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Gym Class Heroes have an eclectic personality

BY GLENN GAMBOA | Newsday Staff Writer

October 26, 2006

Gym Class Heroes is starting to get mainstream attention with its new CD "As Cruel as Schoolchildren." (Wireimage.com Photo)

Gym Class Heroes singer Travis McCoy had a true road-warrior moment.

"Man, I've been on the road too long," he said, pausing to try to remember what city he was in, before realizing that he had stayed in Los Angeles to film a video instead of flying home to New York as was originally planned.

McCoy is the band's song "7 Weeks" come to life, the lyrics, "Nobody acknowledges that boys in bands got it so damn bad, but we love like the last cigarette we'll ever have" ringing true.

The momentary confusion is understandable. Now that the "As Cruel As Schoolchildren" (Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen) album is getting attention, the upstate New York band's ride to mainstream attention is picking up speed, hopping over barriers to its unusual mix of sensitive-dude lyrics, indie-rock touring ethic and backpack hip-hopper grooves. "Nobody knows what to do with us," McCoy said. "I don't even know what to do with us. It's hard to put us in any one box."

The band is even unconventional about picking its singles. McCoy said that after "The Queen and I" runs its course, the band will reach back to its first album, "The Papercut Chronicles," for the follow-up, since "Cupid's Chokehold" has been developing its own momentum at radio stations in the Midwest. "I always knew 'Cupid's' had potential," he said. "I think people are sick of bands banking off brokenheartedness. It's time for a song about how awesome girls can be."

But "The Queen and I" is nowhere near done with its run. The song is about a woman's low self-esteem issues, but still OutKast sing-along catchy. "Those are the songs that intrigued me the most - those songs that would stick in my head, but would mean something else," McCoy said. "I remember going around singing 'Don't Stand So Close to Me' and having no idea what it was really about. Then years later, it was like, 'This song is about a teacher having an affair with a student.'"

McCoy said his love of the "corny '80s pop" of Pebbles, Hall and Oates and Teena Marie helped forge the style of Gym Class Heroes - McCoy, his childhood friend drummer Matt McGinley, guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo and bassist Eric Roberts. It even led to the sure-fire hit "Clothes Off," a reworking of Jermaine Stewart's hit of the same name that the band wants to release as a single when it's warmer and people will be more likely to follow the chorus' advice of "We have to take our clothes off to have a good time."

In the band's immediate future is even more touring, followed by a new album and perhaps a new direction. "Maybe the next album will be full of '70s retro soul," said McCoy, adding that he wants to sing more than rap on future albums. "You just never know with us."

WHEN & WHERE

Gym Class Heroes plays Hammerstein Ballroom, 311 W. 34th St., Manhattan, 212-777-1224, on Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $27 through Ticketmaster, 631-888-9000.