon caught the attention of the record labels in 2001 and began their marathon to fame. After securing their first record deal the boys felt a need for a name change and opted for Tokio Hotel. “After we signed our record deal we thought it was time for a new beginning - we were called Devilish before that. All of us really like big and modern cities. We all think Tokyo is one of the coolest places on earth - and we hope to get there someday soon, hopefully to perform” Tom explains to PopCultureMadness.com. Bill goes on to add, “Yes, and we were also looking for a symbol that would represent our lives from that point on. And because we were living in hotels a lot of the time, the name really seemed to fit”.
In 2003 Bill was a candidate in the first season of “Star Search” (category “Junior”). Bill performed The Whether Girl’s “It’s Raining Men.” But in the quarter-final he was defeated by Oliver Bruton. Bill did not let his “Star Search” experience get him down and in 2005 the band released their first German-language album, Schrei, as Tokio Hotel on Island Records. Schrei sold more than half a million copies worldwide. The album also provided them with four top five singles in Germany and Austria. Their fist album produced their first widely popular single “Monsoon” that has now become a staple in their line of success.
The release of their first album catapulted the boys into the hearts of every German girl who witnessed their image. This overnight success made it difficult for the boys to continue a normal routine, such as going to the store and attending school. The twins for example, where constantly causing massive hysteria at their high school. Very soon the boys were forced to give up on regular classes and finish their degrees online. Bill has been noted as saying that he hated everything to do with school. Don’t we all?
In 2007, the band released their second German album Zimmer 483. The new German album produced three top five singles in Germany. Also in 2007 the guys released their first English album Scream. Together both albums sold over one million copies world wide. Scream produced two singles that reached the top twenty in new territories such as Portugal, Spain and Italy. The new albums also helped the boys land their very first MTV European Music Award for Best InterAct. They also performed their newly translated version of “Monsoon” at the EMA’s. The performance was made especially memorable because of the monsoon produced upon the stage. During the last chorus of the song the stage was engulfed in a downpour drenching our German rockers. The song never waned a minute and resulted in one of the most spectacular performances of the entire night. Their first live album, Zimmer 483 - Live In Europe, was released near the end of 2007.
After their various European tours and domination of their home country, Tokio Hotel was read y to tackle North America. In 2008 the boys played several shows in Toronto, New York and L.A. Each gig turned up a multitude of new fans, surprising the band because their CD hadn’t even been released there yet. Before they could bask in their US debut and return for some more the band suffered a serious set back. Vocalist Bill Kaulitz lost his vocal abilities before several prominent European and US tour dates. At first it was thought his loss of voice was a simple matter of laryngitis. Upon further examination it was discovered Bill’s vocal chords contained a cyst that had been formed through over exertion of his voice. The cyst was removed successfully and after 10 days of silence and weeks of rehab Bill was back on tour once again. The band looks back on the ordeal as a scary time in their career but are glad Bill came through unaltered.
The dates were rescheduled and the band returned to the States for the second time. The guys were especially nervous about coming to the US. While there the boys would be undergoing their first ever completely English tour. They marked their first ever US live television debut on MTV’s TRL. They conducted the entire show in English periodically apologizing for their bad language skills. The boys did a wonderful job conversing with everyone, proving their English is definitely on par. While on the show they performed “Ready, Set, Go” to a hysterical audience and presented a lucky fan with a costume from the actual video shoot. The Boys will be returning to TRL for a whole week as guest hosts August 4th-9th 2008.
Most recently Tokio Hotel attended the 2008 Comet Awards in Germany where they picked up four Awards including the Super Comet Award. More exciting than the new awards was Bill’s unveiling of his brand new hair style. He temporarily ditched the famous Sonic the Hedge Hog main for a darker sleeker look. Don’t worry his hair may be darker but it still has the ability to defy all gravity.
So what’s next for Tokio Hotel? Only time can tell. The band is currently touring the European festival scene and will begin their US invasion in August. With the support of their many eager fans throughout the world there’s nothing these boys can’t do. Now it’s our turn to help them stay on top. Are you ready to “Scream” for Tokio Hotel?
Fun Facts about the Band Members:
Tom Kaulitz:
# Has around 70 caps
# He hates dr. pepper
# Owns a Black Cadillac
# Was born 10 minutes before his twin brother, Bill.
# Hated Subjects in School: Math & Physics
# Favorite music: Hip-hop, especially German.
Bill Kaulitz:
# Was voted “most annoying German in 2006″ by the viewers of TV network ProSieben (27 December 2006).
# Favorite musicians are Nena, Green Day, Coldplay, Keane and Placebo.
# He and his brother, Tom, do not have middle names.
# Pets: A black Labrador named Scotty that he got from a shelter a few years ago, and reportedly a cat named Casimir. (The cat hates Tom)
# Enjoys peppermint tea.
Georg Listing:
# His Idol: Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers
# Favorite Music: Fall out boy, Billy Talent and Yellowcard.
# Favorite songs: “Glamorous” von Fergie und “Golden” von Fall out Boy
# First album he ever bought: “Definitely maybe” from Oasis
# First concert he’s ever been to: Die Ärzte
Gustav Schafer:
# Favorite Subject in School: Sports and Economics.
# Hated Subjects in School: Math and Physics.
# Hobbies: Riding his bike and music.
# His Idol: Lars Ulrich of Metallica.
# Favorite Music/Artists: Metallica
You’ve heard the screams and witnessed the hysteria that comes in their wake, but just who are Tokio Hotel? It’s no doubt that this little German band has taken the world by storm, covering the music scene in an intoxicating monsoon of giant hair and moving lyrics. You’ve seen the videos and heard the songs, but just who is this quartet of youth and how did this hysteria come about?
Tokio Hotel is comprised of the Kaultiz twins; lead vocalist Bill and Guitarist Tom. The Band also contains drummer Gustav Schafer and Bass player Georg Listing. The Boys musical interests began when they were around seven years of age. Bill and Tom‘s musical interest was sparked by their step father who was a musician himself. The twins started out by playing local pubs in their hometown of Magdeburg, Germany. Bill would do vocals while attempting to play the keyboards and Tom would accompany on the guitar. Bill composed his first song at the age of nine. One night while playing a local club called Gröninger Bad, the twins caught the attention of two young musicians in the crowd. Georg Listing and Gustav Schafer, who knew each other from school, witnessed the twin’s musical abilities and knew they needed their help. “It was obvious that these two guys needed some help, so we talked to them after their gig” Laughs Georg in an interview with PopCultureMadness.com. Tom goes on to joke “Yeah, they actually begged us to join the band - that’s how we got together”.
The band began their early career under the name Devilish. The first gigs they undertook were for no more than five or six people. “Yeah, sometime we have ten or twelve people.“ Bill laughed in an early Devilish interview for a German TV program. Despite their lack luster start the boys soon caught the attention of the record labels in 2001 and began their marathon to fame. After securing their first record deal the boys felt a need for a name change and opted for Tokio Hotel. “After we signed our record deal we thought it was time for a new beginning - we were called Devilish before that. All of us really like big and modern cities. We all think Tokyo is one of the coolest places on earth - and we hope to get there someday soon, hopefully to perform” Tom explains to PopCultureMadness.com. Bill goes on to add, “Yes, and we were also looking for a symbol that would represent our lives from that point on. And because we were living in hotels a lot of the time, the name really seemed to fit”.
In 2003 Bill was a candidate in the first season of “Star Search” (category “Junior”). Bill performed The Whether Girl’s “It’s Raining Men.” But in the quarter-final he was defeated by Oliver Bruton. Bill did not let his “Star Search” experience get him down and in 2005 the band released their first German-language album, Schrei, as Tokio Hotel on Island Records. Schrei sold more than half a million copies worldwide. The album also provided them with four top five singles in Germany and Austria. Their fist album produced their first widely popular single “Monsoon” that has now become a staple in their line of success.
The release of their first album catapulted the boys into the hearts of every German girl who witnessed their image. This overnight success made it difficult for the boys to continue a normal routine, such as going to the store and attending school. The twins for example, where constantly causing massive hysteria at their high school. Very soon the boys were forced to give up on regular classes and finish their degrees online. Bill has been noted as saying that he hated everything to do with school. Don’t we all?
In 2007, the band released their second German album Zimmer 483. The new German album produced three top five singles in Germany. Also in 2007 the guys released their first English album Scream. Together both albums sold over one million copies world wide. Scream produced two singles that reached the top twenty in new territories such as Portugal, Spain and Italy. The new albums also helped the boys land their very first MTV European Music Award for Best InterAct. They also performed their newly translated version of “Monsoon” at the EMA’s. The performance was made especially memorable because of the monsoon produced upon the stage. During the last chorus of the song the stage was engulfed in a downpour drenching our German rockers. The song never waned a minute and resulted in one of the most spectacular performances of the entire night. Their first live album, Zimmer 483 - Live In Europe, was released near the end of 2007.
After their various European tours and domination of their home country, Tokio Hotel was read y to tackle North America. In 2008 the boys played several shows in Toronto, New York and L.A. Each gig turned up a multitude of new fans, surprising the band because their CD hadn’t even been released there yet. Before they could bask in their US debut and return for some more the band suffered a serious set back. Vocalist Bill Kaulitz lost his vocal abilities before several prominent European and US tour dates. At first it was thought his loss of voice was a simple matter of laryngitis. Upon further examination it was discovered Bill’s vocal chords contained a cyst that had been formed through over exertion of his voice. The cyst was removed successfully and after 10 days of silence and weeks of rehab Bill was back on tour once again. The band looks back on the ordeal as a scary time in their career but are glad Bill came through unaltered.
The dates were rescheduled and the band returned to the States for the second time. The guys were especially nervous about coming to the US. While there the boys would be undergoing their first ever completely English tour. They marked their first ever US live television debut on MTV’s TRL. They conducted the entire show in English periodically apologizing for their bad language skills. The boys did a wonderful job conversing with everyone, proving their English is definitely on par. While on the show they performed “Ready, Set, Go” to a hysterical audience and presented a lucky fan with a costume from the actual video shoot. The Boys will be returning to TRL for a whole week as guest hosts August 4th-9th 2008.
Most recently Tokio Hotel attended the 2008 Comet Awards in Germany where they picked up four Awards including the Super Comet Award. More exciting than the new awards was Bill’s unveiling of his brand new hair style. He temporarily ditched the famous Sonic the Hedge Hog main for a darker sleeker look. Don’t worry his hair may be darker but it still has the ability to defy all gravity.
So what’s next for Tokio Hotel? Only time can tell. The band is currently touring the European festival scene and will begin their US invasion in August. With the support of their many eager fans throughout the world there’s nothing these boys can’t do. Now it’s our turn to help them stay on top. Are you ready to “Scream” for Tokio Hotel?
Fun Facts about the Band Members:
Tom Kaulitz:
# Has around 70 caps
# He hates dr. pepper
# Owns a Black Cadillac
# Was born 10 minutes before his twin brother, Bill.
# Hated Subjects in School: Math & Physics
# Favorite music: Hip-hop, especially German.
Bill Kaulitz:
# Was voted “most annoying German in 2006″ by the viewers of TV network ProSieben (27 December 2006).
# Favorite musicians are Nena, Green Day, Coldplay, Keane and Placebo.
# He and his brother, Tom, do not have middle names.
# Pets: A black Labrador named Scotty that he got from a shelter a few years ago, and reportedly a cat named Casimir. (The cat hates Tom)
# Enjoys peppermint tea.
Georg Listing:
# His Idol: Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers
# Favorite Music: Fall out boy, Billy Talent and Yellowcard.
# Favorite songs: “Glamorous” von Fergie und “Golden” von Fall out Boy
# First album he ever bought: “Definitely maybe” from Oasis
# First concert he’s ever been to: Die Ärzte
Gustav Schafer:
# Favorite Subject in School: Sports and Economics.
# Hated Subjects in School: Math and Physics.
# Hobbies: Riding his bike and music.
# His Idol: Lars Ulrich of Metallica.
# Favorite Music/Artists: Metallica
Bogus Tokio Hotel Star Arrested!
