Better Than Ezra
Background information
Origin	New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Genre(s)	Alternative rock Post-grunge
Years active	1988–present
Label(s)	Artemis Records Beyond Music Elektra Records Swell Records
Website	Official website
Members
Kevin Griffin Tom Drummond Travis McNabb

Better Than Ezra is an alternative rock trio based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Formed in 1988, the band has released five studio albums and one live album. They are best known in the United States for their platinum album Deluxe and their top 40 hit "Good". Their peak of popularity was in the early 1990s, but the band is still popular on American adult album alternative radio stations. Image File history File links Betterthanezraconcert. ... Nickname: The Crescent City, The Big Easy, The City That Care Forgot, NOLA (acronym for New Orleans, LA) Location in the State of Louisiana and the United States Coordinates: Country United States State Louisiana Parish Orleans Founded 1718 Mayor Ray Nagin (D) Area    - City 350. ... This Article does not cite its references or sources. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... Alternative rock (also called alternative music[1] or simply alternative) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s. ... Post-grunge is a subgenre of American alternative rock that emerged in the mid-1990s as an offshoot of the Seattle grunge movement. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Artemis Records is a New York-based independent record label, founded in July 1999, by current chairman/CEO Danny Goldberg. ... Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, and today operates under Atlantic Records Group. ... Kevin Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American musician. ... Alternative rock (also called alternative music[1] or simply alternative) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s. ... Nickname: The Crescent City, The Big Easy, The City That Care Forgot, NOLA (acronym for New Orleans, LA) Location in the State of Louisiana and the United States Coordinates: Country United States State Louisiana Parish Orleans Founded 1718 Mayor Ray Nagin (D) Area    - City 350. ... Deluxe is an album by Better Than Ezra. ... Good was the first single from Better Than Ezras major-label debut album Deluxe. ... Adult Album Alternative (also Triple-A, AAA, or Adult Alternative) is a radio format broadcast mostly on FM. Its roots may have been established sometime during the 60s from what was called Underground music. ...

Music career

Early work

Better Than Ezra was formed in 1988 by Kevin Griffin (vocals) Joel Rundell (guitar), Tom Drummond (bass), and Cary Bonnecaze (drums) while they were attending college at Louisiana State University.^[1] The band does not currently disclose the origins of its name.^[2] The phrase "Better than Ezra" also appears in the chapter "Birth of a New School," from A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway, although this might be coincidence. The passage refers to the sound of complaining; the author compares it to the sounds Ezra Pound made whilst learning the bassoon. Later that year, they released their first demo cassette tape, Chime Street Studio Demo Tape, on Swell Records.^{[citation needed]} In 1990 the band released a cassette-only album, Surprise. On August 8, 1990, Joel Rundell committed suicide, and the band decided to go on hiatus until the end of the year.^[1] Kevin Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American musician. ... Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, generally known as Lousiana State University or LSU, is a public, coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the main campus of the Louisiana State University System. ... A Moveable Feast is a set of memoirs by American author Ernest Hemingway. ... Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. ... Ezra Pound in 1913. ... A Fox Products bassoon. ... For the meaning of cassette in genetics, see cassette (genetics). ... Surprise is Better Than Ezras first album. ... August 8 is the 220th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (221st in leap years), with 145 days remaining. ... This article is about the year. ... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending ones own life. ... Look up hiatus in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The Elektra years

Deluxe was the band's most successful album

Now a trio, the band moved to Los Angeles and released their first album Deluxe in 1993 on Swell Records. In 1995, the band signed to Elektra Records, who re-released Deluxe nationally. "Good", the lead single from the album, became a major alternative rock hit reaching the #1 position on the Billboard Modern Rock chart. The song would be the band's only top 40 hit, causing them to sometimes be referred to as a one-hit wonder. The success of the "Good" and subsequent singles "In the Blood" and "Rosealia" helped Deluxe sell over a million copies and peak at #35 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the US. In 1996, drummer Cary Bonnecaze left the band and was replaced by Travis McNabb.^[1] This work is copyrighted. ... This work is copyrighted. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Deluxe is an album by Better Than Ezra. ... Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, and today operates under Atlantic Records Group. ... Good was the first single from Better Than Ezras major-label debut album Deluxe. ... Alternative rock (also called alternative music[1] or simply alternative) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s. ... Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ... UK 45 rpm single for Mickey (1982) by one-hit wonder Toni Basil CD single of the Baha Mens Who Let the Dogs Out? In the music industry, a one-hit wonder is an artist generally known for only one hit single. ... The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ...

Friction, Baby was released on Elektra in 1996, but only reached #64 on the US album charts. "Desperately Wanting" and "King of New Orleans" both saw significant modern rock airplay, but did not repeat the pop success of "Good". After a support tour for the album, Better Than Ezra bought their own recording studio in New Orleans.^[1] Friction, Baby is Better Than Ezras second album. ...

How Does Your Garden Grow? was released in 1998, and was the band's last album with Elektra Records. The album had very disappointing commercial sales, peaking at #129 in the US, prompting the label to drop the band. "At the Stars" was a modest alternative hit, but became Better Than Ezra's first song to receive significant airplay on adult album alternative radio stations. A live version of "At the Stars" was released on the Live in the X Lounge charity album. The band also released a B-Sides and rarities collection entitled artifakt on its own "Ezra Dry Goods/Fudge" label in 2000. How Does Your Garden Grow?is Better Than Ezras third album. ... Adult Album Alternative (also Triple-A, AAA, or Adult Alternative) is a radio format broadcast mostly on FM. Its roots may have been established sometime during the 60s from what was called Underground music. ... Live in the X Lounge is a series of albums released by Birmingham, Alabamas alternative rock radio station, WRAX. Though the station is now found on the dial as , this series of live performances was produced while the station was known as , a change prompted by the its acquisition... In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ... This article appears to contradict itself. ...

