Post by midori on Dec 23, 2007 6:23:59 GMT 1
I know it's not an article but was a TV interview and I would have posted it in the TH videos sections but since it's MTV and you can't really find videos of their shows on the internet (until viacom takes them off anyway 
) I thought I just put it in a seperate thread. It was a great interview (and I just love Markus Kavka) and since I've done the translation/transcript anyway I might as well share it here. ;D I think it's a nice finish for the year to hear the guys talk about spending Christmas with their families and reflect on what to them was a fantastic year with hightlights like the European Tour and of course the EMAs. Once again, we, the fans, can feel proud that we could make them so happy and show how much they mean to us.
Hope you enjoy it! MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!
********************
All saying „hi/hello“ and taking seats.
Markus: Welcome!
Bill: Good day.
Markus: Your premiere (meaning: first time) on TRL XXL.
Tom: Yeah.
Markus: You look well but do you also feel good?
Bill: Erm well, I’d say we’re somewhat ready for a holiday, yeah.
Tom: Well, I feel the way Georg looks today.
(Bill grinning and quietly saying: Yeah.)
Georg sighing, audience laughing.
Markus: You’re a charmer. There’ll be trouble soon.
Tom: No, nonsense. We certainly feel good.
Markus: But you say “ready for a holiday”… I mean, you’ve been on the go for a while now.
Bill: Absolutely! We’re really looking forward to it now. We’ve reached the last leg of our schedule now… and now we’re going… erm… next week we’ll go to France again and so on. And then, we’ll go on holiday. We’ve got four weeks off for the first time this year. We certainly look forward to it. I’d say we need that by now.
Georg: That’s certain.
Markus: That means, Christmas at home?
Bill: Christmas at home! All of us will be with our families and friends and so on. And New Years Eve, we’ll probably lie on a beach somewhere… fly far away.
Tom: Hopefully, hopefully.
Markus chuckling: Your parents presumably are looking forward to that as well. They didn’t get to see much of you this year, I think.
Bill: Very little, yeah. The telephone bills were very high without a doubt. Somehow we’ve really been on the go all the time and only had little time for family and friends and yeah… but certainly it’s like one has to be home for Christmas and somehow spend time with the family then.
Markus: We’ll be looking back on your awesome year soon. There’s also a documentary about it, in form of the new DVD about which we have to talk as well. All that in a few moments on TRL XXL. See you soon.
Audience clapping.
Markus: Now we’re back with TRL XXL. Today’s guests are Kool Savas and Tokio Hotel. We’ve already touched on your incredible year 2007. That year in which you… erm, had your breakthrough all over Europe and yeah, now we’d like to trace that a bit. What happened this year for Tokio Hotel. Their success throughout Europe.
Playing short film about Tokio Hotel. (Sorry, I didn't bother with translating that as I thought the interview was more important and it's pretty much the same they showed for the EMAs.)
Markus: That’s what it’s like and here they’re standing, the things. Four in numbers. A MTV Music Award, won in the category “InterAct”.
Tom: Yeah.
Markus: Once again congratulations.
Tom, Bill, Georg: Thank you very much.
Markus: Erm, a little bird told me those things haven’t been in your possession for as long as one might think.
Bill: Nope, they had to get engraved first. Now they have everybody’s name on them.
Tom: I find that especially cool. I think it’s super that they actually have the names of every single one of us on them.
Markus: Yes.
Tom: Sometimes one only gets one [award] but here one really gets four and I like that. No expenses and efforts were spared and [we] got four of them.
Markus chuckling: And rightly so. Where will you put them now?
Bill: Erm, probably they’ll be on the road with us for a while; I think. Erm, because up until now we’ve really talked about it [the EMAs] every day. There really wasn’t a moment when we weren’t happy about it. Only today, because they’re standing here now of course. And I believe they’ll travel the world with us for a while now. To be honest, we won’t get home for the next two weeks now.
Tom: Exactly.
Bill: And therefore, they’ll be on the go with us for now and then they…
Tom interrupting: And then they’ll be lying under the Christmas tree.
Markus: That’s a good place.
Bill: Yeah. Or on the Christmas tree. (*lol* I’d like to see the tree that could carry those awards.)
Tom: Exactly.
Markus: I’ve already heard loads about what’s been done to those things. There’s lots of peculation going on and then those are gladly used as door stoppers in bathrooms or so. And when I hear something like that [about you], then…
Tom: That’s truly disgusting!
Audience laughing.
Markus: Yeah right. [You] won’t do it. *clearing his throat* Now we’ve seen what happened in Europe and erm… firstly, I’d be interested whether the perception on the part of the fans and the part of the media, outside of Germany, is differently to this country.
Bill: Erm well, one has to say that it is very, very differently. Somehow there are countries that absolutely like to hear the English stuff. There are countries that absolutely dig the German. Then there are countries where there are also lots and lots of guys who also stand there. Then there are countries where again there are no guys at all. Also it’s really very, very different and everywhere one experiences it differently. So it’s really very, very differently and you also can’t pinpoint that on a country. That is really very differently.