Bogus Tokio Hotel star charged with Internet sex hoax
PERPIGNAN - A French youth has been charged with posing online as the star of teen rock band Tokio Hotel to trick young girls into sending him nude photos, police said Friday.
The 18-year-old from southwestern France signed up to a string of online chatrooms mascarading as Tokio Hotel singer and teen heartthrob Bill Kaulitz, striking up relations with young girls aged from 11 to 17.
He convinced several to send him nude photographs, some sexually explicit, which he went on to publish on the Internet.
He was arrested on Tuesday and is to stand trial in the southwestern city of Perpignan, police said.
The German pop group Tokio Hotel released their first album in May 2006 and quickly became a major success in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland.
OMG...how dare he!..
PERPIGNAN - A French youth has been charged with posing online as the star of teen rock band Tokio Hotel to trick young girls into sending him nude photos, police said Friday.
The 18-year-old from southwestern France signed up to a string of online chatrooms mascarading as Tokio Hotel singer and teen heartthrob Bill Kaulitz, striking up relations with young girls aged from 11 to 17.
He convinced several to send him nude photographs, some sexually explicit, which he went on to publish on the Internet.
He was arrested on Tuesday and is to stand trial in the southwestern city of Perpignan, police said.
The German pop group Tokio Hotel released their first album in May 2006 and quickly became a major success in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland.
OMG...how dare he!..
Audio Interview, Gossips and More
To Hear Tokio Hotel talk to Oliver Tanson click HERE
Gossips!
Apparently Bill got his driver's license and has bought himself a BMW.
(According to a fan who was there.) Perhaps we should wait until it's official news, but I just wanted to let you know ^^.
Vote for your favorite clip HERE
(Click on "Je vote" on Tokio Hotel's clip "An deiner Seite") You can only vote 3 times, so make those 3 votes count! *So far, TH is still first
International census Tokio Hotel's fanboys
It was born in Italy, the idea to organize a global census for Tokio Hotel's fanboys!
As we know they are clearly fewer than the female ones but it doesn't make them less important!
So boys, Tokio Hotel's fans, it doesn't matter where you are from,
sign this census to tell to TH and to the world that we are with them
too and that we are important! so let's go!! all together!
THIS IS NOT A PETITION, BUT A "CENSUS", ONLY FOR MALE TOKIO HOTEL
FANS FROM EVERY COUNTRY AND OF EVERY AGE. SIGN AND COMMENT IF YOU WANT!
THANKS ^_^
Sign here!
Gossips!
Apparently Bill got his driver's license and has bought himself a BMW.
(According to a fan who was there.) Perhaps we should wait until it's official news, but I just wanted to let you know ^^.
Vote for your favorite clip HERE
(Click on "Je vote" on Tokio Hotel's clip "An deiner Seite") You can only vote 3 times, so make those 3 votes count! *So far, TH is still first
International census Tokio Hotel's fanboys
It was born in Italy, the idea to organize a global census for Tokio Hotel's fanboys!
As we know they are clearly fewer than the female ones but it doesn't make them less important!
So boys, Tokio Hotel's fans, it doesn't matter where you are from,
sign this census to tell to TH and to the world that we are with them
too and that we are important! so let's go!! all together!
THIS IS NOT A PETITION, BUT A "CENSUS", ONLY FOR MALE TOKIO HOTEL
FANS FROM EVERY COUNTRY AND OF EVERY AGE. SIGN AND COMMENT IF YOU WANT!
THANKS ^_^
Sign here!
David Jost Talks About Tokio Hotel!
Yam! 8/08 - Exclusive: The manager that volume unpacks!
David, one of the producers of the band has given an interview to Yam about his definitions of success, how he feels about the band’s success, what makes a star and MORE! Thank you to Poppy at the forum for the translation from the German!
The Starmaker
Talent, hart work or luck – what does it take to become really successful? Tokio-Hotel-Producer David Jost has the answer!
He is producer, songwriter and manager of Tokio Hotel. David Jost discovered the band from Magdeburg, built them up and led them to international success. The creative Hamburger is a workaholic always on a tight schedule. Nevertheless the 35-year-old found time for an exclusive yam!-interview and revealed what it takes to be successful as a star over the long run and why will can be more important than talent …
What does it take to become a star?
DAVID: Potential! Most of all a person has to have emotional potential and also enormous will power. If an artist has to offer a lot of both it is very likely that he will succeed.
Does one also succeed having only one of those two?
DAVID: Yes, if this one is highly developed. If one has only talent but not will power he needs to be lucky and find the right people to push him to success. It also works the other way round. Someone with moderate talent but enournous will power and intelligence can be successful as well.
Any examples for that?
DAVID: Madonna! She is not really an extraordinary singer, but she is intelligent. For over 20 years now, she has been one of the top artists worldwide. This is not luck, nobody can be lucky for such a long period. She does not leave anything to chance. Although she performs on stage, she is one of the big players in the music business, one of those people who pull the strings.
What else does it take to become successful and to stay it?
DAVID: One attribute which is also closely connected to willl power is the readiness to make sacrifices to reach one’s goals. For big and long-term success you almost always have to make sacrifices. This does not only apply for the music business. One has to be very lucky and talented to be successful without sacrifieces.
How do you spot a talent?
DAVID: There is no overall rule to this. Most of the time you can feel talent. I generally trust my gut instinct.
And what did your gut feeling tell you, when you saw Tokio Hotel for the first time?
DAVID: I totally went nuts (laughs). It hit me unexpected. At that time I was willing to do anything but work exclusively with one single band. But all my other plans were forgotten when I heard and saw the boys for the first time. Bill was 13 and showed me and my partners the Band-demos, which they had recorded in their tiny studio in Magdeburg. After the boys left I could not stop screaming „Yes“ and „strike“ (grins)
Did you already know, that TH would be internationally successful?
DAVID: No, of course not. I was 100 percent sure, that they would be mega-successful in Germany. I bet the whole music business everything on that. But it would have been very arrogant to assume that there was such an international hype.
What is Tokio Hotel’s recipe for success?
DAVID: The whole music business is full of artists who only succeed because somebody constantly tells them what to do and how to avoid mistakes. One of the reasons why TH are so successful is that they are exactly the contrary.
In what way?
DAVID: To tell Bill what to do against his will – which would be impossible by the way – would make him lose large parts of himself. Bill has to be totally convinced of what he does – to be able to be as good as he can be. Already at very young age he knew exactly what he wants, and even more what he does not want. People can feel this. Bill comprises very large emotional extremes. You rarely find a frontman like this in Germany. The star potential of the band is huge. Even if I had no brain, it would have been impossible to blow it (laughs)
Songwriter or Manager – which is more fun?
DAVID: Writing songs is of course more fun. But managing is also a creative and diverse job. I am very lucky that I am able to work for a band I believe in and who blows my mind every day anew. I could not do the job without this.
Are you and Tokio Hotel already working on the third album?
DAVID: We already begun with the songwriting. Bill is very creative at the moment and constantly comes up with new song ideas.
What is the best song that you ever wrote?
DAVID: I have not written that one yet. My best song is still to come (laughs)!
David, one of the producers of the band has given an interview to Yam about his definitions of success, how he feels about the band’s success, what makes a star and MORE! Thank you to Poppy at the forum for the translation from the German!
The Starmaker
Talent, hart work or luck – what does it take to become really successful? Tokio-Hotel-Producer David Jost has the answer!
He is producer, songwriter and manager of Tokio Hotel. David Jost discovered the band from Magdeburg, built them up and led them to international success. The creative Hamburger is a workaholic always on a tight schedule. Nevertheless the 35-year-old found time for an exclusive yam!-interview and revealed what it takes to be successful as a star over the long run and why will can be more important than talent …
What does it take to become a star?
DAVID: Potential! Most of all a person has to have emotional potential and also enormous will power. If an artist has to offer a lot of both it is very likely that he will succeed.
Does one also succeed having only one of those two?
DAVID: Yes, if this one is highly developed. If one has only talent but not will power he needs to be lucky and find the right people to push him to success. It also works the other way round. Someone with moderate talent but enournous will power and intelligence can be successful as well.
Any examples for that?
DAVID: Madonna! She is not really an extraordinary singer, but she is intelligent. For over 20 years now, she has been one of the top artists worldwide. This is not luck, nobody can be lucky for such a long period. She does not leave anything to chance. Although she performs on stage, she is one of the big players in the music business, one of those people who pull the strings.
What else does it take to become successful and to stay it?
DAVID: One attribute which is also closely connected to willl power is the readiness to make sacrifices to reach one’s goals. For big and long-term success you almost always have to make sacrifices. This does not only apply for the music business. One has to be very lucky and talented to be successful without sacrifieces.
How do you spot a talent?
DAVID: There is no overall rule to this. Most of the time you can feel talent. I generally trust my gut instinct.
And what did your gut feeling tell you, when you saw Tokio Hotel for the first time?
DAVID: I totally went nuts (laughs). It hit me unexpected. At that time I was willing to do anything but work exclusively with one single band. But all my other plans were forgotten when I heard and saw the boys for the first time. Bill was 13 and showed me and my partners the Band-demos, which they had recorded in their tiny studio in Magdeburg. After the boys left I could not stop screaming „Yes“ and „strike“ (grins)
Did you already know, that TH would be internationally successful?
DAVID: No, of course not. I was 100 percent sure, that they would be mega-successful in Germany. I bet the whole music business everything on that. But it would have been very arrogant to assume that there was such an international hype.
What is Tokio Hotel’s recipe for success?
DAVID: The whole music business is full of artists who only succeed because somebody constantly tells them what to do and how to avoid mistakes. One of the reasons why TH are so successful is that they are exactly the contrary.
In what way?
DAVID: To tell Bill what to do against his will – which would be impossible by the way – would make him lose large parts of himself. Bill has to be totally convinced of what he does – to be able to be as good as he can be. Already at very young age he knew exactly what he wants, and even more what he does not want. People can feel this. Bill comprises very large emotional extremes. You rarely find a frontman like this in Germany. The star potential of the band is huge. Even if I had no brain, it would have been impossible to blow it (laughs)
Songwriter or Manager – which is more fun?
DAVID: Writing songs is of course more fun. But managing is also a creative and diverse job. I am very lucky that I am able to work for a band I believe in and who blows my mind every day anew. I could not do the job without this.
Are you and Tokio Hotel already working on the third album?
DAVID: We already begun with the songwriting. Bill is very creative at the moment and constantly comes up with new song ideas.
What is the best song that you ever wrote?
DAVID: I have not written that one yet. My best song is still to come (laughs)!
Hitkrank Magazine
Tokio Hotel is quitting…...for the rest of the year
Exclusive: The last show of the year
After two awesome concert in Holland this year it is becoming quiet around Bill, Tom, Georg and Gustav. What will the boys be doing?
The photos you see here are made on 13 July in Belgium. There Tokio Hotel performed at the festival Werchter Boutique. We didn’t want to keep these from you, because it was Tokio Hotel’s last show from there European open air tour en with that also the last show they did this year in Europe.
