Better Than Ezra

Biography

Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock trio formed in 1988 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The original lineup included vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin, lead guitarist Joel Rundell, bassist Tom Drummond, and drummer Cary Bonnecaze, all of whom were students at Louisiana State University. The band performed its first public show at Murphy's in Baton Rouge the same year. Better Than Ezra gained attention with the release of their demo cassette, the Chimes Street Demo, and their first album, a cassette-only release titled Surprise, in 1990. Following the tragic suicide of Rundell, the remaining members reformed the band as a trio. In 1993, they released Deluxe, which was later reissued by Elektra Records in 1995. The single "Good" reached number one on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, contributing to the album achieving platinum status. Fans of the band are known as Ezralites.