Markus: Also the way how the media report about you, is that differently everywhere as well?
Tom: Well of course there are crap articles/reviews everywhere, yeah? *chuckling*
Markus: Hm.
Bill: Yeah.
Tom: But there are also positive/good articles/reviews, also really, that doesn’t depend on the countries. But it is erm…erm yeah, mostly it is somehow written about… in the… when we are travelling abroad we’re only there for two or three days and then of course one often writes about the concert we just had and here in Germany one writes about all sorts of things and erm, therefore… but as I said there are crap reviews and good reviews, it’s simply like that in every country.
Bill nodding in agreement.
Markus: I don’t know if you’ve noticed, you were away a lot but if you’ve kept an eye on the German press, I got the impression that somehow the wind has changed there. Just one or one and half years ago, it was said that this would be a teenie band that would come and go as fast as any of them. And now one realizes that even serious daily papers deal with the phenomenon that is Tokio Hotel and now one recognizes what’s behind it all. Namely, that you are a credible band, not a bunch that was put together in a casting, but that you’ve got a past and erm… that you really are very, very talented. Erm, was that some kind of rehabilitation for you? Did you say to yourselves “finally they check it in this country as well”?
Bill: Yes, of course, that certainly made us happy. So, as soon as the euphoria about the discussion-worthy hairstyle was gone and then erm… there was time to being able to concentrate on other things. With us it was like that we always said from the beginning that all of this is a part of it and then somehow, I don’t know… some hairstyle and so on… in the end, that’s not really that important to us. To us it has always been about playing live and performing and so on. And that’s what we have been doing for the past two and half years. Somehow we’ve been playing two European tours this year and that was very, very important to us. And that then people write positively about it and that the press also somehow writes about the music at the show…
Tom: Exactly.
Bill: …not about some lights that hang somewhere or so on. Or about the hair and how it would still look after a one and a half hour show, what actually somehow isn’t of any interest to anybody… (Bill obviously has no clue what fans like to discuss about sometimes.) Erm, that certainly feels good and it’s what happened all the time lately and we were extremely happy about it without a doubt.
Markus: Now, you were competing at the EMAs in the category InterAct and that also included bands like Depeche Mode, MCR and so on. Erm, when you get compared to other bands what flatters you and what makes you wanna throw up (literally translated)?
Bill: Well, in general it’s of course amazing to be nominated in a category like that and we…
Tom interrupting: I think there wasn’t one sh** band included in that category, right?
Georg: Nope.
Bill: Nope. We, ourselves, would of course never do that. Because we’re successful at it for about the last two and a half years now. There are bands included like Depeche Mode who’ve done this, I don’t know how many more times and how much more successful and no idea… therefore we wouldn’t compare ourselves to that. So to us it’s amazing to even be happening there and so, there…
Tom interrupting: But what’s coolest is that our fans actually really managed like… erm, via Europe… yeah?… to beat fans from all over the world because Depeche Mode really have fans everywhere… so, on the whole globe somehow…erm…
Markus: That’s right.
Tom: And we just… up until now we have fans in Europe and they… yeah, they really gave it all.
Markus: But, as we’ve seen [before], you’ve also got two new fans outside of Europe. Namely, Canada. Avril Lavigne and Nelly Furtado. And erm they really were enthusiastic about your performance and erm, because they were this enthusiastic but not only because of it, we’ll watch it now. And crucial here is, and erm that’s what we’ll talk about soon, how you changed your perception in one go with that performance. Because that was da bomb. Here is Tokio Hotel, live at the MTV EMAs.
Audience clapping and cheering.
Monsoon performance being played.
Markus: That was Tokio Hotel, live at the MTV EMAs 2007. Totally official and erm, Savas, you just wanted to know from the guys if the water was cold. Yes, it was cold. Erm, so what did you make of the performance?
Kool Savas: Very good, no doubt. Über-cool. Actually I only saw the end of the show and that was one of the few performances I saw. Respect, ey, right? Super!
Tom: Thank you very much.
Bill: Thank you very much.
Markus: That’s what it’s like.
Audience clapping.
Markus: Erm, now I’ve already mentioned that regarding your perception the mood changed a little and one could see that quintessence-ish during that performance. I also noticed it – I was standing in the audience – that… erm, before you entered the stage people were really quite critical (in the sense of sceptical) and so as if to say “What’s about to be happening now? We should watch that closely.”
Tom laughing: Yeah.
Markus: And when you were done, erm, everybody got up and applauded and erm, were completely thrilled. Did you also notice it a bit, what the atmosphere was like before your performance and after?
Tom: Yes, absolutely. It, the entire hall, really did change a little. To us that really felt good because, as you said already, it really was like that people were looking at us and didn’t really… yeah well, were more likely to be reserved and “let’s see what those guys will do tonight” and we’ve been planning that performance forever, right? So, we were really nervous and it took a lot of effort etc and it took us forever to plan and to rehearse etc. And lots of things went wrong even during rehearsals. Even during the final rehearsal! And that in the end it worked out the way it did and also paid off and in the end people said it was a good performance that, erm, definitely is a really good feeling.
