Gym Class Heroes is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from
Geneva, New YorkGeneva is a city in Ontario and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 13,617 at the 2000 census. Some claim it is named after the city and canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Others believe the name came from confusion over the letters in the word "Seneca" written in cursive...
. They have collaborated with
Fall Out BoyFall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
's
Patrick StumpPatrick Vaughn Stump is an American singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, and music critic. He is the composer, lead singer, and multi-instrumentalist of Fall Out Boy, an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, and is also a solo artist...
on numerous occasions, notably for providing backing vocals on the song "Cupid's Chokehold." Stump also produced the majority of their album
The Quilt.
The group formed when
Travie McCoyTravie Lazarus McCoy is an American singer and rapper. He is the lead vocalist of the alternative hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes. He released his debut solo album Lazarus on June 8, 2010....
met drummer
Matt McGinleyMatt McGinley is the co-founder and drummer of Gym Class Heroes.-Career:McGinley and Travis McCoy met in school in gym class and quickly became friends. The two decided to form a band, the now popular Gym Class Heroes...
in high school and decided to form a band. After the addition of guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo and bassist Eric Roberts, the group was signed to
Fueled by RamenFueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
and
Decaydance RecordsDecaydance Records is a record label based in New York City. Originally founded as an imprint of Fueled by Ramen, it is now an independent record label owned by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy and partners. The first band Wentz signed to the label was Panic! at the Disco...
(
Fall Out BoyFall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
bassist Pete Wentz's independent record label), on which they released their debut album,
The Papercut ChroniclesThe Papercut Chronicles is the second album by Gym Class Heroes released in 2005 by Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance. A sequel, The Papercut Chronicles II, was released in 2011.- Track listing :# "Za Intro" – 1:40# "Papercuts" – 3:26...
. The group gained a strong fan base while promoting the album, appearing at festivals such as
The BamboozleThe Bamboozle is an annual rain-or-shine, three-day music festival held in New Jersey. Every year, new bands compete for spots during the two days. The event evolved out of the Skate and Surf Festival.- The Characters:...
and
Warped TourThe Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
. In 2006, the group released the
gold-sellingIn the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
album
As Cruel as School ChildrenAs Cruel as School Children is the third Gym Class Heroes album released by Fueled by Ramen. It was released on July 25, 2006. It was produced by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump...
. Since that release, the band's single "
Cupid's ChokeholdCupid's Chokehold is a single performed by Gym Class Heroes, featuring Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. The song relies heavily on the music, chorus and famous spoken "ba ba da da" line from Supertramp's hit song "Breakfast in America"...
" reached #4 on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, and "
Clothes Off!!"Clothes Off!!" is the fifth single from Gym Class Heroes' third album, As Cruel as School Children. It features vocalist Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy...
" peaked at #5 on the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. On September 9, 2008, Gym Class Heroes released their third album,
The QuiltThe Quilt is the fourth album by Gym Class Heroes released by Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance. The album was released on September 9, 2008.Half of the album's 14 tracks are produced by Patrick Stump; Cool & Dre, Tricky Stewart, and Allstar produced the other half. Featured artists on the record include...
, which contained numerous collaborations with other artists.
Travie McCoyTravie Lazarus McCoy is an American singer and rapper. He is the lead vocalist of the alternative hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes. He released his debut solo album Lazarus on June 8, 2010....
has recently pursued a solo career, releasing the album
LazarusLazarus is the debut album by Gym Class Heroes lead singer Travie McCoy, released on June 8, 2010. McCoy announced his plans to pursue a solo career in early 2010, although he insisted that Gym Class Heroes had not broken up...
in June 2010. Lumumba-Kasongo has been working on his side-project Soul, while McGinley now drums in the rock group
Kill the FrontmanKill the Frontman are a Oneonta, New York based punk rock alternative rock band. It is a side project featuring members of various bands whose members all grew up in and met in Upstate New York.-Members:...
. The group released
The Papercut Chronicles IIThe Papercut Chronicles II is the fifth album by Gym Class Heroes released by Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance. The album was released on November 15, 2011.-Official Singles:...
on November 15, 2011.
