Ever-busy Gym Class Heroes [ tickets ] frontman Travis McCoy, whose group launches a headlining tour Feb. 17, spent his holiday break working on a new project.

"I'm working on a mix tape with a few exclusives. It's going to be awesome," McCoy said via telephone from Atlantic Records' New York City office, without revealing too many details.

But don't expect any of that material to arise during Gym Class Heroes' nearly two-month jaunt dubbed The Daryl Hall for President Tour '07. (McCoy is admittedly a huge Hall and Oates fan.) McCoy and bandmates--Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo (guitar), Eric Roberts (bass), and Matt McGinley (drums)--are focusing on their breakthrough release "As Cruel as Schoolchildren," which features the quirky hit "The Queen and I," as well as the Supertramp-sampling "Cupid's Chokehold." The latter single appears on the new pressing of "As Cruel as Schoolchildren;" it originally was a part of its Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance Records debut, "The Papercut Chronicles."

McCoy explained "Cupid's Chokehold" took on a life of its own after a Midwest radio station began playing it.

"Instead of pushing the last album, we decided to put it on the next pressing of 'As Cruel as Schoolchildren,'" he said. "We didn't want to piss anybody off by promoting 'The Papercut Chronicles.'"

Although Atlantic released "As Cruel as Schoolchildren," Gym Class Heroes remains signed to Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance Records. ("We'll be with Ramen to the end," McCoy said.) The sublabel, Decaydance, is run by president and CEO Pete Wentz, best known as the bass player for Fall Out Boy.

Being a part of that family, McCoy said, has paid off for Gym Class Heroes. In addition to his success with the group, McCoy also made a name for himself with a guest appearance on labelmate Cobra Starship's breakthrough hit "Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)" from the movie of the same name. The two groups aren't the only Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance success stories.

"There are heavy hitters like Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco," McCoy said.

"The success of Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco [piqued] the interest of fans. They wanted to hear other Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance bands. It has sort of snowballed from there."