Markus: Would you say that it [the performance] was the most important one for you this year?
Bill: Well yeah, you could say that.
Tom: Yeah, definitely.
Bill: I also think that we weren’t as nervous as on that day all year. Alone walking around everywhere there and seeing all the people… especially because it was discussed a lot beforehand, erm, the whole thing with us even being there and so on. Those, of course, are also the things we enjoy, yeah? It really is the way that I think it’s good if people talk about it, so erm… Many people keep asking us “Are you actually bothered at all and aren’t you mad about it?” but that’s absolutely not the case. With us it’s more like… well, we’ve known this from the beginning, ever since we existed [as a band], so for seven years. Even back in the day in the small clubs it has been like that and erm, I always thought it was good that people talked about it. Also, I think it’s good to fuss about/be annoyed by a band every now and then, that’s just as well a part of it and really everybody is entitled to. And erm, therefore it’s even more amazing when it changes inside such a hall and you really worked on a performance for so long and erm, have achieved that all the people got up. That was very, very nice and that really was one of the most important evenings of this year.
Markus: There’s one more thing about this performance I’d like to know. Was there a risk of you getting an electric shock?
Bill: Yes, that risk was there…
Tom laughing.
Bill: …actually it was there, yeah. So I hope… or we discussed at length beforehand that everybody was sure to take all necessary safety precautions. Erm, yes, it probably could’ve… I don’t know… well, there were some problems anyway because of the… the whole stage was kinda LED and we had collecting basins where all the water went because otherwise that wouldn’t have…
Tom: There was a reason why we played relatively at the end because then…
Bill: Exactly.
Tom: … the stage afterwards, I believe…
Markus laughing: Taking out (meaning the electricity) the whole of Munich… *puff*. Yes, it all went well, was da bomb. Now we’re coming to our notorious category “ten questions” and the best thing is, today, I’m able to completely step back because you’ll ask each other. Savas will put 5 questions to you, you will put five questions to Savas and I’m enjoying this now. *lalalala* Markus is sitting back.
Tom: Ok, who goes first… you still have to let us know.
10 questions for…
Markus: You go first, Savas, I’d say.
Kool Savas: Ok, I’ll start. Erm, I have to admit it was a problem for me to come up with that many questions (he puts it a bit differently, more slang and vulgar but that’s what he meant), therefore …
Tokio Hotel laughing.
Savas:… I summoned some help with one or two questions and asked the girls and boys on my forum if they could think of something.
Savas to Tom: Of course, firstly I come to you. You’re dressed like a rapper… Hip-Hop style and so on. Now the question whether you are really listening to rap music, too, and what albums you actually got recently?
Tom: Well, I privately only… only listen to rap and only Hip-Hop actually. I don’t listen to like bands…like rock bands. That actually doesn’t go with me playing the guitar but that’s what it’s really like. And erm, last album probably was… some mix tape by Samy DeLuxe, yeah.
Savage: So mainly German Rap?
Tom: Yeah, German rap definitely.
Savas: Ok.
Bill: Is it my turn?
Bill to Tom: No, it’s yours.
Tom: It’s my turn. Ok.
Tom asking Kool Savage: Erm, my question is: favourite car, yeah? So what’s your favourite car? In your own garage or just in general? Savas: In my own garage, erm, definitely a 911 Convertible. Well, Porsche is actually the most amazing regarding driving experience and performance. Otherwise if I could choose right now, I’d take a black R8.
Tom: Ah, R8 alright.
Bill: Yeah yeah.
All of them laughing.
Bill: Well… who…
Bill looking around.
Bill: Is it my turn now?...
Savas: It’s my turn.
Bill to Savas: … no, it’s your turn.
Savas lauging: Ok… well, I mean you’ve achieved so much already and so on. Actually more or less anything one could achieve at your age. Now the question, what will your future look like? Do you constantly want to be on tour and so on for the next 10 or 12 years? Or are there any secret plans and wishes you’d like to realise… opening a McDonalds or something?
Everybody laughing.
Tom: We seriously thought about opening a fast food franchise on the way from Hamburg to Berlin.
Tom laughing: It’s quite funny actually because there somehow really isn’t anything.
Markus laughing: That’s true.
Tom: But otherwise, I believe, we really intend to stay on a stage and to go through with that for as long as possible. And of course to conquer even more countries and we’ll see…
Savas: Risk…
Tom: … what else will come [our way] in 2008. Yeah so… definitely… maybe the fast food franchise [we’ll realize] with [the age of] 60.
Georg: Yeah.
Savas nodding: Super.
Bill: Well, now it’s my turn, right? (Yes love, it’s finally your turn.)
Markus: Yeah.
Audience laughing.
Bill: Well, erm… with me it’s like I have got Tom in the band, he’s always around and therefore I’ve got… I can actually never lie because I quasi have the one person by my side who knows me best. What is it like with you? Who knows you best in your environment or who knows the most about you?
