Artist Friendly with Joel Madden - Travie McCoy

Episode Date: July 22, 2026

On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden is joined by Travie McCoy. This summer heralded Gym Class Heroes’ “Universal Language,” doubling as their first music since 2011’s The Papercut Chronicles II and a taste of their upcoming album. Quickly, news of their Back to Basics tour with Lupe Fiasco followed, which kicks off in September. Before heading out on the road, McCoy stopped by the Artist Friendly studio to talk about his journey through addiction and recovery, the legacy of Gym Class Heroes, and how creativity helped him find purpose both on and off the stage.------- Listen to their Artist Friendly conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------- Follow Artist Friendly! IG: @artist.friendly TikTok: @artist.friendly YouTube: youtube.com/@artist.friendly ------- Host: Joel Madden, @joelmadden Executive Producers: Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Jillian King Producers: Janice Leary, Josh Madden, Joey Simmrin Director/Visual Producer/Editor: Ryan Schaefer Audio Producer/Composer: Nick Gray Music/Theme Composer: Nick Gray Cover Art/Design: Ryan Schaefer Additional Contributors: Anna Zanes, Neville Hardman ------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gregus believes in the art of living in choosing the pleasurable over the practical. It's why we craft our premium vodka in France using pure spring water from Jensack. And why you hear the celebratory pub of our cork, reminding us to make every martini cocktail count. So go on and make every moment count because there's no better time than now. Gregus, make time wait. It's responsibly. Every summer, and, you know, it started in the tent. Then we moved to Hurley stage.

And then, you know, the next thing, you know, we're headlining the shit. Yeah. It was a gradual climb, but we got smacked with a lot of tomatoes, man. Of course. But we took them on a chin and ran with it, you know. Because it was different at the time, which is crazy to say now. In fact, like, that the cover of as cruel school children is kind of a metaphor for that. Like, on the front cover, you see this big, this chubby blue kid that's just smiling.

all these kids are behind him, ah, picking on him and shit. And then you turn the page and he's still smiling and like, why isn't he upset, you know? And then the next page, everybody's wearing the same shirt he's wearing and has his hairdo,

you know what I'm saying? Yeah. And like, that's kind of gym class heroes in a nutshell. So, tell me how you broke your neck. So I took my homeboy out to dinner. And it started to get nice.

you know in New York like when it gets nice up when it gets 50 we think it's summertime you know so I'm like man let me rob my dirt bike I hadn't rode your dirt bike yeah I hadn't had it rode in so long and I was like this is my chance you know I just got I just got home I think off the road and so he drove his truck I rode my bike I had dinner it was cool and we had him back and I had a patch of ice and he he was ahead of me so he got to my crib me thought I'd turn around to get cigarettes but I was in a ditch with my neck bro No.

Yeah. So like, I'm so sorry. That sucks. But I have this big ass fucking robocop brace that I have to wear. Did I hurt you when I hugged you? No, no, no, no. I've been, I'm very precious with myself now. Yeah.

But I do have to, you know, you ever watch 90 Day Fianza? Uh, I have. I have to admit. I have to turn his whole barren. Oh, yeah. Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. Oh, that's, it's a bitch.

That's life altering when you do something like that. It's different. I mean, I've broken a lot of shit. shit, this, this, this leg has so much metal in it. Like, but the neck was different. Like, at first I thought I just skid it out. I'm like, oh, let me get up. And I was like, oh, I can't move. And I'm in a ditch and my bike's way over here. But, um, yeah, I was in a hospital for a minute and was it in the city? No, I live in a country, bro. Like, I live, uh, yeah, kind of off-grid, upstate New York. Oh, upstate New York. Yeah, yeah. Is that where you're from? I'm from Geneva,

which is considered upstate, but that's, it's like more west. like near Rochester, Syracuse. I'm like an hour north of the city. So I got like, I think I like seven to half acres, got a little pond and shit. Oh, that's nice. Yeah, I grew up on a lake, so I grew up fishing and doing country boys shit. So like I'm back in my element, you know.

I lived in the city for years. I lived in Miami for a little while. I never lived out here. I stayed with Pete out here for a little while. Yeah. And that was enough. Like I think I was out here for like three months. And I was like, you guys were always close, right?

Yeah, yeah, that's big bro. Are you still close to them? Absolutely. son's my god's son. His son is my godson. I love Pete. Yeah, Pete's the best, man. Like, he's an interesting guy. Very, very interesting. He's, he almost killed me one time. How did he almost kill you? So we had this art show.

Pete Wentz, who we're talking about. He's a true. He's a true. We don't know Pete Wentz, who I've known and been friends with for a long time. I love Pete. Yeah. But he's like 101. He's interesting. They're a very, very rare. Yeah, rare. So we were working on this art show. And when I was staying, them. We decided to start, I was working on this art and he's like, man, let me get down. I'm like, let's just do a collection. He's like, so we started working on these art pieces and the show is called Without You, I'm just me. And we were working and I was like, fuck this,

I'm cashing out. And we were working in the room. I was staying in. I fall asleep. And all of some, I'm like, like in my sleep, I'm like, the fuck. And I wake up and the foot of my bed is on fire. And P is just, on the other side of the fire just staring at it. I'm like, motherfucker. I think he it took too much Ambien or some shit. Oh, wow. And thought he was Jimmy Hendricks or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I grabbed the blank, like, motherfucker, like,

that could have been a whole, and not only that, but after I put the shit out, I noticed that there was a, a big-ass can of a rubber cement, like right next to the fire, so that shit could have been bad. That would have been bad.

Oh, man, I'd have been cooked. I mean, he would have got it worse. Thank God. Yeah, it was bad. I'd have been Jojo dancer out of this motherfucker. That's, when was that? Was that, was that a long time? time ago? This was, uh, hmm, I'm trying, I usually gauge it by who him and I were dating at the time.

