Better Than Ezra

  • Baton Rouge, LA
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  • Rock
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  • 1988
    started
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About Better Than Ezra

Official Site: http://betterthanezra.com/ | @betterthanezra | facebook.com/BetterThanEzra


Along with such similarly styled outfits as the Goo Goo Dolls, the New Orleans-based trio Better Than Ezra helped open the floodgates for countless alt-pop acts of the late '90s (including Semisonic, Matchbox Twenty, and Third Eye Blind) by merging college rock influences with mainstream aspirations. Originally formed in 1988 as a roots rock outfit with slight elements of country and punk, the group's first incarnation consisted of four college students from Louisiana State University: Kevin Griffin (vocals, guitar), Joel Rundell (guitar), Tom Drummond (bass), and Cary Bonnecaze (drums). The band's early performances were expectedly held at college bars and fraternity houses, and their debut cassette-tape recording, 1990's Surprise, received positive press and comparisons to such alt-punk stalwarts as the Replacements and Dinosaur Jr. Despite these accolades, Better Than Ezra's future was thrust into doubt when Rundell committed suicide on August 8, 1990.

The remaining bandmates initially opted to go their separate ways after Rundell's passing, but they reunited as a trio before the end of the year. Deciding that a change of scenery would be helpful, Better Than Ezra relocated to Los Angeles shortly thereafter, where they laid down tracks at a friend's home studio to create their 1993 independent release, Deluxe. The album continued to raise the band's profile and eventually drew the attention of several major labels. The trio signed with Elektra Records, and Better Than Ezra's new label reissued Deluxe two years after its original release. The album spawned a sizeable radio hit with "Good," which helped push the album to platinum status by the end of 1995. But despite enjoying a hit right off the bat, Bonnecaze opted to leave the group in early 1996 and was replaced by a fellow New Orleans native (who, at the time, was living in San Francisco), Travis McNabb.

Shortly after welcoming their new member into the fold, the revised Better Than Ezra entered the recording studio to record their second major-label release, 1996's Friction, Baby. Although the album was musically similar to its predecessor, it failed to match the commercial success of Deluxe and departed rather quickly from the charts, with the singles "Desperately Wanting" and "King of New Orleans" only achieving modest rotation on modern rock radio. The group proceeded to create their own recording studio in New Orleans (dubbed Fudge Studios), where they recorded 1998's How Does Your Garden Grow? The album failed to reestablish the group as a commercially viable rock act, and Better Than Ezra parted ways with Elektra before issuing a compilation of rare tracks, Artifakt, through their official website.

Undeterred, the trio then signed with the independent Beyond Music label and issued their next release, Closer, in 2001. "Extra Ordinary" fared well on several charts, but Beyond Music declared bankruptcy before the band could issue a second single. Understandably, Better Than Ezra took a break before resurfacing in 2004 with a live album documenting a hometown show at the House of Blues. A greatest-hits collection was issued the following year, but to the delight of the group's devoted fan base (the "Ezralites"), Better Than Ezra were not finished. After signing with the New York-based Artemis Records, the band released Before the Robots in May 2005 and departed for a summer-long tour. Drumer Travis McNabb left the lineup four years later, having been recruited to join the country duo Sugarland instead, and Better than Ezra tapped Michael Jerome as his replacement before unveiling their seventh album, Plays Paper Empire. ~ Greg Prato, Rovi

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Music

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  • Just One Day
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    Video
    Just One Day
  • Absolutely Still
    better-than-ezra
    Video
    Absolutely Still
  • Juicy
    better-than-ezra
    Video
    Juicy
  • A Lifetime (Unplugged)
    better-than-ezra
    Video
    A Lifetime (Unplugged)
  • Daylight (Unplugged)
    better-than-ezra
    Video
    Daylight (Unplugged)
  • Good (Unplugged)
    better-than-ezra
    Video
    Good (Unplugged)
  • King Of New Orleans
    better-than-ezra
    Video
    King Of New Orleans
  • Rosealia
    better-than-ezra
    Video
    Rosealia
  • In The Blood
    better-than-ezra
    Video
    In The Blood
  • 4230
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    • Good
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/5/9/3/3/5/262253395.mp3
    • Desperately Wanting
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/0/8/4/6/8/230786480.mp3
    • Good (LP Version)
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/7/8/1/0/4/165540187.mp3
    • Juicy
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/5/6/5/6/5/165856565.mp3
    • A Lifetime
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/9/9/6/8/3/165538699.mp3
    • In The Blood
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/6/2/3/3/5/262253326.mp3

