Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - Travie McCoy & Andy swap Berlin arrest stories, talk Gym Class Heroes, Fueled by Ramen, Riot Fest, and more

Episode Date: November 11, 2025

In this episode Andy gets to chat with one of his heroes, Travie McCoy. They chat about Gym Class Heroes, Riot Fest, Andy's time working at Fueled by Ramen, and Travie's deal with Hopeless Records. Andy and Travie swap Berlin arrest stories. Then the conversation takes an initimate turn, as Travie discusses his history with drug addiction and bi-polar disorder. This was a really fascinating and fun interview and we hope you enjoy it! 👉 Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday 📲 Follow Andy on Instagram and TikTok: @andyfrasco and @worldsavingpodcast Call and leave us a message and we might respond to you on the show: [phone] The World Saving Podcast is part comedy podcast, part music podcast — with raw musician interviews, funny podcast clips, and highlights from Andy's adventures on the road. Each week features musicians, comedians, athletes, or everyday legends. Watch this episode now on Volume.com & YouTube. If you like this podcast and want more, sign up for OnlyFrasco exclusively on Volume.com. They also have tons of live streams, concert recordings, and unique artist experiences. For all things Frasco, go to: AndyFrasco.com

What do you think was the darkest moment of your life? Oh, shit. One? Or like, give me one? Dude, I don't know if I could say this. Yeah, I can say this. I'm home now. I can say this.

This is 10 years ago. Actually, I know how to do this. There was one time we were on tour of this dude, and he brought, like, a half a gram of hair to a place where you're not supposed to bring any drugs. Right. And he saw a sign that said, hey, if we got you with drugs, we're going to chop your head off. Yeah.

And he was like, they must not be talking to me. And coming home after that tour, he was like, oh, this shit needs to end. Like, this shit needs to end. Like, they could have literally chop my fucking head off. Yeah, man. You know what I'm saying? Like, literally. Wow.

Whoa. And we're back. Andy Frasco's World Tad podcast. And we're back. I'm Andy Frasco. I'm Nick. We're back from our whirlwind tour of the Midwest. Yes.

How yeah. We got COVID. No, I'm just kidding. We have Travis McCoy. Remember Jim Class Heroes? I do. But I remember his song with Bruno Mars better. I mean, that was a huge song.

I want to be a billionaire. So fucking bad. Something, something, something. I don't remember the worst of anything. I wonder if he made money on that song. I would imagine it's got a billion streams on Spotify or something. Oh, my God. Let me look, actually.

How many? Yeah. Hey, Jack, look up A billion, 856 million though Damn, that's huge He's got a 61 million He's got a bunch with multiple millions He's like Travis

He got a hog He probably has a hog He's 66 Yeah, he's got a hog He's tall skinny dude That's the recipe Yeah, he's got a hog And he can tell

He's all chill too He's like yeah He's like You know even It's like yeah I did heroin Yeah Yeah I almost

Killed myself Yeah I'm like damn I had graffiti Berlin Wall Yeah I graffiti Berlin Wall It's way cool Then you're German

Arrest I was on a scooter. I know. I felt like such a bitch when I was talking. When I was telling him, like, I was kind of drunk on a fucking scooter. He's like, I tagged the Berlin Wall and you're like, I scooted too incorrectly. The Germans didn't like the way I was scooting. All my friends were there too.

I was scooting bad. What did you do? Oh, defaced one of the most, the most notable war money. in the history of the world. Damn, I was a... I was scooting in the park weird. You know those moments in life for forever you thought you were hard

and then you see someone who actually goes to jail for something harder? Yeah, yeah. You're like, oh yeah. I had to get a blood test. I had to get an IV. Look at that hat. Is that a mouth? What is that?

Davey McCoy, I used to work for Fuel by Rom. I know. And he was my... It was Paramore and Jim Class Heroes who, I was in high school and Jim Costor. Are they in LA? No, they're New York band, right?

New York. He's from New York. But God damn, that dude, those guys wrote hits. And, like, they're in, like, the Fall Out Boy camp. I don't like Falawboy. P. Wentz is, like, really advocated for them. Well, so, Fuel by Ramen is his label, right? No.

Fuel by Ramen is... What's his label? Field by Ramen is... Google that. What's his label called? Um, fuel... Who started... Because he found that one band...

Who started Fuel by Raman? and Google that. He found Panic of the Disco, right? I mean, Panic of Disco, yeah, I think that was a Fuel by Ramen band too. I thought he started a Fuel by Ramen. John Vinny. Oh, look at these Italians.

John Janick and Vinny Fiorella. I'm sorry, there's two fucking... Oh, they're from Gainesville. Wow. They got signed to Warner. Wow, I didn't know they were Gainesville. No, that's not them. That's the label.

That Field by Rone. Be Cani reality. Oh, Lesson Jake. That's who it is. Oh yeah, they're like a Scow band, right? Less than Jake's... Yeah, okay, that all makes sense. And then they signed Follaboy.

Yeah. And Follaboy blew them up. And then they got Paramour. Dude, these guys are fucking... This is the... Drive-thru records are the same shit. When they would incubate all these bands, but if you got to 50,000 units,

Warner or Geffen would take them. Subsid area style? Yeah. But then the majors would not really know what to do with them. Because they don't know how to promote that kind of music. Yeah. So they should have just, like, that's what it would happen with drive-through. Like, Newfound Glory kind of fell off a little bit.

Something Corby kind of fell off a little bit when they fucking went to Geffen. Something, too, being a boutique band that's managed like a boutique band. Well, like, not boutique, but like you got it. You got the money from them. Why do you need to put Geffin's name? Just your fans are going to feel better when it's like, we're fueled by, fuel by ramen bands. Because they're megalomaniacs.

It's like sub-pop. It's like narcissists. Sub-pop's kind of like that, too. Those, like those warners and these Geffins, they're just like, fucking. They're the billionaires. It's my name. They're the billionaires we were making fun of.