Oh, okay. So it's probably 2007, 2008. That was like almost 20 years ago. Yeah. Damn, that's crazy to think. Isn't that crazy? Wow. Yeah, he had just moved to the hills, you know what I mean? Yeah, he probably had just moved to town. Absolutely, absolutely. That house was dope too. We had a really nice house. It was just hard as fuck to get to, man. Yeah, those houses up there can be. Fucking wind-de-ass. That's the reason I could never live in the Hollywood Hills because getting down up and down that hill and those little narrow streets like was not for me. Icky. Yeah, I knocked a couple of his rear views off a few times. Exactly. Did you ever, did you ever live in L.A.? Never, never. That was, that was the extent of my, that was the

wasn't for you? Nah, no. And it's funny because everybody thinks that we're from here. Yeah, same with us. I think it's because the, like, the Cubist video was kind of like people's first look. Yeah. And we shot that shit out here. Yeah. So I think they just automatically thought that we were from out here.

But, yeah, upstate New York, a whole life. Always. I lived in Miami for a little bit. In Miami. Yeah, that wasn't for me either. It wasn't for you? What took you there? Cool and Dre.

Oh, okay. It's a funny story. Like, we worked with Cool and Dre on our third album, the Cool. Okay. And they're like, yo, Tram, move down here. We can work all the time. I'm like, word. So I started looking at places and shit.

I moved down there. And like, I think maybe three or four months later, they all moved out here. And I'm like, you motherfuckers. You left me. You left me. Oh, my goodness. Yeah. But I stuck around for a little bit.

Like, I made friends and shit. But live on Sundays gets old real quick. Yeah. I like Miami. I do. Yeah. But I also respect Like it feels like it's too much for me

So when I it's like Vegas right I go to Vegas for Three days and I go And I'm not a wild animal like I'm not Yeah yeah But it's still like I think we all have calmed down It feels like too much for me Yeah yeah yeah

Like the energy or something But I also know that like DJ lives in Vegas Yeah But he lives off the strip So he said it's a different thing When you live there You're talking about DJ champion? Yeah

That's my brother. You know, you know we go back, back, right? I know. That's why I dropped his name. Wow. I thought you knew that. I knew. I didn't.

Well, you guys did the show. Didn't you guys do the show together? We did the show together. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Me and DJ, uh, we both apprenticed under the same dude. We tattooed together.

Oh, you tattooed. Yeah. I started my apprenticeship when I was 14. He worked at the Rochester shop. I worked for the shop in Geneva. But we would, like, we'd switch shops all the time. Like, I go out there and work. And, but yeah, DJ was, he was that dude back then.

So, like, I knew. Like, oh, he was a bad ass back then. What? Yeah. He's a really good, sweet guy. So sweetest, sweetest. He's got good character. And I think it's those, you know, those Rochester Italian roots, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah. And he's, I do think it's something like upstate New York. It's got a small town vibe to it. Yeah, yeah. And I'm from a small town. So I do feel like we connect somehow that way because I really do feel like, God, It didn't take me long to get to know him and really love him. And I really feel like he's super humble and he's got good character.

He's a good guy. He's a family man. Yeah, he's a family man. I love him to death. He's got a lot of badass guns too. I'm sure he does. That's the funny part about him. I feel like everybody I know in Vegas has like a shit ton of guns.

Well, I guess you can have them there. I got some ninja swords though, you know what I'm saying? Like come in my crib, you can slice the bomb, you know what I'm saying? Ninja swords feel safer to me. guns and you could really protect yourself with the news of them. Absolutely if you know what you're doing. You know what you're doing. There are these new guns that are non-lethal. Oh, I have a couple of those actually. I actually think those

are a great idea. Just you like the metal balls. And they like they break your bones. They'll stop a motherfucker quick. Right. And you could probably kill someone if you hit them in the middle of the eye. Oh yeah. You could definitely take somebody out if you but in the right spot. But in general, if you had like your wife or your kid or whatever and they needed to use something, protect themselves. I would feel like they get in less trouble.

Yeah. If they grab that, even think about it, if someone took it from you. Like the main thing with guns is that someone takes it from you or someone gets your gun. Real quick. That's the thing is like most of the time with guns is like it's stupidity or accidents or you're not knowing how to use it or whatever. So not people not being comfortable, whatever, not really training with it. Yeah.

So these non-lethal ones, I think, are a really good solution for that. Yeah, they're fun too just to play with, honestly, like, take them out back and, you know, do a little target practice. And they're not loud, you know what I'm saying? So, like neighbors don't while out. Yeah, because you live out there. Yeah. Do you like it? I love it.

I love it. Like, I have my art studio out there. I have my recording studio in the basement. My neighbors are hell of far away, so I can be as loud as I want. Yeah. I got a little pond, you know what I'm saying? A little bridge that goes over it. It's cool because the crib's like a quarter.

mile from the road. So it's set back. And what's really awesome is that all you can see is like the three car garage from the road and the house goes backwards. So it just looks like a garage, you know what I'm saying? Do you love your house? Love it. That's nice. Forever home for sure, for sure. I ain't going nowhere. I feel that way about my house now. Yeah. How long you've been there? Only a year. Just a year? Yeah. Yeah. As long as you make it home, you know what I mean? Like I think we're ready for that. I think every house before that, we had three, we had three different houses for about five years each. And you guys were here? In LA, in the city.

So we were like Beverly Hills. Gotcha. Before that, I lived in Glendale. But then I met my wife. And then we moved to Laurel Canyon. Then we moved to Beverly Hills. And then we were there for like, you know, 10, 11, 12 years. And then I was like, I think we need more.

I think we need to move somewhere where we're like fully focused on the family. And then we go into the city for work. And then we did that. And that's when I think it all just like, blue, my mind. I was like, that's the way you have to live. For sure. Like you said, like going to go on when you have to work and go back home and keep them separate. Keep them separate.

That's the genius of upstate New York. Yeah, absolutely. I'm an hour and a half from the city. You can go to the city. If you may need to, if there's an opportunity, if there's something, you can get there. That's with LA. I can get here. Do great work. Do fun stuff.

But then get home. And I feel like, oh, the only thing that there is to focus on out here is my wife and kids and, you know, like being healthy. Absolutely. Be healthy. Try it. Try.

That's all you can do. All we can do is try. You know, I'm pretty healthy, but, like, still, it could be better. Yeah. Yeah. It'd always be better. After this next shit, man, I've definitely been taking my health a lot more serious, you know. So technically it's healed?