Formation (1997–2002)
MC
Travie McCoyTravie Lazarus McCoy is an American singer and rapper. He is the lead vocalist of the alternative hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes. He released his debut solo album Lazarus on June 8, 2010....
and drummer
Matt McGinleyMatt McGinley is the co-founder and drummer of Gym Class Heroes.-Career:McGinley and Travis McCoy met in school in gym class and quickly became friends. The two decided to form a band, the now popular Gym Class Heroes...
became friends at their local high school's gym class in ninth grade in Geneva, New York. They officially came together in 1997. The band formed when bassist Ryan Geise and drummer Matt McGinley were performing at a party in an instrumental band with no vocals. McCoy, who was in attendance at the party, took the microphone onstage and started rapping. A week later, the group came together and started making music. The original group began playing college parties and BBQs, birthday parties, clubs, and festivals which eventually led to larger venues throughout the northeast, including four years on
Warped TourThe Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
(2003, 2004, 2006, 2008). McCoy won
MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Direct Effect MC Battle and as a prize, appeared in
Styles PDavid Styles better known by his stage name, Styles P, is an American rapper, author, and entrepreneur. He is prominently known as a member of Hip Hop group The LOX and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders hip-hop group, and in addition has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo...
's video "Daddy Get That Cash". The group had three more releases from 1999 to 2004:
Hed Candy,
Greasy Kid Stuff, and
...For the Kids.
The Papercut Chronicles (2003–2005)
In 2003 the band recorded the album
The Papercut ChroniclesThe Papercut Chronicles is the second album by Gym Class Heroes released in 2005 by Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance. A sequel, The Papercut Chronicles II, was released in 2011.- Track listing :# "Za Intro" – 1:40# "Papercuts" – 3:26...
while on tour. Before the album was finished, it caught the attention of
Fall Out BoyFall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
's Pete Wentz, who signed the group to his label,
Decaydance RecordsDecaydance Records is a record label based in New York City. Originally founded as an imprint of Fueled by Ramen, it is now an independent record label owned by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy and partners. The first band Wentz signed to the label was Panic! at the Disco...
. At this time, guitarist Milo Bonacci (who went on to form
Ra Ra RiotRa Ra Riot is an American indie rock band from Syracuse, New York, consisting of vocalist Wes Miles, bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci, cellist Alexandra Lawn , violinist Rebecca Zeller, and drummer Kenny Bernard.-History:...
) parted ways with the band and was replaced with current guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo, who was attending
Cornell UniversityCornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
at the time. On the first day the band began to record with Lumumba-Kasongo, the song "
Cupid's ChokeholdCupid's Chokehold is a single performed by Gym Class Heroes, featuring Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. The song relies heavily on the music, chorus and famous spoken "ba ba da da" line from Supertramp's hit song "Breakfast in America"...
" was recorded, which would become the album's first single. The group released the four-song
Papercut Chronicles EP before finally releasing
The Papercut Chronicles in February 2005. After Eric Roberts replaced Ryan Giese on bass, the group toured constantly throughout 2005, appearing at the year's SXSW,
BamboozleBamboozle! was a quiz game featured on Channel 4 Teletext in the United Kingdom. It was originally part of Teletext's "Fun & Games" category, though the rest of the category had been discontinued for some years before Bamboozle! ended...
, and
Warped TourThe Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
festivals. Music were filmed for the songs "
Taxi Driver"Taxi Driver" is a song by Gym Class Heroes. The song was first released on The Papercut EP, but was also included on the full-length and much more widely-released The Papercut Chronicles...
" and "Papercuts".
As Cruel as School Children (2006–2007)
On July 25, 2006, Gym Class Heroes released its second full length album,
As Cruel as School ChildrenAs Cruel as School Children is the third Gym Class Heroes album released by Fueled by Ramen. It was released on July 25, 2006. It was produced by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump...
. The album contained guest appearances by
Patrick StumpPatrick Vaughn Stump is an American singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, and music critic. He is the composer, lead singer, and multi-instrumentalist of Fall Out Boy, an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, and is also a solo artist...
of Fall Out Boy and
William BeckettWilliam Beckett may refer to:*William Beckett , English politician, Member of Parliament for Leeds and Ripon*Ernest Beckett, 2nd Baron Grimthorpe , British politician, full name Ernest William Beckett, sometimes referred to as "William Beckett"*William Beckett , British railway engineer and...
from
The Academy Is...The Academy Is... was an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2003. Before dispersing, they were signed by the Decaydance imprint of the Fueled by Ramen label. They were originally known as "The Academy", but added the "Is..." in 2004 to avoid legal complications with other...
