“You can never accuse Better Than Ezra of being a shoegazer band,” frontman/songwriter Kevin Griffin says. “Our show is a lot of fun, and it’s entertaining, whether we’re getting people onstage to play our instruments or I’m using a digital sampler out in the crowd to sample phrases people are saying to me and then mix it into a song, There’s usually something different that we’re gonna do in addition to a different set list every night when you come and see us. That’s our mantra — we put on a great show.”Formed in 1988 in New Orleans and broke out in a big way with the 1995 release of the major label album “Deluxe”. Over the ensuing years, the band has not rested on its laurels. Says Griffin: “I think the reason we’ve been able to stick around as long as we have is that we’re all bringing in new influences into the band. Whether I’m listening to a Friendly Fires album or MGMT or the new Raconteurs, you’re gonna hear that in our music.”
While the origin of the band name remains a well-kept secret, the seemingly mysterious title of Better Than Ezra’s latest project, “Paper Empire”, speaks right to the heart of a world asking a lot of questions and ultimately discovering the things worth holding onto. “I was drawn to that phrase Paper Empire,” Griffin explains. “It seemed apropos given the current economic woes and where we are right now. Most of these institutions in your life— whether it’s love, relationships, your belief system, religious convictions, or politics—are pretty fragile when it comes down to it. There’s a really precarious nature to everything that you hold dear in your life. If you recognize that, you're more likely to do a better job taking care of it.”
Better Than Ezra will be at the Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Wednesday November 17, 2010.
