Ear Candy - 'Better Than Ezra'

by Phil Denson

Bands come and go, but very few have what it takes to achieve "staying power".

The time spent reaching the top usually adds up to a physical and emotional drain that most bands cannot handle, eventually causing a derailment along the way. For the fortunate few, the trip is well worth the troubleÉ giving the fans an endless rock & roll, roller coaster ride that can last decades. Step right up, sit down, buckle up and hold on tightÉnext stop Better Than Ezra!

Originating from New Orleans, Better Than Ezra has been making music since the late eighties. Straightforward lyrics along with crisp harmonies and tight hooks have pushed Better Than Ezra to the forefront of the pack. Their songs have become a staple on rock and pop stations across the globe, with nearly a dozen charting in the top 40.

I recently caught up with Tom Drummonds, bass player for BTE. He shared his thoughts on the early touring years of Better Than Ezra, the not so "instant" fame the band has acquired, their three major releases, a new album and more.

Better Than Ezra has climbed the long hill of success. Proving that substance over flash is what great music is all about, they give the fans what they really wantÉa nonstop, rock & roll ride that only gets better and better with every listen. Are you ready for the ride?

OFF! - Most people don't realize that Better Than Ezra have been together for nearly 13 years! Your first major release was Deluxe ('95). What was

life like for the band in those pre-Deluxe years?

Drummond - We spent most of our time traveling in a Dodge van covering the region between South Carolina to Texas. We actually had a twelve-song cassette Surprise that we released in 1990. It gained popularity among college stations within that region, but never got the attention that we really wanted.

OFF! - Deluxe was actually self-produced by the band in '93 on your own label, Swell Records. Over the next two years it sold 50,000 copies, that's pretty good for an unsigned band without a record company pushing promotions. Deluxe was finally picked up by Elektra Entertainment, how did that come about?

Drummond - We decided early on to form a LLC and to get an UPC code on the record. The big break came at the '94 SXSW music convention in Austin. This gave record execs a chance to see this band based out of Baton Rouge who was sound scanning all these records.

OFF! - With hits like "In the Blood", "Good" and "Rosealia", Deluxe was a huge hit. A year later ('96), BTE followed up Deluxe with your second major release, Friction, Baby. Was the quick timing due to the fact that Deluxe was actually three years old?

Drummond - Yes, exactly. Some of the songs on Deluxe were as old as '90. So, we had a large stockpile of songs that we'd worked on between the recording of Deluxe ('93) and the actual release on Elektra ('95). We were playing a lot of new songs in the live show way before we recorded Friction, Baby.

OFF! - You didn't miss a beat. Friction, Baby scored big, with several sweet tunes, including "Desperatly Wanting" and "King of New Orleans". Was

the band surprised by the "instant" fame it had received?

Drummond - Well, to us it really wasn't very "instant". Traveling in a van for 7 years will do that to ya. It grew at a very nice steady pace and we all liked that. The humility of being unsigned for 7 years kept our heads on the ground instead of giving us the more common "Rock Star Disease".

OFF! - With fame comes controversy. I read somewhere that BTE and The Smashing Pumpkins have an ongoing feud. Can you shed some light on this?

Drummond - Billy (Corgan) doesn't like us apparently. Kinda like David and Goliath, eh? Hmmm let's see...who won that?

OFF! - In '98 you released your third album, How does your Garden Grow. Musically, HDYGG went in a different direction than your previous releases. Does the band's success give you more freedom to experiment?

Drummond - It does give us some leverage, but still everyone is depending on us to sell lots of records. That record was just really more about where we were mentally, and had lots of influences that we were listening to at the time. I think it our most mature and textural record, but it also sold the least of the three major label releases.

OFF! - Some of your fans were surprised by some of the new sounds on the album. Will BTE continue to "push the envelope" on your upcoming releases?

Drummond - I think that we will incorporate all the sound of the last records on the new one. Little bit of this and a little of that. We certainly do not want to make sides 3 and 4 of the previous record. We always make that comment when we go to start working on a new album.

OFF! - Several songs on HDYGG have done quite well, including "At the Stars" and "Like it like that", but across the board, didn't receive as much air-play as Deluxe or Friction, Baby. Is the band happy with HDYGG's overall showing?

Drummond - "At the Stars" was actually our highest charting single to date, number 15 on the pop chart. We all really love that record. Of course we would have liked it to sell millions, but what we lacked in sales, we made up in critical acclaim and we would like to think credibility. We have people knocking on the door now for this record, that we would have never had previously. We believe that as long as we are allowed to keep making records and that the attendance at our shows keeps moving upwards, we must be doing the right things.

OFF! - You definitely have your own style and with the release of How Does Your Garden Grow, showed a wider range of influence. As far as influences go, who gets the credit?

Drummond - We were listening to a wide variety of stuff then including Air, Jamiriqi (sp?), Findly Quay, Rage, the La's, U2, lots of old Bowie and Pink Floyd just to name a few...

OFF! - You've released several live tracks and non-album tracks as B-sides on your CD singles. Has the band ever thought about compiling these slices of Ear Candy and releasing a rarities album for the serious fan?

Drummond - Yes we have, we actually have some songs that no-one even knows about. Some of them are actually my personal favorites. We have thoughts of doing a Live/b-sides record with a video documentary.

OFF! - It has been two years since the release of HDYGG, is there a new album in the works?

Drummond - We have just started working on new material and are deciding who we want to produce this record.

OFF! - How about a release date?

Drummond - Nothing definite yet...

OFF! - The word is out, Better Than Ezra puts on one hell of a live show. I know you guys are always touring and even have a show up the road from Cape, scheduled in Rolla, MO for March 18. Will you be doing a full-blown tour to promote the new material?

Drummond - No, not till the record is done. We're just doing "one-offs" here and there.

OFF! - You've come a long way since the early days of Deluxe. What's more enjoyable, playing for the large arena crowds or the atmosphere of a small venue?

Drummond - Personally, I like the feel of a small theater. Once you get past like 4000 people it becomes a bit like playing for the hoards.

OFF! - Thirteen years is a long time but the band shows no sign of letting up. Moving forward 13 more years, it's 2013. Your flipping through a Rock and Roll Music Guide, you come across the band Better Than Ezra, what do you hope it says?

Drummond - Hmmm...Maybe something like...Band hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana continues to consistently put out good records with good songs and melodies. Although new and current influences have crept into their records, this band shows that good songs are what make good bands. They have certainly taken the tortoise approach to Rock Stardom, but apparently the steady and sure road has paid off for the trio. Last years Hall of Fame nominated band, Better Than Ezra, keeps getting better and better...

For more info on Better Than Ezra check out their site at www.betterthanezra.com.