Off course the boys won’t be twisting there thumbs the rest of 2008 either, they keep being busy. Bill and his boys are leaving in the beginning of Augustus to the United States to give live shows there the rest of the month and with that build a name for themselves in America. Because also America is becoming more and more TH-“minded”.
In May Time Square was already decorated with huge images of Bill, Tom, Georg and Gustav that were hanging in the outside of the MTV-studio’s there. There single and album Scream are released there and the fans response is very enthusiastic.
Gone forever?
You can’t off course blame Tokio Hotel for trying to break through in the States; that’s the biggest dream from about any artist. But that doesn’t mean that they are gone forever now. Are you crazy! There are already plans for a new album that will be released in Germany, our little Netherlands and other parts of Europe. That will be the third Tokio Hotel album. Rumours say it will be a German record again. When it will be released isn’t clear yet, but it will probably be somewhere in 2009.
Bill has already started with writing new songs. Everywhere he goes he is writing lyrics. He prefers his laptop but if he doesn’t have it with him he quickly writes something on a coaster or saves it in his phone. Earlier this year the singer has been through some rough times, with problems with his voice and even surgery on his vocal cords. Bill is getting a lot of inspiration out of this difficult time.
Are you Tokio Hotel fan, then you will have to be patient until something new from your german heroes is released. But the good news is: they are working on it!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Tokio Hotel - Fashion Rocks!
Tokio Hotel made it this time into the Fall 2008 issue of Fashion Rocks (supplement to Teen Vogue Fall 2008).
America meet Tokio Hotel.
The gender-bending emo-pop rockers are headed up by eighteen-year-old German twins Bill and Tom Kaulitz, whose looks are identical but whose styles couldn’t be more different. “We hate people telling us to wear this and that,” says guitarist Tom, who favors dreads, baggy jeans, and a carefully skewed baseball cap. “Sometimes at a photo shoot they try to style this hair,” singer Bill says, pointing to his hedgehog-like coiffure, “but no one knows how.” His secret? “Hair spray. A lot.” Between the hair and emotive vocals–not to mention the piercings, tattoos, and rock-chic clothes–it’s easy to see how Bill has become the object of many a teenage crush. And despite their varied senses of style, the Kaulitzes say their twin telepathy provides a shared vision of their goals for the future. “Be successful in America!” Tom says. Adds Bill, with a grin: “And play in Tokyo.”
Wonder Twins
Having already sold more than 5 million albums worldwide, Tokio Hotel is poised to conquer America with their grunge-inflected emo rock (and a whole lot of extra-hold product).
America meet Tokio Hotel.
The gender-bending emo-pop rockers are headed up by eighteen-year-old German twins Bill and Tom Kaulitz, whose looks are identical but whose styles couldn’t be more different. “We hate people telling us to wear this and that,” says guitarist Tom, who favors dreads, baggy jeans, and a carefully skewed baseball cap. “Sometimes at a photo shoot they try to style this hair,” singer Bill says, pointing to his hedgehog-like coiffure, “but no one knows how.” His secret? “Hair spray. A lot.” Between the hair and emotive vocals–not to mention the piercings, tattoos, and rock-chic clothes–it’s easy to see how Bill has become the object of many a teenage crush. And despite their varied senses of style, the Kaulitzes say their twin telepathy provides a shared vision of their goals for the future. “Be successful in America!” Tom says. Adds Bill, with a grin: “And play in Tokyo.”
Wonder Twins
Having already sold more than 5 million albums worldwide, Tokio Hotel is poised to conquer America with their grunge-inflected emo rock (and a whole lot of extra-hold product).
'Vi Unge' Danish Youth Magazine - Interview
In a recent interview with Vi Unge, a Danish youth magazine, Tokio Hotel reveals they will be coming back to Denmark sometime soon! After canceling their concert earlier this year and not being able to reschedule it this summer, they are hoping to go there as soon as possible.
We will come to Denmark!
In the spring you had to cancel a lot of concerts, because Bill had to be operated for a cyst on the vocal chords. Now you are back on the track. How does it feel to be back?
Bill: It is SO great to be back on stage again. I was really terrified under the whole process. Its obvious, that you get worried and thinks “What if my voice will be ruined?”, or “What if I dont sound like before”. Luckily I had a quick recover. First time I was on the stage after my surgery, it was really awesome, and I really enjoy the concerts we are playing at the moment.
What did Bills illness meant for the band?
Georg: It was a situation, where the power was out of our hands. The only thing we could do, was wish him well, and then just wait.
Tom: It took some time, before we actually realised we had to cancel the rest of our tour. In the beginning, when Bill went to Germany to get checked, the rest of us kept travelling from town to town, because all along we hoped he would come back.
Bill: I actually think the whole experience have brought us closer together.
Were you afraid it was over for Tokio Hotel?
Tom: Of course we thought about it. Especially in the beginning, were we didnt know what was wrong. But after some time, we started to think about the future, and that Bill would come back at some point. The worst we could imagine, was that I had to take over for Bill. Haha
You are currently breaking through in USA. Why is that so important for you?
Tom: To go to USA and try our luck there, is really amazing - especially for a German band. It’s really rare that happen. So of course we will take the chance when it comes, and see if we can make it over there. But its really not like we have a masterplan, on which countries we want to do make it in. It’s usually our fans, that discovers us online, and when we see there’s a lot that likes us, we go there. That’s how it works for us.
What is the craziest thing you have experienced in USA so far?
Bill: There’s so many things, it’s hard to choose. But recently, we experienced something pretty wild in L.A. We were sitting in the backstage-room after our concert, when all of the sudden, we hear a strange sound. Then we discovered it was a girl, trying to crawl through the window, on the second floor! Unfortunately, she got stuck, and then she even lost her camera. Pretty crazy.
Some of your Danish fans, feel a little disappointed over the cancelled concerts in Denmark, and that you havnt rescheduled. What would you like to say to them?
Bill: We really want to say - particularly me - that we are really, really sorry we had to cancel. We really couldnt do anything else in that situation. Unfortunately, we havn’t been able to find new dates, but we promise we havn’t forgotten about them, and that we will try to come and play as soon as possible.
We will come to Denmark!
In the spring you had to cancel a lot of concerts, because Bill had to be operated for a cyst on the vocal chords. Now you are back on the track. How does it feel to be back?
Bill: It is SO great to be back on stage again. I was really terrified under the whole process. Its obvious, that you get worried and thinks “What if my voice will be ruined?”, or “What if I dont sound like before”. Luckily I had a quick recover. First time I was on the stage after my surgery, it was really awesome, and I really enjoy the concerts we are playing at the moment.
What did Bills illness meant for the band?
Georg: It was a situation, where the power was out of our hands. The only thing we could do, was wish him well, and then just wait.
Tom: It took some time, before we actually realised we had to cancel the rest of our tour. In the beginning, when Bill went to Germany to get checked, the rest of us kept travelling from town to town, because all along we hoped he would come back.
Bill: I actually think the whole experience have brought us closer together.
Were you afraid it was over for Tokio Hotel?
Tom: Of course we thought about it. Especially in the beginning, were we didnt know what was wrong. But after some time, we started to think about the future, and that Bill would come back at some point. The worst we could imagine, was that I had to take over for Bill. Haha
You are currently breaking through in USA. Why is that so important for you?
Tom: To go to USA and try our luck there, is really amazing - especially for a German band. It’s really rare that happen. So of course we will take the chance when it comes, and see if we can make it over there. But its really not like we have a masterplan, on which countries we want to do make it in. It’s usually our fans, that discovers us online, and when we see there’s a lot that likes us, we go there. That’s how it works for us.
What is the craziest thing you have experienced in USA so far?
Bill: There’s so many things, it’s hard to choose. But recently, we experienced something pretty wild in L.A. We were sitting in the backstage-room after our concert, when all of the sudden, we hear a strange sound. Then we discovered it was a girl, trying to crawl through the window, on the second floor! Unfortunately, she got stuck, and then she even lost her camera. Pretty crazy.
Some of your Danish fans, feel a little disappointed over the cancelled concerts in Denmark, and that you havnt rescheduled. What would you like to say to them?
Bill: We really want to say - particularly me - that we are really, really sorry we had to cancel. We really couldnt do anything else in that situation. Unfortunately, we havn’t been able to find new dates, but we promise we havn’t forgotten about them, and that we will try to come and play as soon as possible.
Canadian Kids Magazine - Interview
“Let’s Take Hotel”
Tokio Hotel Talks
Since releasing their first English album, ‘Scream’, German band Tokio Hotel has been taking North America by storm. We caught up with the guys recent; to talk music, touring and more!
How did you guys get started as a group?
Bill: We played in a lot of nightclubs and at weddings and we met Georg and Gustav in the audience. I think there were five people and two of them were Georg and Gustav… They came and asked if they could play in our band. We went to the rehearsal room and tried, and it was the beginning of Devilish. That was our fifth band name.
Is there a meaning behind your current band name?
B: We are all city people, so we came up with “Tokio”. We’ve never been there… It’s like a dream to play a concert in Tokyo. Then we said okay we need a symbol… and it was always a dream to travel the world and sleep in hotels, so we said let’s take “Hotel”.
‘Scream’ is your first album recorded in English. Was it hard to record a crossover album?
B: For me, it was really a challenge because… we just speak some words and we learned English in school, and I always sung in German. We said, okay we really want [it] so everyone can understand our lyrics. And the studio takes some time because I’m such a perfectionist and I really wanted it to sound natural, not like a German who tried to sing in English.
What do you like and dislike about touring?
B: Being on a promotional tour… it’s a lot of interviews and TV shows. That’s also okay, but playing live is just… yeah, more fun. The negative side of being on tour is you have not that much time for girls!
What has been your favourite stop since touring?
B: Hard to say… but I think I really love the big cities, so I really love Paris and Moscow. No, I think there are so many nice places in Europe. But, I also love New York, and I love Toronto. It’s a nice city.
Have you had any embarrassing moments while performing?
B: Georg always has embarrassing moments! No, I think yeah, there are some moments… I pushed my mike into my mouth… Gustav fell down from his chair. We were on the catwalk; it was in Russia, and we just jumped on the catwalk, and the whole catwalk jumped with us. It was like moving all around… It was like surfing.
What do you do in your spare time?
B: Most of the time, we sleep! I think we are the tiredest band in the world. On the tour bus, we have a lot of DVDs; I think two hundred DVDs and movies. Most of the time, not really interesting things. Just the opposite of our Tokio Hotel life.
Tokio Hotel Talks
Since releasing their first English album, ‘Scream’, German band Tokio Hotel has been taking North America by storm. We caught up with the guys recent; to talk music, touring and more!
How did you guys get started as a group?
Bill: We played in a lot of nightclubs and at weddings and we met Georg and Gustav in the audience. I think there were five people and two of them were Georg and Gustav… They came and asked if they could play in our band. We went to the rehearsal room and tried, and it was the beginning of Devilish. That was our fifth band name.
Is there a meaning behind your current band name?
B: We are all city people, so we came up with “Tokio”. We’ve never been there… It’s like a dream to play a concert in Tokyo. Then we said okay we need a symbol… and it was always a dream to travel the world and sleep in hotels, so we said let’s take “Hotel”.
‘Scream’ is your first album recorded in English. Was it hard to record a crossover album?
B: For me, it was really a challenge because… we just speak some words and we learned English in school, and I always sung in German. We said, okay we really want [it] so everyone can understand our lyrics. And the studio takes some time because I’m such a perfectionist and I really wanted it to sound natural, not like a German who tried to sing in English.