Savas: That’s a difficult question. I put it like that. I’ve got a girlfriend and with my girlfriend I spend most of the time more or less and therefore, one of course always tells most things to their own girlfriend and she’ll notice everything. Erm, I think, everybody knows different things about one, you know. With every friend and homie you’re differently, trust them with different things and so on. But in general… within my circles of friends, I’m one of those people that can’t really keep much to themselves. I’m real chatty, I’m very open-hearted about things that concern me. Therefore, my surroundings usually know what’s going on with me.
Markus: I’m getting involved just now. That’s a top-notch interview you’re giving to each other here…
Tom laughing.
Markus: ..we’ll just have the problem of not being able to make it through all of the ten questions because you…
Everybody going *aww*
Markus: …really answer so exemplary and detailed. But if we… no, just go ahead with the next question, we’re doing it like *zack zack*
Savas: Oh, it’s my turn again.
Savas to Bill: This one comes from the forum. You just said a little while ago one shouldn’t reduce it to this, the question… I’m just gonna quote it: How long does it take Bill in the bathroom in the mornings and is he doing it all by himself?
Bill: Well, honestly, I actually don’t need that long. So, after getting up, including brushing my teeth, showering and all that stuff it takes my approximately half an hour all together, I’d say.
Tom: One wouldn’t believe it but Georg needs the longest, seriously.
Bill: Yeah.
Georg: ohh
Audience laughing.
Savas: Really?!
Tom: One wouldn’t believe it but until he looks like this…
More laughter.
Savas to Georg: Do you have to straighten your hair or what? With straighteners?
Georg: Nope, it always looks like that. *grinning*
Tom laughing: Yeahaha.
Bill laughing.
Savas: Okay.
Markus: Georg, would you like to ask the next question right away?
Georg to Savas: Yeah, what headline would you like to read about yourself?
Savas: About myself?
Georg: Yeah.
Savas: *pfft* Difficult question! Erm, I already had some crazy headlines… “King of the schoolyards”. Those are the things I don’t want to read, I find them daft. But of course, I’d preferably read “He revolutionized the whole thing”. Something like that would really be flattering.
Markus to Savas: Hm, okay. It’s your turn.
Savas: Oh, it’s my turn, okay. Erm…
Savas to Bill: Would you… again, now a hair-question, sorry dude.
Everybody laughing.
Savas to Bill: Would you for a specific sum of money or how much would I need to put on that table right now so you’d shave your head?
Bill contemplating.
Georg: You would’ve needed to put the right lotto ticket on the table.
Bill: Yeah, the right lotto ticket, yeah. All of us definitely played [lotto]. So the right lotto ticket.
Everybody cracking up, laughing and audience clapping. (I was in stitches here while imagining Tokio Hotel play lotto. Back then Germany just had had the biggest Lotto-jackpot in its history, I believe, being 43 million Euros!)
Markus: Who of you has got the next one?
Tom: Oh yeah, right.
Tom to Savas: One of my questions is dusted as I picked up on you having a girlfriend…erm, because I actually wanted to ask who you’d like to bang but I’m just not asking that now. Instead, I’d better just ask… erm, what would you never do in public?
Savas: Boah, there are many things, but… like GG Allen (no idea who that is) getting undressed and taking a dump on stage recently; those are things that are absolutely taboo, in my opinion. Those are taboo. And I especially crossed out a few questions and so on and now I see you come round the corner with “banging” and so on!
Tom laughing.
Savas laughing: I could’ve spoken my mind but…
Tom laughing: I especially didn’t ask.
Savas: Well done. Now another harmless question: What are your worst habits?
Tom: Erm…
Georg: Unfortunately I’m often too late.
Bill: Yeah. Georg really is…
Tom interrupting: Definitely the worst habit of Georg is that he doesn’t shower.
Georg laughing whole-heartedly.
Bill: That means, he takes the longest time in the bathroom and even so doesn’t shower.
Tom: All the time is used for… pubic hairdo. Erm, otherwise… bad habits… I have…
Tom to Bill: Tell a bad habit of mine.
Bill: Well, Tom and I, the both of us are very, very exhausting…
Tom: Yeah.
Bill: We’re such complete perfectionists…
Tom: …and definitely discuss a lot…
Bill: …and we discuss the whole day long. That can really be … to people who just get involved and just get to know us that can really be exhausting and…
Georg: Ah, it’s also like that for people who have known you longer already.
Bill: …yeah…
Audience laughing.
Bill: … and then, we definitely always share an opinion and it’s us against the rest of the world.
Tom: We babble too much…
Bill: Exactly.
Tom: …and that’s why we won’t be able to ask many more questions now.
Markus laughing: We won’t manage another single one, that’s the truth of it. But…
Savas: But managed a lot [questions]. Nine.
Markus: We really managed a lot. That was “tight”! And now we come to the video-clip that actually won. But firstly, we’d like to show the person who won the grand prize. Namely the Tokio Hotel guitar which will get signed in a second. And erm… now have a guess who’s number one. The favourite TRL clip of the week. Hah! That’s right.
Tom: Thank you.
Markus: Tokio Hotel with “1000 Meere”!
After Kool Savas performance.
