Bill & Heather: Tattoo Twins

Last October the Tokio Hotel fandom went wild trying to find out what Bill Kaulitz’s new tattoo was..  Several people claimed the vertical script tattoo, captured on grainy photographs, was actually the name of Kaulitz’s paramour, Heather [Chase]. The rumor was fueled by the fact that Bill announced he would get the name of his girlfriend tattooed on him.

It was stated that Bill and Heather had matching tattoos; Heather stated in an interview that both of them [Bill and her] thought matching tattoos were “especially cool.”

It’s now one year later, still no one is completely sure what Bill’s tattoo really says and he remains very tight-lipped about it. But during the Z100 live chat on October 17 Bill revealed his favorite tattoo is the one on his side; the one rumored to read Heather. Bill’s apoplectic, girl-crazed twin brother, Tom, proceeded to spill the beans announcing that there is in fact “a twin tattoo [to the one] that Bill is wearing.”

Thanks Tom, for letting us in on that dirty little secret. We knew you couldn’t control yourself.

Rumor Patrol

THE RUMOR. The ghostly woman singing on Tokio Hotel’s “Geisterfahrer” (German version of “Phantomrider”) is Heather Grey Chase, girlfriend of frontman Bill Kaulitz.

FALSE. The woman singing on “Geisterfahrer” is not Chase, it’s actually German model Jana Pallaske. Pallaske is also the lead singer of her own German rock band, Spitting Off Tall Buildings.

Still not convinced? Kaulitz set the record straight in an interview last week; “…the girl, who sings with me in “Geisterfahrer” is not my girlfriend.” †

Trendsetter Alert: Miss Heather Grey Chase

Lumberjill: Miss Heather Grey Chase caught by our trendsetter-watch crew by surprise Thursday night exiting a dinner date with her twin brother and his wife in The Bronx. The model/singer/trendsetter hasn’t been seen out and about town since late Spring but she hasn’t lost that quirky sense of style or it-girl confidence! Chase re-emerged on the scene and posed for our crew’s “research photos” in her hot ensemble – an oversized men’s navy blue & black plaid lumberjack converted into a darling (if not daring) frock. How she did it?; The trick is to button the lumberjack all the way up, cinch the waist and let it bulge a tad with a big-buckled black leather belt. Throw on a pair of navy blue lace tights with jet black stilettos and you’re set! Can you say thrift-shop trendy?! Added bonus: Chase’s trademark, self-described “Amy Winehouse satire hair”; a loose half bee-hive that tousles down the back in loose waves, paired with thick navy blue eyeliner on a nude face complete the trendsetting cozy family dinner date look.

Transmission Tuesday

-- Commence Transmission --

Today is Tuesday and Pop-Cultured is humanoid.

WARNING: The following headlines pertain to a phenomena previously unexplored by pop-culture excoverers. What you thought you knew will never be the same again.

→ Tokio Hotel’s new single “Automatic” is now available for digital download; how automatic.   

     ↓

So you’ve heard the rumor that Bill Kaulitz (gah) named TH’s new album Humanoid after unrequited love, Heather Grey [Chase] aka The Humanoid.

• This explains these love starved lyrics; “There’s no real love in you; why do I keep loving you?”

     ↓

And you’ve seen the mv; the muscle cars – did you know HG’s a drag-race fanatic?, and the not-quite-kissing robots (H + B = ♥) – SO CLOSE! Yet so far…

Check it out: TH’s official mv for “Automatic”

→ Breaking Benjamin’s new single “I Will Not Bow” is tearing up the charts and has quite a few NYers looking out their office windows to view the sidewalk traffic in hopes of catching the glimpse of a surrogate.

     ↓

BB isn’t to be outdone by TH. Releasing their own humanoid-inspired mv for Dear Agony’s 1^st single. The reason we bring it up? Well, Ben Burnley messed around with (and is still BFFers with) the same girl as Bill & incorporated virtuality into his music, no doubt a nod to her virtual fame.

• Could it be jealousy of Bill and Heather’s continued romance? Or just a vent of pent-up angst after a messy de-engagement; “Show me when forever dies,” SOMEONE clearly has feelings still.

     ↓

We know the mv actually corresponds to Bruce Willis’ new movie, Surrogates, but what’s with the surrogate main character, almost a dead-ringer for Heather? Did BB want to cash in on the Heather Grey Chase publicity phenomena too?

