(Oct, 2010)

On the cover: For Tom. Tuxedo and shirt, Lanvin; jeans DSquared2; shoes Hey Day Footwear. For Bill. Suit Lanvin; bowtie Franco Jacassi; jewelry Sevan Bicakci; boots Rick Owens. Photo by Pierpaolo Ferrari. Fashion editor Robert Rabensteiner.

Tom and Bill Kaulitz on the October issue cover

One wouldn’t expect such fresh, almost adolescent curiosity on the handsome faces of Bill and Tom Kaulitz, the minds and hearts behind Tokio Hotel. They walk around the decadent rooms of Palazzo Biscuri, the splendid 18th Century palazzo in Catania, Sicily where the photo shoot took place, almost meekly, as if they don’t want to disturb the “genius loci”.

Considering their success, with a million records sold worldwide (the most recent, Humanoid, on the Universal label, having come out exactly a year ago), it would seem natural for these two young fellows – who have done so much at such a young age – to take everything for granted. And instead it’s just the opposite: they seem shocked to find themselves here. “This palace is magnificent, an artistic treasure. There aren’t places like this where we come from,” says Bill with a slightly embarrassed smile.

He’s referring to the East German village of Magdeburg, where the Tokio Hotel fairy tale began ten years ago. Already at the age of seven, the Kaulitz twins were playing guitar and experimenting with extravagant looks, which made them stand out as outsiders at school. Tom was obsessed with Aerosmith and the guitarist Joe Perry, while Bill was a huge fan of David Bowie and fascinated by the trans formative talent of the “White Duke”.

ORDER Oct. issue  HERE