Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo – Gym Class Heroes Interview

Gym Class Heroes are set to perform across the UK in an intimate 5-day tour. With tickets selling fast, we caught up with guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo for a quick chat about touring, their unusual sound and keeping things fresh!

Most people associate your band heavily with the Fueled By Ramen label despite the fact you sound very different to many of the other acts on their roster. How would you describe the Gym Class Heroes sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
You know, I get asked that a lot and recently I’ve been giving the answer “eclectic love”! Honestly, that answer is probably a more accurate description of our music than any genre you could find in a music store. One of the best parts about being in Gym Class Heroes is the fact that we refuse to conform to any one particular sound. All four of us find inspiration in life, as well as in every kind of music you can imagine. That inspiration, in turn, always somehow finds its way into our performances and albums. I love when we are in the beginning stages of recording an album and people tell me they look forward to hearing what our new songs will sound like. My response to them is always “Me to!”

Going by the staying power of the majority of other bands in the industry, you guys seem to have lasted a lifetime. How do you manage to keep your music and live shows so fresh?
Like I already mentioned, a lot of what keeps our music fresh is the fact that we never know exactly where our band will end up lyrically and sonically. This keeps our fans on their toes and keeps us excited about the songs that we create and record. As far as our live shows go, I’ve found that the most successful way to keep things fresh is to genuinely love what we are doing. Excitement and passion are contagious, especially in the form of self-expression and art. When people come to our concerts and feel the energy that we exude simply from being able to share our songs with the world, more often than not, they cannot help but to start shaking their money makers. And I don’t mean piggy banks!

Your UK tour has just started. Are you excited to be back here performing? What can fans expect from the shows this time round??
I think we are all excited to be back in the UK! Our UK performances have always been some of our most raw and energetic ones. I feel that musical appreciation over here comes with an openness that is often lacking in the US. That helps me feel excited and confident approaching the stage as if there is nothing between me and the audience. Actually, we played at least 1 or 2 concerts in the UK in which much of the audience has literally ended up on stage with us! At that point it is just one big glorified rock n’ roll, hip-hop, disco dance party. I love it!

Tell us, what is your favourite UK city to play in and why?
Now THAT is a difficult question to answer! I always take away so much from every city that we play here, not only on an experiential level but on a cultural one as well. Actually, I recently got married and my wife has both Irish and Scottish roots. So I will most definitely be returning to the UK at some point with her and our son, for us to all take in as much of their heritage as possible. Warner Brothers in Ireland was so kind as to send our boy an Irish-pride t-shirt when he was just a baby. He has far outgrown it and at this point, the least we can do is bring him to Ireland someday and let him roam through the fields in search of his own pot of gold. Or at least a pot of Irish food!

Anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you to the UK for having us back!! Come dance and crowd-surf with us, this tour will be amazing!

For tour dates and ticket information, head to www.gymclassheros.com.