A Conversation with Matt McGinley from The Gym Class Heroes – HuffPost 11.16.11
Mike Ragogna: Hey Matt, how are you doing?
Matt McGinley: Hey Mike.
MR: Thanks for sharing some time with us while you’re on tour.
MM: Actually, I’m at home, which is slightly more comfortable than a tour, but unfortunately, with less music being played. We were on tour and our singer Travis got pretty ill, so we’re kind of just taking it day by day and unfortunately canceling shows as he was in the hospital. So, that’s kind of where we’re at right now.
MR: Sorry about his illness.
MM: It’s all good, we’re all human and everyone needs time to get better.
MR: Speaking about getting better, you guys seem to be getting more high profile, like on “Stereo Hearts” with Adam Levine joining you. What’s the story behind that song?
MR: So how did “Stereo Hearts” come together?
MM: That’s a song that we actually worked on with producer Benny Blanco. He kind of came to us with this rough skeleton of a song–it had that reference chorus in there. We thought it was really cool and we started working on it, and the possibility of getting Adam Levine to sing that chorus was presented to us. It was kind of something we just jumped at. We’ve been big Maroon 5 fans since their first album, Songs About Jane. Obviously, it’s a huge opportunity for our band. I always tend to think of us as the perpetual underdogs. Whenever we’re presented with the opportunity with working with other incredible artists, it’s always a big deal for us.
MR: Let’s take everybody back to when you and Travie first got together to start the band.
MM: Yeah, I had just started high school and I met Travis the first day of school. He was in my math class and gym. He was a few years older than me, so it was a little weird that we had math class together. I think Travis has always been this wise, intelligent, academically underachieving individual. It kind of only made sense that he would be a few years behind when it came to math because he was more interested in art and poetry. We sort of linked up in Gym Class, and typically, we would hang out and talk about music, while the other kids got athletic and sweaty. It was a connection for us, and he was actually playing drums in another band. I was playing drums in another group of guys that would later become Gym Class Heroes. We didn’t have a singer, we were just playing these weird instrumental, funk, jazz songs that would really go nowhere and drone on and on. We were playing a friend’s party, and Travis’ band was playing there as well. When we were sort of just jamming, he came up and grabbed the mic and started rapping over the stuff that we were creating. It just kind of clicked. We could tell even the small group of kids that were there to watch us perform were really into it as well. Gym Class Heroes really began after that, really just with the sole purpose of making music for our friends. That was always our barometer of whether a song was good or not, whether our friends were into it or not. To me, that’s going to always be at the forefront of why we’re writing music. I guess it becomes more difficult to do as you progress in your career in terms of establishing yourself as a mainstream, commercial or radio artist. With this new album Papercut Chronicles II, it’s kind of something to strive to get back to as far as the naivety and writing songs that don’t identify or subscribe to one type of music or a certain type of song structure. On the originalPapercut Chronicles, we didn’t even have proper songs. It might just be a 60-bar verse and then an outro. That’s something that we kind of tried to get back to on this one.
MR: Cool. By the way, you guys definitely aren’t underdogs anymore.
MM: I don’t think I will ever be happy to hear that. (laughs) I sort of like the challenge of constantly feeling like you have something to prove. I definitely don’t want to ever lose that spirit and become content or relegated to any success we have. I think once you’re content with where you’re at, you’re kind of losing. We would like to be Charlie Sheen winning as underdogs for the rest of our career.
MR: How does the creative process work with the group?
MM: It really goes a variety of ways and we don’t really have a particular formula. With Gym Class Heroes, there’s really not one songwriter in the band. I know a lot of bands have one guy who really fleshes out the song and then brings this thing to present to the band. Sometimes, I see bands like that, and I just say I wish we had that because it just seems so easy to hear other songwriters talk about that. For us, it tends to be a collective process and a bit of a democracy when it comes to writing songs. Everyone in the band has their own background, and I think it’s great. Everyone has their own superpowers, almost, that creates something stronger than we can create on our own.
MR: Right, like if Travie comes in and is starting to rap something, it’s not like you’re going to back that down. Is the dynamic that whoever is bringing something in is a pro at it so you leave them alone?
MM: No, I don’t think so. It’s important that everybody be into it. If we’re writing a song, and someone plays something that just isn’t connecting, you can kind of sense it without having to have a sit down discussion with them about it. At the same time, I think it’s important to be open with how you’re feeling and just be keeping communication alive when you’re writing. I think we’re all reasonable enough people where it’s not going to affect us deeply and it’s not going to hurt us deeply if someone has constructive criticism. Maybe fourteen years ago when we started the band, it would have been a different story. I definitely remember Travis and I having really heated arguments over parts of the song. Looking back on that, I think we’ve grown a lot and become more mature to the point that it doesn’t need to escalate to that level; but in a way, I kind of miss that. I kind of miss just being so passionate about a certain part that I actually would have to get into a verbal altercation with my singer. It’s kind of interesting because on the first Papercut Chronicles, I think we were still in that immature headspace. Some of those songs on that album never would have made it on that album if not for one of us really getting vocal about it and pleading our cases. Looking back on it, I’m so happy those did happen because I’m so excited we have those songs in our catalog of music.
