Taken from this lovely LiveJournal blog post, much credits to the original translator and poster of the interview - eurys_elysium, and check their blog page as well, because they have some interesting and cool stuff involving CB!
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CINEMA BIZARRE
ROCKOON! #04 (April 2009)
Completely unexpected, the five guys left across the pond. Their task is to be the supporting act during a big tour across America and Canada. Many a new experiences for the Berliners-by-choice. Shortly after the tour had started, they took the time to answer the first questions about the current state of events.
Rockoon: What did you first think when you heard that you would be joining Lady GaGa for an extremely big US-tour?
Yu: "Wicked!" (laughs)
Strify: Lady GaGa is currently the "hottest shit around" in he music business and promises to remain that for a while. A wonderful chance to go on tour across the States with her. My first thought simply was: “Holy shit!” Then I realised that the tour would start in ten days already.
Kiro: I just couldn't believe it at first... I mean, to get a chance like that, that's absolutely crazy!!! We were all really happy!
Romeo: We were blown away. Shock and an immense happiness took us over. It's very hard to put this very moment into words.
Shin: Nobody wanted to tell me at first, they wanted to surprise me, but hey, I'm no fool and got suspicious. A day later Kiro told me during rehearsal.
How did travelling to and entering the USA go?
Kiro: We had a long flight! We flew about 16 hours all in all! When we finally reached Los Angeles, the nice weather was welcoming us already. (grins)
Romeo: It was a long trip during which we did a lot of thinking again. What will be awaiting us? Will complications arise? Et cetera. So many things cross your mind on such a long journey. Luckily, Shin distracted me with all kinds of nonsense again and again! When we emerged the airport in L.A. at last, happiness finally took us all over and we were just blown away.
Yu: So far, everything went great! In fact, we would not have received our visa for the USA until very much later, and actually we would not have been allowed to take that much excess luggage onto the plane, but in the end everything worked out fine. (grins) Would have been stupid if it hadn't!
Shin: I pushed travelling and entering (the country) to the back of my mind. I'm glad to be here and ignore that I will soon have to endure the long flight back again.
Strify: Totally smooth. The chaos of getting the visa in but a few days, something that normally requires several weeks of waiting, was solved pretty fast too.
What city did you spend your first night at? And what were your first impressions?
Strify: In Los Angeles or rather somewhere on the outskirts of it. We had a ride from the airport across L.A., Hollywood to our hotel and got to see a lot outside the window.
Kiro: In Los Angeles! I love L.A., it's wonderful there and the sunny weather added to that of course! Above all, the people are very friendly!
Romeo: Los Angeles. (laughs) Damn... it's wicked here!
Shin: L.A. - after we'd found our way out of the airport, I got to see this extremely clean city, it was like a dream!
Yu: L.A. rawks! When we arrived at the airport, it already felt like “Welcome home”. I really fell in love with this city a little bit because I know some people there and had a lot of fun with them, jamming and so on. I'm longing for L.A. a little. (laughs)
And how did the first shows go? How big were the stages there?
Kiro: The stages are of different sizes! But the concerts we had so far went great! It's a new experience to us not to be the main act on stage, but the audience gave us a warm welcome every time so far and the people participated really well!
Strify: GaGa's stages are all of different sizes. The one in Los Angeles is one of the biggest and the one in San Francisco an extremely small one. Being the Special Guest is a new experience to us and we mingle with an audience that is not mainly focussed on us! I like to call all this “the fame experience”.
Yu: In fact, everything's quite chaotic here and we cope with all of it pretty well. (grins) Some of the stages are so small you cannot even take a real step, and some are much too big so that you would almost feel lost. (laughs)
Romeo: Till now, we were able to win the audience over at the shows, arranged a new set for every day to surprise the people and to coax them out of their shell at the same time. The stages are of different sizes; that's why there are sometimes two shows in a row on one day what posed another new challenge. One that we mastered with enthusiasm. I'm sure we will come up with many more things for the concerts to come.
Shin: The first shows were very chaotic, no sound checks and so on... But it's getting better with every concert, and so does the team's collaboration.
Strify, which songs do you play on this tour?
Strify: We constantly change the set list. Generally, there are Deeper And Deeper, How Does It Feel, Lovesongs (They Kill Me) and Escape..., She Waits For Me, After The Rain and Dysfunctional Family.
Life is not always easy for a supporting act. Is Lady GaGa's crew being nice to you?
Kiro: To us, everybody is super nice. (laughs)
Yu: We are treated very well and everybody's very cool. We also get along very well with the other supporting acts, talk to them a lot backstage and always wish them good luck before the show...
Strify: We don't have a sound check, line check et cetera. So, there's always a lot to do before the shows and I cannot complain about any of the crew members so far and think this won't change. We met her crew and the “House of GaGa” and they are all very professional, talented and particularly creative minds.
Romeo: The crew here is just excellent, it's fun to work with them. Now and then we also like to fool around a bit when there's enough time.
Shin: Yes, they're totally nice and friendly, but everybody's got a lot to do.
How did you establish contact with Lady GaGa anyway?
