By Sara AbadiPLAY Writer
Defying the stereotypes of rock bands and hip- hop groups, Gym Class Heroes is in a ‘Class’ of its own. Hailing from upstate New York, the foursome has been substituting pre-recorded beats and looped samples with guitar riffs, base lines and live instruments since officially becoming a band in 2001.
While frontman Travis McCoy leads the band in lyrical rhymes, drummer Matt McGinley, guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo and bassist Eric Roberts, drive the band’s rock ‘n’ roll sound, differentiating the band from other hip-hop groups in the music scene.
In the spirit of both musical genres, Gym Class Heroes emphasizes the importance of live shows. While Gym Class Heroes has some plans for their newest CD, As Cruel as School Children, McGinley said the band’s live performance offers more than what an audience can get from listening to their album.
“Our show is definitely a step up from the CD,” McGinley says. “I hated when I’d wait all night for a band, and then they’d slug it out on stage.”
Learning from what they experienced as fans, McGinley and his bandmates do their best to make shows exciting for both themselves and the audience as they embark on their first headlining U.S. tour.
“Playing the same songs over and over can get old if you let it,” McGinley says. “We like to do different things and play different songs to make each show different and every night unique.”
McGinley attributes each show’s originality to McCoy’s personality and on-stage antics.
“Travis is comfortable in front of people and is just a natural performer,” McGinley says. “(At shows) there is no canned banter, just Travis’ impromptu on stage.”
McGinley says it’s not uncommon for the band to dance on and even off stage. He described one night in Japan when bandmates Roberts and Lumumba-Kasongo impressed some Japanese dancers at a club.
“A song they liked came on and next thing you know they’re in the middle of the club doing very American dance moves,” McGinley says.
What could have been an extremely awkward situation turned out to be a night to remember. McGinley says when people staring began smiling and replicating the dance moves. “It was just like a movie.”
The band’s distinctive sound and live shows are helping them gain recognition, particularly among college crowds. Gym Class Heroes is nominated for two MTVu Woodie awards, including Woodie of the Year.
McGinley hopes that an award from MTVu will act as a stepping stone to bigger things, like an appearance at MTV’s Video Music Awards.
“We fancy ourselves as a good video band,” says McGinley, adding the band has been making videos on “shoestring budgets.”
“One day I hope to have more money and one of those budgets to make the Titanic of all videos,” he says.
Gym Class Heroes is heading to Las Vegas to shoot a video for the song “Clothes Off.” McGinley could not divulge plans but described putting a Gym Class Heroes spin on classic hip-hop video styles.
“It’s going to be cool and sexy, very flashy and glamorous,” McGinley says.
Though the secretive plans of “Clothes Off” are set, McGinley wants to bring dancing into future videos.
“Dancers in a video would be cool, us dancing in video would be even cooler,” he says.
For now, the band’s dancing won’t be seen outside Japanese bars.”I don’t know if I could take myself seriously if I were dancing in a video,” McGinley says.
Medill sophomore Sara Abadi is a PLAY writer. She can be reached at [email protected].