It's healing. It's healing. Are there any treatments or anything you got to do for the, pain or? So I don't fuck with like narcotic opiates. So I take ibuprofen. Okay. So you don't take any like heavy pain medicine? No, no. I had a had a terrible bout with that shit for like nine years. You were addicted. You all bad. That's the worst. Yeah, yeah. And it's stemmed from a surgery. Yeah, yeah. I won't go into who because addiction is deep, deep, deep in my family. So I feel very protective of them in the way that like I understand.

Like I have some, I mean, the one thing I've talked about on this show a lot is my, my dad was an alcoholic, which is a terrible addiction because it's awful. It's a strange one because it's everywhere. It's easy. It's, it's, and people function. I think it's a little more socially accepted too. Like, you know, like, exactly. Like, if you're on heroin. Oh, yeah, you're, I can see it and go like, I'm not going to support this. Yeah. But if someone's drinking all the time, it's a lot easier for all of us to just support.

And then every once in a while, they have a crazy episode where like everyone was, he got crazy again. And they're like, we don't talk about it for a week or two. And then we move on. And then they function, function, function blow up, have another crazy episode. Well, that happened again. I've done with it myself. And then you're dealing with it your whole life where you're. like it's just this like cycle.

The cycles are actually like closer together. Yeah. With opioids, which I've learned from my, my personal experience with family and friends is, it's a big, long, fucking cycle that it just gets darker and sad.

For real, for real. And like you, you start to like, you know, one, you lose all touch with your, your morals,

you know what I'm saying? Like shit that you swear you never do. You end up, doing like flying to countries with drugs that will kill you if they find drugs on you type shit you know what I mean like uh grab us yeah there's there there there's a couple occasions where I you know I saw those signs like if you caught with drugs we're about to kill your ass and like they must be talking to these motherfuckers you know what I'm talking to me but like that's the sickness you know what I mean disease start feeling like you're invincible you know what I'm

saying but it's always and then you know it gets to a point where it being fun dies real fast. Yeah. And then it's become survival. First couple of years, that's out. Yeah, real quick. Yeah. Real quick. And I was, I was never really like a, I was never a social, like, I always thought it was super pussy to be honestly. I was like, all my friends are going to think about the chump, if they knew, if they knew what I was doing. So I always did it, you know, like locked in the back of the bus, you know what I mean? Like, by myself, but like, you can't really, you can't really hide shit like that when you're drooling on yourself, you know what I'm saying? In front of people. Like, so, I mean, I feel like my friends kind of they knew what was going on but didn't know, didn't really know

how to navigate and approach it, you know, until I came out and said, yo, like, when I feel like when it started affecting like shows and shit, you know what I mean, we're like, the thing you love to do. The thing, you know what I'm saying? The thing, the thing I've been blessed to do for a living. It steals it. And not only that, but it's like, it's a very selfish fucking disease, too, very selfish, you know, like, you have a squad of dudes that are dependent.

on you and you're dependent on this substance, you know what I'm saying? And like, without that substance, you can't help them yourself, do yourself, let alone yourself, but you can't help them either, you know. And, but yeah, yeah, I'm so, so glad that shit is in the past, bro. Yeah. So glad. I'm so sorry. What's that? I'm sorry. That's a lot of pain. It's tough. I only know, because I've seen it with my own two eyes and I'm so grateful that I didn't get. Yeah. I didn't, for whatever reason, I didn't get that. I didn't get that thing.

I'm grateful too. And I, but I've seen it firsthand. Like my, my best friend died from it. Oh, man, I can't, I can't even count on my fingers until so many friends. So many people, especially weirdly, like, from our world, our scene, like, the 2000s, it was, you were a little later than me, but, like, we were around the same time. Absolutely. That was, like, peak opioid epidemic. Sure.

when you didn't know it was an epidemic. Like, they were everywhere. Like, it was like, it was like this new, easy, almost like it was weird. It was like more available than it was. Strangely, it was showing up and people were taking pills. And like, everyone knew someone who was like popping pills all the time. Absolutely. Everyone knew.

And it was kind of like, we didn't know what, it was strange. We didn't know exactly like what it was essentially like. And I think the fact that it was pills kind of safer. Yeah, it's in your head. Yeah. I'm saying, but like... Because in the 90s, I'll tell you, when we were coming up in the band,

we started in 96, we moved to Annapolis. And there was like a bar scene and we were like, we're going to make it. And there was a band, Jimmy's Chicken Shack. I remember Jimmy's Chicken Shack. They were on the radio.

We're like, they were on the radio. They're from there. We're going to go there. We're going to play. And like, that's where we started getting more in the D.C., Baltimore, in Maryland, Virginia area. Like, that was one little,

hub of like music. Yeah. There's these bars and so we started going and there was open mic nights and we moved up there and we were like playing shows and playing with all these bands and got to know Jimmy, Jimmy Davies very well. He was very supportive. Still to this day, no one. But it was like a local scene and we were like, oh, we're going to go.

Heroin was huge. Wow. It was the 90s. So that was more like, that was like kind of dark. Very. We didn't know about it because we were. from the country and we were playing parties and there was like straight up people like shooting up in room we didn't know I didn't know idea what they were

doing straight up I didn't know green is and then I started like I was like if I binge I think some people here are doing heroin there are some people smoking it maybe or whatever but it was like more blatant yeah pills felt more like you'd see people like give each other one yeah and it felt it just didn't it wasn't as like It didn't seem as dangerous. In your face, like dangerous seeming. Like you're not smoking something. Because there was crack.

There was heroin you could smoke and you could shoot heroin. But it was like you would do that in private because it's not. But then pills were like, people would just pop past one. And then we had like, oh, in Miami they had the pill meals. You know what I mean? So it was like a time where like, oh, yeah, dude, you just literally just go to a pant. They were called pain clinics. And you go to a pain clinic with a,

so you can go there with an x-ray from five years ago, like here, and they'll just give you whatever the fuck you want. Legalized drug. It was insane. They cracked. They dead at all of them like years ago. But like people would go and get five or six prescriptions and then flip them. You know what I mean?

