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I remember exactly where I was
when I first took notice of Better Than Ezra. It was the summer of
1995 and I was on vacation in beautiful northern Michigan. I didn't spend
much of my time out in Lake Michigan or relaxing. Instead, like a typical
high school student, I spent my time watching TV, specifically MTV. I
remember watching for the band's video of Good all summer. Several
weeks later, I purchased Deluxe, but I wasn't in love with
the record.
For nearly a year, I didn't
listen to the album much. At the end of the following summer I picked up
the album and gave it listen and couldn't stop. By that time, I had been
playing guitar for almost five years and was just getting out of a classic
rock fad and into more contemporary music. I taught myself nearly every
song on the album over the next few weeks. By that fall, Deluxe
had been in my five disc CD changer forever. This was also around the
time Better Than Ezra's second album, Friction, Baby,
came out and King of New Orleans was on the radio all the time.
One day I heard Better Than
Ezra was performing at the Electric Ballroom in Tempe. I struggled to
find someone to go to the concert with, but ended up going alone. I stood
in the back of the Ballroom, completely blown away by the band's
performance. I bought a copy of Friction, Baby and asked
they guy at the merch table if there was any way I could meet the band and
thank them for the show. He told me the band would come outside and meet
fans after the show before they boarded their bus. I was able to meet the
band, and even had them sign my new copy of Friction, Baby.
Around the same time, I formed
my first band, named Next Best Thing, with a few friends. Better
Than Ezra was the band my best friend and lead singer bonded over,
learning how to play many of the band's songs, and even recording a
version of Porcelain that can be found somewhere on this site. I
returned with the band to see another show form that tour several months
later, and heard some unreleased tracks at that time.
After the first show I saw
during the never-ending How Does Your Garden Grow? tour at
the Cajun House, I gave Tom a copy of our first demo recording. I don't
think he every gave it a listen, but its no big deal. (In fact if anyone
is curious, that demo is available somewhere on the site as well as other
recordings) Needless to say, I have been to every BTE show in town
since 1996 at the Electric Ballroom, Cajun House, State Fair, Bash on Ash
and most recently Celebrity Theatre. How I miss the Ballroom...as it was the
best venue for seeing concerts in the Phoenix area.
Better Than Ezra was a
driving force for the band and its several incarnations. As a song writer,
I felt inspired by many of the band's songs. As a fan, I have introduced
the band to many friends and girlfriends, each of them becoming a fan in
their own right. In fact, one of the first dates I took my wife on was to
a Better Than Ezra concert.
Better Than Ezra has
set a personal standard for judging a band's live performance and stage
presence. I only wish BTE would change up their performance a
little more, as by the last performance I knew the jokes and gags like the
back of my hand. Still, I probably will always try and go to one of their
concerts.
Ultimately, every album fills
a space in my life, providing me with a touchstone to that time and the
events I was living through. It will be interesting to see what memories
the future release of Before the Robots will give me.
Better Than Ezra will always remain one of my favorite bands, and one
of the most important and influential of my life.
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