Check it out: BB’s official mv for “I Will Not Bow”

 

This has been Pop-Cultured.

-- End Transmission --

HG Billy-Boy’s Humanoid

Today is Tuesday and Pop-Cultured’s heads are rolling; two weeks ago we blogged that our favorite German rockers, Tokio Hotel, officially named their new album, Humanoid. Now the story is lead singer, Bill Kaulitz, named the album after his girl, Heather Grey Chase. The confusing they’rereallydating *fangirl squee* drama continues!

On Monday, the blogmistress of HG’s official fansite, The Heather Chase Files, reposted the article that exploded the story: Bill’s humanoid is HG, leaving us confused once again. Does that mean Bleather’s back together? Were they ever apart?

And if we weren’t confused enough, TH’s Official American Fansite, Tokio Hotel America’s, changed their tagline from, “Because life is too short to not be their fan…” to “Because life is too short to not be their fan humanoid.” This means even the official American fansite is acknowledges that Bill named Humanoid after a person!!

Holla at us YOUR thoughts on Humanoid!

 

This has been Pop-Cultured.

“Humanoid” a Freudian Blunder?

Tokio Hotel’s new album, Humanoid, has been called a title-blunder by fans and critics alike; but musicologists say Nien. It is no mistake. It is a complex parapraxis, revealing deep, unconscious and undeniable attachments between Bill Kaulitz of Tokio Hotel and his on-and-off girlfriend Heather Grey Chase.

Often albums are named for events, people or introspective revelations. Titles then become symbols or metaphors for that particular artist, in this case Kaulitz. Zeit Online manager/producer, David Jost, stated; “Kaulitz picked the title Humanoid because it is the same in both German and English and means ‘humanlike.’” It looks like Kaulitz took his inspiration from science-fiction, but professionals disagree, “We believe that Humanoid was actually named for someone close to Kaulitz and not a titling blunder but a parapraxis.”

Humanoid by definition is an adjective denoting human form and human characteristics. It can also imply virtual reality. For the last year, Bill Kaulitz has been rumored to be dating runway model, Heather Grey Chase. The rumor was started online and catapulted Chase into a new type of virtual celebrity. Because both Kaulitz and Chase never speak about their relationship and few photos surface, the exact relationship between the two is unknown and Tokio Hotel fans believe Chase to be a fantasy girlfriend. She is the ideal mental object. Quoting an earlier personal article on Chase, “It seems almost too perfect that everyone’s fantasy boyfriend [Kaulitz] found his perfect fantasy girlfriend.” It seems Kaulitz does have a humanoid in his life, Chase, and has named his new album after her.

There are two schools of academic thought as for why Kaulitz named Humanoid after Chase. The first explanation, Expressivism, considers Kaulitz’s choice as an emotional slip of the mind; an act based on unconscious desires – a parapraxis. The second explanation, Formalism, considers that his choice was on purpose, for aesthetics, knowing full well that fans have heard of Chase and would associate her as his humanoid.

There are other details that back up this hypothesis. First, it has long been said that Chase’s band, Pigeon, collaborated on Humanoid, contributing backing guitar and violin. Kaulitz confirmed there will be violins on the new album, but never actually stated who those musicians would be. Next, the syllabic similarity in the names Humanoid and Heather Grey are also notable. They both roll off the tongue to the same beat. Leading to further belief that Chase is obviously the humanoid from which Kaulitz drew his muse. Finally, the release date for the album; October 2, 2009, one year to the day when the viral feeds began reporting Kaulitz and Chase were a couple. §

References

Freud, Sigmund. (1901b). The Psychopathology of Everyday Life. SE, 6.

Hendrix, Brian. 2000. “The Visceral in Music.” Popular Musicology Online.

“The New Album from Tokio Hotel is called ‘Humanoid.’” 20/07/09. Zeit Online.

Those Green Gentlemen Post Sad News on Monday

As if Mondays weren’t bad enough – Indie-rockers, Panic At The Disco, posted a seemingly “Nine in the Afternoon”-esque announcement on their official webpage. Prompting a “Northern Downpour” of tears as Ryan Ross, songwriter/guitarist, and Jon Walker, bassist, are leaving Panic to start their own band that will sound like good old-fashion Panic At The Disco. Panic’s drummer and frontman, Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith, will continue to eat “Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks”, releasing their in-progress album and touring with both Blink-182 and Fall Out Boy by the end of July.

