Humanoid, Glambert, Vampires, US Tour: Starpulse Interview
03. Nov, 2009 
19 Comments
Starpulse interviewed Tokio Hotel on a number of different topics, but probably the most interesting is Adam Lambert. They asked Bill whether he thinks Adam copied his image, but Bill doesn’t want to give a definite answer because he hasn’t seen younger pictures of Adam. Check out the full interview below!
Is it just me who really wished Bill watched True Blood? I love that show!
Starpulse recently had the chance to chat with Tokio Hotel band members Bill Kaulitz, Tom Kaulitz, Georg Listing, and Gustav Schafer. The German pop quartet emerged on the American music radar when they pulled out an upset win over Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and Jordin Sparks for “Best New Artist” at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.
The guys were great to chat with and Bill, the eccentric lead singer (who did most of the talking), let us in on one of his styling secrets, what band he’s been listening to recently, Adam Lambert, and the making of their recent album, “Humanoid.”
Starpulse reporter Phil McRae caught up with the band, here’s what transpired…
Starpulse: How are you guys liking Los Angeles?
Bill Kaulitz: Oh, it’s great. I think the weather is actually really cool. In Germany, it’s really cold right now, so it’s good to be here.
I was in Germany a couple months ago and went to Berlin for five days and thought it was great.
BK: Oh, you liked it, yeah?
Absolutely. Are you guys from around there? Do you ever hang out in Berlin?
BK: No, most of the time we are in Hamburg; that’s where we have most of our studios. So, yeah, we spend most of our time in Hamburg when we’re in Germany.
I’ve been listening to the new album, “Humanoid,” lately and like it a lot. It differs from your first English-version album, “Scream” – is that something you were doing on purpose, or did it just work out that way?
BK: You know, I think it just happened in the studio. The first English record was like a ‘Best Of’ from our first two German albums ["Schrei" (2005) and "Zimmer 483" (2007)] and we just translated everything. We weren’t sure what the new album would be like, and originally we planned to do something new – something fresh. We decided to go to the studio for one year and we produced and wrote songs and wanted to be creative. The goal was to try things out. We have a lot of different versions from every song, and ["Humanoid"] is more electronic than the other records. There was nothing planned. It was just something different.
Was there a concept behind the album?
BK: No, not really a concept. It just happened in the studio. I think the most important thing is that we had time to produce and write. Maybe the record company hates us now because they expected the record half a year earlier. For us, it was more important to have the time. And like I said, we needed one year to produce this record. I think in the future it will also be like that, so we have enough time to produce and write.
s that something the band prides itself on – not listening to exactly what the studio wants? It’s just whatever comes naturally?
BK: Yeah, I think that’s important, so we have no record company that is talking to us about our music – that is something we hate, when other people want to talk about that. I think it’s important that you do your stuff and you like it. We don’t think about other people. We just do our stuff, and when we’re happy with that, we know it’s going to be good.
Tom Kaulitz: I think if you love [the music], then other people can love it.
After looking at some fan sites, it sounds like Tokio Hotel loves performing and being on stage. What do you guys like about that so much?
BK: I think that it’s something hot – like music and being on stage – that’s why we do all of this. You know, I think the promotion stuff and photos shoots and interviews, that’s just a part of it. But the most important thing for us is to really be on stage and to make music.
TK: The energy and the reaction of the fans, and having our own production and our own stage, and being on the road for months – that’s what’s great.
Bill, I like the look you have going on. Do you think Adam Lambert is trying to copy you?
BK: I don’t know, I’m not sure. I haven’t seen older pictures of him. [Haha]
Do you know who he is?
BK: Yeah, I know who he is. People have told me about that. We have that same show ["American Idol"] in Germany. I don’t know how he looked before, so I don’t know if he stole my look. Maybe he’s just wearing makeup all the time like me. I started to wear makeup when I was – I think – 12 years old, so I don’t know what his background is.
Do you have an inspiration behind the look?
BK: I really love vampires, so it started with a Halloween party and I went to it as a vampire. After that, I started wearing makeup and polish my nails and everything.
Are you excited for the new “Twilight” movie?
BK: Yeah. I saw the first one and it was really good. So I want to see the new one as well.
Have you ever heard of the TV show “True Blood”?
BK: Yeah, I heard about it, but I’ve never seen it. I think it’s not out in Europe.
You should check it out.
BK: OK, cool.
My girlfriend is always telling me I need to use more hair product. Do you have any advice?
BK: [Haha] I just use one bottle of hairspray every day.
Wow. A full bottle?
BK: Yes, every day is a different kind. So I don’t have like [a] company or anything [to recommend].
Will Tokio Hotel be touring in the U.S. anytime soon?
BK: We hope so. We just scheduled our European tour, and so we’ll be doing that for 2010 and it’ll be huge. We go to a lot of countries, and we hope that after the European tour we come to the U.S. We really want to.
Do you have a favorite place to perform in the U.S. – a favorite city?
BK: I really like all of the huge cities, so I really love New York and L.A. – and Chicago was great and San Francisco. I think all of the huge cities are incredible.
Do you guys have a few bands that you really loved when you were growing up, someone who has inspired your music?
BK: I think everyone listened to different music, and it’s really hard for us to pick one band. For me, I’ve never had like one role model or something, but I listened to David Bowie and the Stereophonics. And at the moment, I really like Kings of Leon. They’re really different and I really like their music.
Anything else going on with the new album release?
BK: No, I think we’re just focusing on the tour now. And the record is working very well in every country, and we’re really proud of it. Right now, it’s a really important and exciting time for us because we’ve been working for such a long time on this record and put so much into it. We’re proud that everyone likes it so much. Now we’re focused on the life process and the tour.