I know. They're serial killers with a job. But Fuel by Rahm was the greatest record label. That didn't drive-thru. That was like warp tour. That was the shit. Yeah, I was never really in that world, but that's your thing. I would love if you were a fucking emo head, dude, if you had the mask.

Nick. Full beard. Full beard mascara. Listening to Fall Out Boy. Nicarah. My parents are divorced, man. I'm an empath. I work at a gas station.

All those things are true, actually. I'm not an empath, but I did work at a gas station. Holy shit, dude. What if emo Nick was a vibe? Speaking of who's the girl from Paramore the main, Haley? Do you see her talking... Haley Williams?

Do you see her talking shit about Morgan Wall and? Oh, you're good. She's mad, mad. She is such a babe. She called him out hard. Yes, she's a... I hear she just reads her book at this bar in Nashville. Don't.

Don't. I won't. Don't bother her. I won't bother her. Leave her alone, Andy. Andy? She's so cool, though. Promise me you're going to leave her alone.

I'll leave her alone. I just want to talk to... I know you just want to talk to her. She's my dream girl. She's my all-time dream... Toss her on the list. Shut the fuck. Oh, yeah, she's talking, she's like, I caught more than a wall and a racist on my, I like it, a little beef.

A little beef. You know, I like a little beef. Yep. She's a great dancer. Everybody hates the new Taylor Swift record. What else is new in music these days? Okay. Oh, the Swissies are going to be mad at you.

No, even the Swifties are kind of hating on it a little bit. Really? Yeah, I saw a couple videos of them haven't watched parties and being like, what the fuck? Are you serious? Maybe she's too happy. Maybe she is too happy. You don't want to be too satisfied in life It ruins it

Hmm Good to know Avoid happiness It'll make you miserable People will make you miserable It'll make your new album Only make $800 million What do you think about

Metal music What do you mean in terms of what Do you like metal music? Yeah Do you like the new metal Or like the new Like who? Is Turnstile Boat's

Turnstile considered metal No they're more like punk right Hardcore. Yeah, I like them a lot. Dude, they played, have you heard about this venue? Yeah, it's like on the freeway? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Did you go, Bo? When you say, when you say go, do you spell it G-E-A-U? Stupid. I like Turnstile a lot. They're like kind of a throwback. We need more bands like that, actually. We do. We need more rock bands than aren't 58.

Yeah, we need young rock bands. Every rock band is old as a fuck right now. Who's a sick young rock band, geese. Geese? Oh, yeah, people are loving their new album. Yeah, people love. That... Cameron Winter.

Camer Winter, that episode is up to like 100,000 views. Ours? Yeah. Oh, really? Damn. Yeah, they write good albums. I like their approach. It's sort of like... People love that guy. They don't sound like the Beatles, but they kind of approach their albums in the way. You know what I mean? I think it's so fascinating how people

magnetized towards like one person. In the band? No, just like there's something about someone's aura that a shit ton of people magnetized to you, like Billy Strings. Right. People love parisocial relationships.

What do you mean? You know when someone like a Swifty has like a really, they're so obsessed with Taylor, they have like this, they almost feels like they know them. That's what parasyal is. I mean, that's how I felt with these emo bands, with even Travi,

I still can't, you know, 20 years later, I can't believe him. I got to be Travis McCoy, McCoy, 16 year old me would be fucking freaking out. That's funny. You know? That shit was big in L.A., huh? Oh my God.

Yeah, and ska. Why do you guys like ska so much? It's like a happy punk. Yeah. It's like you're just like circling around and not punching people. Weird horn playing. Yeah, but like this. I always thought like skanking was weird.

It's punk for marching band kids. Horn players who couldn't get no pussy. Ooh. Ooh. Sorry, Jack. Jack's in the. Jack. Jack got pussy.

Jack got pussy. Hey, Jack. Did you get pussy at Did you get pussy as in your ska band? All right. Yeah. All right. Respect.

Yeah. Respect. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Travis McCoy, Jim Class Heroes. Is that short for Travis, do you think? Yes. I mean, you know this, man.

He wrote billionaire for Bruno with Buno Mars. Buno. Bruno Mars. Bruno Mars. And his band Jim Class Hero was one of my fair bands growing up. Cupid's Chokehold. You know that song? I don't actually

You want to hear it? Sure Let's listen to it Let's get a copyright strike Let's get a copyright strike Fuck it Take a look at my girlfriend Oh yeah

She's the only one I got Yeah that's I didn't know that was them Dude he's a hook god Dude he's a hook god You guys should write a song together That's a good idea I should ask him to fucking Travis hey

It's Andy from earlier today You want to come to Nashville No Pride do it He probably would actually He seems like he'd be into it Seems like he'd be into it. Jim Class.

Like how much, motherfucker? Still 14 million monthly listeners. Holy shit, dude. Dude. Legend. I love that he's back. Gym class herpes? Dude.

Stereo Hearts has 1.6 billion. I didn't know they were big like that. It's with Adam Levine. Yeah, they're huge. They're really tapped into that. I totally forgot they did. They got super tapped into that L.A. pop scene, huh? Oh, yeah.

Kiti Perry. Catherine Perry. I wonder if that's when he started, he saw like the fucking underbelly of L.A. and started doing heroin. No, he said it was from his basketball injury, remember? Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

But he was super famous. I know. Early. I know. The underbelly. The L.A. underbelly is so fucking weird. So vapid, I bet. I love these song names.

So transacational. Viva La White Girl is one of the song names. Jesus Christ. He was eaten? Even in his lyrics, he didn't hold back. He didn't hold back in the interview either. My friend's in high school. High school kids love this.

They love Zan. They'll do a whole bar and go to school. That's stupid. Like, what, he's just going to nod off all sleep? Sounds like a big waste of time. How are you going to learn history? If you're on barbiturates in the club. Damn.

