Thank you to Tokio Hotel Malaysia for the scans and translations of the interview in Hot Magazine Issue 154! HOT CHECKS INTO TOKIO HOTEL – The German group is out of this world!
“We would like to play on Mars or the moon – Tom”
Tokio Hotel needs no introduction. A few months after performing in Kuala Lumpur, the boys from Germany returned to rock our socks off again. The band, which is made up of eccentric lead vocalist Bill Kaulitz, his twin brother and guitarist Tom, bassist Georg Listing and the ever-so-silent Gustav Schäfer, has made a name for themselves as the quintessential rock band for teens with hits like ‘Monsoon’ off their first album Scream, and ‘Automatic’ and ‘World Behind My Wall’ off their second English album Humanoid.
Decked out in their own unique attire, the eccentric boys sat down with us to talk about Paul the Octopus, crazy fans and the moon.
You guys are always travelling to new places and meeting new fans. It must be really tiring when people keep asking you why your band is called Tokio Hotel.
Bill (B): (Laughs) Yes, that’s always the first question. I don’t know how many times we’ve answered this question.
How do you feel about having to constantly answer that question?
B: We’re used to it but I’m always a bit sad that people have no other questions for us! (We’ve) never thought of changing the band name because then we’ll have to start again.
What inspired you guys to do music together?
B: Basically we started when we were seven years old and our stepfather is in a rock band and he could play a lot of instruments. He could play the guitar, a little bit of drums and bass. He put a guitar in our room and Tom started playing it.
Tom (T): We had our own guitars, we started playing, wrote a few songs, went directly on stage and one day we managed to meet Gustav and Georg at a live pub.
B: It was really clear that we wanted to do music. We started when we were seven so that was really early.
What is the one thing you have to have with you when you perform?
B: My own microphone definitely, because I think it’s kind of disgusting to share with someone else (laughs).
T: I have my lucky charm. We have a couple of small things like a chain.
Georg (G): I always go on stage with this belt.
Has a girl fan ever tried to take it off you? Seriously, you have some crazy fans!
G: No, they’ve never tried (laughs).
We know that the World Cup is over and we’re sure you’ve heard of the famous German octopus, Paul. If you had the chance to ask Paul to predict one thing for you, what would it be?
B: I don’t know. Maybe we (would) ask when we (would) get the chance to go to Tokyo. We hope it will be this year but it’ll be interesting (to hear) what Paul will say.
So, no personal predictions?
T: You mean like something to do with true love? No.
Are you guys superstitious in any way? Do you believe Paul the octopus is a mystical creature?
B: Well, in the beginning I thought it was just a funny thing but he was right all the time and it was really interesting. But I believe in a lot of strange stuff. Like for example, we all believe in aliens. I generally believe in aliens. It’s kind of ridiculous to say we are the only creatures in the universe because no one knows what’s out there. I don’t think they are green or something but there is definitely something out there.
If the aliens were to come here and see you guys perform for the first time, what do you think they would say?
G: Amazing (laughs).
B: We would love to play on another planet.
T: We want to be the first band to be able to do that. The moon would be great, or Mars. Maybe in 20 years.
Back to music, you’ve gained a lot more fans internationally since you’ve produced the album in English. Does this mean that your next few albums will only be English?
B: We’re not really sure about that because to do the English album was actually our idea. There was no one pushing us. Because we were always in other countries, we couldn’t perform the German stuff. So this time, it’s better because now the fans can choose what they want to hear.
T: But the problem is that we need like two years to produce a record because we have to do it twice.
What do you think is the biggest challenge as a band?
B: To write English songs (laughs). No, I think the biggest challenge for us was to go to another country. For the public it looks very easy but it’s not, especially in the beginning. When we first went to France, it was really, really hard because everyone said, ‘We don’t want you there.’
T: And we had to ask for them to interview us!
B: I think the first international step was the hardest.
Besides being able to perform in Tokyo, do you have any other career goals?
T: We want to play in Tokyo, a world tour and on another planet.
How difficult has it been maintaining your own private life?
B: For Tom and me, it’s like impossible, especially in Europe and Germany. You always have people around you and we have a huge fence around our house. And there are people standing outside but most of the time, you’re on the road anyway so we don’t really recognise how crazy all this is. Last year, we realised it is really impossible to be private.