What do you like and dislike about touring?
B: Being on a promotional tour… it’s a lot of interviews and TV shows. That’s also okay, but playing live is just… yeah, more fun. The negative side of being on tour is you have not that much time for girls!
What has been your favourite stop since touring?
B: Hard to say… but I think I really love the big cities, so I really love Paris and Moscow. No, I think there are so many nice places in Europe. But, I also love New York, and I love Toronto. It’s a nice city.
Have you had any embarrassing moments while performing?
B: Georg always has embarrassing moments! No, I think yeah, there are some moments… I pushed my mike into my mouth… Gustav fell down from his chair. We were on the catwalk; it was in Russia, and we just jumped on the catwalk, and the whole catwalk jumped with us. It was like moving all around… It was like surfing.
What do you do in your spare time?
B: Most of the time, we sleep! I think we are the tiredest band in the world. On the tour bus, we have a lot of DVDs; I think two hundred DVDs and movies. Most of the time, not really interesting things. Just the opposite of our Tokio Hotel life.
The Naked Eye - Canada Interview
The Naked Eye, a Canadian Popculture Magazine, has published an interview with Tokio Hotel. The interview is quite interesting, asking the boys about the name of the band, if they want to visit Tokyo, their musical influences and other famous Germans.
Wer Ist Tokio Hotel?
Naked Eye gets the goods on the German glamo group: the origin of their name, their inspirations, and what the wunderkinds really think of fellow Musiker David Hasselhoff
Why the name Tokio Hotel?
Bill Kaulitz: It was just because we researched a name which is very close to us, so we are all city people, we love big cities, and we came from a really small, ugly town in Germany and it is really horrible and we always hated our village, and we wanted to stay in big cities. That was always our big dream. And Tokio sounds good, it is just a nice sound. And then we said, okay, Tokio. Everything we heard about it was, “Yeah, it is a huge city, it is just crazy there,” and we really wanted to go there…
So, you’ve never actually been there?
Bill: No, no.
Do you hope to get to Tokyo one day?
Bill: Yeah! Yeah, hopefully this year, but let’s see.
Tom Kaulitz: Maybe to play a concert.
Georg Listing: Tokyo Dome sounds good! There are some fan pages and stuff from Japan, and let’s see if we have the time this year or next year to go there.
Your song “Don’t Jump” – is there, a personal message in it?
Bill: Yeah, I think we talked about this, about suicide, because it is a song from our second German record, and the second German record was inspired by our fans and a lot of stories we hear. We get so many letters and stories from our fans that, yeah-
Tom: And we know some things from personal experiences, and it is a big topic, and you know we recognize it with the fan letters-
Bill: And you know everyone has a situation in their life where they are sure, you know, “Oh, I am so sad, I am so…” I don’t know, everyone has a worst part in their life and [we] said okay, let’s write a song about it and that it is never a way… to jump.
So you each had to tell me one of your musical influences, German or not…
Bill: For me the first touch with music, the first touch would be Nena. When I was six years old I saw her on television. Now I listen to Coldplay and Keen and Green Day.
Tom: And you know, I never had, you know, role models and stuff, but Aerosmith was always a big band when I was a child. A real child. I know I am eighteen now, but a real child. Yeah, Aerosmith.
Georg: For me, I also did not have a role model., I did not want to sound like this and this person. But I love Oasis. And with oasis I really started to listen to music.
Gustav Schäfer: I grew up with Eric Clapton and the old rock stars but now I listen to Metallica, to the harder stuff.
Blitzkrieg Bop:
These acts put the toot in teutonic – but what do Tokio Hotel think of Germany’s other famous exports?
Now I would just like to get your honest opinion on some of your fellow German rockers. First, Kraftwerk…
Bill: Kraftwerk? Oh… Kraftwerk. I am not really into this music. [Murmurs of agreement from the group.] I don’t know so much about it.
Nina Hagen.
Bill: I think she is really cool. I met her once, I don’t know, sometime in Germany, and she is really nice.
Tom: And she is really crazy. You know, she speak the same bad English we do.
Nena.
Bill: Nena! Nena was really my first concert and I still love Nena. [She] is a really great artist and I really love her.
The Scorpions.
Bill: Scorpions! “Wind of Change.” [They whistle a few bars.] We met the Scorpions, I think, half a year ago.
Tom: I think that [they are[ great. They had a lot of success over here, playing big arenas and big venues and I think it is great. It is not really, you know, my favourite music. I like, you know, I like what they are doing in terms of having success. It’s good.
Rammstein.
Bill: Rammstein! I think they are very successful and always have great stages, great live performances. And I think I is a really great career and I think, respect for that.
And, of course, the most important, David Hasselhoff.
Bill: [Laughing] It is a role model of Georg!
Tom: Knight Rider is more successful than the music from David Hasselhoff and Baywatch.
Bill: Everyone told us, “David Hasselhoff is so successful in Germany,” and we say, “What? I never heard about it!”
Tom: We just know Knight Rider and Baywatch. But I don’t know anyone who likes his music, I just know Georg. Georg is not a fan of the music, but a fan of the dance moves. And I just know Baywatch, but not because of David Hasselhoff, because of Pamela Anderson!
Wer Ist Tokio Hotel?
Naked Eye gets the goods on the German glamo group: the origin of their name, their inspirations, and what the wunderkinds really think of fellow Musiker David Hasselhoff
Why the name Tokio Hotel?
Bill Kaulitz: It was just because we researched a name which is very close to us, so we are all city people, we love big cities, and we came from a really small, ugly town in Germany and it is really horrible and we always hated our village, and we wanted to stay in big cities. That was always our big dream. And Tokio sounds good, it is just a nice sound. And then we said, okay, Tokio. Everything we heard about it was, “Yeah, it is a huge city, it is just crazy there,” and we really wanted to go there…
So, you’ve never actually been there?
Bill: No, no.
Do you hope to get to Tokyo one day?
Bill: Yeah! Yeah, hopefully this year, but let’s see.
Tom Kaulitz: Maybe to play a concert.
Georg Listing: Tokyo Dome sounds good! There are some fan pages and stuff from Japan, and let’s see if we have the time this year or next year to go there.
Your song “Don’t Jump” – is there, a personal message in it?
Bill: Yeah, I think we talked about this, about suicide, because it is a song from our second German record, and the second German record was inspired by our fans and a lot of stories we hear. We get so many letters and stories from our fans that, yeah-
Tom: And we know some things from personal experiences, and it is a big topic, and you know we recognize it with the fan letters-
Bill: And you know everyone has a situation in their life where they are sure, you know, “Oh, I am so sad, I am so…” I don’t know, everyone has a worst part in their life and [we] said okay, let’s write a song about it and that it is never a way… to jump.
So you each had to tell me one of your musical influences, German or not…
Bill: For me the first touch with music, the first touch would be Nena. When I was six years old I saw her on television. Now I listen to Coldplay and Keen and Green Day.
Tom: And you know, I never had, you know, role models and stuff, but Aerosmith was always a big band when I was a child. A real child. I know I am eighteen now, but a real child. Yeah, Aerosmith.
Georg: For me, I also did not have a role model., I did not want to sound like this and this person. But I love Oasis. And with oasis I really started to listen to music.
Gustav Schäfer: I grew up with Eric Clapton and the old rock stars but now I listen to Metallica, to the harder stuff.
Blitzkrieg Bop:
These acts put the toot in teutonic – but what do Tokio Hotel think of Germany’s other famous exports?
Now I would just like to get your honest opinion on some of your fellow German rockers. First, Kraftwerk…
Bill: Kraftwerk? Oh… Kraftwerk. I am not really into this music. [Murmurs of agreement from the group.] I don’t know so much about it.
Nina Hagen.
Bill: I think she is really cool. I met her once, I don’t know, sometime in Germany, and she is really nice.
Tom: And she is really crazy. You know, she speak the same bad English we do.
Nena.
Bill: Nena! Nena was really my first concert and I still love Nena. [She] is a really great artist and I really love her.
The Scorpions.
Bill: Scorpions! “Wind of Change.” [They whistle a few bars.] We met the Scorpions, I think, half a year ago.
Tom: I think that [they are[ great. They had a lot of success over here, playing big arenas and big venues and I think it is great. It is not really, you know, my favourite music. I like, you know, I like what they are doing in terms of having success. It’s good.
Rammstein.
Bill: Rammstein! I think they are very successful and always have great stages, great live performances. And I think I is a really great career and I think, respect for that.
And, of course, the most important, David Hasselhoff.
Bill: [Laughing] It is a role model of Georg!
Tom: Knight Rider is more successful than the music from David Hasselhoff and Baywatch.
Bill: Everyone told us, “David Hasselhoff is so successful in Germany,” and we say, “What? I never heard about it!”
Tom: We just know Knight Rider and Baywatch. But I don’t know anyone who likes his music, I just know Georg. Georg is not a fan of the music, but a fan of the dance moves. And I just know Baywatch, but not because of David Hasselhoff, because of Pamela Anderson!
Various News...
Tokio Hotel Interview with Oliver Tanson
Georg: I’m Georg.
Bill: And I’m Bill!
Bill: Lots of fans have written to us saying that some of our songs help them in certain situations, and to deal with them that they feel better afterwards. I know so myself, and I think that every one of us listens to a lot of music at the moment and that music can help and support quite a lot in certain situations, and we of course want to as well. And it we’re happy to know that when we make songs that people feel better and understood afterward.
I don’t think very much of [indiscriminate]. I think it’s better for people to find themselves like how it was by us, and those that find themselves would be an optimal opportunity. But yeah, I’m not really the type for that.
Oliver Tanson.
Reaching the stars…Thanks for the heads-up, Dany @ olivertanson.com!source: olivertanson.comTranslated from audio by Lenny pour at tokiohotelus
Yam.de have posted an article saying that Tokio Hotel still have a chance to win a VMA, but you guys need to vote, vote VOTE!
In September, one of the hottest music events of all time takes place again. The MTV Video Awards will occur. Top acts like the Jonas Bothers perform on stage it will and it will bring some prizes. If everything runs well, Tokio Hotel can also swipe the international prize.
Now, MTV has listed all possibilities in the “Best Pop Video” categoriy. The pre-voting decides who will make the nomination list in the end. Up to now, the trend goes against Bill, Tom, Gustav, and Georg.
Under the most viewed videos, Monsoon is not in the top 20 on the nomination list. Here, up to now, Jordin Sparks, Mariah Carey, and Chris Brown dominate. At the beginning of August it will be certain which acts made it into the nominations list.
Here, you can vote for Tokio Hotel (unfortunately, only by logging in).
In the categories “Best Female Artists” and “Best Male Artist”, the nominations stand ready: Mariah Carey (Touch My Body), Katy Perry (I Kissed A Girl), Rihanna (Take A Bow), Jordin Sparks (No Air) und Britney Spears (Piece Of Me) are there.
Alongside the boys, Chris Brown (With You), Flo Rida (Low), Lil Wayne (Lollipop), T.I. (No Matter What) und Usher (Love Is In The Club) are on the list.
Tokio Hotel TV Update!
Effective Immediately:
We have removed all download links for Tokio Hotel TV per a request from TH Management. Please do not post download links for the THTV episodes in the comments either. It is a copyright infringement and we will comply.
Tokio Hotel’s management team is working diligently with Youtube to try to resolve the issues with Youtube and the video not being available in all countries.
