Gym Class Heroes Biography

The American band known as Gym Class Heroes was established in Geneva, New York, by founding members Matt McGinley and Travie McCoy. The two musicians met in their high school gym class while in their freshman year, hence the name of the band. After a few years of friendship, they officially established the group in 1997, adding a few other musicians to the initial lineup.

After a few years of playing local parties and festivals, Gym Class Heroes began to develop a following which led them to some competition wins the self-released album, …For the Kids (2001.) But it was the album The Papercut Chronicles that finally earned them the attention they’d been seeking, when Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy heard the unfinished album and signed them to his label, Decaydance Records. The Papercut Chronicles initially released as a four-song EP, and then as a debut album in 2005.

The Papercut Chronicles spawned the singles “Taxi Driver” and “Papercuts,” but it was the second endeavor from Gym Class Heroes, As Cruel as School Children, which became their big breakthrough upon its release in 2006. As Cruel as School Children spawned the mega-hit “Cupid’s Chokehold,” which rose into the top ten on charts around the world and made Gym class Heroes international stars. The album also set the stage for The Quilt (2008) and The Papercut Chronicles II (2011), with the additional hits: “Clothes Off!!,” “Cookie Jar,” “Stereo Hearts” (featuring Adam Levine), “Ass Back Home” (featuring Neon Hitch), and “The Fighter” (featuring Ryan Tedder.)

So far in their career, Gym Class Heroes has been nominated for multiple MTV Video Music Awards and Teen Choice Awards, for categories such as Best Group, Best New Artist, Choice Music Group, and Best Video with a Message. Gym Class Heroes is a band on the rise and one to watch in the coming years. The band continues to perform and record, with the current lineup of: Travie McCoy, Matt McGinley, Eric Roberts, and Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo.