Better Than Ezra

When it comes to rock and roll, nothing forces a band to prove themselves quite like tragedy. With the passing of a band member, the rest of the group is immediately presented with two possibilities, to stop or to continue. In this case, stopping is the easy, understandable option. Absolutely no-one would begrudge any band to split due to the loss of one of their band-mates, but if they do continue and mess up, then they’re liable for more abuse than they could possibly get any other way. However, if they continue and make it work, then you know without question that the band is something very special indeed.

In the form of Better Than Ezra, we have one of the best examples of the latter scenario rock and roll has ever provided us. The trio formed as a four piece in 1988, with Kevin Griffin on guitar and vocals, Tom Drummond on bass, Joel Rundell on lead guitar and Cary Bonnecaze on drums. The quartet met while studying at the Louisiana State University, and cut their teeth performing at assorted college bars and fraternity houses around their campus. The band made their first demo tape the same year they formed and started to generate a substantial local following, and by 1990 they’d self-released their first album “Surprise” on cassette.

“Surprise” was very well received by the local press and started to gain the band some serious attention, but the very same year was when tragedy struck the up-and-coming band. On August 8th, Joel Rundell took his own life, upturning the lives of his bandmates and throwing their future as a band into serious doubt. The band decided to press on by the end of the year as a trio, and started again from scratch, playing the kind of fraternities and house parties that they’d made their name doing. By the early 90’s, the band had learned enough about the music industry to up sticks to Los Angeles, California and form their own label, Swell Records.

With their own label and their new stomping ground in the City of Angels, the band recorded their first nationally distributed album “Deluxe” and released it in 1993. The album was rapturously received and along with the bands celebrated live show, it got them their first record deal with Elektra Records in 1995. “Deluxe” was re-released the same year and it went platinum by that winter, thanks in no short part to the success of their debut single “Good” which reached the top spot of the Billboard Modern Rock Songs chart and stayed there for a whole month. After more hardship in seven years than some see in a lifetime, Better Than Ezra had arrived.

Bonnecaze left in 1996 to be replaced by Travis McNabb, and ever since then the band have been one of the most dependable rock acts around. Never seeing the mainstream success that “Deluxe” brought them again but continuing their run of critically acclaimed records with the likes of 1998’s “How Does Your Garden Grow” and 2014’s “All Together Now”, among many others. They still remain one of the most respected bands around, even having their song “Breathless” covered by the all-conquering Taylor Swift in 2010 as part of a charity telethon. They’re a band who has earned every scrap of goodwill they’ve got and are still at the top of their game. Highly recommended.