Excuse me, we're doing geometry. Stop taking ZanX. Damn, the statistics. class feels like a nightclub. Man, my life is so boring. I had to take Xanax at public school. Man, L.A. sucks. There's just 6,000 kids.

I think, like... Yeah, you can blend in really easy. You kind of blend in, you get fucked up. Yeah. That's so weird. I never got fucked up in high school. I know, you said that. I used to pretend I'd get fucked up, though. I was like, oh, I'm so fucked up.

I really had, like, one beer. You're one of those? Yeah. You were more of a sucks. sex addict. Yeah. I like that. That was your Xana's.

I was my shit. Well, I did that to, like, fit in. I think sometimes I do that in my older life. You know, where's the mushrooms at? Right, right, right. You know? You guys got any fucking weed, man? Where in L'A, man?

I'm going to Calabasas. Do you remember the first time you ever smoked weed? I remember it perfectly. Yeah? Yeah. It was in college, my third day. We did it. We had a little Japanese tea garden on our campus.

And my friend, Coleman. I won't say his last name. He has a real job. He took me out to there and he's like, you ever smoked weed before? And I was like, none. I got super high and it got all tingly

and I've pretty much been doing it ever since. It was awesome. I'm glad I didn't do it in high school, actually. Although I probably would have got better grades. As soon as I started smoking weed, I had like a three-six. Yeah. My grades skyrocketed as soon as I started smoking weed.

Yeah, I didn't really, I didn't, the first time I smoked weed was 19 in college. Someone had a vapor brother's pen. I was 18. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember smoking hookah out of a pipe once. I loved hookah. I didn't even drink till like my CD-Rid. I convinced my mom hookah was fruit.

It kind of is. I mean, tobacco. Yeah, but there's like fruit in there. But we'd be, but we convince her so we'd go to the house. Oh, yeah, dude, give you a head rush. Oh, I didn't know that. I never done it. It's a fuck.

Oh, we should get a hookah one of these days. I don't do that kind of stuff. We should get a hookah one of these days and just like fucking turn on the lights red. Let's get a tank. Let's get a cat. Let's just get a tank instead. That sounds fun. All right, enjoy Travi.

Look through! There he is. Travis McCoy. How you doing, buddy? I'm well, man. I'm well. I just took a little bike ride. I'm feeling nifty.

How was Riot Fest? Fucking awesome. You kidding me? Yeah, I do. That shit, yo. Low-key, like, I had been waiting for, like, months and months. Like, low-key, just to see idols. Dude, idols is fucking bad at the bone, dude.

They brought Jack Black out there in one of my favorite songs, too, and I was like, man, listen. So when we played, I mean, I don't want to take too much away from our amazing show. We crushed that shit. But shout to all this GCH fans of Chicago. So they started playing, like, I think right after us. So I was getting off stage, and I hear. I'm like, I can run over there

and be side stage and here kind of shittily or I can stay right where I'm where the fuck I'm at, have the best seat in the fucking on the planet with the L, you know, the LED screens and everything and be by myself. And I said, I'm going to stay my ass right to the fuck here. No, I feel that, man. Oh, man.

Well, it's good. I'm glad you're back, bro. I used to work for, I used to work for Fuel by Ramen when I was like, when you first signed a gym class. You look done familiar. Dude, I used to, we used to roam around together, dude. That was, I mean, I used to book, like, Newfound Glory, all the drive-thew bands, too. But like, like, Fallout Boy, that Chicago scene. Yeah, we've met before.

And I just always been a dream come true. I was like, how did you end up looking more like me over the years? What the fuck is going on, man? I just grew the frow out on me. I started playing music. I stopped taking 15% and actually now I lose 15%. Yeah, exactly. On a good day.

On a good day. Yo, Travi. So a couple questions. I'm glad you brought, you're bringing back gym class. That's dope. My first question for that is when you're like, yo,

let's bring this back. Was any of the banders like, nah, I'm good? Absolutely. I mean, absolutely. You got to understand the dynamic.

though, like, and I want to say this as neatly and lawfully as I can. We had a fallout, you know, like, that's as plain as I could put it. We had a fallout. And I will, but I will say the, I don't say the pioneers, because that kind of

discredits people. But the architects decide to have a meeting and laid the shit to rest, you know what I mean? Point blank period. And I had already invested myself, not only physically, emotionally, and mentally into this project, but financially, you know what I mean? Like, there was no gym class budget.

This was straight out of my motherfucking pockets, you know what I'm saying? And I'm like, I can't, I can't not see this through. So that ended up be, that project, I mean, it was literally just getting off, off, uh, it's, it's angle, it's cancles. It's cancels when, uh, when, when gym class caught, when gym class got that fucking, uh, stage four. But, um, I knew in my heart and in my motherfucking pockets, I couldn't let this shit die. You know what I mean? So I finished the album.

I put it out as Never Slept Better, my second solo album. It started out as a gym class heroes album, but like I said, it was still like very fetal, very, very, very, very premature. So I saw it through, put the album out with Hopeless. And I circled back and I hit Matt and I was like, yo, like, I think it's time, bro. And as much as it broke my heart to hear him say, I'm good. Oh man, that must be heartbreak. I was like, you know what? Yeah, yeah, I was like, I'm not.

I'm not. You know what I'm saying? Like, I spent more than half of my life invested into this shit and I'm going to ride this bitch to Valhalla. Right. I'm saying? Like, for real, for real. That's what I'm talking about.

So what, okay, so a couple questions. You had, you know, billionaire was fucking huge, solo project. Was there any, like, animosity that when you went, when you went solo and you got? got that big hit. You'd have to ask them, man. You'd have to ask them. I can't speak for other people, you know?

Like, now, now I can put myself in their position, like, all right. I mean, here's the thing. Like, in any band, anybody who's not the lead singer is a little salty. And the nigginess the lead singer hates himself because he's the lead singer. You know what I'm saying? Like, it fucking sucks. The least singer wants to be the drum and the drummer wants to be the least singer. You mean, it's like, it's all fucked up.