. The album marked a departure in the band's sound, with the band utilizing
drum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
s and
synthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s as opposed to the band's typical live instrumentation. The band gained popularity when McCoy was featured in the
Cobra StarshipCobra Starship is an American synthpop band created by former Midtown bassist and lead vocalist Gabe Saporta in 2003 in New York City, New York...
song
Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)"Snakes on a Plane ", is the debut single of dance rock band Cobra Starship from the soundtrack album Snakes on a Plane: The Album...
, which was featured on the soundtrack to the film. During this time, the band released a rerecorded version of the song "
Cupid's ChokeholdCupid's Chokehold is a single performed by Gym Class Heroes, featuring Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. The song relies heavily on the music, chorus and famous spoken "ba ba da da" line from Supertramp's hit song "Breakfast in America"...
" from
The Papercut Chronicles. The song sampled "
Breakfast in AmericaBreakfast in America was seen as a departure for the band, with its pop sound deviating from the progressive rock stylings that defined their earlier work...
" by
SupertrampSupertramp are a British rock band formed in 1969 under the name Daddy before renaming to Supertramp in early 1970. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they have since incorporated a combination of traditional rock and art rock into their music...
and peaked at number four on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The album was also anchored by the singles "
The Queen and IThe Queen and I is a 1992 novel/play written by Sue Townsend.The setting is the UK, after the 1992 General Election, where the House of Windsor has just been deprived of its Royal status by the People's Republican Party and its members are made to live like normal Britons.After a People's...
", "
New Friend Request"New Friend Request" is the second single taken from the Gym Class Heroes album As Cruel as School Children. The single was released on 23 October in the UK and was the band's second consecutive single to be a non-chart qualifier as both physical formats contained a sticker, which is against UK...
", and "
Shoot Down the Stars"Shoot Down the Stars" is the third single from the album As Cruel As School Children by hip-hop/rock band Gym Class Heroes. The video premiered on May 11, 2007 on Fueled by Ramen's YouTube channel, and is now in rotation on MTV and Fuse TV.-Music video:...
".
The Quilt (2008)
After headlining a seven-week U.S. tour called the "
Daryl HallDaryl Hall is an American rock, R&B and soul singer, keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and producer, best known as the co-founder and lead vocalist of Hall & Oates . Hall scored several Billboard chart hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, and is regarded as one of the best blue eyed soul singers...
for President Tour '07", the group returned to the studio to record new material. The resulting material became
The QuiltThe Quilt is the fourth album by Gym Class Heroes released by Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance. The album was released on September 9, 2008.Half of the album's 14 tracks are produced by Patrick Stump; Cool & Dre, Tricky Stewart, and Allstar produced the other half. Featured artists on the record include...
, which was released on September 9, 2008. The album featured numerous collaborations with other artists, including Daryl Hall (from
Hall & OatesHall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
),
The-DreamTerius Youngdell Nash , better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella" for Rihanna and "Single Ladies " for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate, Love vs...
,
EstelleEstelle Fanta Swaray commonly known as Estelle, and formerly as Est'elle, is an English R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer.-Early Life:Estelle was born 18 January 1980 in Hammersmith, London, England...
, and
Busta RhymesTrevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
. Guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo said of the album, "I would definitely say that this is the most collaborative album I've played on with the band. I remember the very first day we started jamming out and working on the songs. I thought, Man, I haven't felt like this since I was in high school jamming out in a garage. So it's kind of cool, 'cause it was that same feeling, except we were recording for a major album."
Gym Class Heroes co-headlined the 2008 Warped Tour along with
ParamoreParamore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
. While the band was performing onstage at the festival on July 2, 2008, Travis McCoy was arrested after hitting a man on the head with his microphone. The man had been in the crowd at a concert in
St. LouisSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
when he shouted racial slurs at McCoy. McCoy asked the man, "What did you just call me?" As security was removing the man from the venue, McCoy brought the man on stage to call him out in front of the crowd. In a statement, McCoy's publicist said that the man hit McCoy's knee, which was in a brace after he had suffered a recent strain.
Current projects (2009–2011)
Travie McCoy has pursued a solo career. In 2010, he released a hit single "
Billionaire"Billionaire" is the debut single by American recording artist Travie McCoy, featuring guest vocals from Bruno Mars. It is the lead single from McCoy's debut studio album Lazarus. The song was produced by The Smeezingtons, which consists of Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine...
" with
Bruno MarsPeter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
, which has been successful since its UK release in early May 2010. He released his first solo album,
LazarusLazarus is the debut album by Gym Class Heroes lead singer Travie McCoy, released on June 8, 2010. McCoy announced his plans to pursue a solo career in early 2010, although he insisted that Gym Class Heroes had not broken up...
, on June 8, 2010. Lumumba-Kasongo created the side-project Soul in 2008, which he has currently been focusing on during Gym Class Heroes' break. The songs "Live a Little" and "No Place Left to Run" from
The Quilt were originally intended to be used strictly for his side project, but McCoy heard the songs and convinced Lumumba-Kasongo to let Gym Class Heroes use the songs. McGinley has been drumming in the rock group
Kill the FrontmanKill the Frontman are a Oneonta, New York based punk rock alternative rock band. It is a side project featuring members of various bands whose members all grew up in and met in Upstate New York.-Members:...
.
The Papercut Chronicles II (2011-present)
McCoy had discussed the band's new album,
The Papercut Chronicles IIThe Papercut Chronicles II is the fifth album by Gym Class Heroes released by Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance. The album was released on November 15, 2011.-Official Singles:...
, "We're about 12 demos deep. All I got to say is it's definitely going back to the essence of Gym Class Heroes, which is four dudes sitting in a room, vibing off each other and making organic, dark metal."
On June 9, 2011, Gym Class Heroes released a song entitled "
Stereo Hearts"Stereo Hearts" is the first single from Gym Class Heroes album The Papercut Chronicles II. Adam Levine, the lead singer of Maroon 5 is featured on the track...
" which features
Adam LevineAdam Noah Levine is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the front man and guitarist for the pop rock band Maroon 5. He is also a coach on the American talent show The Voice.-Early life:...
from
Maroon 5Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
. It is the first single to be released from
The Papercut Chronicles II. It became available for download on iTunes on June 14, 2011. It peaked at #4 on the
Billboard Hot 100.
On October 18, 2011, Gym Class Heroes released a song entitled "
Life Goes On"Life Goes On" is the first promotional single from the Gym Class Heroes album The Papercut Chronicles II. The song features vocals from Danish singer-songwriter and record producer Oh Land...
" which features
Oh LandNanna Øland Fabricius , better known by her stage name Oh Land, is a Danish singer-songwriter and record producer. She lives in Brooklyn, New York City.-Personal life:...
. It is the second single to be released from
The Papercut Chronicles II. The album is set for a November 15th release.
On November 1, 2011, Gym Class Heroes released their third single of the album, "Ass Back Home", featuring
Neon HitchNeon Hitch is a British singer and songwriter. She was signed to Mike Skinner and Ted Mayhem's label, The Beats, before it closed down. She was later discovered on MySpace by Benny Blanco who flew her to New York to work with him. Their work together earned her a music publishing deal with EMI and...
via
iTunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
On November 20th, 2011, Gym Class Heroes performed "Stereo Hearts" with
Adam LevineAdam Noah Levine is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the front man and guitarist for the pop rock band Maroon 5. He is also a coach on the American talent show The Voice.-Early life:...
on the
American Music Awards of 2011The 39th American Music Awards was held on November 20, 2011 , at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles . The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from the year 2011. Nominees were announced on October 11, 2011. The awards ceremony was host-free...
.
Musical style and influences
Gym Class Heroes is noted for displaying hip-hop influences while performing alongside artists who are mainly considered to be rock, pop-punk, and metal bands. McCoy says of the band's musical style, "We've been the proverbial sore thumb our entire career. Even before we got signed to
Fueled by RamenFueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
, we were playing shows with
death metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
and hardcore bands and whoever would let us play with them. I wouldn't even consider us a hip-hop band. Musically, it's just all over the place."
The band acknowledges '80s funk-influenced R&B acts such as
PrincePrince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and
Ready for the WorldReady for the World is an American R&B band from Flint, Michigan who scored several moderate pop, soul, and dance hits in the mid to late 1980s...
as major influences on the band' sound. Each member draws from different types of music for inspiration, with drummer Matt McGinley saying "there aren’t many [types of music] we agree on." McCoy cites 1970s
blue-eyed soulBlue-eyed soul is a media term that was used to describe rhythm and blues and soul music performed by white artists, with a strong pop music influence. The term was first used in the mid-1960s to describe white artists who performed soul and R&B that was similar to the music of the Motown and...
group
Hall & OatesHall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
as his biggest musical influence. Guitarist Disashi Lumumbo-Kasanga is mainly influenced by rock music, citing
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and
MuseMuse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
as an inspiration for his guitar playing. Bassist Eric Roberts incorporates
reggaeReggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
styles into his playing, as well as styles influenced by metal bands such as the Dillinger Escape Plan and
MeshuggahMeshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
. McGinley favors funk and rock stylistics inspired by groups such as
Green DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
,
Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
, and
311311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson , bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Chad Sexton...