We hope that this will be resolved soon so that you may be able to watch the episodes in every country.
Thanks for understanding!
TRL
TRL announced that they are asking fans to send pics of the fans with Tokio Hotel, and TRL will post them up on the jumbo-tron in New York’s Times Square next week during TOKIO HOTEL TRL week.
Submit your pics now at trl.mtv.com under the “Upload Your Tokio Hotel Fan Photos!” section!
HERE
(im not sure if this applies to US fans only, but theres only one way of finding out, and thats by uploading a picture an waiting to see what happens?...remember its pictures of the fans WITH Tokio Hotel...)
MTV Buzzworthy
Congratulations to Kelsey M. from Bristow, Va., who is the winner of the Ready Set Fly to TRL to See Tokio Hotel sweepstakes!
It’s OK to be jealous of Kelsey, because she will be in New York next week to see the band up close and personal during Tokio Hotel week on TRL. But don’t hate. It’s all good. She’s a very deserving fan who will fly the flag proudly in NYC for everyone who’s ever wanted to get close to the band. We’ll post a full report on Kelsey’s visit — and Tokio Hotel’s visit, too, of course — to TRL next week.
Thank you to everyone who entered our Ready Set Fly to TRL to See Tokio Hotel sweepstakes!
Isnt she soo lucky....
News and more News
Tokio Hotel America T-Shirt Contest
"We have narrowed it down to four designs we would like to use for our t-shirt. "
If you are interested in voting, the poll is located here.
Monsoon on TRL today #4
Good job voting fiends! We want them at #1 for their visit here (which is America, btw) which is….
NEXT WEEK, OMG OMG! Lucky americans...
VMA Voting ends July 30th - Gmail Hint…
Did you know that if you have Gmail, you can use ONE account as many different accounts? Oh, I don’t know… for something like setting up more MTV accounts? It’s true! And it is so so easy!!!! Guess what I will be doing for next several hours? Here’s how you can use your Gmail as MANY accounts.
# Append a plus (”+”) sign and any combination of words or numbers after your email address. For example, if your name was hikingfan@gmail.com, you could send mail to hikingfan+friends@gmail.com or hikingfan+mailinglists@gmail.com (sorry thats not a real email address...lol it just comes up as one..)
# Insert one or several dots (”.”) anywhere in your email address. Gmail doesn’t recognize periods as characters in addresses — we just ignore them. For example, you could tell people your address was hikingfan@gmail.com, hiking.fan@gmail.com or hi.kin.g.fan@gmail.com. (We understand that there has been some confusion about this in the past, but to settle it once and for all, you can indeed receive mail at all the variations with dots.)
For those who dont know..Gmail, is google email..to set up your own Gmail [and to vote for Tokio Hotel] click HERE and aimply click 'Sign Up For Gmail'
"We have narrowed it down to four designs we would like to use for our t-shirt. "
If you are interested in voting, the poll is located here.
Monsoon on TRL today #4
Good job voting fiends! We want them at #1 for their visit here (which is America, btw) which is….
NEXT WEEK, OMG OMG! Lucky americans...
VMA Voting ends July 30th - Gmail Hint…
Did you know that if you have Gmail, you can use ONE account as many different accounts? Oh, I don’t know… for something like setting up more MTV accounts? It’s true! And it is so so easy!!!! Guess what I will be doing for next several hours? Here’s how you can use your Gmail as MANY accounts.
# Append a plus (”+”) sign and any combination of words or numbers after your email address. For example, if your name was hikingfan@gmail.com, you could send mail to hikingfan+friends@gmail.com or hikingfan+mailinglists@gmail.com (sorry thats not a real email address...lol it just comes up as one..)
# Insert one or several dots (”.”) anywhere in your email address. Gmail doesn’t recognize periods as characters in addresses — we just ignore them. For example, you could tell people your address was hikingfan@gmail.com, hiking.fan@gmail.com or hi.kin.g.fan@gmail.com. (We understand that there has been some confusion about this in the past, but to settle it once and for all, you can indeed receive mail at all the variations with dots.)
For those who dont know..Gmail, is google email..to set up your own Gmail [and to vote for Tokio Hotel] click HERE and aimply click 'Sign Up For Gmail'
Emo - Russians Will Ban It!
Moscow - Black hair, make-up, piercing and melancholy rock. The "emos" are the same everywhere, but in Russia they've legislated against them."For the school-age young people would be forbidden to appear with the "emo look" in the school, and the petty offences would involve punishments." - said Jevegenij Jurjev, deputy. The bill is supported which would grade the eccentric young people's cult as a "dangerous campaign", because its followers are emblazoning the sociopathic behaviour and the suicide.After Tokio Hotel's appearance, the German sociologists were alarmed as well, but only the British people wanted to antagonize, because the police psychologists suspected emo-influence behind the teen-suicides.The fans of the american emo band, My Chemical Romance, were successful with their demonstration against the discrimination. In Russia, the bands are also challenging."You can't ban the quivering of the spirit!" - said Dimitrij Gilevich, the singer of Maio. Deputys are writing the swan-song of the russian emo?"
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Rolling Stone - A New Wave From Germany
A New Wave From Germany
Tokio Hotel craziness in Europe has eventually arrived the other side of the Ocean. We talked to Bill & Tom twins who rocked the USA with Scream (album) about fame and dreams.. [interviewed by Nicole Freshee]
On a Saturday morning In New Jersey, a hundred of guys wearing raincoats don't ignore the rain and mud, and they are sitting at the car park of Meadowlands. Crowded which doesn't care the danger of crushing, is trying to announce their voice to Tokio Hotel and a poor girl is laying herself out: “Bill, I wanna make your hair!" Bill Kaulitz is the soloist,18 year-old, of the German band Tokio Hotel. While screaming is keeping on, guitarist Tom (Bills twin) who has dreadlocks is starting by playing Ready Set go and the concert is starting ..
Girls are keeping on screaming but Bill doesn’t seem like he cares. If he would try to answer the girls like her, then his hair like hedgehog wouldn’t be important that much, right ? So that he is turning right by shaking his hips, holding his biff up and starting to sing!
Tokio Hotels album called Scream was published on may 6th in America and this German emo band has been the favorite of MTV since that day. They give full house concerts in NY and LA.
“When we played at Irving Plaza in NY in February, everybody sang our songs, even German ones too!” says Bill. “We are used to giving concerts in Europe but attention in America makes us surprised!”
A few years ago, Bill and Tom , were playing to only a few people in Madgeburg. “Every weekend, we were playing to 15 people at the same club.” Says Tom who started to play guitar when he was 7. And Bill says that he decided to become a star at this time too. “On TV, I came across a Nena concert, she was singing “99 red balloons”. And i said ‘I wanna sing on the stage too!!’ " Tokio Hotel is completely founded with Gustav (drum) and Georg (bass) in 2001. “We thought, someone must help this band” says Listing by laughing.
Scream is the first English album of Tokio Hotel which consists of the English versions of German songs in German albums. “We have correlated with every song. ” says Bill who was affected for his new style by wearing a vampire costume on Halloween . “In the fact, Ready, Set, Go! tells our stories. Well, we say ‘Follow your dreams and don't be afraid to start a new life.' "
Tokio Hotel craziness in Europe has eventually arrived the other side of the Ocean. We talked to Bill & Tom twins who rocked the USA with Scream (album) about fame and dreams.. [interviewed by Nicole Freshee]
On a Saturday morning In New Jersey, a hundred of guys wearing raincoats don't ignore the rain and mud, and they are sitting at the car park of Meadowlands. Crowded which doesn't care the danger of crushing, is trying to announce their voice to Tokio Hotel and a poor girl is laying herself out: “Bill, I wanna make your hair!" Bill Kaulitz is the soloist,18 year-old, of the German band Tokio Hotel. While screaming is keeping on, guitarist Tom (Bills twin) who has dreadlocks is starting by playing Ready Set go and the concert is starting ..
Girls are keeping on screaming but Bill doesn’t seem like he cares. If he would try to answer the girls like her, then his hair like hedgehog wouldn’t be important that much, right ? So that he is turning right by shaking his hips, holding his biff up and starting to sing!
Tokio Hotels album called Scream was published on may 6th in America and this German emo band has been the favorite of MTV since that day. They give full house concerts in NY and LA.
“When we played at Irving Plaza in NY in February, everybody sang our songs, even German ones too!” says Bill. “We are used to giving concerts in Europe but attention in America makes us surprised!”
A few years ago, Bill and Tom , were playing to only a few people in Madgeburg. “Every weekend, we were playing to 15 people at the same club.” Says Tom who started to play guitar when he was 7. And Bill says that he decided to become a star at this time too. “On TV, I came across a Nena concert, she was singing “99 red balloons”. And i said ‘I wanna sing on the stage too!!’ " Tokio Hotel is completely founded with Gustav (drum) and Georg (bass) in 2001. “We thought, someone must help this band” says Listing by laughing.
Scream is the first English album of Tokio Hotel which consists of the English versions of German songs in German albums. “We have correlated with every song. ” says Bill who was affected for his new style by wearing a vampire costume on Halloween . “In the fact, Ready, Set, Go! tells our stories. Well, we say ‘Follow your dreams and don't be afraid to start a new life.' "
Black Magazine - Spain
Black Magazine
Cover: ‘Tokio Hotel took Spain by storm’
Like a real fan.
This is how we lived TH concerts. The first time is always special, and this one was magical. Bill, Tom, Georg and Gustav came to Spain and they did not disappoint.
Our stomachs flipped with excitement when we arrived to one of the most waited concerts. The ‘Go TH’ screams filled our ears and finally an intense night began..
They jumped on stage with an energy that put across their excitement. While they chained up songs, winks and special effects our legs did not stop. We could not stop jumping and Bill asked us to keep doing it!
When the Scream! moment began our throats were already sore but that is exactly what we did: scream. But the night had just began. “Are you okay?” asked a smiling Bill.
We kept rocking. We went crazy with Don’t Jump and Ready, Set, Go! and Reden made us shiver “Dedicated to my brother” said Bill.
The night was ending but there was a hit left: Monsoon. He sounded tired so we helped him with the chorus. Few tracks after, Rescue Me became the last song.
Before leaving Bill threw his towel towards the crowd, Tom and Georg theirs picks and Gustav his drumsticks. Then everybody clapped while recording the moment in our minds.
We finally saw them and with the amazing greets they received, they will surely come back soon!
Tokio Hotel: “Success is a drug”
Black-clothed, wearing dark glasses and giving us a smiling “hello”. This is how the Germans who rocked Spain in an unforgetable weekend appeared. Since then, 15 minutes with them…
Willkommen!! Nice to see you here in Spain again..
Bill: Same here! Fans over here are marvelous. Besides, we are told we have a lot of success here, so we are very happy.
Let’s go through it slowly. How was your staying in Barcelona?
B: It was a very beautiful performance. People were queuing for days, which dazzled us.
Sure! We were waiting for a long time, and since Madrid…
B: Yeah…we felt sorry for letting you down, but it was something unstoppable.
Don’t worry, we understand it! Are you recovered at all?
B: Yes, I finally can say it’s like always! It was a bad moment in our career. Days before stopping I was really harmed. Besides, it’s frightening when someone is raking through your vocal chords. Now we’re going to rock!
Yeah…you’re working a lot!
B: Hahahaha, we’re workaholics. We’ve been three years working without a break. We only have two holiday weeks in a year, but that’s what we wanted.
Don’t you prefer tranquility?
Tom: We are the ones writing the agenda. Of course, sometimes we are exhausted, for instance when we travel to three different cities within 24 hours!
