MUSIC
Foxy Shazam P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY M E M I
The Foxy Shazam Variant After a nearly eight-year break and the pandemic’s interference, Foxy Shazam returns with two new albums and three new members BY B R I A N BA K E R
A
s Amber Ruffin occasionally notes on Late Night with Seth Meyers, “You guys, things have been crazy,” a phrase that can be directly applied to the past eight years for Cincinnati rockers Foxy Shazam. The band went on hiatus in 2014 before reuniting in 2019 and releasing new music. With that came hopes of
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touring, but COVID-19 had other ideas. After nearly two start/stop years of foiled plans, Foxy Shazam finally is back with double-barrelled fury. Their Feb. 12 show at the Andrew J. Brady Music Center appears to be pandemic-proof, and they’re on track for the Valentine’s Day release of their new album, the cryptically titled The Heart Behead You.
FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022
“It actually does have a meaning,” says Foxy frontman Eric Nally with a laugh. “I’d call it my poetry. It’s a Rock & Roll way of saying, ‘Let your heart be your guide.’ Take your head out of the equation, don’t overthink anything.” But it took a second to get to this point. In April 2014, Foxy Shazam selfreleased the Steve Albini-produced album Gonzo and embarked on a national tour. Six months later, the band announced via Facebook that they were going on indefinite hiatus. The next few years found Foxy’s membership vying for the side project diversity prize. Nally did a cameo on the Macklemore/Ryan Lewis single and video for “Downtown,” which turned into a global touring gig, plus he launched his solo career. Trumpeter Alex Nauth founded the lauded Pop/ Punk trio Skulx. Bassist Daisy Caplan
opened with and folded Babe Rage then formed the much-acclaimed Lung with electric/eclectic cellist Kate Wakefield. Guitarist Loren Turner did a stint with TrxlleyDxdgers. And keyboardist Sky White started the Wendigo Tea Company and threw his lot in with the J. Dorsey Band and Freekbass. “If you don’t go your separate ways for a little bit, you don’t have anything left to give that you haven’t seen or been a part of,” Nally says. “When Foxy wanted to take that break — and there were no hard feelings — we had a significant amount of time to refresh and recharge.” The band joined back up in 2019. With Foxy’s retooled resurrection, productive weekly rehearsals suddenly turned into productive writing sessions, and the stage was set for more than just a simple reunion. Foxy Nation nearly lost its collective mind when