Like, it's a dysfunctional-ass family that somehow works and somehow makes beautiful things happen, you know? But in the day, it's still dysfunctional. Bro, like, you guys ever seen perform lives? Yeah, of course, dude. Well, I look like I'm having fun. I hope I do, because, like... Yeah, you're having a blast. Of course.

I hope I look at it. It's not that I don't... Nope, it's like, that shit is so uncomfortable. That's why I pull faces. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everybody thinks I'm on methamphetamines and shit. I'm like, no, like, this is how I make myself comfortable. Yeah, yeah.

You know what I mean? I would kill to fucking be a bass player. I would kill to play the drums and not have any attention on me. Yeah. It's like the same. But would we still be as effective? You know what I'm saying? Well, it's like the same idea of you not going into the crowd watch idols.

You went side stage so you could be by yourself to enjoy the moment. That's still inside of you, you know? It's like people could. Well, also got the smarts that if I was on side stage, I'm not going to hear this shit the way I'm supposed to. Right, right, right. That sounds. A lot of people that, you know, when I bring people to shows, I'm like,

I know you want to be on stage, but like, it's going to sound like, shit, yep, in your monitor. It's like, you ain't going to hear nothing else. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So what, so what was going on in your head when, like, you've always wanted to bring gym class back? When, like, what was, give me, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, I never wanted gym class to go nowhere.

Like, like, let's get that, let's get that laid out there first. I never wanted gym class to leave. I made that very clear when I put out the first solo record. I was like, you know, we've all had side projects through and out, you know, our career as Jim Class Heroes. I've had plenty. We all, we've all had plenty. And I never stopped making Jim Class Heroes songs. You know what I'm saying?

Sorry, I mean to. No, no, no. It makes complete sense, though. No, it makes complete sense. It's not, because I have a song. I'm in, we're in bands. I have a side project. I do this with another band,

like a jam band guy. And yeah, it's like, I think about like, my band's probably like, oh, I should be playing with him to make that money. I'm like, no, it's not that I'm not thinking about you. It's just I also want to do something else for a second. Right. Doesn't mean I'm not going to fucking quit this fucking thing.

And they can do side stuff too. And they can do side stuff too. Right, yeah. Absolutely. And that was, I mean, and they did. And everybody in gym class, dude. Everybody else did such. So, like, I think, I don't want no pity, but I think frontmen have it hard sometimes.

I know, I'll clap to that. We get looked at as dictators, you know what I'm saying? Like, for real, for real. We got a hard, bro. Like, we're not dictator. We just want to see shit run smoothly. Or narcissists. They say we're narcissists.

Oh, I hate that fuck. Let's burn that fucking word. That shit sounds like the, that sounds like a nigga with a hard are to me. I hate that fucking word so much. much like, ugh. So overused. Yeah. So overused.

All these fucking bumper sticker ass words like gaslighting and narcissists and fucking shut up. Shut up. Empath. I'm an empath. Ride a bike so you can't put no bumper stickers on that bitch. They'll figure out a way. They will.

So going back. QR codes, baby. QR codes. So going back to your, your, your, partner in crime. Did you convince, what it take to convince? I'm sorry,

what do you mean? You say when you want to bring the band back and he said, no, you just, was it a... Oh, when I spoke to Matt, Matt, here's the thing. So, speaking on side projects and just life in general,

like, Matt was, Matt was the first of us to have a kid. Yeah. Matt lost both of his parents before I lost any of mine. You know what I mean? Like Matt, Matt's been through it, you know what I'm saying?

And he found, he found solace in, you know, building his own studio and creating in his own studio when we were off tour. And he got a gig doing a, he got a gig doing soundscapes for podcasts. And I think he started with My American Life on NBR. Yeah, you got a, you got a, you got cereal. Oh, yeah, those are big ones. Yeah, so Matt's cozy. I'm like, fam, stay cozy. You know what I mean?

Like, you don't got to do this shit for me. Right, right, right. But as long as I got your blessing, like, I'll carry his torch. But if I don't, fuck it, like, I'll burn this shit to the ground. Yeah. No, and that's respect for you to fucking ask him. Because you could have just said gym class and not, you know, you could have just done it and had, like, at least, like,

try to get the band back to get, you know what I'm saying? Literally, I mean, here's, I put those antennas up. I put those antennas out. Yeah, exactly And And some of the fucking Some of the spotty senses That were that I was receiving

Weren't that Yeah They didn't feel too good You know what I'm saying So I afford admission I was like fuck this shit I'm out I'm an empath

I understand what you're saying I'm gonna use my bumper sticker words To get a new situation Yeah Oh man So Yeah I was just like So now

How was like the first show Like, were you nervous? Was it rusty? Did you feel good about it? Was it like riding a bike? Here's, bro. You got to realize. I just turned 44 in August, which is fucking insane to say.

I just turned 44. Damn, you got good skin. I've been doing the shit. Thank you, brother. Thank you. Cahatian in me. I just turned 44. I've been doing this shit since I'm 14 type shit.

You know what I'm saying? That's 30 years. So, like, rotting a bike? No, it's like, 10. taking a shit. Yeah, yeah. This is, this is, like, innate.

Like, I need to do this shit. I have to, or I'm gonna die. You know what I'm saying? Like, or I'm gonna get an, you know what I'm gonna fuck up my bowels, you know what I'm saying? I mean, I'm still doing 250 shows a year. Been doing 15 years straight.