It was this way: Friday 27th Barcelona, Saturday 28th Madrid…
B: And Sunday in Lisbon! But performing in Rock in Rio is amazing.
Sunday 19th? Did you miss the match between Germany and Spain? Germans were in a bad way after the match!
Gustav: Yeah..to be honest, I bid for a 3-2 winning Germany, of course.
You don’t have the Eurocopa, but you have money, success, girls…
B: There’s something of them lacking! Hahaha. The four of us are still single! We’re always thinking about our dreams and success hooks. It’s like a drug, you always want more: more glory, more concerts…
So singles, ah? It was said over here that Bill was going out with the majorcan Monica Sanz.
B: Hahaha! That’s not true, I’ve been single for three years, so…
Do you think fans could disappear?
B: Of course! But we know what is living without it. That’s why we appreciate it so much and we hope it to go ahead! Worst days may come, but fans are always a good incentive to go on…
The Tokiohotelish Girls
The most important thing is our fans’ said Bill. That’s why we want you to tell us how you lived the landing of the German Monsoon. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Cover: ‘Tokio Hotel took Spain by storm’
Like a real fan.
This is how we lived TH concerts. The first time is always special, and this one was magical. Bill, Tom, Georg and Gustav came to Spain and they did not disappoint.
Our stomachs flipped with excitement when we arrived to one of the most waited concerts. The ‘Go TH’ screams filled our ears and finally an intense night began..
They jumped on stage with an energy that put across their excitement. While they chained up songs, winks and special effects our legs did not stop. We could not stop jumping and Bill asked us to keep doing it!
When the Scream! moment began our throats were already sore but that is exactly what we did: scream. But the night had just began. “Are you okay?” asked a smiling Bill.
We kept rocking. We went crazy with Don’t Jump and Ready, Set, Go! and Reden made us shiver “Dedicated to my brother” said Bill.
The night was ending but there was a hit left: Monsoon. He sounded tired so we helped him with the chorus. Few tracks after, Rescue Me became the last song.
Before leaving Bill threw his towel towards the crowd, Tom and Georg theirs picks and Gustav his drumsticks. Then everybody clapped while recording the moment in our minds.
We finally saw them and with the amazing greets they received, they will surely come back soon!
Tokio Hotel: “Success is a drug”
Black-clothed, wearing dark glasses and giving us a smiling “hello”. This is how the Germans who rocked Spain in an unforgetable weekend appeared. Since then, 15 minutes with them…
Willkommen!! Nice to see you here in Spain again..
Bill: Same here! Fans over here are marvelous. Besides, we are told we have a lot of success here, so we are very happy.
Let’s go through it slowly. How was your staying in Barcelona?
B: It was a very beautiful performance. People were queuing for days, which dazzled us.
Sure! We were waiting for a long time, and since Madrid…
B: Yeah…we felt sorry for letting you down, but it was something unstoppable.
Don’t worry, we understand it! Are you recovered at all?
B: Yes, I finally can say it’s like always! It was a bad moment in our career. Days before stopping I was really harmed. Besides, it’s frightening when someone is raking through your vocal chords. Now we’re going to rock!
Yeah…you’re working a lot!
B: Hahahaha, we’re workaholics. We’ve been three years working without a break. We only have two holiday weeks in a year, but that’s what we wanted.
Don’t you prefer tranquility?
Tom: We are the ones writing the agenda. Of course, sometimes we are exhausted, for instance when we travel to three different cities within 24 hours!
It was this way: Friday 27th Barcelona, Saturday 28th Madrid…
B: And Sunday in Lisbon! But performing in Rock in Rio is amazing.
Sunday 19th? Did you miss the match between Germany and Spain? Germans were in a bad way after the match!
Gustav: Yeah..to be honest, I bid for a 3-2 winning Germany, of course.
You don’t have the Eurocopa, but you have money, success, girls…
B: There’s something of them lacking! Hahaha. The four of us are still single! We’re always thinking about our dreams and success hooks. It’s like a drug, you always want more: more glory, more concerts…
So singles, ah? It was said over here that Bill was going out with the majorcan Monica Sanz.
B: Hahaha! That’s not true, I’ve been single for three years, so…
Do you think fans could disappear?
B: Of course! But we know what is living without it. That’s why we appreciate it so much and we hope it to go ahead! Worst days may come, but fans are always a good incentive to go on…
The Tokiohotelish Girls
The most important thing is our fans’ said Bill. That’s why we want you to tell us how you lived the landing of the German Monsoon. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Tu Magazine - Mexico
This German band is all the hype in Europe and its four members have already started breaking hearts in our country. Are you ready to fall in love with them? You’ll surely do- By Diana Matozo
The leaders of Tokio Hotel are twin brothers Bill (lead singer) and Tom (guitar) Kaulitz. Despite the fact that they are identical twins, they have very different and distinctive personalities. They talked to our magazine (TU) about their music and they also shared some secrets of their love life with us. Find out everything about it!
TU: How do you feel now that your music is known in our country?
Tom: Once we dreamt about international success but we never really thought that it would happen. People in our country know about us but crossing borders is not only amazing, it’s also weird! We’ve never been in Mexico but our music is being played there…it’s a great satisfaction. We would love to visit your country.
TU: Do you have girlfriends? How’s your ideal girl?
Tom: I don’t have a girlfriend and I can’t really say that I have an ‘ideal’ girl. I can’t say that I prefer blond girls over brunettes or redheads, all I can say is that there are a lot of beautiful girls everywhere.
(Pic: ‘Georg and Gustav are a little behind on the girl topic’- Bill)
TU: Is dating easier when you’re in this career?
Tom: Of course music helps. In school, it’s the kids that are musicians the ones that tend to be very popular and have great success! That’s why I decided early on that I’d play guitar (laughs). No, honestly, I have never had ‘girl trouble’ and I have never used my fame to get with a girl.
Bill: In my case, music has definitely helped, I had my first girlfriend when I started singing but in this business, there’s little time for a serious relationship.
TU: Who’s your favorite (female) singer or actress?
Tom: I love Jessica Alba, she’s my favorite!
Bill: For me, it has to be Nena, the German singer, I was very influenced by her. I saw one of her concerts on TV and it was a moment that left a mark on me. I was very young and right after that, I started writing my own songs. It was clear to me that I had to be on a stage one day.
TU: Being twins, have you ever tried making a move on the same girl?
Tom: I had a girlfriend and when we broke up, I tried to talk her into giving my brother his first kiss. I wanted him to live that experience because (until then) Bill had never had a girlfriend. It was a way of showing how much I cared.
TU: Is there a message behind your look?
Tom: We have never wanted to create a fake image. This is part of our personality, this is what we feel, this is who we are. If you see pictures of us before being a band, you would see that the change hasn’t really been a drastic one.
TU: Would you get a girlfriend’s name tattooed?
Tom: If the relationship isn’t serious, I don’t think I would, I don’t think it’s worth it (laughs); if it were something a little more serious…I don’t think I’d do it either! I am not a big fan of tattoos.
Bill: I love tattoos! And if I were really in love, why not? I think I would do it.
TU: Are you guys faithful (when in a relationship)?
Tom: When you are in love, it’s important to be faithful and feel that the other person is being faithful too, it’s basic.
Bill: For me, this is something fundamental. Besides, if I am in love, I don’t really feel like accepting any other ‘offers’. With me, you don’t have to worry about cheating, I believe in being faithful and that’s what I practice but… I haven’t really been with a girl for quite some time now.
TU: How do you feel about your fans getting so crazy sometimes?
Bill: We’re really proud of the fans that we have, they support us so much, they are always waiting for our concerts, they sing our songs, they have an amazing level of energy and that’s contagious. They make us feel the need to continue doing what we are doing.
(We love to see all the fan signs and banners at our concerts!)
What every fan should know:
*They were born in Magdeburg, Germany. There they are listed as part of the ‘Town’s Most Beloved Sons’.
*Tom is older than Bill…10 minutes older only!
*When they were little kids, the twins would wear t-shirts with their names on them so that people wouldn’t get confused.
*These brothers have a philosophy in life: ‘Follow your dreams’
*Gustav started playing drums when he was only 4 years old!
*Georg is a Fall Out Boy and Green Day fan
*When they recorded their first album, two of them were just 13 (Bill and Tom)
The leaders of Tokio Hotel are twin brothers Bill (lead singer) and Tom (guitar) Kaulitz. Despite the fact that they are identical twins, they have very different and distinctive personalities. They talked to our magazine (TU) about their music and they also shared some secrets of their love life with us. Find out everything about it!
TU: How do you feel now that your music is known in our country?
Tom: Once we dreamt about international success but we never really thought that it would happen. People in our country know about us but crossing borders is not only amazing, it’s also weird! We’ve never been in Mexico but our music is being played there…it’s a great satisfaction. We would love to visit your country.
TU: Do you have girlfriends? How’s your ideal girl?
Tom: I don’t have a girlfriend and I can’t really say that I have an ‘ideal’ girl. I can’t say that I prefer blond girls over brunettes or redheads, all I can say is that there are a lot of beautiful girls everywhere.
(Pic: ‘Georg and Gustav are a little behind on the girl topic’- Bill)
TU: Is dating easier when you’re in this career?
Tom: Of course music helps. In school, it’s the kids that are musicians the ones that tend to be very popular and have great success! That’s why I decided early on that I’d play guitar (laughs). No, honestly, I have never had ‘girl trouble’ and I have never used my fame to get with a girl.
Bill: In my case, music has definitely helped, I had my first girlfriend when I started singing but in this business, there’s little time for a serious relationship.
TU: Who’s your favorite (female) singer or actress?
Tom: I love Jessica Alba, she’s my favorite!
Bill: For me, it has to be Nena, the German singer, I was very influenced by her. I saw one of her concerts on TV and it was a moment that left a mark on me. I was very young and right after that, I started writing my own songs. It was clear to me that I had to be on a stage one day.
TU: Being twins, have you ever tried making a move on the same girl?
Tom: I had a girlfriend and when we broke up, I tried to talk her into giving my brother his first kiss. I wanted him to live that experience because (until then) Bill had never had a girlfriend. It was a way of showing how much I cared.
TU: Is there a message behind your look?
Tom: We have never wanted to create a fake image. This is part of our personality, this is what we feel, this is who we are. If you see pictures of us before being a band, you would see that the change hasn’t really been a drastic one.
TU: Would you get a girlfriend’s name tattooed?
Tom: If the relationship isn’t serious, I don’t think I would, I don’t think it’s worth it (laughs); if it were something a little more serious…I don’t think I’d do it either! I am not a big fan of tattoos.
Bill: I love tattoos! And if I were really in love, why not? I think I would do it.
TU: Are you guys faithful (when in a relationship)?
Tom: When you are in love, it’s important to be faithful and feel that the other person is being faithful too, it’s basic.
Bill: For me, this is something fundamental. Besides, if I am in love, I don’t really feel like accepting any other ‘offers’. With me, you don’t have to worry about cheating, I believe in being faithful and that’s what I practice but… I haven’t really been with a girl for quite some time now.
TU: How do you feel about your fans getting so crazy sometimes?
Bill: We’re really proud of the fans that we have, they support us so much, they are always waiting for our concerts, they sing our songs, they have an amazing level of energy and that’s contagious. They make us feel the need to continue doing what we are doing.
(We love to see all the fan signs and banners at our concerts!)
What every fan should know:
*They were born in Magdeburg, Germany. There they are listed as part of the ‘Town’s Most Beloved Sons’.
