MyIdol UA

 

Article - Translation by Gallo

Q: You created t-shirt for campaign against AIDS. Why was it import to you?
Bill: We’ve heard about this campaign, we are always in the public eyes, that is why we can do this kind of things. It’s very important, especially for young people to have a safe sex. Idea of protected sex inspired us...

(When brother were 12 years old, Tom brought condoms. Bill started to make balloons, but Tom retired with girlfriend. Nothing changed that much since than :) )

Q: How were you participating?
Bill: Design was mostly my work.
Tom: I obviously came up with slogan.
Bill: And I was really inspired by Tom’s slogan. 

(Bill version: No sex, no AIDS! Tom’s version: Better AIDS, than life without sex!)

Tom: First of all we wanted to make slogan short and easy to remember.
Gustav: They let me to participate! I drew an exclamation mark!!!
Tom: And also Gustav was running to get sandwiches! 

Q: What can you say to your fans about protection?
Bill: It’s very important, because we thing that sex is a good thing.
Tom: Yes
Bill: What also is pleasant that for sex not necessarily presence of the partner. 
Tom: That’s happening sometimes…
Georg: Often happening…
Gustav: Almost always!
Bill: yeah (as sigh I think) 

Q: What is you style in clothes?
Bill: I am absolutely crazy about leather jackets. I have so many that I don’t even know exact amount. Every color, every shape. Tom is more of hip-hop style. 
Tom: Little retro.
Gustav: And I like socks. They don’t give money on jackets. 

Q: Your favorite parts of outfits:
Bill: Besides jackets I am crazy about jewelry. I always has at least one suitcase, there could be more, where are hundreds of silver rings.
Gustav: And I like iron ring that on my finger. Some fan lost it. I got very lucky!

Q: Why did you call your album Humanoid?
Bill: Humanoid – is embodiment of what we felt during our childhood. That how everyone around us saw us, and this how we felt ourselves. This name is well combined with our life and sound of the album.

Q: Whose idea was of the cover?
Bill: We decided that rest of the three members of the band is not that interesting (laughing). We wanted create something that look like humanoid, that is why we took parts of the face and played with it in Photoshop. And it came out as combination between a man and robot. Great cover for the album. 

Q: Why did you pick “Automatisch” for your first single?
Tom: It was obvious easy choice for us. The song is showing new musical direction for Tokio Hotel. It’s fun song. Bill and I wrote it in the two hours. Lyrics and melody came surprisingly pretty easy. We immediately knew that this is going to be our first song on the future album. 
Georg: And more so, video clip that was made for this song is just great. Shooting happened in South Africa for 5 days. Because we were in the middle of desert there was very cold. After sun got down, nights became freezing. But despite this problem we will never forget South Africa and its scenery.
Gustav: One local black lady with big boobs took notice of me, and I was already thinking about getting married, but it appeared that she had 18 children.
Tom: Bill was only getting attention from shamans; they thought that he is thier competitor. 

Q: Tom why did you change you hair style: 
Tom: After 9 years of wearing dreads I had a wish to change. (Bugs and worms were bugging! Spider and bee’s family became last drop :))). So I cut my hair really short, because it was impossible to untangle them. Then I waited for them to grow a little and tried afro style, just for fun, but since it suited me I decided to keep it.

Q: Are you single?
Bill: Yes. One of us has a girlfriend, the rest are still bachelors. 
Georg: Since Bill already let it out, I will say it. I live with beautiful and charming girl, whose name I am not going to tell. She is German and I am not going to say anything else.

Gustav: At least I had chance to see a naked girl (by accident), but Bill still haven’t had luck with it. 

Q: Who is the best and the worst of you?
Bill: Georg is awful, beside he is always late. And he is lazy, clumsy, silly and ugly (laugh). Also he is very funny, because he is so clumsy. But he has beautiful hair. Gustav looks like calf. I am the only one who is perfect in all senses, and this irritates the others. And I am taking everything too seriously.
Gustav: Yes, you are amazing.
Tom: I simply super. I am very talented, and also very beautiful.
Bill: Everything is beautiful in Tom.
Georg: Also Tom is boring and crazy about himself.
Tom: It’s not true! I am humble guy. But talented and beautiful (laugh)
Gustav: I am also quite beautiful and I have a glasses!

Q: Can you share interesting story from school time with us.
Bill: School years were nightmare for us. We were growing up in small town and felt like aliens on another’s planet. Unlike other children we always were thinking about music. I had a lot of problems with teachers and classmates. We were bad in school. 
Gustav: And I set up an eternal basketball record. In all 10 years of school I’ve never managed to get a ball in the basket. 

Q: You have unusual taste in fashion. How important is visual component of you band?
Bill: It’s important, but I think it’s necessary to be oneself. For us Tokio Hotel is more than a job, it’s our life. We ‘never tried to come up with some image, picture. And I don’t care what they say about my hair or about our clothes. We look like how it is, and we always have been this way. Visual element is important, as lyric and melody form an ideas, represent emotions, and you can see the whole person behind. All these goes hand in hand. 

Q: What do you like most about your fans?
Tom: Their energy at our concerts. They give so much energy. Our fans are the best!
Bill: We want for fans to scream! It’s unbelievable amount of energy that you are getting while on stage. We wouldn’t want to play before dull people, who would just listen to our song. We need that energy. Fans are following us everywhere, sleeping in front of venues. I like such a display of determination.

Q: What are the down sides of fame? When you come on the street you immediately being surrounded by paparazzi isn’t it?
Bill: Exactly. I would love to be able to go out on the street and just take a walk. Before when we were on the tour, we could go out without bodyguards. Now it’s not possible. But we are thrilled that people like our music. Fame is like a drug for us.

Q: What would you do if you would be in Tokio Hotel?
Bill: I would be unemployed musician (laughing). Of course I would play in some clubs for small fee.
Bill: I would work in McDonalds and hide from bullies. People don’t have normal life, with look like mine.

Q: Is there is any band or an artist that inspires you to write songs?
Bill: It’s very hard to name one band or an artist, because I am listening all kinds of music. I’ve never had an idol that really inspired me, but I like listen to David Bowie, Placebo, ColdPlay, Stereophonics. I would love to have an opportunity to work (music collaboration) with my idols, David Bowie or Steve Tyler. 

Q: Every time you go on stage, do you put make-up on yourself?
Bill: Sometimes I am doing everything myself, sometimes I need help. I started to do make-up and dye my hair, when I was 10 years old, so I can do it myself.

Q: Who inspired you for this unique hairstyle?
Bill: Hmmm… I don’t know where I take inspiration. It’s just comes from me, I don’t know. I don’t need much time to style the hair. I style it everyday with small amount of hairspray and it takes about 15 minutes.
Gustav: Thank you for asking! My hairstyle is the result of absence of money. It’s the cheapest style. I am getting paid a cent per beat on the drums. It’s only enough for drink and liverwurst.