Adult alternative success

Closer was released on Beyond Records in 2001. "Extra Ordinary" peaked at #13 on the Adult Top 40 chart in the US, though it received little airplay on other formats. Closer was slightly more successful than their previous album, peaking at #110 on the Billboard 200. In 2003, Kevin Griffin wrote the song "Testify" for Meat Loaf, which appeared on his 2003 album Couldn't Have Said It Better, and the song "Good Boys", which was a hit single for Blondie.^[3] Better Than Ezra played for John Kerry during a post-debate party in 2004 and at the opening of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park.^[4] Late 2004 saw the band simultaneously releasing an official live concert DVD, as well as an official live album, both entitled Live at the House of Blues New Orleans on Sanctuary Records. A Greatest Hits collection was released via Warner Brothers on March 15, 2005. Closer is Better Than Ezras fifth album. ... Adult Top 40 is a another variation on the Top 40 format, in which this genre is more geared towards an adult audience who are not into Rock music teen Pop, Dance music, Hip-Hop, Modern Rock or slower Adult Contemporary fare. ... Meat Loaf is the stage name of Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday on September 27, 1947), an American actor (stage and screen) and rock singer. ... Couldnt Have Said It Better is a 2003 album by Meat Loaf. ... Good Boys is track number 2 from the 2003 album The Curse Of Blondie by Blondie. ... Blondie is an American rock band that first gained fame in the late 1970s and early 1980s. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... Clinton Presidential Center William J. Clinton Presidential Library, Little Rock, AK The William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park includes the Clinton presidential library and the offices of the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton School of Public Service, established by Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States. ... DVD (Digital Versatile Disc, often incorrectly explained as Digital Video Disc) is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality. ... Warner Bros. ... March 15 is the 74th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (75th in Leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Before the Robots, released on Artemis Records on May 31, 2005, is the band's most recent album. With a peak of #84, it was the band's most successful album since Friction, Baby, and three of its songs were Top 30 hits on adult alternative radio stations. Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry used the album's song "Juicy" as the background music for the second season of the show's promotional advertisement.^[5] After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Better Than Ezra helped to rebuild an injured firefighter's destroyed house. They also held a golf tournament named "The Ezra Open" in order to raise funds for Katrina victims.^[6] Before the Robots is the 7th album and debut album for Artemis Records by Better Than Ezra. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This section does not cite its references or sources. ... Marc Cherry (born 1962) is an American writer and producer. ... Lowest pressure 902 mbar (hPa; 26. ... This article is about the sport. ...

Discography

Surprise is Better Than Ezras first album. ... Deluxe is an album by Better Than Ezra. ... Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, and today operates under Atlantic Records Group. ... Friction, Baby is Better Than Ezras second album. ... How Does Your Garden Grow?is Better Than Ezras third album. ... This article appears to contradict itself. ... Closer is Better Than Ezras fifth album. ... Sanctuary Records is the largest independent record label in the United Kingdom, and the largest music management company in the world, looking after around 120 acts. ... Track listing King of New Orleans Good At The Stars In The Blood (single remix) Live Again Extra Ordinary Rosealia (single remix) Desperately Wanting Misunderstood This Time of Year (french radio version) Under You Tremble One More Murder Porcelain (VooDoo Mix) Laid Wallflower Categories: Album stubs | Better Than Ezra albums... Rhino Entertainment is a specialty record label originally known for releasing retrospectives of famous comedy performers, including Stan Freberg, Tom Lehrer, and Spike Jones. ... Before the Robots is the 7th album and debut album for Artemis Records by Better Than Ezra. ... Artemis Records is a New York-based independent record label, founded in July 1999, by current chairman/CEO Danny Goldberg. ... Closer is Better Than Ezras fifth album. ...

Singles

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ... The Modern Rock Tracks chart is a music chart that has appeared in Billboard magazine since the early 1980s. ... The Mainstream Rock Tracks chart is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music but are not modern rock stations, which are counted in the Modern Rock Tracks chart. ... Top 40 Mainstream (often also called Mainstream Top 40) is an airplay format from Billboard Magazine. ... Adult Top 40 is a another variation on the Top 40 format, in which this genre is more geared towards an adult audience who are not into Rock music teen Pop, Dance music, Hip-Hop, Modern Rock or slower Adult Contemporary fare. ... Good was the first single from Better Than Ezras major-label debut album Deluxe. ... Deluxe is an album by Better Than Ezra. ... Deluxe is an album by Better Than Ezra. ... Deluxe is an album by Better Than Ezra. ... Friction, Baby is Better Than Ezras second album. ... Friction, Baby is Better Than Ezras second album. ... How Does Your Garden Grow?is Better Than Ezras third album. ... How Does Your Garden Grow?is Better Than Ezras third album. ... Extra Ordinary was the first single from Better Than Ezras album Closer. ... Closer is Better Than Ezras fifth album. ... A Lifetime is a 2005 single by the American alternative rock band Better Than Ezra. ... Look up closer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Before the Robots is the 7th album and debut album for Artemis Records by Better Than Ezra. ... Juicy was the third hit single from Better Than Ezras 2005 album Before the Robots. ... Before the Robots is the 7th album and debut album for Artemis Records by Better Than Ezra. ...

References

The Spokesman-Review is a daily newspaper based in Spokane, Washington and is the citys only daily publication. ... Rolling Stone is an American magazine devoted to music, politics and popular culture. ... MSNBC, a combination of Microsoft and NBC, is a 24-hour cable news channel in the United States and Canada, and a news Website. ...

External links

• Official band website