Gym Class Heroes Bounce Back After Travie McCoy's Stomach Infection, Make Up Missed Tour Dates

Posted on Nov 23rd 2011 4:00PM by Lonny Knapp

Gym Class Heroes Kevork Djansezian, AMA2011

This October, Gym Class Heroes cancelled their North American tour explaining that an undisclosed illness had sidelined singer Travie McCoy. Now, drummer and co-founder Matt McGinley reveals a combination of a persistent virus and a grueling tour schedule forced the hip-hop-inspired rock group to blow out the shows.

"I don't want to be gross and graphic, but the root of it was a stomach infection," he tells AOL Music Blog. "There was a lot of fatigue and other symptoms that come along with a virus like that -- it wasn't pretty."

McCoy picked up the bug during the band's recent European tour, and without the luxury of a few days off, he couldn't shake it. A few days into the band's highly anticipated North American Tour, performances began to falter, and the band cancelled all remaining shows.

McGinley explains that the band wants fans to get their money's worth when they shell out for a Gym Class Heroes concert ticket.

"Being a musician is a physical thing; if we can't execute, it's almost like we are cheating our fans," he says. "When it got to the point where he couldn't perform 100 percent, we had to make the incredibly tough decision to cancel the rest of the tour. It was completely devastating."

Watch an Interview With Travie McCoy

The tour was to coincide with the long-delayed release of 'The Papercut Chronicles II,' the followup to the band's 2005 breakout record, and their first release since 2008.

While cancelling the tour days before the disc dropped was certainly a let down for both fans and the band, McGinley says he and his bandmates kept things in perspective.

"We've been doing this long enough that we see the big picture," he says. "Having to cancel a tour is a bum out, but in the grand scheme of things, it's a minor setback."

Now, after a brief stint in the hospital, McCoy is back in fighting form. Bolstered by the success of platinum-certified track 'Stereo Hearts' -- which features a guest turn by Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine -- and a recent appearance at the American Music Awards, the Geneva, New York-based band are planning to make up those lost dates.

As the band's drummer, McGinley arguably exerts the most energy every night. He reveals his secrets for staying healthy on the road.

"When you are touring and you are in a new place everyday, it's hard to lock into a routine. I've focused on eating right, getting eight hours of sleep, and making sure I take care of myself every single day," he says. "We put a surprising amount of athleticism into performing every night; staying healthy is key."