Well, I'm trying to get my, I'm trying to get my way back to that motherfucker. Like, you know what I mean? That was like baseline for me back in the day, you know what I'm saying? So what did, when hopeless, did you approach hopeless when you're like,

hey, I want to do this. Or like, how did the hopeless deal happen? We, at the time, I was working with my man, Evan, Brussels, who, he left Crush Management around the same time as I did. And we were kind of, I told him, I was like, you know, I'm not going to finish,

I'm not going to not finish this album, you know what I mean? And once we did, we shopped it to a, a couple labels and, you know, fresh out of the major label machine, I wasn't like, I'm, now I don't trust nobody, you know what I'm saying? Like, so every media I go into, I'm like, and I had some meetings with motherfuckers that I've known my whole career. And I was just like, nah, bro. Like, no, no, no, no.

Right. Like, um, but hopeless just felt right. It felt right for the time and the situation and the album. You know what I mean? It was a single album deal. No whole, like you mean, there was no like, hellraiser chains attached to me. So I was with the shits, you know what I was with the shits.

And we made it happen. You know, we did what we could. They did what they could. I did what I could. I feel like we both could have done a little more. But the album's out there in the ether and my money didn't go to waste. So did you make the record and pitch it to them? Or did they give you a little funding to make a record?

No, no, no, the album was done. The album was done. The album and half another album was done when I can't do it. How many songs did you write for the record? How many did you pick out of those? Oh, shit. Me and Jared, me and Jared did about, I think that, ah, shit. Hold on, give me two seconds.

Let me do my little do dilly. My do dilly. What the fuck is this shit called? I'm a doink. All right. There's only one album called Never Sleb Better, thank God. You mans did that. All right, so, all right, Bing Bong.

So there's 17 joints. There's 17 joints on, oh, let me get back to you guys. So there's 17 joints with the album, and I think there's at least six or seven that were left off. You know what I'm saying? And they're certified fucking... I mean, you are a hit master, bro. I mean, I don't want to jerk you off too soon here, but you are a fucking ghost.

Oh, jerky, man. Jerk! Jerk! Jerk! I'm 44! I need this! I always thought you were a fucking... You're a fucking hook master.

I mean, true. I need all the release I can get! Yeah, dude, fucking... You're in the right place. You're in the right place. I mean, like, your life is pretty crazy, Travi. You've been through a lot, bro. The cartoon.

Yeah, bro. It's a whole cartoon. What do you think was the darkest moment of your... life. Oh, shit. One? You were like, give me the, give me the, a story or a memory that you felt that you've hit completely Rock model. Yeah, I don't know if I could say that. Yeah, I can see this. I got, I'm, I'm home now. Fuck that. I can say this. Uh, man, you think they, you think they

could take me up? This is 10 years ago. Actually, I know how to do this. There was one time we were on tour of this dude, and he, brought like a half a gram of heroin to a place where you're not supposed to bring any drugs. And he saw a sign that said, hey, if we catch you with drugs, we're going to chop your head off. And he was like, they must not be talking to me. Yeah, exactly.

And coming home after that tour, he was like, oh, this shit needs to end. Like, this shit needs to end. Like, they could have literally chop my fucking head off. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Like literally. How bad? Yeah, it was scary.

And now when I go back, I'm not going to say the country. But when I go back there and I see that sign, I'm like, oh, yeah, they're talking to me. They're talking to me too. It says your name at the bottom. We'll cut your head off. Travi McCoy. Yeah, Travi. I dare you to come back, Travi.

I dare you to come back. Hey, go. This wants for you. You better not got it on them. How, so how bad was your heroin addiction? How long did it last? I mean, well, it started with, it started with, I mean, I'll, I'll make this shit as short and sweet as possible. Started with a knee injury.

Uh-huh. They put me an oxy cotton. I ran out. I got more. I ran out. I quit. Got sick. Got more.

They came back. I ran out. They got expensive. Heron was cheaper. Got that. Nine years of my life. Fucking. hazy as fuck, but I'm still here.

Period. Yeah. It's crazy, man. Classic tale of how it starts right there. It's like... Literally. That's the American... It's an archetype. The American opiate. What's the difference?

Like, go ahead. Fuck your knee up. I dare you. What's the difference of feeling between oxicon and heroin? Nothing. It's the same. Like a couple of molecules or some shit. You know what I mean?

Like a couple molecules in the presentation. Did you almost like over? or you're almost overdosed? I've overdosed six or seven times. Unbeknownst to anyone, but me, which is scary.

Because I wasn't a, I was never, I was never a social drug user. I thought, I thought if motherfuckers found out I didn't hear on, I thought they'd think I was pussy, you know? And I'm like this big,

this big, you know, like 6-6 dude, you know, kind of control the room if I need to, to on heroin. To me, that sound like the most pussy shit in the world. Like, you know what I'm saying? So, like, I never did drugs with anyone.

Anyway, so it was always some isolated shit, you know what I'm saying? Like, back at a bus, door locked, you know what I'm saying? Like, it was awful. It was awful. It was terrible. I would have wished it on anybody. You know what I'm saying? Like, and the time that I missed with my brothers and my family on tour

being locked into that shit, that's the shit that, like, Like, you know, I burn a lot of bridges and maybe most of them were for the better. But the time I spent isolated is what I regret the most. Right. You're pushing people away, you know? You're going internal. Pushing people away. And also, like, and not and not giving the energy back that, you know,

not reciprocating the energy that was being given to me. Right. Like, that's the most selfish shit ever. But, like, addiction is the most selfish shit you can, it's the most selfish fucking disease in the world, bro. Like, were you sad on the road? Like, why were you going inward, Travi? Like, in retrospect.

Oh, I, bro, I've been sad my whole life. Where did it start? Where do you think it's stemmed from? Well, I got diagnosed bipolar when I was, when I was 22, I believe. and I always thought up until that point that dudes just got the period we just didn't bleed

and like we just went through the motions every month I agree I believe I think there are some truth to that actually yeah for real and I would you know I go

three or four days like fucking manic as fuck like all right like I need I'm about to die I need to get everything done than I can do in the next three days because my heart's about to give out

that's how I used to feel bro it's a really tricky and fucked up disorder. Did you ever go to therapy? And then I went through the whole What's that? I've been I've been with my therapist

for for 17 years now, bro. But yeah, continue with this sadness. Shout out to Dr. Millman. What's that? Shout out. Shout out to the doctor. Free ad. Shout out to the doctor. Take care of my boy, Travis.

