Tokio Hotel are the biggest band in Germany for the last twenty years selling three million albums in just two years.They played their first gig in the UK which was a sell out despite virtually no exposure in this country.With their debut single Ready Set Go due out here in August FemaleFirst is one of the first to interview Tokio Hotel as we caught up with the boys for a quick ten minutes to see how they are coping with their swift rise to success.

How did the band together and why the name Tokio Hotel, does it have a meaning?
Tom: Bill and me used to play music together since we were 9. I played the guitar and Bill sang and played a keyboard, which imitated bass and drums.Georg: Gustav and I met at music school and became friends. One night we saw Bill and Tom performing in a small club called Grˆninger Bad. It was obvious that they needed help (laughs). So we walked up to them and started talking. Gustav: That’s how everything started
You have become the biggest stars in Germany for the past twenty years did you expect this level of success and how are you coping with your new found fame?
Bill: Are you kidding?! We’re together now for seven years. And all we ever wanted was a record deal. After we met our producers we went into the studio and practiced, practiced, practiced – over 2 years. We thought we would never release a single.

Tom: Then we got our deal and we released “Monsoon” in Germany – nearly 2 years ago. And then everything happened so fast. It was unbelievable. More than we ever dreamed of. And now – after our big success in Germany – it happened in France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Russia – in so many other countries in Europe. In April we finished our first European tour. I still can’t believe that we’ve really been on a European tour. None of us would have ever imagined something like this would happen.

You have sold 3,5 million records in two years what do you think has made you so successful so quickly?

Tom: That’s hard to answer. We always knew what we wanted to do. We have our own style and it was important for us to do our stuff the way we wanted it. We never gave up and it was a real challenge to be in charge and making decisions. There are always people who want to tell you how everything has to work. But we had our own vision and did it our way.

Bill: I also think you need luck and have to be at the right place at the right time. That happened to us. Also, our fans write us all the time saying that they identify themselves with our songs, because we sing about things, which they experience in their lives and that that’s the reason why we’re so close to them. We share emotions, problems and situations that kids have when they grow up.

The video for your single ‘Ready, Set, Go’ is interesting and really quite dark in places. What was it like to shoot?

Bill: It was a very though shoot. We shot for 25 hours non-stop. The song is about breaking out. It’s about not giving up and not being caught up by fears or by other people telling you what to do. So we choose this video with the “grey” people - as I call them. They gave up their dreams and stopped trying to reach them. When they hear us playing, they break out and leave everything behind them - like us.

You played at the Bastille Day celebrations in France 500,000 people turned up how did you find that?

Bill: It was absolutely amazing. The biggest crowd we ever played for. It was so exciting and special. And it was a huge honor for us as a German band to play at the Eifeltower on the 14th of June! It felt like a “once in a lifetime” gig

Tom: You have to imagine that - even from this big stage – you couldn’t see the end of the crowd. Absolutely crazy!

There are rumors that you are to release a make-up range is there any truth in this?

Bill: There are so many rumors – but this one is new to me.

Tom: I heard about it. But it’s not true.

You gave your first gig in the UK in June how was the response here?

Gustav: It was amazing. Whenever we come to a country I’m always so exited about the fact, that our fans already know our lyrics and can sing along. That happened that night in London as well. And that was special, cause it was the first time, Bill performed the English songs.

Bill: I was very nervous but everything went perfect. The English fans gave a fantastic welcome - it was great.

For those who don't know you very well in the UK what can we expect from your album?

Bill: It’s our first English album and it’s called “SCREAM”. Recording it was a very special experience and challenge - especially for me. It’s a mixture of songs from our first and second German album and the songs have been translated into English. So while the others had time off (all of them moaning), because we didn’t need to record the music again - I had to go into the studio and record the songs in English. Since I’m a perfectionist, I wanted the songs to sound like a native speaker would sing them and not like some German trying to sing English. It took me some time, but I’m really happy with the result and I’m very proud that we did the English album.

Tom: There’s one special thing about the UK-Version, we added two extra songs - “Life Every Second” and “Raise Your Hands”.

Did you write the album yourself and if so who is your musical inspiration, who do you admire?

Bill: We’re working with 4 producers. I’m writing the lyrics, the boys do the music. And our producers come along with their ideas. We work on everything together so it’s a team process and everybody is involved.

Tom: The four of us listen to very different types of music in our private life. With Tokio Hotel we always wanted to find our own style – the music we play with Tokio Hotel is the result and you could call it our common ground – musically at least (laughs). We all have musicians and bands we like and respect, but we never had idols or wanted to sound like somebody else.

Have you any plans for more gigs in the UK?

Georg: Sure, we would love to come back and play in the UK! That’s what we’re all about: playing live and having a great time with our fans. It’s all we’re living for and why we’re became musicians.

And what about America?

Tom: We love to travel, get to know new countries and meet new fans. Whenever we get to know that there a fans in a country, we haven’t been to yet, which are in to our music, which like us and really want to see us live, we go there to meet them.

The debut single Ready Set Go is released 20 August

Helen Earnshaw FemaleFirst

View My Blog The debut single Ready Set Go is released 20 August