Gym Class Heroes - Cool as Schoolchildren
Gym Class Heroes are one of the hottest urban-style acts around with the track 'Cupid’s Chokehold' currently knockin’ yer socks off on TV and radio here in Australia.
Talking to Matt, their friendly drummer who is ardent about their forthcoming Australian tour, it seems the guys are ‘stoked’ to be coming here and have never been to Oz before. The boys, currently in NYC, are seriously looking forward to a ‘fresh audience’ in Australia following three years of US touring.
The show will offer a showcase of their tracks with their ‘honest energy’ and huge ‘onstage presence’ giving live versions of the upcoming single, 'Clothes Off', a hip summery track which uses cover samples of Jermaine Stewart’s 1986 classic and the one we’ve all heard recently, 'Cupid’s Chokehold', which samples Supertramp’s 'Take a Look at My Girlfriend' as part of its chorus.
Recently there have been issues surrounding using samples and covers in original music, with Beyonce’s album being taken off the shelves at one point, due to a dispute with Desree over the use of one of her classic numbers. Gym Class Heroes have been ‘playing around’ with some of these tracks for several years. The band can recall the days of jamming, ‘unsigned, in the bedroom with 'Cupid’s Chokehold’ and, ‘because the song came from such an honest place [we] have secured the blessing of Roger Hudson, of Supertramp, the writer of 'Take a Look at My Girlfriend', who can see the progression involved with today’s music.’
The new single, 'Clothes off', is a real good-vibe song and though it has a lot of the essence of the original in it, there is a lot of originality in its composition and presentation. The band are ‘excited’ about the song’s release and, especially in the US, where it is to be a summer track, he ‘can imagine the people driving around with the roof off, playing that song. It has a real good summer-time feel’
As a drummer, Matt began in ‘elementary school, playing in the school band.’ When he got his first drum-set, in high school, he was jamming around to the rock of the day such as Green Day and the like. When he hooked up with Travis, all those years ago, he began to extend a little more into the R’n’B, including early Black-Eyed-Peas.
He is now writing a third album with Gym Class Heroes and has endorsements with SJC Drums and Zildjian Cymbals, all of which would make any drummer feel loved!
Matt has a significant input in the songwriting process, not just with percussion and has apparently spent the last three days glued to his guitar, writing a new track, possibly for the third album, feeling that the next collection of songs will be different again now that the ‘pressure’ of a deadline is off and they have plenty of time to ‘enjoy the writing process.’
Gym Class Heroes are immensely popular with listeners across the board, not just the 'Urban' crowd due to the diverse musical interests from each band member. Though, a heavy influence of the music, is the classic ‘80’s Pop and R’n’B’ scene.
In keeping with this month’s theme, I asked Matt about his guilty pleasure. His little break from reality, that he has secretly become hooked on, is the US show, So, You Think You Can Dance?-‘kind of like Idol, but dancing!’ Also, he could not live without his guitar and ‘right now’ they are ‘inseparable.’
