International superstars Tokio Hotel are taking the music world by storm.
After scoring four number one singles, two number one albums, and selling nearly
3 million CDs and DVDs in their homeland, they've become the biggest act to come
out of Germany in 20 years.
And to think their first CD was recorded when the members were only 13 to
15-years-old.
Breaking down cultural walls, the Tokio Hotel phenomenon has crossed language
barriers, causing a tornado-like frenzy in Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, Russia and
Israel.
In Austria and Switzerland, Tokio Hotel have gone four times Platinum and in
France, they've had a crowd of 500,000 chanting along to their songs in front of
the Eiffel Tower.
One by one, European territories have seen the band graduating from theaters to
arenas in a matter of months.
They sold out 43 venues with more than 400,000 fans in their home country,
having the most successful debut tour ever in Germany.
Teenagers overseas cry at the mere glimpse of Bill Kaulitz, 18 (vocals), Bill's
twin brother Tom Kaulitz, 18 (guitar), Gustav Schäfer, 19, (drums) and Georg
Listing, 20 (bass).
Now with Tokio Hotel ready to rock America, it's only a matter of time before
the hysteria follows them stateside.
"It's always been a dream of ours to make it in the States," says vocalist Bill
Kaulitz, who sings in English for the first time on Scream, the band's U.S.
debut.
"We grew up listening to American bands like Metallica, Green Day and The Red
Hot Chili Peppers. We wanted to get a chance to do what they do."
When the band formed in Magdeburg, Germany, in 2001 (originally under the name
Devilish), they say they had no idea they'd go on to win every prestigious
German music award.
"But there was never a plan B," explains Bill, "music is all we know." Guitarist
Tom added "Playing live means everything to us.
That's how we started three years ago...performing our songs in small clubs and
bars - sometimes with only five people in the audience.
These days have changed completely. We have sold out stadiums and the biggest
venues you can get. This unbelievable success is hard to grasp and every single
day we are grateful for it."
With their US debut ready for release, listeners will get a chance to hear how
Tokio Hotel's melodic brand of rock easily navigates between headbanging guitars
and power-packed anthems to mid-tempo pop tracks and more introspective ballads.
The one thing their diverse songs all have in common? There's always a message.
"Don't Jump" is an anti-suicide song, telling the listener not to give up on
himself, while the guitar-heavy album-opener, "Scream," is about "saying what
you want - or better yet, shouting it - to get your point across," explains
Bill.
The quiet but powerful "Rescue Me" is about the helplessness you feel when a
relationship crumbles before your eyes, while the sweetly, slowed-down "Monsoon"
is about going through hardships with a best friend or soul-mate - withstanding
anything life can throw at you - and by facing adversity, overcoming it to find
a positive end.
"The lyrics are very important to us," says Bill.
"They help our fans know where we're coming from. The best part of being a
musician is being onstage and seeing a sea of people sing your lyrics-it's a
rush." Now, for the first time, they'll be able to hear the songs sung back to
them in English.
"It's going to be a little crazy," Bill admits. Though the group learned to
speak English in school, they still write songs in their native German and then
translate them into English.
Their first U.S. album is actually a combination of hits from their two German
albums - "Schrei (Scream)," and "Zimmer 483 (Room 483)," - translated into
English and re-recorded.
Their first single in Germany, "Durch den Monsun" ("Through the Monsoon"), went
to number one in August 2005 and "Rette Mich (Rescue Me)" also peaked at number
one soon after.
Their first single off their second album "Zimmer 483 (Room 483)," called "Übers
Ende der Welt (Ready Set Go)," was released in January 2007, and quickly reached
number one as well. They now look to to keep the streak alive in America. "We
think our music speaks for itself," says Bill. "Of course, we want to succeed,
we want to prove it to ourselves, and to be honest, to everyone else."
Welcome, www.tokiohotel.lv!
Your leading source for everything on the talented band Tokio Hotel. Tokio Hotel
is most knowing band from Germany and they in past year get success all round
the world.
Good luck, Tokio Hotel Latvia !
Tour date
TV dates:
12.09.2009 - Schlag den Raab, Pro7
25.09.2009 - 100 Prozent TH, RTL