Kiro: We met her after a concert in Berlin. Lady GaGa was supporting the Pussycat Dolls! We had a long talk and got along really well! And that's how it happened that Lady GaGa wanted to have us as supporting act!
Strify: We were at her concert in Berlin and just asked if we could meet her. She then came to have a conversation with us for a while after her show and said we look like all of her ex-boyfriends. A few days later we received a phone call saying that she would like us to join her for a tour one day.
Romeo: We met her personally at the concert she gave with the Pussycat Dolls in Berlin. Had a long conversation with her and laughed a lot. She is a breathtakingly interesting and creative woman. A few days later, we received a phone call: “Hey guys, don't you wanna join me on my tour?”
And how is the reaction of the American audience to you? Many Americans are said to be prudes. Is your styling too much for them?
Kiro: Didn't have any negative experience yet! I don't think they're prudes at all: people here are very open to new things, that's awesome!
Romeo: So far, we were able to win people over at every show in the USA!
Shin: They are? In L.A. and all the other major cities our style was well received.
Strify: America is the country of contradictions. Very conservative on the one hand, totally crazy on the other. It always depends on where in America you are, too. The coasts differ a lot from the inland. Till now, our look is very well received here in California.
Yu: The audience occurs to me as being very divided, some probably don't know what to make of us, for many of them we are nothing but the supporting act they don't know and some again show interest and rock (with us). It's fun to heat up the masses that stood still at first and then start to rock because they just cannot help it. (laughs)
Up to now, was there something that made you think: “Such a thing wouldn't exist in Germany!”?
Kiro: For example, when you go to a supermarket here – I've just been to a Walmart and even the packaging is huge! You wouldn't find something like this in Germany!
Romeo: Cash points in supermarkets that pay by themselves.
Shin: Everything in XXL... I've got the feeling that I'm slowly becoming XXL myself, ha ha...
Strify: That everything, and I mean everything, is in “big size”. Or rather, if you want less, you pay more.
Yu: Clubs that are open until 2 a.m. only! I'm not much of a clubber, but even I think this is really stupid.
Have you bought and packed a souvenir yet?
Kiro: Yes, sure, I went shopping in L.A. recently and found a few things. (grins) An incredibly great silver jacket, shoes and jewellery!
Romeo: I finally got the chance to meet some friends of mine in the USA that were on tour in L.A. too by coincidence. The band Eyes Set To Kill, and I went to see their show. The first concert I've ever got to see in the USA, on a stage that we would play later in April as well. That's something you memorise.
Shin: Haven't racked my brains about that yet, but I think I would take something typically American with me such as a McDonalds bag.
Yu: At Hot Topic I bought myself a little Zelda buckler that is actually a package for some kind of mini hard candy. And we bought plastic guns we have loads of fun with, something you got to see on our Twitter, too.
Are you travelling by tour bus and how do you like that? Or do you fly from one place to the next?
Kiro: We are travelling by tour bus! I like it! I always sleep very well in these beds because of the rocking! Apart from that, the bus is very cosy and we want for almost nothing. (laughs)
Romeo: Apart from the cuddly beds that have an extra TV (laughs), (it's a) typical American tour bus. From a giant TV in the lounge, Xbox and all that stuff against the boredom, to the kitchen we've got everything. A little home on wheels.
Shin: If we were to fly, I'd wonder when we're supposed to sleep. (laughs)
Strify: We have two totally awesome plasma TVs, but actually never have time to watch. And otherwise, in order to see for yourself, check out some of the clips online soon.
What do you expect of the next few weeks on tour?
Yu: Sex, drugs & Rock'n'Roll... Okay, maybe only just a lot of fun! (laughs)
Strify: A lot of concerts; today we're in San Francisco. We've already played a show and the second one is up in a moment. We'll get to see all the States and to meet a lot of people. We'll get a taste and can already prepare for our own concerts in April. Additionally, we will shoot the video to our new single My Obsession.
Kiro: That we will have a lot of fun, gain a lot of experience and just enjoy our time here!
Romeo: That we will get better with every show, gain a lot of experience. Get to know a lot of people, have loads of fun, see a lot of the USA and of Canada.
Shin: ...a lot of fun and love in the music.
Finally, do you have message for your European fans?
Kiro: Soon we'll be back and then we'll go on a European tour again! I'm really looking forward to that! I'm also looking forward to touring Germany because that's my or rather our home country after all and that's where I feel at home! So, get ready, there will be a lot of new stuff soon! Many toys for Europe! (laughs)
Romeo: The planning for our European tour is under way. As soon as we're on tour in Europe again, you will for sure be flashed by our new show and a lot of other things. (laughs) Come visit our concerts and experience toyZ.
Yu: I hope you're following our blogs and Twitter and get to see what we're up to – and don't forget: we're coming back! America is nothing but the advance in order to fire you guys in Europe up!!!
Shin: I'm totally looking forward already to being back in Europe soon!
Strify: I'm looking forward to getting back home and to really getting started here as well! So, don't worry, Germany and Europe, we won't forget you, this is our home.
