Wingstock Artist Foxy Shazam Talk Overdue Success, Sexy Dutch Accents + More

Wingstock artist Foxy Shazam were in town for a GRD show a couple of weeks ago at The Intersection in downtown Grand Rapids. Frontman Eric Sean Nally and trumpeter Alex Nauth joined us for a conversation about their new album, The Church of Rock and Roll, how the band was able to stand out, sexy Dutch girls and more.

Foxy Shazam have been enjoying great success fueled by their hit song "I Like It." They formed back in 2004 in Cincinnati, OH and self-released their debut EP, The Flamingo Trigger, the following year. The group toured relentlessly and started to gain a significant following thanks to their high energy live shows, particularly with Nally's stage antics.

The big break for Foxy Shazam came in 2010 when they signed with Sire Records. They released their self-titled third studio album to much anticipation. The single "Unstoppable" saw moderate success and was even featured in Super Bowl XLIV. However, it took another two years and a new album with a different record label for the band to finally reach that next level.

"It's because we have a team behind us that believes in us for the right reasons and not just to make money," says Nally when asked why Foxy Shazam weren't at this point in 2010. "We did our last record on Warner [Bros. Records] - and they were a great team and that's a great company - but they were in a big transitional period and couldn't focus. It was hard for us to gain any traction. But now we're on a smaller label [I.R.S. Records] that is more dedicated to the band for what they are."

"When you're passionate about something you just work harder naturally," agrees Nauth. "so we're just all on the same page."

Nally has stated in the past that he attended a diverse high school. The mix of different cultures influenced the singer greatly when writing music for Foxy Shazam.

"I think the most important lesson a kid can learn in high school is how to deal with someone that's different from you," states Nally. "You gotta learn how people are other than you. You can't go to a school where everyone is the same as you. What are you learning at all? Math? Who needs math? You gotta learn the ropes on how to interact with people that aren't like you, and you gotta learn how to accept people. That's the most important part of school."

Watch the entire interview below, which Nauth talks about the stereotypes of a trumpet player, Dutchland and how I tough talked the two into playing Wingstock.

Foxy Shazam will join Our Lady Peace, Pop Evil, Dokken and Wayland for Wingstock 2012, June 16 at Fifth Third Ballpark. Tickets are $25 for stadium seats and $30 for GA field, and are on sale now at the venue box office and online by clicking here.

Follow Dave Kim on Twitter and Tumblr.