11/02/2010
(11.02.2010)
Turning Japanese
Despite naming themselves after the Japanese capital, German rock band Tokio Hotel knows zilch about the Japanese culture, so says its frontman Bill Kaulitz.
8 DAYS: You guys were originally known as Devilish. Why the name change?
BILL: We were really young and just thought Devilish sounded cool and a little bit devil. But it was a stupid name. When we went pro, we wanted a name which makes sense. ‘Hotel’ represents our dreams: to perform around the world, living in hotels. ‘Tokio’ is obviously from ‘Tokyo’, which represents something far away that we’ve never been to, but would like to visit some day. Plus it is a cool city name.
8 DAYS: Are you guys Nippon-philes?
BILL: We don’t really know that much about Japanese culture. All I know is the young people there are kind of crazy when it comes to style and fashion. We recorded our first English single, ‘Monsoon’, in Japanese. It was really hard. I had a coach – a Japanese girl – in the studio, and I didn’t know what I was singing. I just learnt the sounds of the words.
8 DAYS: Bill, with that big hair and make-up, have you ever been mistaken for a girl?
BILL: It’s a normal reaction for people to think that I’m gay or feminine. I’m not bothered at all. I like to play with such rumours. This is my style, my personality. And by the way, I’m straight.
8 DAYS: Are you like this at home?
BILL: I’ve been like this since I was 10 in school. But now our lives have changed completely. In my private time I try to go incognito, so no make-up.
8 DAYS: Are you single because you can’t find a girl prettier than you?
BILL: (Laughs) I believe in true love. I don’t have much free time to spend with someone really important. I’ve been single since I was 15. Maybe I’ll find my big love in 2010.