G: I think for Gustav and me, it’s a little bit more relaxed but you have to think about it. Like if you want to go to the cinema, you need to catch a movie, which has been running for two months, at the latest possible time.
What do you guys do when you want to take a break from it all?
T: If I want a break, I just go to my bedroom.
B: If we want to go on a holiday, we just try to search for a really small island. But even on the island, the paparazzi come on a yacht. It’s quite impossible to go on a vacation!
T: Most of the time we are indoors.
Gustav: I don’t remember my last holiday (laughs). I hate to fly and we fly all the time. It’s best to just stay at home.
If you could go to a place with no fans and no paparazzi, where would you go?
B: I would go to a theme park, have an ice-cream or normal stuff like walk on the street with my friends.
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Is the magazine in English?
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Yes, it’s in English.
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Wow. I feel so bad for downloading pics of them while on vacation, shopping, taking walks etc. I couldn’t really imagine myself walking up to them asking for a pic while they’re not working after reading this. I felt really sad but also Tom, as always, makes me laugh. lol.
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I feel bad about mooning over their vacation pics…. sorry TH, I won’t do it again……. I’ll try…..
but also GO ON A WORLD TOUR AND COME TO THE U.S OF A! If you go on a world tour then everyone can see you guys and no one feels bad. Also I didn’t know Gustav hates flying…. hmmmm sorry Gustav but I think your brave for doing that! Also Aliens would so come here for TH! Maybe they can make a duet??? :D
….sorry I’m hyper.
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Just wanna say theres a Magazine out in Australia right now called TV HITS and theres a poster of Tokio Hotel in there. Not sure if you can like order it.
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I was wondering at the beginning of this what they would do with Georg and Gustav’s initials. Turns out there was no need. SAY SOMETHING, GUSTAV! :P
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what an amazing band! not just musically, but they even have the vision to take their music to another planet! i love this band and their music!
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oh, i hate that they can’t have any privacy…..i wish they could.
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So do I…The guys need respect with their private life…there are fans that respect them to the fullest and I love that:) But…than there are the icky “fans” those that want to get dirt on them and try to intrude their lives as much as possible because they are soooo obssessed with their lives. Leave them alone please, it’s cool to like them or love them but respect them because they’re people. It just happens to be that they are famous. I could never imagine not having quite time for myself. It’s sad to think about it. If anyone feels the same way I do then u are uber awsome because u care about Gustav, Bill, Georg, and Tom<33333.
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I know!! I just saw in MTV!!! I was like AHHHHHH HE was only 20 minutes from me!!
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Tom you have to find and to believe in love….EVERYTHING is around the love……but ok it’s your life i can’t tell you what to do…..i love you…you are the only exeption about someone strager…….
Perform in a onther planet…uhm…hmmm….pretty cool that….love it….well i will come with you ….hihi…..
Bill i believe too in strage stuffs like aliens and all that……..it’s not so strage just you must to check out that in Geogle or whatever to find out a way….to believe and all that….i agree with Tommy….moon or Mars it’s good…..
i would like to hear what Paul can say for you something like”TOKIO HOTEL ROCK AND THE TH FANS ARE VERY CRAZY”funny thing about it……hohohoho
i can imagene your songs only to English…to perform to German isn’t bad at all….it’s pretty cool that
i mean it’s your you know words you can do it that we love German and German songs of you gyus you kow what i mean……….i agree again with Tommy which it mean no freedom and relaxed and all that stuff……
Tom and aworld tour or something to Greece ha……plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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you are our lifes and everything for us…..i mean we will do again a FANACTION because we want to back and ok we will be a lot of people there for you…..and ok we miss you ……and we love you and we want you back just we are for real crazy for you….
Tom omg with you ……tell me that you f**k all the time plzzzz now….sorry for my bad words….