And it was madness in Miami. That was the epidemic. So scary. I feel like that was like the, the match that kind of like, you know, hit the wick and then shit just got bananas. I've had people close to me that I knew were they had a surgery. They got on oxy. That's the age old.

That's the age old fucking. And then they got hooked. And then before you know it, they're like, I hurt my foot again. And you're like, did you? Oh man. I'm so sorry. That's giving you so much trouble. And you're like, it takes you a few years actually.

of starting to see the pattern. Yeah, yeah. Hospital hopping and shit. Yeah, and then fast forward, there's people I know that are still alive doing heroin, which is crazy. It's insane. Especially now with this fentanyl shit, you know, like...

It's crazy. I'm glad I missed that whole era. Actually, I caught the tail into it. Believe it or not, there's a company that used to make... I got the name of the company. They used to make fentanylollipops, bro. Like...

Ooh. Yeah. Great flavored fent fentanylipan lollipops for, like, older people. That's crazy. I will say that I got this feeling, so I want to move on from it in the sense of what it was, because I just felt really sick because it makes me feel really dark and sad. And I don't want anyone listening to feel like we're talking lightly about this because we're not.

And you survived it, and I've seen people, we've both seen people not survive it, and I feel sick about the heaviness of like those people that I knew that I'm not talking about them, I'm just like, but it's real. It's real. And I'm dealing with some of it still in the sense of like, I'm in the music business, so I'm in this every day and like I'm seeing people still get caught, hooked in the lie of this thing, this fantasy that like there's a lifestyle we need to live if we make music. It's so sad, man.

I never, I don't think I ever bought into that. Like I never felt like the drugs meet me. Yeah, I never felt like it made me, you know, more creative. Right. You know, like it gave me an edge. That shit put me to sleep, man. Put me to sleep. And Dan Naird killed me a couple times, you know?

So, yeah, I never felt like I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, you know, like after my band had, you know, gotten some success and shit. I just felt like I had this fucking monkey in my back that was just harassing the shit out of me, you know, but I killed that motherfucker. I'm really happy for you. Yeah, I appreciate it, man. How do you, like, maintain your sobriety? Staying busy.

Yeah. Staying busy as fuck, you know? And also, like, being around good people, you know, that's the... People that don't want you to do it. That part, you know? So they always say, like... Number one. People, places, and things.

Like, you have to change all that shit. And it's true. It's true. I tried a gazillion times to get clean ages ago and didn't... I didn't take that to heart. And so I didn't... stayed where I was at and I was cool for a minute and then you start getting comfortable, you know what I'm saying? And like, oh, I can, I can take one or two, you know, and that shit

spirals real fast. Yeah. Real fast, you know, but yeah, people, places and things, man, I have a, I had to trim a lot of fat, you know, like a lot of fat. There's a lot of hangers on, which, you know, that shit comes with the territory. But I love the squad I have now to death, you know what I'm saying and they keep me in check for sure for sure for sure yeah the real journey is learning to for me has been just learning to accept and love myself in a way that I was contented and satisfied here now while I let the art continue to kind of emerge and when it does and then sometimes it doesn't absolutely and like be happy with the instead of being in purgatory That part. I used to get so down when I got writer's block. I felt like I was just wasting

everybody's time and like everybody's waiting on me and I'm like, of course. You can't push it, bro. Like, you can't force it out. You know what I'm saying? And you do. And even if it does pop, you're not, you're not fulfilled. You're like, fuck. Like, I just farted that shit out. You know what I'm saying? Like, you're like sad with yourself and shit. Everybody's stoked. Like, nah. Like, yeah, that's kind of like the, I feel like that's the part of the push and pull of this shit. You know what I'm saying? Like, absolutely. And I only share with people. all the time because that's my nature. It's not to get them do anything different.

It's more just I share because I feel like there's something super zen about there's a blissfulness to acceptance. I agree. Of just like, yeah, I don't know. I don't know if we'll make another record. Yeah. But maybe we will. And if we do, it'll be because we want to.

Yeah. And we'll enjoy it. And I think it's something like feeling your way through and being. happy. Doesn't feel good to be out of that race, man. Like, like, having to put a record out every, you know, like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That shit got so played to me. Like, but the, the, the cool part of that is, like, having all these 20-year anniversaries, like, year after year, yeah, yeah, put in all that work, and then 20 years later, you're like, oh, sure, you're, like, oh, sure, it's your 20-year anniversary for that record. It's bugged out, man.

You guys have new music. Yeah, man. The new single Universal Language is out in July. Been a minute, man. I think it's 14 years since the last gym class record. 15 years. True. And 20th anniversary of Papercut Chronicles. That was last year. That was last year.

That was cool of school children is this year. It's the second album. Right. So lots of 20-year anniversaries. Yeah. Next year, I think, it's the quilt. And year after that is my first solo record, I think. It's a trip.

It's a trip. Are you going on tour? Oh, yeah. Once we get this record mixed and squared away, like, Hopefully I'll be gone to November, like Y Club. Yeah. That would be good. Have you been doing any festivals or anything?

Yeah, we've been doing a ton of like one-off and shit and rebuilding the squad and getting comfortable with the new squad and shit. Me and Tyler are the last original hero standing. Yep. But that thread is being pulled through it, you know? Yeah. Yeah, it feels good. It feels good.

The other day, San Mateo, it was like my second show back since I broke my neck. was dope. Then before that, where the hell was that? Wichita. And Wichita was lit. It was crazy. It was really crazy.

It was a river fest, like right on the water. It was so dope. And people showed up and showed out, played a couple new songs. And yeah, it feels good, man. It feels good.

And then especially, you know, since we made this record, you know, like I made this record of my time, you know, and there was not, you know, there wasn't label heads,

like, you know, in the studio, like, like pretending to like give support but really like trying to make you sweat you know what's weird like why are you here that's another that was another reason i moved to miami bro like because it was too close to the system you know what i'm saying i didn't get the fuck out of here bro like yeah all those little pop-ins and pop-outs i'm like and then you and then you find yourself trying to like sell this shit that you're making like you know dancing and jigging and shit like man i am

not about this shit at all like yes it just i'm not going to do an album listening to in your label boardroom. Eiki. Bucks. Super achy. Yeah. Fortunately, though, this record,

I got to work with the homies. I did a lot of the record with my boy Aza, Chiconi from my electric guest. Oh, cool. That's my brother, man. Aaron Kanada and my boy, Jared, who I did a lot of my last solo record with.

