Evel Knievel jumped over buses and canyons on his motorcycle. Foxy Shazam’s glam front man Eric Nally swings from venue ceilings and other random stage accessories and eats cigarettes while the keyboardist, Sky White, dances on top of his keys when the band performs live.

In a short biography of the band they were referred to as the “Self-proclaimed Evel Knievel of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Nally said he wasn’t sure who “self-proclaimed” them with this title, but that at times he felt scared for his life on stage and said he had done things he wished he hadn’t — although he also said he enjoyed there being a little bit of danger involved.

“I’m sure Evel Knievel felt the same way at times when he was flying through the air over 30 million buses on fire with kids inside,” Nally said.

Foxy Shazam — which was acquired from a slang term heard often at Nally’s high school that meant “cool shoes” — has been said to have a unique stage presence, from the way the band members interact with one another to Nally’s talent for consuming lit cigarettes. He will light several cigarettes in his mouth at the same time, and then eat them — fully lit and all. The singer, who actually doesn’t smoke, said he does the stunt merely for attention.

 “I’ve stuffed a whole pack in my mouth, and it sucked,” Nally said, also expressing a taste for Camels, which “taste pretty good.”

On tour

Foxy Shazam is currently on a headlining tour with The Young Veins (ex Panic! at the Disco) and Bad Rabbits, and will be stopping in Pontiac at The Eagle Theater on April 8.

Nally said one aspect of going on tour he was most looking forward to was the better weather. The band is from Cincinnati, and when The Oakland Post talked to the front man, he said the weather in Ohio was still rainy and dreary and not yet warm.

“We’re down in Georgia right now, it’s just beautiful outside so I’m in such a good mood and it just helps for the shows,” Nally said.

The band has toured in the past with acts like The Fall of Troy, Senses Fail and Dance Gavin Dance, however Nally said he doesn’t feel as though Foxy Shazam fits into any specific category of music.

“If we’re playing with a heavier band we’ll play our songs a little heavier, if we’re playing with a lighter band or a dance band we’ll play our songs a little dancier, we can adapt very well,” Nally said.

Nally expressed a “striving for excellence” kind of mentality, and it was obvious how important it is for the band to want to be unique and unlike all the rest.

“If there was one thing that I was hoping fans took away from our show is that we’re a completely unique band and we’re unlike anyone else in the whole world,” Nally said.

Unstoppable

Foxy Shazam’s new self-titled album will be released April 13. Nally said he feels as though it is his greatest accomplishment to date, and that it could be the force that propels the band further.

“In my heart I’m 100 percent satisfied with (the album). Every song on it just does something for me,” Nally said. “Every time I listen to it I get goose bumps and I feel like crying because I’m so proud.”

A track from the upcoming album, “Unstoppable,” was featured in Super Bowl XLIV. The band also streamed their entire new album on chatroulette.com, the first band in history to do so, said Nally.

Foxy Shazam has also released a video for “Oh, Lord” featuring an animated version of Nally and some choreographed dance moves.

Nally said he felt this new album, which is the bands third full-length recording and the first release on a major label, was a step forward in the direction of making the band bigger.

“It’s our ultimate goal as a band to be the biggest band in the world and go down in history doing what we do,” Nally said. “And I know we’re a long way from that goal but we’re never going to give up until we get there.”

To hear Foxy Shazam check out myspace.com/foxyshazam.