Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy has been arrested and charged with third-degree assault after allegedly punching an audience member in Missouri where the band were playing as part of this year's Vans Warped Tour. It seems McCoy lashed out after an audience member threw a racist remark in his general direction.
Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman told LiveDaily: "I spent the better part of later that evening with Travis. He's going to have to face the responsibilities of his actions. I think it's an anomaly. I think something went very wrong and everyone's working on correcting that. I don't really think this is in his make up. Every [time] I've ever dealt with him, he's a really nice guy. But they ran the risk of almost not being on the tour. I don't think they want that".
Which all, frankly, seems to avoid the real issue at the root of this. Thankfully, Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz has got straight to the point with a post on his blog. He wrote: "You know what? You call my friend a 'nigger', I don't even give a fuck what happens to you. I don't want to see you in this scene. I don't want to see you at shows. You are who we write songs about. You are who we think about when we hate. Radiohead, 'Karma Police' over and over again in my head. What a joke. You are fucking pathetic and anyone that disagrees should put their white hood on, too. I don't want your ticket money. I don't want your CD sales. I'd rather be poor and unknown. I am angrier than I have been in a long time. Hate upon hate upon hate. Thank God for my friends".