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Gym Class Heroes: Living The Dream
Photo from Fueled By Ramen
Gym Class Heroes are on tour with The Roots and Estelle. Their show hits Orlando's House of Blues on Tuesday.
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Published: October 6, 2008
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TAMPA - Gym Class Heroes might not be in school, but they made the grade with their third album "The Quilt" (Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen), released in September.
The alt hip-hop boys from upstate New York are in the big leagues now as they co-headline a nationwide tour with The Roots (who released their latest album "Rising Down" in April), with a stop Tuesday at the House of Blues in Orlando.
"It's crazy. It's hard to think about it, it's so much to take in," says Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo, Gym Class guitarist and vocalist. Other band mates include lead singer Travis McCoy, Eric Roberts on bass and drummer Matt McGinley. "It's very refreshing to have a band of musicians with artists that you respect. Every one of those guys is amazing musicians and you have to be ready."
The Roots/Gym Class tour kicked off Oct. 3 and also features British soul sensation Estelle Swaray who blew up the charts this summer with her hit single "American Boy" featuring Kanye West. She plans to release a video for her single "Come Over," featuring dancehall artist Sean Paul, this fall.
"I rap, I sing a bit, and I have a band. It's all crazy and I think people are shocked more than anything else when I come out," Estelle says of being on the tour's bill. "Oh yes, I'm having a bag of fun. I'm traveling halfway around the world with some great band members doing what I love."
Estelle, who is featured on the Gym Class track "Guilty As Charged," is not alone when it comes to living musical dreams. The 25-year-old Lumumba-Kasongo was allowed some creative freedom on "The Quilt," such as on opening the track "Home" with its lengthy guitar solo, or by penning the pop tracks "Live A Little" and "No Where Run."
"It's an amazing feeling to be able to express myself, and as much as I love guitar and will die with one in my hand, I got to let loose," Lumumba-Kasongo says during a phone interview from the band's tour bus. "I really think people would be surprised with it [the album]," he says. "If you're going to listen, give it a fair listen, please."
In the event "The Quilt" is given a chance by mainstream ears, listeners will find a more crisp and cohesive sound than on the band's previous works -- a result of the band recording together live in the studio, versus recording tracks separately.
"The Quilt" also features guests Busta Rhymes, Estelle and Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates fame). Production kudos can be given to The-Dream plus Cool & Dre who laid down an impressive number of beats for the boys to work with.
"When I joined this band they were doing things differently than a lot of other bands," says Lumumba-Kasongo. "It really is a dream come true, and I don't take it for granted."
Gym Class Heroes and The Roots with Estelle; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; $32.50 to $75; House of Blues Orlando, 1490 E. Buena Vista Dr., Buena Vista; (407) 934-2583
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