.
Additionally, the band is noted for not using
samplesIn music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
in its music, a practice commonly used in hip-hop. McCoy states that "It’s more fun and organic in the live show. There’s definitely a lot of acts that can pull off a DJ/MC thing but then a lot that can’t. Also I guess it’s all we know." However,
As Cruel as School Children does contain samples, with McGinley commenting, "We’ve always been a band and we never did sampling at all before but within the last couple of years we’ve embraced it more. In the songs we did with Patrick Stump we used it."
Current members
- Travie McCoy
Travie Lazarus McCoy is an American singer and rapper. He is the lead vocalist of the alternative hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes. He released his debut solo album Lazarus on June 8, 2010....
– lead vocals (1997–present)
- Disashi Lumumba–Kasongo – lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals (2004–present)
- Eric Roberts – bass
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (2004–present)
- Matt McGinley
Matt McGinley is the co-founder and drummer of Gym Class Heroes.-Career:McGinley and Travis McCoy met in school in gym class and quickly became friends. The two decided to form a band, the now popular Gym Class Heroes...
– drumsA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion (1997–present)
Former members
- Milo Bonacci (1997–2004) – guitar, vocals
- Ryan Geise (1997–2005) – bass
- Steve Decker (1997–2003) – MPC
-Astronomy:* Megaparsec, unit of length used in astronomy* Minor Planet Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory**Minor Planet Circulars, or astronomical publication from the Minor Planet Center...
- Sammy Shuffler (2005-2007) - vocals, lyricist
- Jason Amsel (2000–2001) – guitar
Discography
- 2001: ...For the Kids
- 2005: The Papercut Chronicles
The Papercut Chronicles is the second album by Gym Class Heroes released in 2005 by Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance. A sequel, The Papercut Chronicles II, was released in 2011.- Track listing :# "Za Intro" – 1:40# "Papercuts" – 3:26...
- 2006: As Cruel as School Children
As Cruel as School Children is the third Gym Class Heroes album released by Fueled by Ramen. It was released on July 25, 2006. It was produced by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump...
- 2008: The Quilt
The Quilt is the fourth album by Gym Class Heroes released by Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance. The album was released on September 9, 2008.Half of the album's 14 tracks are produced by Patrick Stump; Cool & Dre, Tricky Stewart, and Allstar produced the other half. Featured artists on the record include...
- 2011: The Papercut Chronicles II
The Papercut Chronicles II is the fifth album by Gym Class Heroes released by Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance. The album was released on November 15, 2011.-Official Singles:...
Awards and nominations
| Year |
Award |
Category |
Result |
| 2007 |
MTV Video Music Awards An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
|
Best Group |
|
| MTV Video Music Awards |
Best New Artist |
|
| MTV European Music Awards |
Ultimate Urban |
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| Hip-Hop Nation Awards Hip-Hop Nation Awards is a first hip-hop awards came out in 1979. The first hip-hop awards before the BET Hip Hop Awards in 2006.-Categories:Hip-Hop Nation Awards categories are including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, Best New Artist, and Best Rap Record. Sometimes, Best Rap Record usually found...
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Best Rap Song W. Group "Cupid's Chokehold" ft. Patrick Stump Patrick Vaughn Stump is an American singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, and music critic. He is the composer, lead singer, and multi-instrumentalist of Fall Out Boy, an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, and is also a solo artist...
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| Hip-Hop Nation Awards |
Best Rap Group |
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| Hip-Hop Nation Awards |
Best New Artist |
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| 2009 |
Hip-Hop Nation Awards |
Best Rap Song W. Group "Cookie Jar" ft. The-Dream Terius Youngdell Nash , better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella" for Rihanna and "Single Ladies " for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate, Love vs...
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| Hip-Hop Nation Awards |
Best Rap Group |
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External links
- Complete discography of Gym Class Heroes, Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
- GCH's Travis McCoy, Spin
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
, January 2009
Interviews
- Interview in Blender
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
- Interview in Clash
Clash is a popular music and fashion magazine based in the United Kingdom. Its magazine title is published 12 times a year. It has a circulation of around 40,000....
- Interview in Submerge Magazine, October 2009