*Tom is older than Bill…10 minutes older only!
*When they were little kids, the twins would wear t-shirts with their names on them so that people wouldn’t get confused.
*These brothers have a philosophy in life: ‘Follow your dreams’
*Gustav started playing drums when he was only 4 years old!
*Georg is a Fall Out Boy and Green Day fan
*When they recorded their first album, two of them were just 13 (Bill and Tom)
News
US Poster Competition!
Tokio Hotel’s Official US Site unveiled a new contest earlier today asking fans to print their tour poster, put it up in their communities, take pictures with it and email your favorite three to them. A new winner will be chosen every Monday in August. The winners will get two tickets to any US concert along with Meet & Greet passes.
This is for US fans ONLY!
Quotidiano.net has posted an article about Tokio Hotel’s concert at Parco Novi Sad in Modena. They say fans lined up days before in the heat and many ended up fainting or getting sick.
THE LONG DAY
And in the end we were overwhelmed by a Monsoon
Night, morning, evening, night and again … Well, now for hours, the chronicle of a truly incredible Friday for Modena. The notes of four young stars.
Modena, July 12, 2008. They say that the female is the weaker sex. But when the stakes are high, even the teenage girls pull off a fighting spirit that not you expect. I arrived in twenty thousand (17 thousand tickets sold, more fathers, mothers and various friends …) for the Tokio Hotel concert at Parco Novi Sad. They braved the burning sun, the crowd remained to wait at Parco Novi Sad day and night. And in the end have realized their dream of teenagers. But at what price: dozens, if not hundreds of fainting, fatigue snervante, long waits under the sun … A day really ‘hot’, for them and who had to accompany and assist.
Bill, Tom, George and Gustav were up on stage around 9:45PM in a show of lights. Their hairstyles, in the shadows, gave a thrill to the thousands of fans below them, which has turned into pure excitement when they intoned their pieces Strengths: Scream, Black, Don’t Jump and of course the famous Monsoon. A concert really ‘with flakes’. Powder with stars on the night of wishes.
But the night before, between Thursday and Friday, almost 400 fans stayed outdoors, lined along the serpentine path, lookouts in dormiveglia, careful not to lose the place earned through days and days of waiting at Parco Novi Sad. We among them, without disturbing too. In the morning we find them still there, with their faces a little ‘tense, “she” wear, but in fibrillation. “They said that the gates will open at 5:00PM - relate -. But where are they? “.
A few hours later, the delirium. Parents can not do more to see their girls just faint under the sun, and begin to put pressure, demanding loudly that the gates are open. Some girl feels bad, water and sugar is the recipe of paramedics. But the line is beginning to become very long, the sun beats increasingly strong. Islam also firemen who, with their water cannons give a little ‘coolness of the many fans, “Thank you, thank you” shouting in unison.
At 2:30PM staff gives the green light. Nor were a magic formula, the teenagers will take over all, bring the turbo and sow parents running straight toward the stage. The first manage to enter the ‘grave’, a transennata which seems a little ‘as the raft of luck when the ship sinks: if there six, you win. But the heat not truce even there, indeed, the crowds that you create in a few minutes ago that island become a happy ‘lazzaretto’, full of girls who lose the senses. Fortunately, the civil protection facilities, logistics and the three points at the sides of the stage prove useful for those who feel bad. Pity then, return nell’Olimpo there is not so easy.
Let’s go back outside, and crossed the municipal councillor policies youth John Franco Orlando. With him commented what remains of the camps, would say a large mass of waste. “We hope that the fans use their boxes scattered nell’anello of Novi Sad.” And, casting their gaze inside, we notice that indeed they did, but for sedercisi above.
Shortly after beginning to get several police vans. It approaches the hour of the concert and atmosphere is getting warmer, there are common illnesses repeating them, even if no firemen rest a moment. The teams’ travel to all spying. Then, finally, at about 8PM guitars, the voice of Lost and later the dark charm of Bill Kaulitz and companions. There are those who are locked in under the stage, but whoever the concert looks from the outside, behind the fences. The monsoon is past, warmer than usual.
Tokio Hotel’s Official US Site unveiled a new contest earlier today asking fans to print their tour poster, put it up in their communities, take pictures with it and email your favorite three to them. A new winner will be chosen every Monday in August. The winners will get two tickets to any US concert along with Meet & Greet passes.
This is for US fans ONLY!
Quotidiano.net has posted an article about Tokio Hotel’s concert at Parco Novi Sad in Modena. They say fans lined up days before in the heat and many ended up fainting or getting sick.
THE LONG DAY
And in the end we were overwhelmed by a Monsoon
Night, morning, evening, night and again … Well, now for hours, the chronicle of a truly incredible Friday for Modena. The notes of four young stars.
Modena, July 12, 2008. They say that the female is the weaker sex. But when the stakes are high, even the teenage girls pull off a fighting spirit that not you expect. I arrived in twenty thousand (17 thousand tickets sold, more fathers, mothers and various friends …) for the Tokio Hotel concert at Parco Novi Sad. They braved the burning sun, the crowd remained to wait at Parco Novi Sad day and night. And in the end have realized their dream of teenagers. But at what price: dozens, if not hundreds of fainting, fatigue snervante, long waits under the sun … A day really ‘hot’, for them and who had to accompany and assist.
Bill, Tom, George and Gustav were up on stage around 9:45PM in a show of lights. Their hairstyles, in the shadows, gave a thrill to the thousands of fans below them, which has turned into pure excitement when they intoned their pieces Strengths: Scream, Black, Don’t Jump and of course the famous Monsoon. A concert really ‘with flakes’. Powder with stars on the night of wishes.
But the night before, between Thursday and Friday, almost 400 fans stayed outdoors, lined along the serpentine path, lookouts in dormiveglia, careful not to lose the place earned through days and days of waiting at Parco Novi Sad. We among them, without disturbing too. In the morning we find them still there, with their faces a little ‘tense, “she” wear, but in fibrillation. “They said that the gates will open at 5:00PM - relate -. But where are they? “.
A few hours later, the delirium. Parents can not do more to see their girls just faint under the sun, and begin to put pressure, demanding loudly that the gates are open. Some girl feels bad, water and sugar is the recipe of paramedics. But the line is beginning to become very long, the sun beats increasingly strong. Islam also firemen who, with their water cannons give a little ‘coolness of the many fans, “Thank you, thank you” shouting in unison.
At 2:30PM staff gives the green light. Nor were a magic formula, the teenagers will take over all, bring the turbo and sow parents running straight toward the stage. The first manage to enter the ‘grave’, a transennata which seems a little ‘as the raft of luck when the ship sinks: if there six, you win. But the heat not truce even there, indeed, the crowds that you create in a few minutes ago that island become a happy ‘lazzaretto’, full of girls who lose the senses. Fortunately, the civil protection facilities, logistics and the three points at the sides of the stage prove useful for those who feel bad. Pity then, return nell’Olimpo there is not so easy.
Let’s go back outside, and crossed the municipal councillor policies youth John Franco Orlando. With him commented what remains of the camps, would say a large mass of waste. “We hope that the fans use their boxes scattered nell’anello of Novi Sad.” And, casting their gaze inside, we notice that indeed they did, but for sedercisi above.
Shortly after beginning to get several police vans. It approaches the hour of the concert and atmosphere is getting warmer, there are common illnesses repeating them, even if no firemen rest a moment. The teams’ travel to all spying. Then, finally, at about 8PM guitars, the voice of Lost and later the dark charm of Bill Kaulitz and companions. There are those who are locked in under the stage, but whoever the concert looks from the outside, behind the fences. The monsoon is past, warmer than usual.
welt.de
 | |||
| Celebration of full moon Amongst Thailand-fans and backpack tourists it’s a legend: “Full Moon Parties” that will be celebrated to each full moon night with light balloons and psychedelic music on the beach of Haad Ron on the island of Koh Pha-Ngan. Up to 10 000 people come to then mass-dance together to the sound of the sea. We have water and full moon in Hamburg too, thought Tung Truong, the manager of the “Indochine”, and Dojan Jung of Young Creatives, which brought the party to the Elbe. Only 500 celebration jolly people could fit into the “Indochine”, but had to wait in a long line first, but it didn’t ruin the mood at all. Between lavish Asia decorations and light installation people danced if they found a little spot to: In the Ice-Bar and on the terrace in the lounge area. The Parisian DJane Joana de la Jungle took care of the music-mix, and the Londoner violinist Sophie Serafino headed on with handmade sounds to it. Surprise during the late hour: Germany’s most popular rocker twins Bill and Tom Kaulitz of Tokio Hotel mixed amongst the audience and showed no fear of pushing and barging in. Previously the two teen idols were in the new Upper East celebrating, but were little amused: “Lots of weird people there,” said Bill. | |||
Tokio Hotel Interview
For those who don't know you yet, how did you four meet?
Tom: Bill and I started making music when we were 7. We always preferred that to video games! We dedicated all our free time, evenings, weekends to it. Bill played synthesized because there was no one else to play the drums and bass. I met Gustav while we were at the Academy (music academy?), and we became friends then.
Gustav: And then one day, I went along to one of their gigs. When I saw Bill on stage trying to play synthesized, I told myself that really had to change. (laughs) So we started discussing it and I proposed to play with them. It was then that we started the band.
What would you like to tell those who call you just a well-marketed product?
Bill: Oh my god! In order to say such silliness, those people must be really frustrated. But anyhow, that's the usual thing you hear in the music business. Especially in Germany. These last few years, like in England in the 90s, there were lots of boys and girl bands. There were even TV shows, which had the goal of finding THE next band. So that makes it really hard to make a real formation without making it seem like a TV reality show. Today, it's hard to convince people that we're a real band, that no one told us to be friends with Gustav and Georg. Anyhow, no one would believe us. Consequently, we do our own thing without worrying about those rumors. Music is emotion; if you are just a puppet how can you put your heart into what you do? On my part, I put my heart into it all, so it annoys me when people think what I do is plastic. But there are times when you need to distance yourself from those rumors, otherwise you'll get eaten alive.
What relationship do you have with your fans?
Tom: Whenever we can, we talk to them, sign autographs...that's the least we can do, because wherever we go, they're there! Sometimes they wait for hours or spend the night on the streets. Whether it's cold, raining, snowing, they're there. And they offer us gifts in which they put their hearts and souls. So giving them a bit of our time, it's the least we can do to show them how much they mean to us. We want to live up to their love for us.
What's the most unbelievable gift a fan has offered you?
Bill: That's a hard question because we receive tons and tons of gifts. We are very touched by our fans' letters. Some are very long. There was one who made a 14 kilometer letter! That's almost a book of 1000 A4 pages!
Georg: Otherwise we got a car, a Mini Cooper with picture of us and our name all over. But it's hard to chose one gift in particular, because they all mean something to us.
Do you take time to go on forums and your MySpace page?
Bill: We have to be careful, because on forums, there are lots of people who pretend to be us, who chat with our fans and don't give a damn about them. If we're ever on Internet, it's always a group thing and it's announced officially. Other than that, we spend lots of times on blogs dedicated to us or on our MySpace, because their opinions interest us a lot.
The girls are crazy over you, but what's your type of girl?
Tom: That's a hard question, because I don't have one precise type of girl in my head. There just has to be a good feeling present from the beginning, a connection which allows the relationship to start naturally. She can be blonde, or have brown or red hair...it doesn't matter. But with the lives we lead, we don't have the time for those love relationships. At the same time, being faithful and engaged doesn't interest me...I like to take advantage and have fun. I was crazy over tons of girls. Too many girls. (laughs) I really think that it's possible to fall in love a few times in your life, and thankfully several people are made for you.