I'm so excited for you guys to hear this shit, man. I'll make sure you get a, A early copy. I hope so. Absolutely. Get some feedback. Not only your solo stuff, but gym class heroes, you're fucking awesome, bro. I appreciate you.

And you were ahead of your time. I feel like you kick doors down. If you think about the early 2000s, right? By the way, I'm talking about myself. Yeah, yeah. I'm saying, like, we didn't know at the time. We're all just in bands. We're just trying to make it.

Absolutely. But, like, you get marketed and you're not even super, clear sometimes on how you're being marketed or what you're just showing up doing and like doing a do that there was like a there was like a a certain kind of band it was like get the good charlotte out there there get the like and i feel like that's not actually what um and and people say pop punk i see i just see it as garage band rock rock and roll alternative there's just like all i just thought you guys were dope like period like i i i i couldn't really put a a label on what you guys are doing and that was kind of yeah that was kind of the the they did statement or the the unspoken thing with us like we're

just like let them make some shit up you know like but i feel like you you guys came out and you were different i feel the same about fallout boy i feel the same about i can name a bunch of of different like bands and artists that i feel like kicked doors down to make this what if you think about what it is today, there's no rules. Absolutely. Absolutely no rules. Everyone's allowed to come. And it's a beautiful thing.

It's amazing. And that's how it should be. When they took us into our first photo shoot and they had all these racks of punk type clothes and we were like, look at all this free shit. We start throwing it all on and you see those pictures and they look like they look super boost. But that was, we were fucking excited. We were like, holy shit, we never had a dollar. I think our first, the first, I think Johnny, well, no, it was Ezekiel. Ezekiel was like the first brand that was like,

we fuck with these dudes. They would send us box. What? And then Johnny Cupcakes, like, he's still, it's still the home boy, you know what I'm saying? But every Boston show, he was there with bags, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, well, he's smart. Yeah, man.

That's the best fucking way in market your brand. Absolutely. But anyways, it was also marketed, marketed, marketed. And to me, that's an important part of any brand or business or whatever's marketing. I get it. And the best marketing kind of happens, organically, but there's something to that.

Like, if I own a brand, I'm definitely going and giving it to an artist if they'll wear it fucking all day. But to me, you guys are just originators. I just feel like you guys came. You invited more people in. And I feel like now if you look at alternative music, it doesn't look one way. It doesn't sound one way.

It doesn't. And that's the way it's supposed to be. Yeah. And I think you were a big part of that. Yeah, I agree with it. So I'm giving you credit. Absolutely. Thanks for the flowers, my man.

Yeah. Just to kind of piggyback on that a little bit. It was tough, though. You know what I mean? Yeah. When we first started playing, shows the fall boy and shit, like crossed arms,

like, what the fuck is this? What is this? We didn't come here for this shit, you know? And then it comes to the city the next time and everybody knows every fucking word, you know what I'm saying? So it didn't happen that fast,

but like, it was cool to kind of see the tide's turn, you know, from crossed arms and scowls to like, you know, like, in particular. We did a tour with this band Fear Before the Marsha Flames. It was fucking

amazing tour. Where's creepy call? Remember creepy trawl? That venue? I think it's St. Louis. I could be wrong. Creepy Crawl. I don't remember that one. Yeah, I think it's St. Louis. But I just remember these girls, like, I could see it like during our set. They were just like kind of like mocking us like doing the like

the rapper thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm like, okay. So I brought them on stage and like next day you know, they're all twerking and shit. Like I'm like, see, you fucked around and found out. Now you like us, you know what I'm saying? Like, they're totally clowning us the whole set. And that's kind of like how it was for years, you know what I'm saying?

Like, and then we get on a warp tour and they'd shove us in this little ass tent like in Tim Book 2 on the other side of the whole undergrounds, you know what I'm saying? But people found us, you know what I'm saying? And every summer and, you know, it started in the tent. Then we moved to Hurley stage. And then, you know, the next thing, you know, we're headlining the shit. Yeah. It was a gradual climb, but we got smacked with a lot of tomatoes, man. But we took them on a chin and ran with it, you know?

Because it was different at the time, which is crazy to say now. You know what I mean? Very crazy to say. Think about it. Think about it. It's crazy to say that. Yes, it is. But at the time, it was different.

And we just took it in stride, you know. We knew, in fact, like that the cover of as school school children is kind of a metaphor for that. Like on the front cover, you see this big, this chubbered. be blue kid that's just smiling and all these kids are behind him, ah, picking on him and shit. And then you turn the page and he's still smiling and like, why isn't he upset, you know? And then the next page, everybody's wearing the same shirt

he's wearing and has his hairdo, you know what I'm saying? And like, that's kind of gym class heroes in a nutshell. You know what I'm saying? Like, you kind of watch the world come around, you know. And I always promised Matt, I started the band, I always promised I'm like, they'll come around, they'll come around, you know like if they don't fuck them you don't keep doing the shit anyways you know what I'm saying you don't keep doing it anyways but what is your like feeling around like why come back to this

even though you never really left it that's not what I'm saying but like every time you do this you're going to get a little older yeah you're going to get a little more worn down you're going to get a little like I feel like you probably have a similar relationship or view or worldview on fame as I do yeah where I'm not interested Not at all. But I understand the thing. So I'm not angry at anyone when they're like, hey, you're that guy from that thing and they don't know me. I feel like fame is on its way out of the door, though, you know?

