By: Sindy
Sindy: Hey Guys! For being pretty young you have already been in the business for quite a while, how did you get started?
Tom: Bill and I started when we were about nine. I got my first guitar from my stepdad who is a musician and runs a music school. Once I got it, I started playing. Bill always used to sing and wanted to become a singer as long as I can remember. So we started writing our first songs (laughing) which were not that good. After that we played where ever we could - atbirthday parties, weddings and clubs. One night when Bill and I played at a club called Gröninger Bad we met Gustav and Georg.
Gustav: Georg and I met at music school and became friends.
Georg: Yes and that night we saw these two guys on stage - Bill singing and playing the keyboard, which delivered the beat and the bass and Tom playing the guitar.
Gustav (laughing): It was so sad.
Tom (laughing): Yeah, so sad that you guys begged us to join the band.
Georg (laughing): You needed help, that was obvious.
Tom (grinning): We were looking for a bass player and a drummer anyway. And after they wanted to jump in so desperately we gave it a go. That was, like, seven years ago.
Sindy: Tell us about changing your name.
Tom: Well, we were called Devilish for no particular reason. (laughing) This is really our dark past, you know?! Anyway, after we found our producer and we started working in the studio we felt it was time for a name that really fit us and meant something. And because we all love really big and modern cities and of course it sounded great we chose Tokyo. Then we were looking for a symbol that would represent our lives. Back then we thought if our career would take off we probably would be traveling all the time and would stay in hotels. And we actually stay more in hotels than we are at home these days. So there you go: Tokio Hotel.
Sindy: Now that you're breaking into the North American market, how are things different than touring and performing in Europe?
Tom: It's a really big deal for us and we are very excited to get this chance. I mean, we are a German band and it's really unusual for a German band to get the chance to go overseas and try your luck. When we went to Canada and the U.S. for the very first time in February we thought that we 'd probably need to give away tickets on the streets to people to make sure someone shows up. And then we found out that all our shows were sold out even so we've never been there before and our album was not even published. Of course every fan is different, but what they all have in common is that they are very engaged, that they are very intense. They live this life with us. Where ever we go, they are there and to welcome us. And we were soooo happy to find out, that our fans in Canada and the U.S. are sharing that energy. They really made us feel home. (smiling) And I was personally very happy to see all the [KWLINK7456]pretty girls[/KWLINK] in the audience. I can't wait to come back and check that out a little more.
Sindy: What's the word on a North American tour?
Georg: We are dying to come back and play as much as possible. There are talks going on at the moment - so as far as everything is set, we'll let you know.
Sindy: Ready, Set, Go has premiered on MTV and you’re performing on TRL this week. How do you feel about that?
Gustav: We are absolutely flattered. And we just freaked out because our album went straight to number six on the Canadian charts.
Tom: It's such a big thing for us - it's MTV. It's all so exciting and it's one of these things that really leaves us speechless.
Click here to find out Tokio Hotel’s musical influences and personal style.
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