Feeling better than that. But yeah. He holds me down. So do you remember, like, as a kid just being sad? Just, just Yeah, I mean, you know what? I won't get too deep.

I won't get too deep. I went through some shit when I was younger. And I'll never forget a day I was at a playground and I was watching everybody play and I was just on a, like, chilling the monkey bars upside down like on some weird shit. Hanging upside down and looking all the kids like, I'm not good enough to be over there to hang with them.

You know what I'm saying? Like, and from that moment on, like, it was a downward decline of my self-worth and self-importance, you know what I'm saying? And that shit, you know, it gets, it's layers and layers of fucking callous that a young kids shouldn't have to go through, you know what I mean? It's horrible. Yeah. And it makes you, and it makes you empty too, you know, it makes you, it teaches you how to,

how to hurt people. It's fucked up. You know, that term hurt people. Yeah. It is really. Oh, yeah. So when did you teach? So when did you turn that callous into like a chip on your shoulder to be a frontman?

Oh, shit. When we wrote Don't Let Me Down, probably one of the first gym class heroes original songs. It was like the first time I've been growing up going to hardcore shows my whole life and shit. And watching these dudes release their aggression. And then me being able to release my aggression on the kids that bumped into me. Like, oh, fuck, I'm knocking that. I dare you to bump me so I can knock you to fuck out. Please, come on, somebody hit me, like, you know what I mean?

Like, but then watching the front men of those bands, like, getting it out, you know what I'm saying? And I was like, this is what the fuck I want to do, you know what I'm saying? Like, maybe I don't want to scream as much. Yeah, yeah. Maybe I want people to hear what the fuck I'm saying. Yeah, exactly. Right, right, right. But I still want that same conviction.

I want that same energy, you know, and that's what I strive for. And that was therapeutic before I knew what therapy was. I mean, your Warped Tour shows were fucking legendary, dude. No, they were, they were theory. Yeah, man. That was like, good ass. I didn't, as a fan, and, like, you're, like, I consider you, like, one of my mentors, like, stagewise,

and, like, you're one of the guys that kept me believing I could do this. And I thank you now 37 years later. I'm not 37. I'm 37 now. I'm going to have. I'm like. I saw you as an infant. Oh, what the fuck?

Honestly, you were one of the dudes that I, you were my fucking rock star, dude. And to think that you're sad like that wants me to give you a hug, man, because you are a goat, you know? You're a goat. Tim, like,

hey, hey, ghosts get COVID too. Goats have gambling problems too. It's a ghost. That part, that part, that part. Oh, man, we both have something similar in common. We've both been arrested in Germany.

Oh, man, I hope yours wasn't as bad as mine. Oh, mine was yours. I don't know. No, mine, here's more of a shakedown. Are you kidding? I don't know what it is. I mean, not that I expect everybody to know, but it was pretty stupid, to be honest with you. Say it. All right. Fuck. No, you tell me yours first.

I know what he did. I'll tell you. It's like, show me your dingling first, and I'll show you. I was like, I was just kind of wasted at the, at the, I love Berlin. I was like, kind of like, I was drinking some beers and shit. Same place. And it's my favorite, one of my favorite places in the world. Yeah, that's great.

And they're like, Jeremy don't give a fuck, you know. Germany does not give a fuck until they do. Until they do. And then they give a fuck. And then I went to, it felt like 1946 up in that bitch, dude. I swear to God, you know. In glory and bastards, let's go. Yeah, yeah, right.

But nothing crazy. I was like, they were trying to, it was a ruder. It was a racket. We were on a scooter. It was a shakedown. It was a shakedown. They found weed in my blood, and I had to pay him $1,000. Oh, wait, in your blood?

They made me go to the jail and take blood. Right. Whoa, whoa. I was like, wait a minute. Wait a minute. You're like, wait a minute. Oh, they're like, you look high. You look high.

It's a blood test? Yeah, so they, well, they first made to take a piss test, and then they made me, then they took me some random, like, ATM where I had to pay like $1,500. It was really weird. And then they took me to jail. Oh yeah It's all It's all

Monetary Right Yeah It's very monetary So I'm glad Man I'm glad that That was your

Your situation Because my situation My situation was Let me hear it So We hear it We We

We I've been Like Maybe our second or third time in Berlin Right So now You know

I think I think maybe Cuba's is popping on the radio At this point Or maybe It might even be paper cuts, too. I'm not sure.

I know we were doing numbers at the time. Yeah, in Europe. And yeah, yeah, I had security. I had security with me at the time. I mean, Matt, bro. Shout to Matt, bro. Oh, my God, sick. And I told Matt, bro, I was like,

yo, like, I'm not leaving Berlin to now. I'm not leaving this country without hit, without, I've been writing graffiti since I'm fucking 12 years old, you know what I mean? I was like, I'm not leaving Berlin without hitting the Berlin wall, you know what I'm saying? Right, right, right.

Fucking God. Yeah, so, so earlier, earlier on the day, I went to, I went to, like, the Montana, like, headcores. I got all this paint and shit. I mean, like, like, a tour bus bays worth of spray paint, you know? Like, it was crazy. And, uh, after the show, I was like, Matt, bro, you ready? Let's see.

But my stupid ass, I go on Twitter, I'm like, I told you I was never, I wasn't going to leave Berlin without hitting this motherfucker like a dummy. Oh, my God. I'll be here at this time. I tweeted that shit. And I don't know the magnitude of Twitter at this. You mean? Yeah.