Markus to Tokio Hotel: Thanks to Tokio Hotel. Good luck with the DVD and [have] a great holiday of course.
All: Thanks.
) I thought I just put it in a seperate thread. It was a great interview (and I just love Markus Kavka) and since I've done the translation/transcript anyway I might as well share it here. ;D I think it's a nice finish for the year to hear the guys talk about spending Christmas with their families and reflect on what to them was a fantastic year with hightlights like the European Tour and of course the EMAs. Once again, we, the fans, can feel proud that we could make them so happy and show how much they mean to us.Hope you enjoy it! MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!
********************
All saying „hi/hello“ and taking seats.
Markus: Welcome!
Bill: Good day.
Markus: Your premiere (meaning: first time) on TRL XXL.
Tom: Yeah.
Markus: You look well but do you also feel good?
Bill: Erm well, I’d say we’re somewhat ready for a holiday, yeah.
Tom: Well, I feel the way Georg looks today.
(Bill grinning and quietly saying: Yeah.)
Georg sighing, audience laughing.
Markus: You’re a charmer. There’ll be trouble soon.
Tom: No, nonsense. We certainly feel good.
Markus: But you say “ready for a holiday”… I mean, you’ve been on the go for a while now.
Bill: Absolutely! We’re really looking forward to it now. We’ve reached the last leg of our schedule now… and now we’re going… erm… next week we’ll go to France again and so on. And then, we’ll go on holiday. We’ve got four weeks off for the first time this year. We certainly look forward to it. I’d say we need that by now.
Georg: That’s certain.
Markus: That means, Christmas at home?
Bill: Christmas at home! All of us will be with our families and friends and so on. And New Years Eve, we’ll probably lie on a beach somewhere… fly far away.
Tom: Hopefully, hopefully.
Markus chuckling: Your parents presumably are looking forward to that as well. They didn’t get to see much of you this year, I think.
Bill: Very little, yeah. The telephone bills were very high without a doubt. Somehow we’ve really been on the go all the time and only had little time for family and friends and yeah… but certainly it’s like one has to be home for Christmas and somehow spend time with the family then.
Markus: We’ll be looking back on your awesome year soon. There’s also a documentary about it, in form of the new DVD about which we have to talk as well. All that in a few moments on TRL XXL. See you soon.
Audience clapping.
Markus: Now we’re back with TRL XXL. Today’s guests are Kool Savas and Tokio Hotel. We’ve already touched on your incredible year 2007. That year in which you… erm, had your breakthrough all over Europe and yeah, now we’d like to trace that a bit. What happened this year for Tokio Hotel. Their success throughout Europe.
Playing short film about Tokio Hotel. (Sorry, I didn't bother with translating that as I thought the interview was more important and it's pretty much the same they showed for the EMAs.
)Markus: That’s what it’s like and here they’re standing, the things. Four in numbers. A MTV Music Award, won in the category “InterAct”.
Tom: Yeah.
Markus: Once again congratulations.
Tom, Bill, Georg: Thank you very much.
Markus: Erm, a little bird told me those things haven’t been in your possession for as long as one might think.
Bill: Nope, they had to get engraved first. Now they have everybody’s name on them.
Tom: I find that especially cool. I think it’s super that they actually have the names of every single one of us on them.
Markus: Yes.
Tom: Sometimes one only gets one [award] but here one really gets four and I like that. No expenses and efforts were spared and [we] got four of them.
Markus chuckling: And rightly so. Where will you put them now?
Bill: Erm, probably they’ll be on the road with us for a while; I think. Erm, because up until now we’ve really talked about it [the EMAs] every day. There really wasn’t a moment when we weren’t happy about it. Only today, because they’re standing here now of course. And I believe they’ll travel the world with us for a while now. To be honest, we won’t get home for the next two weeks now.
Tom: Exactly.
Bill: And therefore, they’ll be on the go with us for now and then they…
Tom interrupting: And then they’ll be lying under the Christmas tree.
Markus: That’s a good place.
Bill: Yeah. Or on the Christmas tree. (*lol* I’d like to see the tree that could carry those awards.)
Tom: Exactly.
Markus: I’ve already heard loads about what’s been done to those things. There’s lots of peculation going on and then those are gladly used as door stoppers in bathrooms or so. And when I hear something like that [about you], then…
Tom: That’s truly disgusting!
Audience laughing.
Markus: Yeah right. [You] won’t do it. *clearing his throat* Now we’ve seen what happened in Europe and erm… firstly, I’d be interested whether the perception on the part of the fans and the part of the media, outside of Germany, is differently to this country.
Bill: Erm well, one has to say that it is very, very differently. Somehow there are countries that absolutely like to hear the English stuff. There are countries that absolutely dig the German. Then there are countries where there are also lots and lots of guys who also stand there. Then there are countries where again there are no guys at all. Also it’s really very, very different and everywhere one experiences it differently. So it’s really very, very differently and you also can’t pinpoint that on a country. That is really very differently.
Markus: Also the way how the media report about you, is that differently everywhere as well?
Tom: Well of course there are crap articles/reviews everywhere, yeah? *chuckling*
Markus: Hm.
