10,000 LIKES CAMPAIGN.

Okay everyone, this post is going to be slightly different from the usual posts I do, and it’s a topic very close to my heart. I’m sure that if you are a regular reader of my blog you know all about my love and obsession for the German rock sensation Tokio Hotel.

The thing is even after being a fan almost 5 and a half years I still haven’t gotten the chance of seeing them, performing or at a meet and greet or anything. This is largely due to the fact that I live in India, combined by a little pinch of bad luck that seems to follow me everywhere. Besides me, however, there are thousands of fans here who haven’t got the chance to see Tokio Hotel. Some of us have been fans since 2005-2006 but just don’t have the privilege to go see the band in Europe or America. I don’t know why but most artists seem to want to avoid India for as long as possible. Some artists say ‘World Tour’ but India [the world's largest democracy for Godssakes] misses out on these tours. So us Indian fans have decided to take matters into our own hands. We have started what I’m calling ‘The 10,000 Likes Campaign’ to bring TH to India.

We contacted Universal Music and they informed us we need a total of 10,000 INDIAN fans to get the band to India, and this would be accounted for by the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TokioHotelIndia. So Aliens, let’s do this! Let’s get the number to 10,000 likes!

Sign this petition to support this movement! —> http://www.petitiononline.com/IA10000/petition.html

The campaign will be constantly updated on Midnight HeartBEAT. Each band member will appear on a banner like the one above. All you have to do is click on it and go to the Tokio Hotel India fanpage for more information.

If you have any questions, contact me at billismyphantomrider@gmail.com

Let’s go, Aliens!

WE, THE FANS. Don’t Make the Mistake of Underestimating Us.

The universal truth is that an artist is only as famous as their fans. Fame is achieved only through having a dedicated fan base, a screaming mass of hysterical human beings who will go to the ends of the earth to see you, even for just one second.  Fans are people who come together for one single purpose, one mission and one interest. Some artists have enough fans to form whole armies, and sometimes, those armies won’t hesitate to battle it out to protect the honour and name of their artist. So if you get that breathless tightness in your chest, those sleepless nights/continuing dreams, gasps that tear through your chest, tears that stream down in heavy torrents and those sudden bursts of energy that zip through you like lightning when you see a picture/video/live concert or hear that special song, get prepared; Tissue paper in hand, and mp3 players fully charged, tattoo machines buzzing, cameras fully loaded and ready to shoot, we’re ready for some action.

Here are some of the more powerful fan-armies in the world today…

The first band on my list is 30 Seconds To Mars and their incredible support system, The Echelon

What I love about this band is the way they involve their fans in their albums and music videos, most recently in their album ‘This Is War’… Some of the tracks feature the Echelon themselves, for example ‘Kings and Queens’. The music video features the Echelon as well.

Next is My Chemical Romance and the MCRmy: MCR has been a constant in my life since 2006 and the release of ‘The Black Parade’. They are a band who inspire many to start a journey towards a better life and conquer fears. The powers of the lyrics of their songs is so great, it embeds the lyrics into one’s soul. The MCRmy consists of hardcore loyalists to the ‘governing’ body that is MCR. There is no pissing off a soldier from this army, as they will literally destroy you with laser guns. Am I right, fellow Killjoys? There are many examples of MCR tattoos that most of the MCRmy sport, consisting mainly of song lyrics and MCR’s logo.

Next is the gorgeous Lady Gaga or Mother Monster to all her Little Monsters:

Lady Gaga’s fan base are known for their craze for the gorgeous Lady and her absolutely gaga outfits. Many costume stores around the planet have an imitation of at least ONE famous Gaga outfit, and her fans are not afraid to blow all their money on those fab get-ups. The Little Monsters are a bunch of wild party-animals, and in my experience, great unique people to know.

Next we take on true ‘Beliebers‘ of Justin Bieber:

Okay, now this has to be one of the craziest fandoms I have ever come across, second to only ONE other that I know [which I will be mentioning later on]. Screaming, hysterical crying, fainting and injuries are most common occurrences at any JB concert, so I warn you, get prepared as you would for a stampede. I have to say the Beliebers seem to mostly consist of an average of 9-16 year olds, predominantly female, with a few exceptions. I have a huge respect for Justin Bieber as he actually possesses a hell of a lot of talent and charisma. While I am not part of the Beliebers, I can fully understand why he is popular; talented, young, good-looking, wealthy and with a pleasing personality… What’s not to like?

I know many people hate Justin and many people love him, but then again its a personal choice. After all, fans are fans because of their personal taste in music.

Let’s take a more ‘glamorous’ turn with the fan army of Adam Lambert known as, obviously, Glamberts:

What is beautiful about the Glamberts, is the range of ages they consist of. No fan is too young or too old to be a part of this army. It’s safe to say women of all generations have gone bonkers about this incredibly talented and sweet-natured singer; Every woman wants him in their lives as a son, brother, husband, boyfriend, or best friend. However unattainable he may be, it does not stop any woman lusting after him and that gorgeous voice. I don’t know the name of this lady with this amazing tattoo, but I would like to thank her if she comes across this article. If anyone reading this knows her, please do let me know so I can credit her properly. :)

And finally, the final force of fandom that has beaten all others and has been given the official title of ‘Best Fan Army’ by the MTV Online Music Awards, are the Aliens the ‘rabid fanbase’ of Tokio Hotel:

It cannot be denied that this fandom is EPIC. Whether it is fighting tooth and nail to support a band-member or waiting for hours on end at a venue to catch a single glimpse of their idols, no one has it down better than the Aliens. Tokio Hotel as a band have charisma, sex-appeal and talent, qualities that have catapulted them not only to fame, but to super-stardom. Being an Alien myself, I must warn you that I am completely biased here. :P And….

The Aliens largely consists of girls, age 14 upwards, but there are MANY exceptions to this stereotype. What is special about this band is the fact they grow everyday. Being an Alien for 5 years, I see them growing with me, reaching adulthood with me and am glad to have that sort of ‘company’, a reminder that while they are rockstars, they are close in age to a lot of their fans and can therefore relate to problems their fans might be facing. They have music that is real, music that defines teenage angst and the turmoil that rumbles through our heads. This band is an escape, a sanctuary for us Aliens to flee to, and there is nothing better that takes away the pain.

I myself have a tattoo of the band’s insignia, and am proud to be a part of the Aliens who have established themselves as Aliens for life and have tattoos related to the band.

The power of fans is an astounding energy, a force of nature to be reckoned with. If you try to change a fan’s mind about the artist they like or go for an all out attack on their fandom, you risk losing their trust, friendship, and also receiving a slap or a zap from concealed laser weapons… Of course beware of Little Monster claws, and sharp Alien tongues.

Music lives in us and its artists very well change our lives… And I’d like to think it’s for the better. They give us something to believe in and courage to pursue our goals and fulfill our dreams. So don’t be afraid to get inspired and join an ‘army’. After all, this rollercoaster called ‘Life’ runs best when we’re all screaming hysterically.

If you want me to add any other armies that YOU support, leave a comment and I’ll edit the article… I’m open to suggestions, always! If you have any tattoos/stories you want to share about YOUR favorite artist, comment, and I’ll post it onto the article… :D