Right? I still don't know. I still don't understand how social media work. I mean, I do. But like, I was a real fucking eight-man Z back then. Oh, my God. So, I'm like, yeah. There's no way I'm leaving Berlin without hitting his wall tweet out there.

So now, like, I'm a half hour. And I've done like three or four throwups, like fillings, like fillings, drop shadows, outlines. Right. And I see these big, I see these two dark shadows, like, chest out, shoulder. I'm like, Matt, bro. I look at Matt, bro, like, my security guard, he looks at me. Like, he looks at me, like, he's scared.

I'm like, oh, shit. Like, if he's scared, like, what the fuck. And as they get closer, I see Polite's eye or Polite's over there. And I'm like, oh, shit. So I throw on my phone, I'm like, Matt, bro. I'm like, yo, act like you're taking pictures of me. And so he started taking it. And I'm like pretending like, they said, nah, CCTV, bro.

We got shot, Nicky's. Damn. Oh my. They got us. Oh, yeah, dude. They were watching me for, they watched me for 22 minutes

paint the fucking Berlin Wall. And then sent us some dudes to get me. So then they grabbed me and Maprow. They take us to this, oh my God, man. This shit's just, I'm getting goosebumps. Thinking about this shit.

Goose bumps. So. Oh, my God. So they take us this, this barracks. Like, it wasn't even in their jurisdiction. This shit looked like, a fucking war-torn church

and I'm in there for like a couple hours and it's just un-sriving, stroving, oh yeah, dude. I'd be freaking out. Nazi propaganda. I'm scared as fuck. I'm like, and Matt bro's like, I don't know. I'm like, me either, bro.

So then this dude comes in and I shit you not. When he walks in, all that shit stops. Like record scratch. I'm like, oh, I'm in trouble. Like this mall, like, this is my, he must be. That's the boss. Yeah.

Great grandson. I don't know who the fuck is. But who the fuck he is? He came in. He comes in and he, Bam, he leans. You ever seen Hellboy? Yeah.

Yeah. You know what to do with the fucking nights? Mm-hmm. You know what I'm talking about? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, type shit. So that's the vibes he gave. So, like, he leans in.

I'm behind bars. He says, for what you did. we should put you under this, under, under this, under this, under this, under this cell. I said, oh, shit. Like, what the fuck? What does that mean? Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, now I know, I know in Germany, they do some, they do some weird shit,

Germany, man. They do some, I mean, they do some, I didn't see some shit. Seen a couple of shots of videos type shit, but. Read a couple of history. I'm scared as fuck. Like, they might be so fucking nervous, you know. I was terrified. So what he'd do?

But I think it was like 15,000 and I was out. But it was like a few hours of me thinking I was going to get fucking drawn and quartered, tarred feathered, fucking filayed, goddamn crucified. Damn. Oh, I was, I was petrified. And you know what I heard the whole time? Dooh. Do hos. Do hos.

You know, it's all I heard of my head. I was so, do, do, do, do, do, do. I was like, this is going to be my end. Were you able to come back? I'm going to go out to Du Hoss. Were you able to come back to Germany? What's that? They put it like a restriction on you.

Hell yeah. You came back and we, and then the show that we played out of that was in a fucking airplane hanger and was the illest shit ever. It was a stute guard. Oh, yeah. It was an stute guard and an airplane hanger. It was so dope. So sick, dude.

That's crazy. That's insane. So now every time I hear Romstein or I see them, I get fucking PTSD and shit. I'm like, $15,000? That's a lot for some graffiti, man. Oh, my God. Yeah, I mean, I did some damage But I mean, the pictures are online shit

And Rolling Stone did a little clip on this shit Okay So I got a little fame, but the dumbest shit Like, why the fuck would you tweet that? Like 44 year old me? Would have known that. 26 year old me? So like going to the psychology of that,

you tweeting that, did you want people to be like, yeah, this guy's a bad motherfucker? Like, what made you want to do that? Honestly, I didn't know. I didn't know the Reese Twitter had back then. Oh, yeah, yeah. You just have no idea.

You thought you're just... It's instant. And like, absolutely. So, like, but now, like, fuck around and post where you're at, you might get lined up and not come back from your Airbnb, you know what I mean? Like, so I'm very, very, very, uh,

thorough with my posting. Yeah. Like, you know, the shit you see me post is definitely six, seven days after the fact. Right, right. Yeah, that's, I mean, safer. That would scare the shit out of me, dude. I'd be like, I would never want to post again.

That's like when people post her on vacation, like, you're going to get robbed. I would never want to post again. I'm going to rob you. Oh, man. Honestly, I don't think I've posted a tweet since that motherfucker, honestly. I wouldn't get back on now. It's not worth it now. Do you have any mentors music-wise, like people who've, like, helped you get back on the

Strait and Arrow? Who are you guys? For sure. I mean, right off really. But Toby Toby Morris from H2O has been my guiding light my entire life, bro. Like, even before I met him, you know what I'm saying?

Like, just being a fan of H2O, like when I was in, you know, like, like, when I was undiagnosed and going through the motions, I was listening to H2O and it picked me up. And when I met him, I was like, oh, wow, like, he's not just saying this shit, he's living it, you know what I'm saying? And he gave me my H2O and my PMA tattoo. He's never tattooed before.

Heavy hand dug my shit the fuck up, but it's still there. I mean, it better be shit that pain. I low-key, I was faded as fuck. I think I drooled on myself all he was doing it, but I woke up and I was like, oh, yeah, he went in. Oh, my God. But that speaks on his person, you know what I mean? Like, and his brotherhood, like,

as many times as I've been up and down, Toby has never, he's never, he's always waved the travi flag you know what I'm saying? Like, even when I felt like I, you know, like,

here's the thing, when you have a homeboy that's been straight as their entire life, you know what I mean? And it's never judged their entire life. Like,

you feel like you let them down when you read Lash or you do some foul shit, you know what I mean? And there are times where like, I couldn't reach out to Toby for months

because I felt like a piece of shit, you know what I mean? And he'd always, like, like, trap, like, I don't do fuck what you're going

through. Just know I'm your brother, like, through thick and thin. Like, thick and water is some real shit, bro. Like, for real, for real. And I'm about to cry thinking about this shit, man. But Toby's always been a solid one, bro. Like, like, super solid. No judgment ever. Big brother slash kind of father archetype, you know what I'm saying?

