Better Than Ezra
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English Template:Infobox musical artist
Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock band based in New Orleans, Louisiana, and signed with Round Hill Music.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The band formed in 1988 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and consists of Kevin Griffin (vocals and guitar), Tom Drummond (bass guitar), Michael Jerome (drums), and James Arthur Payne Jr. (guitar, keyboards). The band has released nine studio albums, most recently 2024's Super Magick. They are best known for their 1993 multi-platinum album Deluxe and the 1995 single "Good," which reached number 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
HistoryEdit
Formation and early successEdit
Better Than Ezra was formed in 1988<ref name=cbs /> by vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin, lead guitarist Joel Rundell, bassist Tom Drummond, and drummer Cary Bonnecaze.<ref name=cbs>Template:Cite news</ref> All four members were attending Louisiana State University at the time of Better Than Ezra's formation.<ref name=cbs /> Better Than Ezra's first public performance was at Murphy's in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, also in 1988.<ref name=ledger>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> Though many theories abound, the band refuses to disclose the origin of its name.<ref name=ledger /> A possibility is it was a tribute to Joel Rundell's grandfather, who was named Ezra. Another possibility is a quote from the novel Earth Abides by George R. Stewart. In chapter two of part two, the main character, Ish, remarks to himself that he is better than Ezra, another character, at the task at hand.Template:Citation needed Fans of the group often refer to themselves as Ezralites.
Better Than Ezra circulated a demo cassette tape later in 1988, the Chime Street Demo. While not an official release, this demo is sought after by the band's fans, and traded by collectors. In 1990 the band released a cassette-only album, Surprise.<ref name="Larkin">Template:Cite book</ref>
Joel Rundell, the band's lead guitarist, died by suicide on August 8, 1990.<ref name=cbs /> The remaining three members of the band took some time off to reassess its future following Rundell's death.<ref name=cbs /> However, Griffin, Drummond and Bonnecaze reunited Better Than Ezra as a trio by the end of 1990.<ref name=cbs /> The trio continued playing house parties and fraternity shows across the southern United States during the early 1990s.
The band released its first nationally distributed album, Deluxe, in 1993 on its own indie label,<ref name=cnn /> Swell Records, which caught the attention of major record labels and radio. Better Than Ezra signed with Elektra Records in 1995.<ref name=cnn>Template:Cite news</ref> Elektra rereleased Deluxe in 1995, and the single "Good" reached the No. 1 position on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart which helped push the album to platinum record status by the end of 1995.<ref name="riaa">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>
Success came quickly to Better Than Ezra. Tom Drummond commented later in a 1998 interview with CNN, "It took us seven years to get signed, and then seven weeks to get to No. 1", when describing the overnight success of Deluxe and its single "Good".<ref name=cnn />
1996–2000Edit
After DeluxeTemplate:'s major label release, original drummer Cary Bonnecaze left the band in 1996.<ref name=cbs /> He was replaced by drummer Travis McNabb,<ref name=cbs /> formerly of the band Vigilantes of Love, who was tapped to play on the band's upcoming album, Friction, Baby.<ref name="Larkin"/> Bonnecaze's departure set off a series of lawsuits and counter-suits between Bonnecaze and Better Than Ezra.<ref name=cnn /> Bonnecaze, who took his suit to the United States District Court in New Orleans, argued that the band owed him money "based on his role in fortifying the band's reputation," according to Rolling Stone.<ref name=rs>Template:Cite magazineTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> He asked for approximately $1 million in damages.<ref name=rs /> A settlement was reached between the band and Bonnecaze on August 5, 1999.<ref name=rs /> The exact terms of the settlement were not released at the time, though Better Than Ezra's manager John Isbell was quoted as saying that Bonnecaze received "way less" than the one million dollars he had originally requested.<ref name=rs />
Better Than Ezra released their second major label album, Friction, Baby, in 1996 through Elektra Records.<ref name="Larkin"/> The album produced the hits "Desperately Wanting" and "King of New Orleans". Friction, Baby was not as commercially successful as Deluxe, but has sold almost 500,000 units as of 1999.<ref name=cnn />
The trio began work on their third major release, How Does Your Garden Grow?, soon after the end of touring for Friction, Baby. The album was recorded between mid-January and late-April at a studio in New Orleans.<ref name=rollings>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The album was produced by record producer Malcolm Burn, who had formerly produced Iggy Pop and U2,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and released on August 25, 1998.<ref name=rollings /> The album was described as "experimental" and a significant departure from their previous two albums.<ref name=cnn /> Griffin described the album in 1998 as "guitar driven ... rhythmic."<ref name=rollings /> Likewise, Tom Drummond described the band's thinking on its third major album, "We thought the third album was a very important record, because generally a band either makes or breaks on the third record. We wanted it to be a record that didn't necessarily sound like what people expected."<ref name=cnn /> Despite the emphasis on guitar experimentation, two tracks, "One More Murder" and "Je ne m'en souviens pas" contain no guitars.<ref name=rollings />
