Gym Class Heroes Formation:
Gym Class Heroes first came together in 1997 when Travis McCoy and Matt McGinley became friends in high school gym class in Geneva, New York. They connected with guitarist Milo Bonacci and bassist Ryan Geise and began playing at parties and local clubs. The group played music based on hip hop with live instruments instead of samples and pre-recorded beats. A strong local reputation led to spots on the national Warped Tour in 2003 and 2004.
Current Band Members:
- Travis McCoy - Lead Vocals
- Matt McGinley - Drums
- Dishashi Lumumba-Kasongo - Guitar
- Eric Roberts - Bass
Gym Class Heroes Sign to Decaydance:
Gym Class Heroes' fourth self-produced CD The Papercut Chronicles caught the attention of Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz before the album was complete. The group released the Papercut EP independently, but signed to Wentz's Decaydance Records label, an imprint of Fueled By Ramen, before final release of The Papercut Chronicles in 2005. Gym Class Heroes' next album As Cruel As Schoolchildren appeared in July, 2006.
Quote From Gym Class Heroes' :
In interview with From Out of Nowhere:
"I remember the first time I realized I wanted to write songs and it’s really funny. I was watching a Fruity Pebbles commercial and Barney Rubble started rapping and I figured if he could do it, I could do it too."
Pop Breakthrough:
Continual touring including a spot on the 2006 Warped Tour helped spread the awareness of Gym Class Heroes' music. Lead vocalist Travis McCoy appeared on Cobra Starship's "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)," the theme for the movie released in the summer of 2006. "The Queen and I," the first single from As Cruel As Schoolchildren reached the top half of the pop singles chart. Its followup, "Cupid's Chokehold," built around the hook from Supertramp's "Breakfast In America," climbed even higher on the charts in early 2007.