It's a strange relationship, but it's a bond that never breaks, to quote myself. So what about that, you know, the real dark moment when you just swallowed a bunch of pills. Did you tell him about that? What was it going through? I mean, I've talked to him about everything. Like before you did it, were you talking to him? Before you did that, were you talking to him? Like, kind of like you're in a bad spot.

You said it's hard for you to reach out to people when you feel like you're in a bad spot because you don't want to let them down. Well I said that just to say You know just to say like Especially when you're when you know your friends are sober Sober, right Right right You know what I'm saying?

Like you feel like there's another layer of judgment But there really isn't In fact there's like There's no judgment at all Yeah they love you bro Exactly And it took me a while to learn that But um

I'm glad I did And I wish I didn't hide from it I mean this is like if I go You know like if if Toby would know if if I went like radio silent he knew something was up so he'd reach out and I'd be ducking his calls and shit and every time I had to hit fucking like save for later or whatever the fuck that button is where it was like getting stabbed in the heart like yeah and nobody wants to shit like that you know what I'm saying especially when it comes

to your brothers you know like well yeah it's like don't take friendship and for granted right or don't take love for granted isn't that what the whole isn't that what A's you what was all about. Exactly. Like, that's the whole fucking, that's the mission statement of the band, bro. Come on. Yeah, man.

When, you know, I know you got to get out of here pretty soon, but I got a couple more questions for you. When did you think you started finding happiness inside yourself? Or are you still searching for it? Wow. Well, that's a fucking great question. You know what's crazy? I probably done, so I started fucking with Brad and Matt raw material.

I've probably done I've done way more podcast than I've done my entire life but that's the first time I've ever been asked that again or ever been asked that question. Say it again? When's the first time

you found happiness within yourself? I'm still looking, I'm still looking, but I will say I feel like if we were to put it into like a into a Super Mario

context, I feel like I'm I'm picking up coins every day. You know what I'm saying? That's a great analogy. Every day. Every day I'm picking up coins. And every now and then I find a mushroom or two.

That's my boy. That's my boy. Maybe a star. Sometimes I find a star. You know what I mean? Some firepower. Yeah. But it's the coins.

It's the coins, man. And I feel like everybody that comes to my life, that has been coming to my life since I stopped, stop doing that fucking devilish shit, has been a coin. not a token, but a coin, you know what I mean? And I hold them like close to my heart. And so I know I got this dope-ass change purse full of fucking context

I can reach out to it anytime when I'm going through it. Or that can reach out to me when they're going through it. You know what I'm saying? I mean, yeah, it's like... It's got to be... It's got to be reciprocated, man. Like, like, I've been involved

in so many transactional relationships that like... The bank of travi is fucking close. That shit has been closed Like 2008 in this bitch It's like this bitch For real You gotta love me or leave me the fucking

Indicator Yeah yeah Leave me alone 50-50 or get the fuck Leave me alive Get the fuck out of here That's my ringtone That's my ringtone

That ass Leave me alone Well Travis Man it's been a pleasure Talking to you I'm happy I'm happy you're getting the vibe back I'm happy you're rocking and rolling

Stay happy Stay happy, stay inspired but most importantly, love yourself, bro. You deserve to love yourself, you know? Always. I appreciate that, man. And you guys do the fucking same, man, because, you know, we kick this shit a lot.

You know, like, you know, we have these moments of self-importance and we're like, yeah, I get it. We got so many years left to learn, you know what I mean? But, like, as long as we keep reminding ourselves to just remind each other, that's all we can do, you know what I'm saying? Keep collecting them coins, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, make sure your bastard doesn't have any whole. and I'm keep patching it up.

We can keep doing this bumper sticker show all motherfucking day if you want to. Empath narcissists. Empath narcissist. Berlin Wall. Berlin Wall. Stop gaslighting me. Billionaires are bad.

Billionaires are bad. Actually, that reminds me. Mushrooms will save the world. Do you still want to be a billionaire so fucking bad? No, I never wanted to be one, man. Yo, I said that shit at Riot Fest. I was like, you know, despite popular, you know, consensus. I'd never

wanted to be a fucking billionaire. And besides that, I've met a few and they're the saddest motherfuckers I've ever They're all weird and sad. They all can't Enough isn't enough. You know, like That's like Man, I'd rather be a thousandaire with mad bitches and sneakers than a billionaire with none

And none. Let's fucking go, my man. That's what I'm talking about, Travis. Yeah, let's go. Travis McCoy, this has been a real treat. My last question for you Before you get going Is when it's all said and done What do you want to be remembered by? As corny as this shit may sound

I did it my way Like on Sinatra's shit for real for real for you I did it my way You sure did bro I did it my way What a fucking story though Yeah From gym class

Fueled by ramen Bruno Mars To fucking Bruno Mars To fucking having You're welcome You're welcome. Exactly. From getting arrested in Berlin, having to come down to finding himself and getting the band back together again.

And he's peaked by joining this podcast. That's just, that's a coochy hair of my Purple Rain story. You ain't heard it yet. Well, hopefully you'll write a book one day, buddy. You have to come back on. Yeah, come back on. We'll do part two. All right, bud.

Have a great day. Keep rocking. You guys too, man. This is real, yo, this meant a lot to me, man. I felt like I was just kicking him with friends. Oh, yeah. You got a friend of me. baby's

rib and get him later buddy you're the man you got a friend peace for there buddy

that was fun he's fun dude rules yeah that was fun um cool cool