Bill: Yeah.
Tom: But there are also positive/good articles/reviews, also really, that doesn’t depend on the countries. But it is erm…erm yeah, mostly it is somehow written about… in the… when we are travelling abroad we’re only there for two or three days and then of course one often writes about the concert we just had and here in Germany one writes about all sorts of things and erm, therefore… but as I said there are crap reviews and good reviews, it’s simply like that in every country.
Bill nodding in agreement.
Markus: I don’t know if you’ve noticed, you were away a lot but if you’ve kept an eye on the German press, I got the impression that somehow the wind has changed there. Just one or one and half years ago, it was said that this would be a teenie band that would come and go as fast as any of them. And now one realizes that even serious daily papers deal with the phenomenon that is Tokio Hotel and now one recognizes what’s behind it all. Namely, that you are a credible band, not a bunch that was put together in a casting, but that you’ve got a past and erm… that you really are very, very talented. Erm, was that some kind of rehabilitation for you? Did you say to yourselves “finally they check it in this country as well”?
Bill: Yes, of course, that certainly made us happy. So, as soon as the euphoria about the discussion-worthy hairstyle was gone and then erm… there was time to being able to concentrate on other things. With us it was like that we always said from the beginning that all of this is a part of it and then somehow, I don’t know… some hairstyle and so on… in the end, that’s not really that important to us. To us it has always been about playing live and performing and so on. And that’s what we have been doing for the past two and half years. Somehow we’ve been playing two European tours this year and that was very, very important to us. And that then people write positively about it and that the press also somehow writes about the music at the show…
Tom: Exactly.
Bill: …not about some lights that hang somewhere or so on. Or about the hair and how it would still look after a one and a half hour show, what actually somehow isn’t of any interest to anybody… (Bill obviously has no clue what fans like to discuss about sometimes.
) Erm, that certainly feels good and it’s what happened all the time lately and we were extremely happy about it without a doubt.Markus: Now, you were competing at the EMAs in the category InterAct and that also included bands like Depeche Mode, MCR and so on. Erm, when you get compared to other bands what flatters you and what makes you wanna throw up (literally translated)?
Bill: Well, in general it’s of course amazing to be nominated in a category like that and we…
Tom interrupting: I think there wasn’t one sh** band included in that category, right?
Georg: Nope.
Bill: Nope. We, ourselves, would of course never do that. Because we’re successful at it for about the last two and a half years now. There are bands included like Depeche Mode who’ve done this, I don’t know how many more times and how much more successful and no idea… therefore we wouldn’t compare ourselves to that. So to us it’s amazing to even be happening there and so, there…
Tom interrupting: But what’s coolest is that our fans actually really managed like… erm, via Europe… yeah?… to beat fans from all over the world because Depeche Mode really have fans everywhere… so, on the whole globe somehow…erm…
Markus: That’s right.
Tom: And we just… up until now we have fans in Europe and they… yeah, they really gave it all.
Markus: But, as we’ve seen [before], you’ve also got two new fans outside of Europe. Namely, Canada. Avril Lavigne and Nelly Furtado. And erm they really were enthusiastic about your performance and erm, because they were this enthusiastic but not only because of it, we’ll watch it now. And crucial here is, and erm that’s what we’ll talk about soon, how you changed your perception in one go with that performance. Because that was da bomb. Here is Tokio Hotel, live at the MTV EMAs.
Audience clapping and cheering.
Monsoon performance being played.
Markus: That was Tokio Hotel, live at the MTV EMAs 2007. Totally official and erm, Savas, you just wanted to know from the guys if the water was cold. Yes, it was cold. Erm, so what did you make of the performance?
Kool Savas: Very good, no doubt. Über-cool. Actually I only saw the end of the show and that was one of the few performances I saw. Respect, ey, right? Super!
Tom: Thank you very much.
Bill: Thank you very much.
Markus: That’s what it’s like.
Audience clapping.
Markus: Erm, now I’ve already mentioned that regarding your perception the mood changed a little and one could see that quintessence-ish during that performance. I also noticed it – I was standing in the audience – that… erm, before you entered the stage people were really quite critical (in the sense of sceptical) and so as if to say “What’s about to be happening now? We should watch that closely.”
Tom laughing: Yeah.
Markus: And when you were done, erm, everybody got up and applauded and erm, were completely thrilled. Did you also notice it a bit, what the atmosphere was like before your performance and after?
Tom: Yes, absolutely. It, the entire hall, really did change a little. To us that really felt good because, as you said already, it really was like that people were looking at us and didn’t really… yeah well, were more likely to be reserved and “let’s see what those guys will do tonight” and we’ve been planning that performance forever, right? So, we were really nervous and it took a lot of effort etc and it took us forever to plan and to rehearse etc. And lots of things went wrong even during rehearsals. Even during the final rehearsal! And that in the end it worked out the way it did and also paid off and in the end people said it was a good performance that, erm, definitely is a really good feeling.
Markus: Would you say that it [the performance] was the most important one for you this year?
Bill: Well yeah, you could say that.
