Tokio Hotel

• Bill Kaulitz (vocals)
• Tom Kaulitz (guitar)
• Georg Listing (bass)
• Gustav Schafer (drums)

No one in the world is more prepared to bask in the glow of American rock stardom than the members of Tokio Hotel. Humanoid is only their second U.S. release, the follow up to 2008′s Scream, but to millions of fans across the globe, they’re already icons.

“Things are just starting for us in the US,” says Bill Kaulitz, the band’s front man, the leader of a worldwide army of black leather- and eyeliner-clad devotees. “What we’ve already experienced has been just great, and we’re looking forward to it starting again.”

The biggest act to come out of Germany in 20 years, Tokio Hotel has gone 10x platinum, scored four No. 1 singles and sold out arenas and stadiums across Europe. They scored a Best New Artist VMA from MTV in 2008.

Their rocket to success launched in 2001 when Bill and his twin brother Tom — the band’s hip-hop-tinged, dreadlocked guitarist — formed the band along with bassist Georg Listing, now 22, and drummer Gustav Schafer, now 21. They started at age 10 performing for small crowds around their hometown, Magdeburg, a salt-mining village that was formerly part of East Germany.

Growing up in one of the most dismal parts of Germany, Bill and Tom were different from their classmates, almost alien. They were the underdogs. The twins knew that they had to break out of there.

Tom had started fooling around with a guitar at age 7 and at 13 together with an already spiky-haired Bill, they caught the attention of some of Europe’s best-known producers (including Humanoid producer David Jost) and solidified their heartfelt pop-rock formula.

Originally called Devlish, they changed their name before releasing their first German-language record, Schrei (Scream in English). By 2005, they embarked on what would be the most successful debut tour of Germany by a new artist. In 2007, they released their second German record, Zimmer 483 (Room 483 in English), and were selling out monster European arena shows in minutes.

Like wildfire, the band gained the attention of an entire generation. In France, the group’s popularity exploded. They went from playing small club gigs for 500 to performing at the foot of the Eiffel Tower for a crowd of 500,000 screaming fans phonetically belting out the words to Tokio Hotel’s German hits. Soon after they made a history by becoming the first German band to score a #1 hit on the Israeli radio charts.

In 2008, after a grueling 43 shows, Bill endured surgery for cysts on his vocal cords but was back on the road performing around the world within two months, shortly after Scream was released for the first time in the U.S. in 2008.

Humanoid is packed with much of the same emotion that has connected with multitudes of young fans. And in this age of Rock Band and Guitar Hero, the record is full of opportunities for audience participation.

The first single, “Automatic” is a metallic anthem with layered, buzzing guitars, stomping percussion, and a falsetto chorus made to be belted out by a stadium full of people. “World Behind My Wall” redefines the power ballad with depth, introspection, musical confidence and an irresistible sing-along chorus.

While recording this time around, though, the band was in its most experimental phase to date. They tracked songs in Hamburg, Miami, and L.A. “Bill drove us all crazy, constantly coming in with things, even though the old songs weren’t finished yet,” says Tom, who’s fond of frequently ribbing his brother. “Apart from that, we just didn’t limit ourselves, and we used new instruments.”

There are more electronic sounds on Humanoid. The first single “Automatic” explores the relationships between every day emotions and every day conveniences.

“How many things happen automatically every day?” Bill asks. “The door opens and closes automatically, shifting gears in a car; a camera lens — all of those are always positive things, but when the mechanical quality of the automatic meets human things like love, then suddenly it becomes extremely negative. Love has to be spontaneous and genuine, never automatic and cold.Ӏ That’s the theme that moves people.

Along with the new sounds, new subjects, new live show, and even Bill’s new style, longtime fans will still find the constant connection to Tokio Hotel’s raw honesty and emotion.

“We love our fans because they are the loudest of all and do such crazy things,” Bill says. “They always support us, no matter what has happened, and a lot has happened.”

Show your compassion, and support the people in Japan that were affected by the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami by ordering a Tokio Hotel For Japan Button Set. All profits from the sales of these button sets will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross.

You can also make additional donations of $5, $10, $15, and $25, by selecting an option from the drop-down menu.

These button sets are currently in pre-order status. Please allow at least 3 weeks from the time of purchase for your order to ship. All other items included in your will ship with the button set. If you wish for other items to ship sooner, then please place a separate order.

Tokio Hotel is a pop rock band from Germany, founded in 2001 by singer Bill Kaulitz, guitarist Tom Kaulitz, drummer Gustav Schäfer and bassist Georg Listing.[4] The quartet have scored four number one singles and have released three number one albums in their native country, selling nearly 5 million CDs and DVDs there.[5] After recording an unreleased demo-CD under the name “Devilish” and having their contract with Sony BMG Germany terminated, the band released their first German-language album, Schrei, as Tokio Hotel on Universal Music Germany in 2005. Schrei sold more than half a million copies worldwide[6] and spawned four top five singles in both Germany and Austria. In 2007, the band released their second German album Zimmer 483 and their first English album Scream which have combined album sales of over one million copies worldwide and helped win the band their first MTV Europe Music Award for Best InterAct. The former, Zimmer 483, spawned three top five singles in Germany while the latter, Scream, spawned two singles that reached the top twenty in new territories such as France, Portugal, Spain and Italy. In September 2008, they won in the US their first MTV Video Music Award (VMA) for Best New Artist. In October 2008, they won four awards including Best International Artist and Song of the year at Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica (MTV Video Music Awards Latin America) held in Mexico. Tokio Hotel became the first German band ever to win an award at the MTV VMAs and also at the MTV Latin America Awards. They also picked up the Headliner award at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2008 held in Liverpool on November 6, 2008 and the Award for Best Group on November 5, 2009 at the MTV Europe Music Award (EMA) held in Berlin. They won an Award for Best World Stage Performance on November 7, 2010 at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Madrid. In July 2011, they also became the first german band ever to win an MTV Video Music Awards Japan (VMAJ).

We are thrilled to announce, that TH finally found a way to see their Russian fans again! The guys received tons of requests via mail and their Russian fans plastered the net asking them to come back….and now the long wait is OVER! Tokio Hotel will perfrom at the huge MUZ TV Annual National Music Award Ceremony scheduled for June 3rd 2011 at the Olympic Stadium, Moscow! Bill, Tom, Gustav & Georg can’t wait to celebrate with their fans!