Interviews & Exclusives

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  • Take 2: Better Than Ezra "A Lifetime"
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    video
    Take 2: Better Than Ezra "A Lifetime"

Photos

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  • Better than Ezra lead singer Kevin Griffin performs during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival May 4, 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
    Better Than Ezra
    Better than Ezra lead singer Kevin Griffin performs during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival May 4, 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
    Sean Gardner/Getty Images
  • Better Than Ezra
    Courtesy of Elektra
  • Better Than Ezra
    Better Than Ezra
    Better Than Ezra
  • Better Than Ezra
    Better Than Ezra
    Better Than Ezra

News

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  • Better Than Ezra
    Watch Vinny Photobomb, Like, Everyone At Hangout Fest (VIDEO)
    MTV Buzzworthy
    May 18, 2013
    It's empirically true that everyone on the Internet (which is everyone I know) loves a good photobombing. And it's also widely agreed upon that celebr...
    Read More
  • Better Than Ezra
    The Scoop: 9 Things You Never Knew About Angela Yee
    VH1 Blog
    May 18, 2013
    We know New York native (turned New Jersey transplant,) Angela Yee , from listening to her and The Breakfast club break it down on Power 105.1 every ...
    Read More
  • Better Than Ezra
    Jim James Gives Sax On The Beach + Hairy Man Advice Day One Of Hangout Festival
    VH1 Tuner
    May 18, 2013
    After My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James took us on a psychedelic journey with his mystic solo set at SXSW back in March, we were expecting gr...
    Read More
  • Better Than Ezra
    Elle King Takes On The Rides At Hangout Fest
    VH1 Tuner
    May 18, 2013
    Elle King has mad water slide skills, you guys! We should know, because we've been putting our favorite bluesy banjo rocker through the ringer testin...
    Read More
  • Better Than Ezra
    That's What You Said...About Chelsea And Adam's Rekindled 'Teen Mom 2' Love Affair
    Remote Control
    May 17, 2013
    Every Friday we thumb through your comments from the most talked-about post of the week and highlight each side of the argument. Check out the latest ...
    Read More
  • Better Than Ezra
    Manga Tipsheet: Mix And Match With 'Wandering Son,' 'One Piece' And More
    MTV Geek
    May 17, 2013
    A new volume of " Wandering Son ," the Midwest's biggest anime con, and the return of " One Piece ": It's a good week and it's going to be a better we...
    Read More
  • Better Than Ezra
    Kleefeld's Fanthropology #10: An Interview America's Greatest Otaku, Pt. 2
    MTV Geek
    May 17, 2013
    By Sean Kleefeld In the summer of 2010, Tokyopop founder Stu Levy took a cast of six American otaku and a film crew in order to explore otaku cultur...
    Read More
  • Better Than Ezra
    New Video: TGT, 'Sex Never Felt Better'
    MTV Buzzworthy
    May 17, 2013
    News flash: TGT LOVES SEX! Look out, " Package Tour ," here comes TGT! Fine, technically TGT (the R&B supergroup made of Tyrese , Ginuwine , a...
    Read More
  • Better Than Ezra
    'American Idol' Needs To Start From Scratch, Experts Say
    MTV News
    May 17, 2013
    'The show needs to reboot in a drastic way,' The Hollywood Reporter's Shirley Halperin tells MTV News.
    Read More
  • Better Than Ezra
    'American Idol' Needs To Start From Scratch, Experts Say
    MTV News
    May 17, 2013
    'The show needs to reboot in a drastic way,' The Hollywood Reporter's Shirley Halperin tells MTV News.
    Read More

Discography

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  • Live at Jazzfest 2012 (2012)
    Better Than Ezra
    Live at Jazzfest 2012 (2012)
    MunckMix
  • Plays Paper Empire (2009)
    Better Than Ezra
    Plays Paper Empire (2009)
    Better Than Ezra
  • Before the Robots (2005)
    Better Than Ezra
    Before the Robots (2005)
    Artemis Records
  • Live at the House of Blues New Orleans (2004)
    Better Than Ezra
    Live at the House of Blues New Orleans (2004)
    Sanctuary
  • Closer (2001)
    Better Than Ezra
    Closer (2001)
    Beyond Records
  • How Does Your Garden Grow? (1998)
    Better Than Ezra
    How Does Your Garden Grow? (1998)
    Elektra Entertainment
  • Friction, Baby (1996)
    Better Than Ezra
    Friction, Baby (1996)
    Elektra Entertainment
  • Deluxe (1995)
    Better Than Ezra
    Deluxe (1995)
    Elektra Entertainment
  • Eggnog Sing-A-Long
    Better Than Ezra
    Eggnog Sing-A-Long
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