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Better Than Ezra

The New Orleans trio Better Than Ezra helped open the floodgates for countless chart-topping mainstream alt-pop acts of the late '90s by merging rock with melody and creating a more easily digestible form of alternative music for the masses. Better Than Ezra began as a roots rock outfit with slight elements of both country and punk; originally formed in 1988, the band consisted of members Kevin Griffin, Joel Rundell, Tom Drummond, and Cary Bonnecaze while all were attending Louisiana State University. Their first gigs were expectedly at college bars and fraternity houses, which was followed by a debut cassette-only release in 1990, Surprise. Immediately following Rundell's passing in 1990, the remaining members opted to go their separate ways, but by the end of the same year had reunited as a trio. Deciding that a change of scenery would be a good idea, Better Than Ezra relocated to Los Angeles shortly thereafter, where they laid down tracks at a friend's home studio, resulting in the 1993 independent release Deluxe. The album continued to raise the band's profile further, resulting in several major labels vying to sign up the band. Signing on with Elektra, Better Than Ezra's new label reissued Deluxe two years after its original release, which spawned a sizeable radio hit with... Next

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