It's like you can say some funny shit and be famous. Right. Everyone's famous. So the fame part has never really been sure it was cool, you know, being a, you know, coming from upstate being a fat kid that nobody fucked with to having. everything thrown at it is. Yeah, that's awesome. But like, I just feel like fame has gotten so,

it's become so cheap and has been so watered down. It's not an achievement. It's like, it's, no, it's like, before it was like you had your 15 minutes. Now it's literally 15 seconds, you know what I'm saying? Literally like one week. You know what I'm saying? So like, that's, that's never been, like I said, it was cool in the beginning, but it's never been

the mission. I feel like But you are stoking those coals a little bit when you put a record out you go. Oh, for sure. Like that's what I think of like when I go, okay, I'm going to have to promote this. Even doing this show. I love doing this show. Yeah. But I do have to at, I recognize that someone who doesn't want to be famous or doesn't want any recognition

wouldn't do this. Yeah. So it's counterintuitive to how I feel about putting myself out there in that respect of like, I'm going to go promote a record. I'm doing that show or I'm doing the today show or I'm doing it. So it's not someone who doesn't want to be famous in that sense of like, so you're, It's also part of the mechanics, you know what I'm saying? Like, I mean.

I wrestle with that. Yeah, I mean, in between the last gym class record and my last solo record, I pretty much disappeared, you know? Like, I was just cooking up on my own, you know what I'm saying? Like, I feel that from me. Just when I moved upstate, you know what I'm saying? And then I was so, so fucking happy, man. So happy.

And now it's like, it's now like the kids that came up with us are my age. So it's like that rah-rah shit is dead. You know, it's like, yeah, it's just trap. You know what I'm saying? And that's what I guess made things fun again for me. It's like I feel like the spectacle's over. Right. Now it's really about the music and making memories, you know what I'm saying?

So, yeah. There's a joy in it. Absolutely. Absolutely. It's a necessity, man. Like probably be doing this shit until my neck doesn't work anymore. Right. You know?

There's probably a lot of new therapies for that neck, man. Man, I got this, I totally forgot I brought it. I had this cryogenic spray. And I put some, you probably smell. I smell like an old ass man. I smell like Ben Gave right now. But I sprayed it before it came and that's, it's still tingling. It feels so good.

I forgot I had this shit. But I sleep with this neck brace on and I'm doing the big head all night and I have to stay still, which is a trip in and of itself to like lay completely still all night, bro. How long are you here? I'm here to Friday. There's a place. Please tell me about it. I was trying to go to a spot.

yesterday. Okay. There is a place that does, it's called Bioresonance Therapy. Okay. Talk to me. It's old, it's old science, but it's new kind of new agey in the sense that it works. Okay. They're healing people, they're fixing people. Say it again? It's by called bio resonance therapy and they use. There's no shocking involved. They use electric. Oh shit, you don't, you don't, I'm out of here now. And they use, and they use, and they use light.

Light and electricity. They use light on you. They put light on you. It's red light. And it's like, which you know is like, these masks. No, it's, but they have that stuff. But it's real, dude.

It really is. Say one more time, bio. Bio resonance therapy. There's a guy. I'll give you the, I'll give you the information. You can call him and he'll explain what he does. And you can say, I broke my neck, I'm healing, and he can tell you what he could or couldn't do. He's not trying to sell you.

Yeah. He's, in fact, I can connect you and I can tell him. And you've worked with this dude? I have. I'm always fixing my stomach. Really? It's insane. You have stomach issues?

Got stomach. I've always had, like, stomach. Like Crohn's or something? No, no, just, um, to be honest, it's like childhood trauma shit. Oh, wow. Where my stomach has just always been in a fucking knock. Oh, bro. That's pushing that shit.

it down. And I had to work through that therapy. Slowly it's been like, it doesn't present itself in like a Crohn's way. Like I don't have issues, but I have like chronic inflammation. Like I, and it's been, it's basically been like one of the major spots. Isn't it crazy how that shit can affect you, man? It affects you big time. It's bugged out.

And then in other areas like my shoulder, whatever. And like these guys, he's also got another guy who does like body work. Mm-hmm. Who like, it's not massage. It's like he knows. points on your body and like works on them and it's real honestly dude it's i thought rakee was because i had that shit done in a while that's real i thought that shit was bogus and then i went and got it done and i could deal this shit like and i remember i remember the lady asking me she's like

can you tell me where my hands are right now because i'm on my back you know i mean i'm like yeah you're like on my hamhawks you know i mean like my love handles type shit she's like that's exactly where i'm there i was like and she's like where am i now like you're on my shoulders It's real. It's such a truth, man. So this guy has a philosophy that the body can heal itself. Word up. I feel like a lot.

I think that like a lot of, I don't want to say new age. New agey. It's the only way to put it because where we're from. Where I'm from, it's new age. You're like out there in California getting your bioreson. Your Reiki on. But I've experienced it enough to believe and I'm not like, they're not like some gurus or anything. And they got the knowledge.

And they have this equipment and knowledge, and it's also, they can, they also have this, like, proprietary stuff. They have a vapor thing that's, like, you go in, like, the size of a sauna and you sit and it fills with this, like, mist. And it has, like, 75 different antioxidants and minerals. And you just take it in. He developed this, and you just breathe it in. So it's directly into your lungs, into your cells. That's, like, the quickest way to, like, it's insane. Get in you, too.

It's got magnesium. It's got antioxidants. It's got all this good stuff. I usually sleep about five to six hours. That's like my average. Yeah. When I did that, I went home and that night I slept nine hours. Wow.

Straight. Yeah. And I knew that was good for my health. Absolutely. If I get six, I feel great. Anyways, I think it might be worthwhile. Sounds like it to me. Oh, Brad, you took it down, right?

I'll give you the information. Let's get to some business. Let's get it. Tell me about universal language. Universal language. So for me, the song is just basically, I want to say it's a love song. Well, probably is. Sounds like a love song.

It's breaking down, it's basically saying like, hey, like, first and foremost, I dated a girl for two years from Paris. And there was a huge language barrier. You know, I could speak a little Francois. But you couldn't really go deep. No, I couldn't. And neither could she. But the thing is, like, we didn't have to for two years, you know what I'm saying? And it still wasn't surface, you know what I'm saying?

So you don't really have to speak a foreign language to get down. You know what I'm saying? But all in all, it's a really, really fun song. And summer's coming up. We had planned on putting another song out, but this was like 11th hour joint. Oh, yeah. It just came out so ill, man. Yeah, you're just like, let's put this out.

Absolutely. I love that. Did you guys end up friends or what happened? We're cool. Okay. That's good. But it was an experience. I got to stay in Paris for like two and a half years.

