Tokio Hotel spurs interest in German among Italians
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A unique phenomenon is occurring in many European countries - young people are showing an increased interest in learning German. Gone are the notions that this language is too difficult to learn. In Italy the trend has been especially great and it's credited in part to the rise of the 4-member band from Magdeburg known as Tokio Hotel.
Tokio Hotel live in Trier, (cc) flickr user Ralf Heid
According to the German Ambassador to Italy, “Never before have we had so many participants in German courses.” Registration in German classes at the Goethe-Institut is also up 10 percent among 11-16 year olds.
During their 2007 European tour Tokio Hotel had taken to speaking German before crowds and used the services of an interpreter. Instead of excluding them from the global market, the band found their fans singing along at concerts in German. The interest in learning the meanings behind the words seems to have been a catalyst of sorts.
In France parents were shocked when their children chose to study German rather than English. The Goethe-Institut in France has even prepared a teaching unit based on the songs of the hit band. And in Italy young students were so interested in understanding the lyrics and the band’s interviews that the June and July Goethe-Institut courses for teenagers will be integrated with music lessons.
In addition to dispelling notions about the language, Tokio Hotel seems to be building a bridge with Italian youth despite the tragic twentieth century history between the two countries. Tokio Hotel has even been on stage in Israel, appearing before Israeli fans who sang along with them in German.
Tokio Hotels's first album Schrei jumped to the top of the charts in 2005 while its members still attended school. Twin brothers Bill and Tom Kaulitz, the lead vocalist and guitarist, were born in 1989 in Berlin and were introduced to music by their stepfather, himself once a member of a rock band. At seven years old Tom began to play guitar and Bill started writing. In 2001 they met Georg Listing who would become the bass guitarist and Gustavo Schäfer who would be the drummer.
Together they formed Tokio Hotel, initially under the name “Devilish”, and started playing in small locations. The group quickly gained a huge audience and has since won national and international awards.
Although they’re a young band, their music has taken on serious themes including divorce, adolescent suicides, drug use, abandoned children and death. They also participated in an Amnesty International project for Darfur called “Make Some Noise” along with John Lennon, U2, REM and Aerosmith. They also have their own YouTube channel.
Tokio Hotel performed in Canada and the United Sates for the first time in 2008 to rave reveiws. Although they have recorded some songs from their first two albums in English, their European fans prefer the German lyrics and they continue to perform in their mother tongue in il Bella Paese.
-E deja confirmat ca citiva fani de la balcon au vazut la concertul din Lisabona ca Bill era prezent si incerca sa explice situatia celor din jur,de ce el nu poate cinta si tot ei au mai spus ca chiar plingea(Doamne,saracul!Eu pling!!)Insa securitatea l-a impiedicat sa iasa pe scena!A fost vazuta intreaga trupa incercind sa-l calmeze,caci el nu dorea sa lase totul neexplicat!
- Managerul lor,David Jost,a avut o conversatie(LIVE-LA TELEFON) in Curto Circuito (un TV Show portughez). El a spus ca Bill a luat "o gramada de injectii si medicamente simbata,insa nu s-a facut bine".El a mai zis ca "Bill abia de poate sa stea pe picioare".
- David Jost va vorbi iar la Curto Circuito miercuri(adica miine).
"Bill a iesit din Atlantic Pavilion plingind,cu un stergar in jurul gitului. (Nota -Probabil pentru ca sa-i fie cald,saracutzul).El a vrut sa ne spuna ca ii pare rau,precum au facut si ceilalti trei membri,insa securitatea nu i-a permis.Era foarte trist,dorea ca concertul sa ia loc,precum si noi am vrut!
Transmiteti mesajul tuturor pentru a demonstra ca nu a fost vina lui."
Deci uitati care este faza Bill si-a imaginat perechea perfecta iar ziaristii nu au intarziat sa-i gaseasca o persoana pe care el si-o creease in mintea lui si a gasit pe fata asta care este descrierea perfecta
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30th April 2008, 1:52 am by 