The single "At the Stars" debuted, and peaked, at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100.<ref name=cnn /> The band was dropped by Elektra Records following the release of How Does Your Garden Grow? in 1999.<ref name=battalion />
2000–2008Edit
The band released the B-Sides and rarities collection Artifakt on its own "Ezra Dry Goods/Fudge" label in 2000. Artifakt was only sold online<ref name=battalion /> and at concerts. Tom Drummond, the band's bassist, noted in 2002, "It's basically an album full of rarities."<ref name=battalion />
Better Than Ezra, now no longer with Elektra Records, signed with the Beyond Music label and began work on new material.<ref name=battalion /> Drummond explained the reasoning for choosing a smaller label, "We decided we wanted to be big fish in a small pond instead of a little fish in a big pond. We just wanted to be with a label who wanted success as much as we did."<ref name=battalion />
Griffin, Drummond and McNabb spent 18 months working on Closer, their follow-up album to 1998's How Does Your Garden Grow? and their first new material since being dropped by Elektra Records.<ref name=battalion>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=mtv2>Template:Cite news</ref> The album was recorded in New Orleans in the band's own studio, which allowed the members to focus on creating music rather than rental costs per day.<ref name=mtv2 /> Closer was mixed in Los Angeles by Better Than Ezra and the album's producer, Brad Wood.<ref name=mtv2 /> However, the band felt that some tracks needed scratching. Producer Brad Wood's management company recommended DJ Swamp, who had previously worked with Beck, to mix several tracks.<ref name=mtv2 /> The use of a DJ for two of the album's tracks, the first single "Extra Ordinary" and "Recognize", marked a departure for the band, who hadn't previously employed a DJ before.<ref name=mtv2 />
Closer was released on August 7, 2001.<ref name=mtv2 /> Better Than Ezra launched a tour in support of the album on July 26, 2001.<ref name=mtv2 /> The first single off the album, "Extra Ordinary", which had been mixed by DJ Swamp, was inspired by an AC/DC song.<ref name=mtv2 /> The album's promotion hit a snag after its record label, Beyond Music, was closed down following a business dispute towards the end of 2002, shortly after CloserTemplate:'s release.<ref name=aa>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Billboard0118032">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Beyond Music's closure left Closer out of print for several years.<ref name=aa /> In June 2009, Better Than Ezra announced that it had acquired the rights to Closer and would re-release it in the Fall of 2009 with two new previously unreleased tracks, "Simple Song" and "Screwed Up and Beautiful."<ref name=aa />
In June 2001, Better Than Ezra filmed a series of commercials for ESPN's College GameDay.<ref name=mtv2 /> The promo features the band while sports analyst Lee Corso crowd surfs to the stage, where he continues his sports reporting.<ref name=mtv2 />
On September 28, 2004, the band simultaneously released their first live concert DVD, as well as an official live album, both entitled Live at the House of Blues, New Orleans through Sanctuary Records.<ref name=rollingstone>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The DVD and album were filmed and recorded at two separate shows at the House of Blues in New Orleans during the summer of 2004.<ref name=rollingstone />
A Greatest Hits collection was released on March 15, 2005, through Rhino Entertainment, a division of the Warner Music Group.
The band's sixth studio album Before the Robots (Artemis Records) was released on May 31, 2005. In 2005, Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry used the band's song "Juicy" as the background music for the second season of the show's promotional advertisements, which Griffin credited with bringing attention to the album.<ref name=be>Template:Cite news</ref> The song "Juicy" has also been heard in the background in commercials for Applebee's restaurants.
Since 2009Edit
Longtime drummer Travis McNabb left Better Than Ezra in February 2009 and their last performance together was Family Gras in Metairie, Louisiana.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The primary reason given for his departure was the demand on his time by country and bluegrass group, Sugarland, with whom McNabb had previously been touring for some time. The split was amicable, with bassist Tom Drummond saying, "It's bittersweet. He's fantastic. We're still good friends, and there are no hard feelings. We'll miss him. But this is an opportunity he needed to take." Announced at the same time was McNabb's replacement, New Orleans–based drummer Michael Jerome, formerly of the band Pleasure Club. In addition, Better Than Ezra announced the May 12, 2009, release date for their seventh studio album, entitled Paper Empire, which is produced by Warren Huart and singer Kevin Griffin. The first single, "Absolutely Still", was released for iTunes purchase on March 17.