Well, that's nice. Yeah, yeah. One of my best friend, Q is out there as well. But, yeah, it was an experience. Yeah. To say the least. Just say the least. Are you in a relationship now?

No. I'm kind of, I'm window shopping. Okay. It's a good place to be. Young, successful. Bachelor. You know what I'm saying? Eligible.

Eligible. Very eligible. Very. I like that. That's cool. Word up. I would guess it's a different, probably. a different experience dating your 40s.

And it's new. It's very new because I've never really been a dater. Like I don't think I've ever really been on an actual date. I just always ended up in situations. You know what I'm saying? But yeah, it's cool though. I wasn't very good at dating either. I'm awkward, bro.

I'm awkward as fuck. So like. I need a certain level of comfort and trust before I can open up. So usually like the relationships I've been in, you've been friends. Right. I mean, it started as friends first. I see that same and they've been like I haven't had very many bad relationships thank God you

know but the ones that were bad were shitty shitty shitty like shitty shitty shitty well we all need to learn from something absolutely yeah it's for great material you know what I'm saying yeah great songs it does yeah how do you feel about the state of music today like you're saying earlier you know like like how you know these these genres are kind of fading away you know what I'm saying I think it's beautiful. I think it gives people a lot more room to explore themselves as artists without feeling, you know, I can't do this because I make this type of music, you know what I'm saying? Like, it's a freedom that I've always, always had. So it's cool to see other artists like, you know, step out and try, try new shit. But there's also the kids that were inspired by,

you know, the tip of this. Yeah. There's kids out here that are just making really, really those shit. Do you feel like a lot of people are giving you your flowers like giving you credit, like giving you the love that you deserve? In fact, someone actually brought me physical flowers the other day. That's very nice. Physical flowers the other day in San Mateo was dope. Shout to my man Finesse. But yeah, absolutely, man. Like there's a lot of kids that come up to me that, you know, are up and coming. They're like, yo, like, you know, you walk so we can run. You ran so we could walk. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And I hear stories, you know, I get stories all the time. Like, if it wasn't for this album like I want to be making it.

That's true. I love that show. I'm sorry. I'm just turning all on your thitses. I like those shoes. Thank you, brother. They have a pair of golf shoes, Malban made that are exactly that pair with just some texture on the bottom.

Really? Yeah. I was thinking about buying them. I kept looking at your shoes going like, I knew I should have bought those shoes. It's so comfortable, man. When we look back at where we started the early, let's just say the early 2000s,

for lack of wanting to like go deeper than that. And without summing it all up, because I'm not one of this like, oh, this wave of come back. Whoa, what do you think? All this really come back. This emo music is amazing. That's not how I see it. When we were young.

Yeah, yeah. Like, by the way, I love when we were young. Absolutely. Biggest family reunion. I love an emo night theme sometimes. But at the end of the day, when music survives becomes what you can say is classic. It means generations share it. That's all it means.

It doesn't mean. It doesn't mean that that one generation, suddenly they started listening again. That's not how it works. It's passed on and it's remembered and it's held dear to people. And it's also other generations are relating to the message still. You know, it's a trip seeing kids or fans who have their kids. Yeah.

And now their kids are bringing their kids. Yep. We see it at our show. We see people who are seeing us for the first time. that didn't get to see us back then. We're seeing people who are going to shows for the first time who like rock music. And they just want to see a classic rock band.

Word up. And we're still young so we can put on a good show. And actually, we're better now than we've ever been because we have vitality. Like we know how to do this better than we ever have. For sure, for sure. And we've been together since high school.

So it's like we understand what we're doing. When did you guys start a good show? 96. So 30 years. That's so crazy. Yeah. So 30 years next year, it will be your 30 year anniversary. That's so great.

This year's our 30 year anniversary. And April was our 30 year anniversary. But it shows what we were doing that was kind of put in a box as kids making music. And let's sell these kids, right, to these other kids. Yeah. But dismissing the art as unimportant. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And now I'm seeing the art still matters.

Absolutely. And it's to multiple generations, and what it's doing is it's clarifying. It's putting a crown on the art as relevant to life. Word out. And as timeless. And that's the interesting thing is like when you go out and play a show, it's better than it was. I guarantee it. For sure.

I think, you know, like, it's like with anything you practice, you know what I'm saying? And we got damn there 30 years in. Yeah. If we didn't get better, we should probably quit, you know what I'm saying? We would have quit. Right. It's human nature to quit if you don't think better. That's actually human nature.

Human nature is if I can't get all the way up the mountain, I stop trying because I can't get all the way up. What's that 10,000 hours or some shit to perfect or to perfect your craft? Yes. How many hours is 30 years? 30 years is many, many tens of thousands. But the actual science of that is that 10,000 is an average. There's multiple groups, right?

there's the group of people that, and I think the number is it 20,000? You're probably right. It's 10,000 hours. Okay. So there's a group of people that'll get it in 1,000 hours. Mm-hmm.

And there's a group of people that'll get it in 20,000 hours. Yeah, yeah. And the average is something like 10,000. Yeah. So likely, really talented people who are inclined. So like, likely when you started this, you were inclined to do it.

You're like, I don't know, I like that. I just think I could do that. And you do it and you're like, on your first try, or it was all right. Like, I kind of made a song up, my first try. And then you did it again, and the song was a little better. There are people who are like, I think I'm going to try to write a song, and they can't get

through it. Yeah. And then they try again, and they get through it a little further. They try again, and they finally write a song, and it's not that good. But then they try again. And even those people can get there. For sure. But it's why it's important to let kids play.

For sure. And then, like, agreed. 100%. Feed the interest. Mm-hmm. Because interest is something like, our intuition and our subconscious telling us like, yeah, there's something there for you. Our subconscious kind of can see it.

Yeah, I'm very like, I'm the last Mohicans. I have three brothers and three sisters. I'm the only one without kids yet. So I just borrow my nieces and nephews. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I pay very close attention to what they're into, you know what I mean. So when birthdays and holidays come around, I know exactly what to get there. And double down.