Do you know what I’m seeing? – Panic At The Disco’s overhaul calls to mind Pigeon; another indie-rock band that became a duet and faded into obscurity. Interestingly enough, it seems Panic and Pigeon have other history together too. Brendon Urie and Heather Chase, briefly dated last year.

That Green Gentleman is a little Blue

Archived News from May 8, 2008

Things have changed for Brendon Urie, the twenty-one year old frontman of the feel-good band Panic at the Disco. Recently split from girlfriend of two months, over-achieving supermodel turned singer Heather Chase, Urie has been hard at work with his band to release their sophomore attempt, Pretty.Odd., and turn out the video premiere of “The Green Gentlemen”.

In fact the song is very close to Urie’s heart insiders say. The song which boasts lyrics like, “I never said I missed her when everybody kissed her. Now, I’m the only one to blame…” is said to be dedicated to Chase. Close friends of the singer say he was really heart-broken when they spilt and takes the blame.

Urie wished that it could have worked out, but still wants to be friends with Chase. Chase on the other hand wants nothing to do with him and didn’t even bother to visit Panic during their Bamboozle concert, according friends. But Urie isn’t letting his heart weigh him down. The band is currently on the Honda Civic Tour, riding the sound waves. So as Urie would say, “Things have changed for me and that’s okay. I’m on my way…” and to that we applauded him!

The Flipsyde of Tokio Hotel

Rumors say Tokio Hotel guitarist, Tom Kaulitz, is dating Flipsyde lead singer, Chantelle Paige. Fans are in a panic; is it a publicity stunt for the bands, like Bill Kaulitz’s rumored flame, or is it the first official Tokio Hotel girlfriend? Looks like Tokio Hotel has another groupie band named Flipsyde.

In the beginning of June; Bild.de reported that while in L.A. working on Tokio Hotel’s new album Tom Kaulitz (19) stepped out with Flipsyde singer, Chantelle Paige (21). Days later Paige fielded interviews for German tabloids, Bild.de and Bravo, on her date with Kaulitz. Cherrytree Records who represent both bands and Tokio Hotel’s manager, David Jost, confirmed reports that the duo had drinks.

Practically before she arrived home, Paige started a non-stop gossip train about her love life in Cherrytree Record’s chatroom, on twitter and in as many interviews as possible. Tokio Hotel fans around the world are now wondering if this is a publicity stunt, thanks to the fact that Chantelle can’t seem to shut her big mouth.

It brings to mind the other syde of Tokio Hotel. Bill Kaulitz (19) is rumored to be dating model-singer, Heather Chase (22). Fans say Chase, an internet celebrity, is also a publicity stunt to deter Bill’s perceived homosexuality. But this is uncertain due to the fact that claims are never confirmed by Kaulitz, Chase or their management and few photos surface, keeping their private lives private.

Pigeon’s Big Break

LOS ANGELES

“Pigeon is taking a break.”

Pigeon-heads, Erik Monk and Heather Chase, released a public statement early this morning regarding their independent indie-rock band, Pigeon.

Chase, “There have been rough spots, but the last few months in-studio confirmed Pigeon will keep on flying.” Monk added, “We have several things lined-up after the ‘big break’ for the next few coming months, but like always it isn’t set in stone. We are asking for the fans’ continued patience with us; you’ll see us soon.”

Lady Gaga a “Tarted Up” Pigeon?

Lady Gaga is an honorary fashion-rocker. The electro-pop singer’s crowd [and sex] appeal is thanks to her signature fashion-statement, which satires designer runway looks. One New York reporter pointed out that Gaga reminds him of a “tarted up” Pigeon; a more risqué-version of fellow electro-pop/indie-rock singer Heather Chase of Pigeon, a New York underground favorite. Chase’s own trademark is a mixture of runway fashions, vintage glamour, and emo-rock glam.

Heather Chase and Lady Gaga [both 22] hail from New York City, where their musical careers took root in the underground clubs. While Gaga is now one of the hottest pop-acts in the world, Chase is picking up speed in the digital world through her work with Tokio Hotel. Gaga, who has been compared to Christina Aguilera in the past, says any comparisons by the media for publicity. Chase says she is honored to be compared to Lady Gaga, as she loves her style and music; Pigeon performs a cover of hit “Poker Face.”

For those of you asking, the original article citing Lady Gaga as a “tarted up pigeon” is by reporter Chris Muther.