Tom: Yeah, definitely.
Bill: I also think that we weren’t as nervous as on that day all year. Alone walking around everywhere there and seeing all the people… especially because it was discussed a lot beforehand, erm, the whole thing with us even being there and so on. Those, of course, are also the things we enjoy, yeah? It really is the way that I think it’s good if people talk about it, so erm… Many people keep asking us “Are you actually bothered at all and aren’t you mad about it?” but that’s absolutely not the case. With us it’s more like… well, we’ve known this from the beginning, ever since we existed [as a band], so for seven years. Even back in the day in the small clubs it has been like that and erm, I always thought it was good that people talked about it. Also, I think it’s good to fuss about/be annoyed by a band every now and then, that’s just as well a part of it and really everybody is entitled to. And erm, therefore it’s even more amazing when it changes inside such a hall and you really worked on a performance for so long and erm, have achieved that all the people got up. That was very, very nice and that really was one of the most important evenings of this year.
Markus: There’s one more thing about this performance I’d like to know. Was there a risk of you getting an electric shock?
Bill: Yes, that risk was there…
Tom laughing.
Bill: …actually it was there, yeah. So I hope… or we discussed at length beforehand that everybody was sure to take all necessary safety precautions. Erm, yes, it probably could’ve… I don’t know… well, there were some problems anyway because of the… the whole stage was kinda LED and we had collecting basins where all the water went because otherwise that wouldn’t have…
Tom: There was a reason why we played relatively at the end because then…
Bill: Exactly.
Tom: … the stage afterwards, I believe…
Markus laughing: Taking out (meaning the electricity) the whole of Munich… *puff*. Yes, it all went well, was da bomb. Now we’re coming to our notorious category “ten questions” and the best thing is, today, I’m able to completely step back because you’ll ask each other. Savas will put 5 questions to you, you will put five questions to Savas and I’m enjoying this now. *lalalala* Markus is sitting back.
Tom: Ok, who goes first… you still have to let us know.
10 questions for…
Markus: You go first, Savas, I’d say.
Kool Savas: Ok, I’ll start. Erm, I have to admit it was a problem for me to come up with that many questions (he puts it a bit differently, more slang and vulgar but that’s what he meant), therefore …
Tokio Hotel laughing.
Savas:… I summoned some help with one or two questions and asked the girls and boys on my forum if they could think of something.
Savas to Tom: Of course, firstly I come to you. You’re dressed like a rapper… Hip-Hop style and so on. Now the question whether you are really listening to rap music, too, and what albums you actually got recently?
Tom: Well, I privately only… only listen to rap and only Hip-Hop actually. I don’t listen to like bands…like rock bands. That actually doesn’t go with me playing the guitar but that’s what it’s really like. And erm, last album probably was… some mix tape by Samy DeLuxe, yeah.
Savage: So mainly German Rap?
Tom: Yeah, German rap definitely.
Savas: Ok.
Bill: Is it my turn?
Bill to Tom: No, it’s yours.
Tom: It’s my turn. Ok.
Tom asking Kool Savage: Erm, my question is: favourite car, yeah? So what’s your favourite car? In your own garage or just in general? Savas: In my own garage, erm, definitely a 911 Convertible. Well, Porsche is actually the most amazing regarding driving experience and performance. Otherwise if I could choose right now, I’d take a black R8.
Tom: Ah, R8 alright.
Bill: Yeah yeah.
All of them laughing.
Bill: Well… who…
Bill looking around.
Bill: Is it my turn now?...
Savas: It’s my turn.
Bill to Savas: … no, it’s your turn.
Savas lauging: Ok… well, I mean you’ve achieved so much already and so on. Actually more or less anything one could achieve at your age. Now the question, what will your future look like? Do you constantly want to be on tour and so on for the next 10 or 12 years? Or are there any secret plans and wishes you’d like to realise… opening a McDonalds or something?
Everybody laughing.
Tom: We seriously thought about opening a fast food franchise on the way from Hamburg to Berlin.
Tom laughing: It’s quite funny actually because there somehow really isn’t anything.
Markus laughing: That’s true.
Tom: But otherwise, I believe, we really intend to stay on a stage and to go through with that for as long as possible. And of course to conquer even more countries and we’ll see…
Savas: Risk…
Tom: … what else will come [our way] in 2008. Yeah so… definitely… maybe the fast food franchise [we’ll realize] with [the age of] 60.
Georg: Yeah.
Savas nodding: Super.
Bill: Well, now it’s my turn, right? (Yes love, it’s finally your turn.
)Markus: Yeah.
Audience laughing.
Bill: Well, erm… with me it’s like I have got Tom in the band, he’s always around and therefore I’ve got… I can actually never lie because I quasi have the one person by my side who knows me best. What is it like with you? Who knows you best in your environment or who knows the most about you?