MR: There’s the song “The Fighter” with Ryan Tedder, its concept, to me, being the idea of living life fully ’til you’re dead. Are you in that headspace?
MM: I want to be. I think at times, I’m definitely not. If anything, that song is a rowdy anthem for never giving up and standing up and getting your stuff together. I think that’s one of the more inspiring and special songs on the album. I can’t wait to get it out there and I’m hoping people take the message as personally as we intended to write it.
MR: Linking to that theme, there’s “Life Goes On.” That’s your new single with Oh Land right?
MM: Yeah, it’s kind of a gray area. It’s sort of a soft viral release. I don’t know if it’s getting pushed to commercial radio or anything like that. Definitely, a really awesome song.
MR: It really speaks to me, especially the midlife crisis lines. (laughs)
MM: Yeah, for sure. To us, it’s definitely from the heart. We’ve spent the last years of our lives perpetually on tour, constantly away from family, friends and loved ones, so the songs are kind of a response to some of the feelings of dealing with being away from girlfriends, wives, kids and everything. I think it’s kind of a little voyeuristic peek into our personal lives for the last six years.
MR: Linking on to that, there’s also the song “Ass Back Home” with Neon Hitch.
MM: Oh yeah, that’s a song we are super stoked on. We’re actually working on the video for that tomorrow in New York.
MR: What’s the background on the song “Ass Back Home.”
MM: That’s another one that’s very reflective of the touring lifestyle. We’ve always had this idea of shooting a video in a documentary style tour video (style). So, we’re kind of going to shoot that one, in a way, from the cameraman’s perspective or watching like you’re on a journey and a ride with us, coming along to the shows and the backstage and tour buses, and dressing rooms. It should be a fun one.
MR: “Stereo Hearts” was a number top ten record, right?
MM: It could be, I’m really bad at following the charting success of the songs.
MR: That’s a healthy sign.
MM: It’s really difficult for me to think about the marketability of the songs. I think as long as I can passionately play the songs every night, that’s the most important thing.
MR: I want to ask you about the song “Holy Horses**t Batman!” It takes so many swings at religion in a lyrical, poetic way. What’s your viewpoint about even being solicited about religion? Which is the premise for this song initially in the lyrics.
MM: As far as the song goes, that song took a pretty drastic turn. It’s an interestingly phrased song as far as the lyrics go. It’s not really confirming or denying the religious aspects. For me, personally, I really identify with those lyrics because I’m not necessarily for or against religion, I’m still searching just like anybody. I think the song puts it out there that we’re people that don’t have all of the answers and are confused just like everyone else. That song’s really interesting, it’s one of my favorites. When we originally wrote it, it was a song called “Rain, Rain,” and Travis lyrically re-imagined it and that’s something we’ve never explored in our music. I think Travis is kind of known for tackling for a huge range of concept and themes. To finally address religion in a song, even as a member of the band, it’s something we’re finally tackling. Some people can receive it with an open mind and hopefully make some people think.
MR: Is “Solo Discotheque” what I think it’s about?
MM: I haven’t really picked Travis’s brain about that track, but I think it’s basically about dancing around your room naked. At least that’s what I get from listening to it. That’s definitely a pretty important song for this album because we probably wrote 30 to 40 song ideas for this album and that was the very first song idea we wrote. It was sort of darker melodies and tones on that one, it kind of steered the album as a whole really in that direction. That’s a pretty important song for this record.
MR: What advice might you have for new artists?
MM: I think first and foremost, artists have a lot of success when they put the most emphasis on the music. I think people tend to have this notion that if they get the right people to hear my music and I will achieve success. I think if you’re doing something right and you’re doing something special and important, then people will find you. The world we live in right now with the internet, it’s giving artists the opportunity to get outside of their home, town, and country with the click of a button. It’s a pretty important avenue for artists to utilize the internet, and being able to a garnish humongous following without leaving their bedroom.
MR: What are your thoughts about Occupy Wall Street?
MM: I don’t know much about the issues, to be honest. If nothing else, I’m glad people are taking a stand on something. It’s an interesting thing to watch from an outsider who knows little about the issues. I was actually staying in New York for a few days last week and when I got home, I was super bummed out that I didn’t go down there to check out what was going on firsthand, instead of having to read about it in the news.
MR: Do you have any words of wisdom?
MM: Live long and prosper. (laughs)
MR: Any predictions about Gym Class Heroes over the next year?
MM: We’re going to be out on the road a lot, always playing live is so important to us. We just hope to remain consistent and making quality music.
MR: Papercut Chronicles III?
MM: That’s hard to even think about. I think we might table that one for a second and explore some other areas. Who knows…in ten years…come back to complete the trilogy.
MR: Hope to talk to you again before that. Thanks so much, Matt.
MM: Thanks a lot, man.
Transcribed by Theo Shier