Bill can you plzzzzzzzz don’t talk about holidays they going to finish and to go to school and hate that and i want to see you (Bill and Tom or whatever naked again but now …..how Tom said????a ha yeah i remember completely naked……JK)…Yeah,Tom you are indoors and how paparazzi can take a picture if you????hahahhahaha…and if you want holidays come to Greece we have veeeeeeryyyyyy fantastic inslands and fantastic womens on the beach and of coz fantastic beaches……………
Bill again you will have fans hihihi they will follow and if you have sunglasses and all that we unerstand who is who …i mean we can undersand if you are or not…..hohohoho
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Yeah,Bill it was really early…(sorry because i write again….i writeit to my notebook that and when i see something i write here)i write lyrics too
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My mother sing,play guitar and bass and drums and my father play a little bit guitar and my brother play drums and i play a little bit guitar and i sing
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i have questions for YOU gyus
……just come to me xD; hohihihihi
if you want …………….
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waitt..they are in LA right noww???? whhyy???:)))
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It makes me happy that they’re in Los Angeles, CA right now. I hope they tour here again.
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*Off Topic**** Rumer has it theyre going to las vegas for their 21st! I need to get a ride there! lol
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they probably will since they’ve been talking about it alot lol
i think they’re probably here for some studio time though ;)
…or at least i hope its part of the reason why they’re here lol
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aren’t the Rockbjörnen awards on they’re bday….so souldn’t they be at the awards….?
i’m confused:/
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They never said they will be in Sweden for Rockbjörnen… Nothing really to be confused about :)
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Sorry for the thumbs down, it was supposed to be UP!
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haha this interview made my night! :D
PS:i know this is off topic, but i had no idea they were even in the US at the moment, L.A. to be exact.
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Yea but it’s just Bill only
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pictures??? What pictures? where? please more info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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i need to buy this. its hard to find anything tokio hotel related here in malaysia, but since the band had come a couple of times, there are some mentions of them-and i buy the mags even if its just one line xD
gawd, im so happy :)
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I’m so happy i found out about this band…it makes me cry, it’s corny but i’m glad to know these four guys… for those who don’t like them should get the chance to really get to know about the guy’s and how they feel about the music they make.
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Well,i think “Forever Now”,”Noise” and “Darkside Of The Sun” are also hits. :D :D It must be hard,having paparazzis all around you when u go out to shop,Bill. Hope that u can get freedom one day and have music for eternity! Im a huge fan of yours and Tokio Hotel! Cuz the band totally ROCKS,THE MUSIC IS JUST FAB!!! Btw,haha,yeah,I’ve watched so many videos of interviews that u guys have and almost every one of them got the question “Why do u call yourselves Tokio Hotel?” And that one is always the first one xDxD Anyway…TOKIO HOTEL FOREVER!
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Great interview… How and where can i get a copy of the magazine in the US???
I really want it!!!
That info is back a couple posts.
http://www.tokiohotelamerica.com/2010/08/19/hot-magazine-teaser/
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Thanks that is soooo AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
Can’t wait to have it in my hands!!!!
*squee*
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No one wanted Tokio Hotel in France…AWWWWWW!!!!
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where i live in nor cal they could just go out and do what ever! i think they would like it! and at the most some one would ask for a pic or something
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yeah, same with where i live!!:)
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these guys are soooooooo nice :)
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the nicest ever!…these guys should be awarded for being so awsome with thier fans…I need to share my feelings to the whole world right now about them…some how…but I don’t know how!
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hehe i read the tom quote in the begining and craked up. yup deff a tom quote hehehehe. i feel bad for the guys not haveing any personal life, even though i love these kind of interviews and know what they are doing. i wish they could at least go outside and do stuff, maybe like, dance in the rain with out worrying about pics hehe (random yea i know). you know in the US they arent very very populer… populer enuff to have a tour and actuly be able to go to places with out being reconised all the time… HINT HINT VK IDEA HINT HINT. hehehehehe
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They aren’t really known in Australia at all. And they haven’t been here yet so nobody really knows about them since hardly anyone gets MTV. And it will be Summer in a few months and we have awesome beaches hint hint =)
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oh and the paparazzi is pretty good here. There is hardly any coz we don’t really have many famous people =)
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Good thing Bill doesn’t believe that aliens are green haha. Wow Tom is really focused on the whole performing on another planet idea O.o. Poor Gustav doesn’t like flying but has to in order to do a concert…flying is kind of scary but it’s pretty fun!!
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Is “Dark side of the sun” I hit too?