Savas: That’s a difficult question. I put it like that. I’ve got a girlfriend and with my girlfriend I spend most of the time more or less and therefore, one of course always tells most things to their own girlfriend and she’ll notice everything. Erm, I think, everybody knows different things about one, you know. With every friend and homie you’re differently, trust them with different things and so on. But in general… within my circles of friends, I’m one of those people that can’t really keep much to themselves. I’m real chatty, I’m very open-hearted about things that concern me. Therefore, my surroundings usually know what’s going on with me.
Markus: I’m getting involved just now. That’s a top-notch interview you’re giving to each other here…
Tom laughing.
Markus: ..we’ll just have the problem of not being able to make it through all of the ten questions because you…
Everybody going *aww*
Markus: …really answer so exemplary and detailed. But if we… no, just go ahead with the next question, we’re doing it like *zack zack*
Savas: Oh, it’s my turn again.
Savas to Bill: This one comes from the forum. You just said a little while ago one shouldn’t reduce it to this, the question… I’m just gonna quote it: How long does it take Bill in the bathroom in the mornings and is he doing it all by himself?
Bill: Well, honestly, I actually don’t need that long. So, after getting up, including brushing my teeth, showering and all that stuff it takes my approximately half an hour all together, I’d say.
Tom: One wouldn’t believe it but Georg needs the longest, seriously.
Bill: Yeah.
Georg: ohh
Audience laughing.
Savas: Really?!
Tom: One wouldn’t believe it but until he looks like this…
More laughter.
Savas to Georg: Do you have to straighten your hair or what? With straighteners?
Georg: Nope, it always looks like that. *grinning*
Tom laughing: Yeahaha.
Bill laughing.
Savas: Okay.
Markus: Georg, would you like to ask the next question right away?
Georg to Savas: Yeah, what headline would you like to read about yourself?
Savas: About myself?
Georg: Yeah.
Savas: *pfft* Difficult question! Erm, I already had some crazy headlines… “King of the schoolyards”. Those are the things I don’t want to read, I find them daft. But of course, I’d preferably read “He revolutionized the whole thing”. Something like that would really be flattering.
Markus to Savas: Hm, okay. It’s your turn.
Savas: Oh, it’s my turn, okay. Erm…
Savas to Bill: Would you… again, now a hair-question, sorry dude.
Everybody laughing.
Savas to Bill: Would you for a specific sum of money or how much would I need to put on that table right now so you’d shave your head?
Bill contemplating.
Georg: You would’ve needed to put the right lotto ticket on the table.
Bill: Yeah, the right lotto ticket, yeah. All of us definitely played [lotto]. So the right lotto ticket.
Everybody cracking up, laughing and audience clapping. (I was in stitches here while imagining Tokio Hotel play lotto. Back then Germany just had had the biggest Lotto-jackpot in its history, I believe, being 43 million Euros!)
Markus: Who of you has got the next one?
Tom: Oh yeah, right.
Tom to Savas: One of my questions is dusted as I picked up on you having a girlfriend…erm, because I actually wanted to ask who you’d like to bang but I’m just not asking that now. Instead, I’d better just ask… erm, what would you never do in public?
Savas: Boah, there are many things, but… like GG Allen (no idea who that is) getting undressed and taking a dump on stage recently; those are things that are absolutely taboo, in my opinion. Those are taboo. And I especially crossed out a few questions and so on and now I see you come round the corner with “banging” and so on!
Tom laughing.
Savas laughing: I could’ve spoken my mind but…
Tom laughing: I especially didn’t ask.
Savas: Well done. Now another harmless question: What are your worst habits?
Tom: Erm…
Georg: Unfortunately I’m often too late.
Bill: Yeah. Georg really is…
Tom interrupting: Definitely the worst habit of Georg is that he doesn’t shower.
Georg laughing whole-heartedly.
Bill: That means, he takes the longest time in the bathroom and even so doesn’t shower.
Tom: All the time is used for… pubic hairdo. Erm, otherwise… bad habits… I have…
Tom to Bill: Tell a bad habit of mine.
Bill: Well, Tom and I, the both of us are very, very exhausting…
Tom: Yeah.
Bill: We’re such complete perfectionists…
Tom: …and definitely discuss a lot…
Bill: …and we discuss the whole day long. That can really be … to people who just get involved and just get to know us that can really be exhausting and…
Georg: Ah, it’s also like that for people who have known you longer already.
Bill: …yeah…
Audience laughing.
Bill: … and then, we definitely always share an opinion and it’s us against the rest of the world.
Tom: We babble too much…
Bill: Exactly.
Tom: …and that’s why we won’t be able to ask many more questions now.
Markus laughing: We won’t manage another single one, that’s the truth of it. But…
Savas: But managed a lot [questions]. Nine.
Markus: We really managed a lot. That was “tight”! And now we come to the video-clip that actually won. But firstly, we’d like to show the person who won the grand prize. Namely the Tokio Hotel guitar which will get signed in a second. And erm… now have a guess who’s number one. The favourite TRL clip of the week. Hah! That’s right.
Tom: Thank you.
Markus: Tokio Hotel with “1000 Meere”!
After Kool Savas performance.
Markus to Tokio Hotel: Thanks to Tokio Hotel. Good luck with the DVD and [have] a great holiday of course.
All: Thanks.