What English-version album are you guys most proud of?
BK: That’s really hard to say. I think we like all of our albums – they’re all great – but at the moment I think we’re really happy with the new one.
Congrats on the new album and good luck with the tour.
BK: OK, thank you very much
Everyone: Goodbye!
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this reminds me of:
adam: “my hair idol? bill kaulitz from tokio hotel”
Yay! He said Chicago. This gives me hope. Lol
which interview is tht from leah?? any links??
ugh i swear i hate it when ppl say oh do you think he’s copying your style??? bill isnt the only dude in the world wearing a shitload of hairspray and makeup, trust me i knowwwwww lol.
but other than that, cute interview.
@Tori…it was during a segment on American Idol last season.
Here is it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2PfXZEJhmk
Has anyone else noticed in articles lately, they mention Bill’s look and compare HIM to Adam? Kind of annoying!
I loled at the adam question….
nice staid interview. but, anybody can wear makeup. oh, i despair that he like twilight too much(too saccharine!) n a lil bit girly ( nothing wrong with bein feminine, but even some girls find it too romantic!!!)
Oh CHRRIIISSTTTTTTTTT on a Cross!
Adam Lambert and his boyfriend Perez – desperate for Bill to be gay – Hilton will Looooooveee this.
Why bring up Lambert at all? Seriously. I think Lambert isn’t copying Bill’s look and he has his own talent, so why bring him up at all? Lambert of late has been trying every tactic to get attention – from mooching up to Tokio Hotel fans to pretending to have some interest in woman.
He is so talented and unique on his own he should stop sucking up to Bill’s fans. The comparisons are now started as I predicted they would over 2 months ago. Not happy.
Adam’s just a normal fan, I have suspicions of him crushing on Bill but what fan hasn’t? Leave it alone, don’t feed the fire.
no. i dont think adam would like someone prettier than him (bill) …..so he has no crush on him . i mean if he thinks he is a pretty gay why would he want another pretty gay ? well anyways i dont understand why they compare bill TO adam.. its more the other way , since bill had his look since he was 12!!!! like if you look at all adam’s older pics looks like he was more into drag than..just pretty boy make up.. jus sayin… :S so…unless adam can beat bill by sayin he was born with all that
! they should’nt even be mentioned together..
and twilight is … gosh im too tired to continuee.. bill please dont watch it anymore.. its too dumb!
I’m kinda sick of their “no one tells us what to do” attitude. I’d love to see them say that to the CEO of Universal Music. I’m pretty sure he’d be getting out the paper shredder and Tokio Hotel’s contract. They’re too cocky sometimes.
I think the reason why they say no one tells us what to do is because they are making it clear that they are not a packaged deal. A lot of US acts are so polished that they are fake. They are also business men now, so I’m pretty sure they know when to tow the line and when to stand their ground.
True Blood totally rocks! Bill should really check it out because unlike Twilight, True Blood has real vampires who burn in the sun not sparkle like stupid little fairies!
(I do like Twilight, but come on seriously, sparkling in the sun? It’s kind of stupid)
@Blah: I think they say that just to let fans know that their change of music and style is because they wanted it, not because of the record label. I remember when some of the songs were leaked fans were freaking out saying that they’ve completely changed and its not them anymore and being in the States influenced the change and stuff like that. So I think it’s just their way of saying no one but themselves can make them change. I don’t think that’s cocky
TK: The energy and the reaction of the fans, and having our own production and our own stage, and being on the road for months – that’s what’s great.
This part about their own production and own stage makes me wonder if it’s part of the reason they do playback at shows
that is not their production. Like those Jingle Ball shows last year. Very interesting.
They really want to come to the US and the fans here really want to see them too. I hope we all get lucky with a show at a bigger venue in our areas. The small venue is intimate but I know they like the huge arenas and it all means they are doing great here if they can make it happen……I wish them all the success they deserve and they deserve the best because they have the best fans ever.
Not bad interview. Little steer from interviewer with Adam question, but other than that it’s pretty good.
And it’s not Bill’s fault that they keep asking him that stupid Twilight question. What he suppost to do? Say, no I don’t like it, after he said he does so many times. And “True Blood” is way too overrated.
Heck yeah I think Bill should check out True Blood! I love that show and the books are good too, he would like it i’m sure of that, Europe GET TRUE BLOOD! <3
Hopefully Bill will get to see True Blood sometime soon, it’s truly awesome.
And come on people, dudes have been wearin’ guyliner and glamming it up in the rock n roll industry for years. Bill didn’t invent the look . . . he just does it better.
@Greta,
I have to agree with you that this random Adam Lambert question is totally not relevant. I mean TH is a great band, and Bill’s look has always been there. Other ppl have been known to wear also, so why even bring him up, and then ask Bill if he knows him?! Bill should have said, “Yeah, I have seen him, but I don’t really know why he make-up… so I cant really comment on that” lol I mean its so obvious the interviewer is just dying to see how he feels about Adam, and of course Adam is loving it. =) I agree that the comparison is idiotic, and the question unwarranted.
Blah: Hmm what the heck do you expect? at least they are doing something they like to do. You would probably be complaining if they were told to everything as well. Is good that they are doing their own thing. Most artists nowadays are just made up in the studio.
The whole comparision with Adam Lambert is just lame and who and who’s copying each other. Just because they wear makeup and dress in the darker side doesn’t mean they look alike or are copying each other. Some guys have been doing this since way before them anyway.