Georg: Concerning me, I would like to meet a girl who looks like Angelina Jolie, the Olsen twins, and Eva Longoria.
Gustav: We'll fight over the same girl, then, Georg. (laughs)
Bill: I'd like the girl to have a cool look, that she has clean nails and nice skin. And she must be positive and funny. One-night-stands don't turn me on. I really believe in true love, love that you can only find once in your life...if you're lucky enough. Because I think that lots of people will never find it, which is rather sad...I've known girls, I've already fallen in love. I know what it's like to have a crush on someone, butterflies in the stomach, but I haven't found Love, with a big "L."
Bill, you have a particular look. Have you always liked to make yourself up and do your nails?
Bill: I've been doing that since a very long time. Gustav and Georg never knew me otherwise. I started to get a taste for makeup when I participated in a Halloween party, several years ago. I was disguised as a vampire. Since then, I've kept the look. It's part of my personality.
How long does it take you every morning to make yourself nice?
Bill: Not very long. 40 minutes in all.
Do you have a ritual before going up on stage?
Bill: Well it's not really a ritual. Gustav likes to be alone, he concentrates and listens to music. But Georg, Tom, and I, we like to hang out together before the show starts and be stressed out together. We lock ourselves in a room for half an hour and no one's allowed to come in. Not even our manager! We imagine the worst-case scenarios, we laugh and it relaxes us.
And when you're not on stage, what do you do with your time?
Georg: We play ping-pong and kicker!
Tom: And when we're not touring, we like to sleep very late! Except for Gustav, who's an early-riser. But Bill, Georg, and I like to sleep, eat, watch TV and sleep. And when we can really allow ourselves a break, we like to travel for the holidays.
And what's your ideal destination?
Tom: All we can tell you is that we like little isolated islands, very, very, very far from here. (laughs)
Because of the circumstances, you spend a lot time together. Do you have friendships outside the band?
Tom: Yes, of course! It's important for us to be able to talk about something other than Tokio Hotel. But seeing that we share the same friends, we are almost always together. (laughs) And then we go on holidays together. So, yes, Tokio Hotel is our most beautiful story of friendship!
And you never hit each other?
Tom: Sometimes we really feel like it. Especially when Georg decides to take off his shoes. (laughs) But our friendship is stronger than our disputes!
Even if you're adulated by your fans, is there something about yourselves that you don't like?
Bill: (laughs) We haven't changed, we stay the same. We have the same defaults as before. And we have the same relationship together as we had before meeting success. So although it's nuts that we're 18 and there's so many girls crazy over us, there are always things that I don't like about myself. I don't walk around on the streets telling myself that I'm the best guy on earth. Tom, yes, sometimes. (laughs)
Tom: There's always things about ourselves that displease us. But it's normal: when you're 18, you're searching yourself. And for our age, we have lots of confidence in ourselves. When I say I'm the best, I don't take myself seriously, I'm fooling around!
What souvenirs do you have of your childhood? How would you describe yourself in that period?
Bill: We've always had confidence in ourselves and our future. We have strong characters. We started making music really early, because we realized at an early age what was good for ourselves. It wasn't always easy to live. At school, we didn't want to be molded, and that caused clashes among us, our professors, and other students. But other than hating high school, we had a good laugh.
Tom: I'm still a kid. I still have the kid that I was, in me. (laughs) He guides me every day.
Bill: But contrary to what our fans may think, we're far from being perfect. We're very thankful for our success, but we don't want to be examples for others!
A bit about the twin's early history for those who don't know yet:
Born in Leipzig, Germany to Simone and Jörg Kaulitz, Tom was born 10 minutes before his brother Bill Kaulitz which makes Bill the younger brother. They were very hard to tell apart when they were younger so they had to wear t-shirts with their names written on it. Simone Kaulitz divorced Jörg when the twins were 7 seven years old and remarried Gordon Trümper which is where many think that the boys get his surname Trümper, but it is rumors. They are only called Kaulitz. Their stepfather, Gordon Trümper, had a major musical influence on the boys since he was in a band of his own at the time. This caused Bill to start writing his own songs and Tom to play an instrument of his choice. Over the years, the twins both dressed in skirt-suits until they reached their preteen years in which they started to develop their own sense of style and personality. During the years they were in school, they would always pull pranks on their teachers which led to their separation in the seventh grade.
Tom: Bill and I started making music when we were 7. We always preferred that to video games! We dedicated all our free time, evenings, weekends to it. Bill played synthesized because there was no one else to play the drums and bass. I met Gustav while we were at the Academy (music academy?), and we became friends then.
Gustav: And then one day, I went along to one of their gigs. When I saw Bill on stage trying to play synthesized, I told myself that really had to change. (laughs) So we started discussing it and I proposed to play with them. It was then that we started the band.
What would you like to tell those who call you just a well-marketed product?
Bill: Oh my god! In order to say such silliness, those people must be really frustrated. But anyhow, that's the usual thing you hear in the music business. Especially in Germany. These last few years, like in England in the 90s, there were lots of boys and girl bands. There were even TV shows, which had the goal of finding THE next band. So that makes it really hard to make a real formation without making it seem like a TV reality show. Today, it's hard to convince people that we're a real band, that no one told us to be friends with Gustav and Georg. Anyhow, no one would believe us. Consequently, we do our own thing without worrying about those rumors. Music is emotion; if you are just a puppet how can you put your heart into what you do? On my part, I put my heart into it all, so it annoys me when people think what I do is plastic. But there are times when you need to distance yourself from those rumors, otherwise you'll get eaten alive.
What relationship do you have with your fans?
Tom: Whenever we can, we talk to them, sign autographs...that's the least we can do, because wherever we go, they're there! Sometimes they wait for hours or spend the night on the streets. Whether it's cold, raining, snowing, they're there. And they offer us gifts in which they put their hearts and souls. So giving them a bit of our time, it's the least we can do to show them how much they mean to us. We want to live up to their love for us.
What's the most unbelievable gift a fan has offered you?
Bill: That's a hard question because we receive tons and tons of gifts. We are very touched by our fans' letters. Some are very long. There was one who made a 14 kilometer letter! That's almost a book of 1000 A4 pages!
Georg: Otherwise we got a car, a Mini Cooper with picture of us and our name all over. But it's hard to chose one gift in particular, because they all mean something to us.
Do you take time to go on forums and your MySpace page?
Bill: We have to be careful, because on forums, there are lots of people who pretend to be us, who chat with our fans and don't give a damn about them. If we're ever on Internet, it's always a group thing and it's announced officially. Other than that, we spend lots of times on blogs dedicated to us or on our MySpace, because their opinions interest us a lot.
The girls are crazy over you, but what's your type of girl?
Tom: That's a hard question, because I don't have one precise type of girl in my head. There just has to be a good feeling present from the beginning, a connection which allows the relationship to start naturally. She can be blonde, or have brown or red hair...it doesn't matter. But with the lives we lead, we don't have the time for those love relationships. At the same time, being faithful and engaged doesn't interest me...I like to take advantage and have fun. I was crazy over tons of girls. Too many girls. (laughs) I really think that it's possible to fall in love a few times in your life, and thankfully several people are made for you.
Georg: Concerning me, I would like to meet a girl who looks like Angelina Jolie, the Olsen twins, and Eva Longoria.
Gustav: We'll fight over the same girl, then, Georg. (laughs)
Bill: I'd like the girl to have a cool look, that she has clean nails and nice skin. And she must be positive and funny. One-night-stands don't turn me on. I really believe in true love, love that you can only find once in your life...if you're lucky enough. Because I think that lots of people will never find it, which is rather sad...I've known girls, I've already fallen in love. I know what it's like to have a crush on someone, butterflies in the stomach, but I haven't found Love, with a big "L."
Bill, you have a particular look. Have you always liked to make yourself up and do your nails?
Bill: I've been doing that since a very long time. Gustav and Georg never knew me otherwise. I started to get a taste for makeup when I participated in a Halloween party, several years ago. I was disguised as a vampire. Since then, I've kept the look. It's part of my personality.
How long does it take you every morning to make yourself nice?
Bill: Not very long. 40 minutes in all.
Do you have a ritual before going up on stage?
Bill: Well it's not really a ritual. Gustav likes to be alone, he concentrates and listens to music. But Georg, Tom, and I, we like to hang out together before the show starts and be stressed out together. We lock ourselves in a room for half an hour and no one's allowed to come in. Not even our manager! We imagine the worst-case scenarios, we laugh and it relaxes us.
And when you're not on stage, what do you do with your time?
Georg: We play ping-pong and kicker!
Tom: And when we're not touring, we like to sleep very late! Except for Gustav, who's an early-riser. But Bill, Georg, and I like to sleep, eat, watch TV and sleep. And when we can really allow ourselves a break, we like to travel for the holidays.
And what's your ideal destination?
Tom: All we can tell you is that we like little isolated islands, very, very, very far from here. (laughs)
Because of the circumstances, you spend a lot time together. Do you have friendships outside the band?
Tom: Yes, of course! It's important for us to be able to talk about something other than Tokio Hotel. But seeing that we share the same friends, we are almost always together. (laughs) And then we go on holidays together. So, yes, Tokio Hotel is our most beautiful story of friendship!
And you never hit each other?
Tom: Sometimes we really feel like it. Especially when Georg decides to take off his shoes. (laughs) But our friendship is stronger than our disputes!
Even if you're adulated by your fans, is there something about yourselves that you don't like?
Bill: (laughs) We haven't changed, we stay the same. We have the same defaults as before. And we have the same relationship together as we had before meeting success. So although it's nuts that we're 18 and there's so many girls crazy over us, there are always things that I don't like about myself. I don't walk around on the streets telling myself that I'm the best guy on earth. Tom, yes, sometimes. (laughs)
Tom: There's always things about ourselves that displease us. But it's normal: when you're 18, you're searching yourself. And for our age, we have lots of confidence in ourselves. When I say I'm the best, I don't take myself seriously, I'm fooling around!
What souvenirs do you have of your childhood? How would you describe yourself in that period?
Bill: We've always had confidence in ourselves and our future. We have strong characters. We started making music really early, because we realized at an early age what was good for ourselves. It wasn't always easy to live. At school, we didn't want to be molded, and that caused clashes among us, our professors, and other students. But other than hating high school, we had a good laugh.
Tom: I'm still a kid. I still have the kid that I was, in me. (laughs) He guides me every day.
Bill: But contrary to what our fans may think, we're far from being perfect. We're very thankful for our success, but we don't want to be examples for others!
A bit about the twin's early history for those who don't know yet:
Born in Leipzig, Germany to Simone and Jörg Kaulitz, Tom was born 10 minutes before his brother Bill Kaulitz which makes Bill the younger brother. They were very hard to tell apart when they were younger so they had to wear t-shirts with their names written on it. Simone Kaulitz divorced Jörg when the twins were 7 seven years old and remarried Gordon Trümper which is where many think that the boys get his surname Trümper, but it is rumors. They are only called Kaulitz. Their stepfather, Gordon Trümper, had a major musical influence on the boys since he was in a band of his own at the time. This caused Bill to start writing his own songs and Tom to play an instrument of his choice. Over the years, the twins both dressed in skirt-suits until they reached their preteen years in which they started to develop their own sense of style and personality. During the years they were in school, they would always pull pranks on their teachers which led to their separation in the seventh grade.
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