On May 22, 2013, Griffin confirmed that the band plans to release their first new album since 2009 later in the year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On February 10, 2014, it was announced that the band had signed with The End Records for the release of their eighth studio album. The album, All Together Now, was released on September 9, 2014.<ref>New-Better-Than-Ezra-Album-Due-Out-September-9-2014, Alternative Addiction</ref>
On August 29, 2014, the twenty-fifth anniversary edition of Surprise was released. According to original drummer Cary Bonnecaze, "The family of Joel Rundell (our original guitarist who passed away in 1990) and I own the original recording, and we thought that with 2014 being the 25th anniversary of its original release, it would be a good time to release it."
On June 1, 2018, BTE released a new track called "GRATEFUL" via The End Records.
On August 13–14, 2021, Better Than Ezra played a pair of sold-out shows at the House of Blues New Orleans in order to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their second album Friction, Baby. During these shows, the band played the album in its entirety, as well as some other fan-favorite songs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A few months later, the band returned to the same venue to play their album Closer in its entirety to another sold-out crowd.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In October 2022, during their "Legends of the Fall" tour, Griffin revealed that the band would be releasing a new album in 2023. "Mystified", a single from the forthcoming album, was released on July 18, 2023.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The band's latest single, "Contact High," was released on November 3, 2023.
On March 8, 2024, the band's ninth studio album Super Magick was announced, and the single "Live a Little" was released.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> After some brief delays, Super Magick was released on May 3, 2024, on Round Hill Records.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Band membersEdit
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 Current members
- Tom Drummond – bass guitar, backing vocals (Since 1988)
- Kevin Griffin – lead vocals, guitar, piano (Since 1988)
- James Arthur Payne Jr. – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (Since 1996)
- Michael Jerome – drums, backing vocals (Since 2009)
Template:Col-2 Former members
- Cary Bonnecaze – drums, backing vocals (1988–1996)
- Joel Rundell – lead guitar, backing vocals (1988–1990; his death)
- Travis McNabb – drums (1996–2009)
Touring members
- Alex Allemang – keyboards, backing vocals (1993–1996)
- Neal Josten – keyboards, key grip, backing vocals (1993–1997)
TimelineEdit
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id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals id:bgvox value:pink legend:Backing_vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:Lines value:black legend:Studio_album id:Lines1 value:gray(0.6) legend:EP id:bars value:gray(0.95)
BarData =
bar:KG text:"Kevin Griffin" bar:JR text:"Joel Rundell" bar:JP text:"James Arthur Payne Jr." bar:TD text:"Tom Drummond" bar:CB text:"Cary Bonnecaze" bar:TM text:"Travis McNabb" bar:MJ text:"Michael Jerome"
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:KG from:01/01/1988 till:end color:guitar width:3 bar:KG from:01/01/1997 till:end color:keys width:7 bar:KG from:01/01/1988 till:end color:vocals bar:TD from:01/01/1988 till:end color:bass bar:TD from:01/01/1996 till:end color:bgvox width:3 bar:JR from:01/01/1988 till:08/08/1990 color:guitar bar:JR from:01/01/1988 till:08/08/1990 color:bgvox width:3 bar:CB from:01/01/1988 till:12/31/1995 color:drums bar:CB from:01/01/1988 till:12/31/1995 color:bgvox width:3 bar:TM from:01/01/1996 till:02/15/2009 color:drums bar:MJ from:02/15/2009 till:end color:drums bar:MJ from:02/15/2009 till:end color:bgvox width:3 bar:JP from:01/01/1996 till:end color:guitar bar:JP from:01/01/1996 till:end color:keys width:7 bar:JP from:01/01/1996 till:end color:bgvox width:3
LineData =
at:04/24/1990 color:black layer:back at:11/16/1993 color:black layer:back at:08/13/1996 color:black layer:back at:08/28/1998 color:black layer:back at:08/02/2001 color:black layer:back at:05/31/2005 color:black layer:back at:05/12/2009 color:black layer:back at:10/18/2011 color:Lines1 layer:back at:09/09/2014 color:black layer:back at:05/03/2024 color:black layer:back
</timeline>
DiscographyEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}
Studio albums
- Surprise (1990)
- Deluxe (1993)
- Friction, Baby (1996)
- How Does Your Garden Grow? (1998)
- Closer (2001)
- Before the Robots (2005)
- Paper Empire (2009)
- All Together Now (2014)
- Super Magick (2024)
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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