Tokio Hotel WW107 (Reviews and stuff)

We like to think of ourselves as a mini United Nations here, so we were delighted when the nice young Germans of Tokio Hotel stopped by the office today, hair and all. We were pretty shocked Tom would make the undiplomatic move of wearing a Red Sox hat here in Yankee town [Ed: WTF??], but the be-dreaded guitarist assured me he was “so pretty” people can’t really get mad at him. Sorry, Tom, they so can. Fortunately for him, there’s usually a pack of screaming 14-year-old girls (and one burly bodyguard) surrounding you at all times. Anyway, the band’s English language album Scream drops here tomorrow — it’s already out in Europe, which is why so many shrieking American tweens have all the lyrics memorized. Anime porcupine/frontboy Bill said it was pretty weird recording songs in English that he was used to singing in German. His favorite track to do live off the album is title song, while twin Tom favors “Read, Set, Go!” But don’t worry — they agree on, like, everything else! Much more on the band’s love of Rammstein, The Scorpions, and The Hoff to come here at MTV News. (Oh, yes, it’s true — they are that adorably lost in translation.) And more pics of the band’s visit, after the jump. DATES AND STUFF...AMERICA May 5 - MTV at 1:30PM (1515 Broadway). May 6 - MTV for TRL at 1:15 then at 6pm they will be performing and doing a signing at VIRGIN Megastore in Times Square. May 8 - z100 radio show at 1:30 (32 ave of the Americas), then choice at 2pm 328 west 34th. May 9 - US weekly at noon at 1290 ave of Americas, then at 1:30 they'll be at Conan O’Brien (30 Rockafeler plaza). May 10 - Main Street Music in Philly at 3pm to sign CDs! May 12 - They will be at Hot Topic (Hollywood & Highland) to sign CDs (you have to get a wristband by buying the CD or TH merch at that store, but it's limited, so hurry!). Get your copy of “Scream” signed by the guys. Go to MAIN STREET MUSIC on MAY 10th - event starts @ 3pm! Here are the store details: Main Street Music 4444 Main Street (Manayunk) Philadelphia, PA Destinorock's review on Tokio Hotel (Don't let it get to you...) Last Saturday 3rd the German band Tokio Hotel took part in the Bamboozle festival, near New York. A lot had been said about the hurried comeback of the recently operated Bill Kaulitz. What's true is that Tokio Hotel's presence in the festival was only a public act where music was only anecdotal. They sang 3 songs, but they could have only played one, and having the same result. To see and be seen. The main goal of the German band's management is to get into USA. The American market is the big goal and the key that could open the rest of countries they still have to "conquer". It isn't worth for TH being "demigods" in France if in the English market they are only another band like the rest. The trial of getting into Great Britain was not very successful. "Ready Set Go" entered into a modest TOP 77 and it disappeared only a week after from the British TOP 100. Trying to sell English people a music band is like trying to sell Chinese a calculator. If it's not internationally recognized for some reason, is almost impossible to reach their markets. Taking advantage of the band's presence, this week is going to be released "Scream" in USA. Knowing how much they are risking, they have invested a lot in Marketing. Very reliable sources have informed us that, if management's plans go on (till now they have always) their headquarters, also band members, could leave Germany and move in a near future to America. The list of artists having done the same is never ending. The last one, Leona Lewis. All the reviews from Bamboozle seem to be good! However, more bad reviews from America - this one is from Herald Net. Ouch, it bites! Tokio Hotel, "Scream" (Interscope) (Don't let this get to you either...) It would be easy to tear into Tokio Hotel for its ridiculous lyrics. Since I'm feeling lazy, I will. The stylized teenyboppers -- who come from Germany, not Japan -- write muddled verses which, for their sake, I hope sound better in their mother tongue. Some examples from the group's new album: "I say your name in silence. You don't want to hear it right now." (That is a simple paradox; if you don't know that much why don't you just shut up?) I say that makes no sense. "Hope forever died. It shouldn't really be that way." Gee, you think? (Shame, I pity you, if you aren't able to understand simple lines, such as this last one...especially if English is your first language.) With a sappy blend of self-pity and self-righteousness, the lines border on offensively dumb. You might suspect the music would be better. It, after all, doesn't have to overcome a language barrier. But sadly, no. The group's mix of metal and emo sounds by the numbers and lifeless. Granted, this band isn't actually about songcraft. It's about style. Again, that's a shame, because the group looks kind of dumb (Oh wait...and who are you?). Tokio Hotel's pin-up front man, Bill Kaulitz, wears his spiky hair and eye shadow like an anime character. His twin brother, Tom Kaulitz, sports dreadlocks and a baseball cap for the St. Louis Cardinals -- odd fashion statements for an 18-year-old from Germany (yeah, well if everyone was average, how exciting would that be?). The group has managed to sell millions of albums overseas and is billed as the biggest thing to come out of Germany this decade. Of course, Germany didn't have the bar set too high. Maybe I'm not the target market for this group. I am, after all, not a teenage girl. Buzz-building appearances in New York City sent the young ladies into histrionics. They screamed. I can understand wanting to do the same, but for different reasons. (Just wanted to know what you had to say about this.) TOKIO HOTEL hasn't won the "Superband Rock" for the "Bravo Supershow 2008". Linkin Park won, and Tokio Hotel got only silver (second place).