And my niece, Farah, she's always been into anime. So like I'd buy her anime and toys and shit. And now she's like, I think she just turned 13. And she's like, I do, I'm a visual artist as well. Yeah. And she's smoking me when I was 13. Like she's, and I caught on to her early and it's just beautiful, man. Like you said, just to feed the interest.

You know what I'm saying? Well, imagine the effect you could have on someone on a kid who's like drawing and you're like, hey, let's go to blick. Yeah, yeah. And just some art supplies and get it. Whatever you see, just grab it. Absolutely. That's how it is with all the...

Markers is interesting. If that pencil is interesting, if that canvas is interesting, and then what does that do? Well, it's a message. It means this is all obtainable. And none of it's weird and none of it's a waste of time. Yeah, yeah. And then that message is all you need to light the fire.

And then they just, most of the time, just start going on their own. For sure. She sends me... She has an iPad now. So she'll every day get like three or four new characters she's made up. all have like backstories and shit i'm like but imagine but that's the artist uncle right so imagine the kids out there who don't get that message yeah what artistic or entrepreneurial or athletic or whatever interest they have where they actually have some raw talent and it's calling them

because that's the nature of our subconscious is it like it's drawn to it it calls us to do something that we don't know we're good at yet. Yeah, yeah. And we only need one person to feed that. For real. For real. And it's so crazy to say that. Like, my uncle got me into graffiti as a young kid.

I remember he made a denim jacket for me with my name on the back. And from that day of fourth, it was to the races. And that likely led you down the path that you're sitting here. Absolutely. So thank you, Uncle. Uncle Phil. We don't really get along too well anymore, but he was definitely the catalyst, you know what I'm saying?

Totally understand that. Shout to Uncle Phil. I was coming up with an uncle name. I had an Uncle Nanny who gave us a guitar. Oh, wow. And that was like, that worded up. That was it. Honestly, he gave Benj a really nice guitar,

and that was it. Yeah. We thought we could do it. Off to the race. That was it. So, yeah. It's good. Good chat, man.

Word up. Do we get everything? I believe so. Got the tour, got the album. I'm really happy for you. I appreciate it. I'm really, really proud of sobriety, man. Yeah, man, that's it's it.

That's the hardest thing to beat. It gets easier and easier every year that passes, you know what I'm saying? Like, maybe the first year or two that I was clean, I'd have, like, relapse dreams and shit, like awful relapse dreams, and I wake up feeling like I did something wrong. You know what I'm saying? Like, but it's the point now where, like, I don't even think about it. And if, I mean, if I do end up in the hospital, I tell them right away, listen, I'm in recovery. I can't have no narcotic painkillers, you know what I mean?

Or at least if I can't, I can't leave with any, you know what I'm saying? Like, do what you got to do here. But like, yeah, it gets easier, man. I'm grateful, man. I think it's really important for other artists listening to this. We have a lot of people that listen to this that are artists. And I don't know if they know where to start. Yeah.

How to get that first step. It's just asking. It's letting people know or letting someone know you're struggling and just asking for help. You know what I'm saying? And it sounds easy. It sounds really easy to say. It's easy to say, but it's so fucking hard, man. It's so hard.

Especially, like, I was telling you, you know, like, I didn't want anybody to know. Like, because growing up, like, we thought that people did drugs were, like, like, like, stupid. I grew up in Syracuse, and, like, were, like, hard-line, straight-edge kids, you know what I'm saying? Like, and all my homies were straight-edge, like. but um you always thought drugs were for you know people that that couldn't you know deal with with with real life you know i smoked the shit out some weed though don't get it twisted yeah don't get it twisted yeah yeah i burn it down down but uh yeah all that other shit is for the birds

bro i don't know if i put that in the same uh category but there's different perspectives on that i i'm on the like i think that mushrooms can be really really powerful helpful like i i i microdose while. I think that's really powerful. I think that those new natural, there's all these different plant-based things that are helping people beat addiction and PTSD and all that stuff. I found some of that stuff was helpful for me and my like trauma helping me get past a lot of stuff. But there's a lot of perspectives. But I think that you can't get to the place where you can look at those things that's medicinal until you get out of addiction. That part.

Because it's all blended together. If you aren't out of addiction, you can't look at a medicine. Because there's actual places you can go where people know what they're doing and they can help you have these journeys or these healing experiences. But you can't do it if you're still addicted. And it's so easy to replace one with another. You know what I'm saying? Like, well, I'm not doing this.

I'm about to go ham with this. And therapy is number one for me. Like you have to be in therapy. Absolutely. You've got to be going towards, like, health and wellness and self-love. You have to be honest in therapy, too. Can't lie. Yeah, my first year working with Dr. Milliman, like, I had to get to know him, you

I mean. I don't want this little dude from Connecticut to know everything about him, you know what I'm saying? But 13 years later, this motherfucker knows everything. And he's a good source of, probably advice not only in personal, but in, like, work. Like, I find my therapist, sometimes we're just talking about work. Yeah. Sometimes he's helping me work through a strategy because I need to work through it because it's something in my self-esteem isn't letting me get there.

You know, so I think it's so powerful. But I guess I'll say to rap, I never saw you as anything but an important artist and a serious guy. So to find out that you struggled with addiction makes me respect you more because the fact that you could share it so easily. Yeah, I've always been very, very open, you know, in hopes that anybody, you know, like, who listen, I mean, if you listen to our music,

I've been super open about it, you know, and I've had kids come up to me and give me, you know, from their 10-day tokens to five-year tokens, you know what I'm saying, and sobriety. And it's cool to know that, you know, like, at the end of the day, like, my struggle helps hopefully help somebody get out of theirs, you know. Yeah, and that you deserve the,

health and happiness that you have, I think that you'll get some healing in the neck, too. I hope so, because this shit sucks. Yeah, I can imagine. This shit sucks. But I think there's some answers out there. Word up.

Yeah. I'm gonna check out your man's, like, bio-gienic, whatever it's called. And also, like, look into the hyper and hyperbaric chambers. Oh, bro. Yeah, Toby's all about that shit. Look into it.

We really help recovery. There's some real, like, proof that it works. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I'm on it. Thanks for coming. Thank you for having. Appreciate you, man. Appreciate you. Thank you for listening to this episode of Artist Friendly.

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