Tan. Catalog Number: LP-RGM-1829C Color: Brown Format: LP UPC: 848064018292 Better Than Ezra's third studio album 'Friction Baby' is available here on LP. Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock band from New Orleans. They formed in 1988 in Baton Rouge and the current band consists of Kevin Griffin (vocals and guitar), Tom Drummond (bass) and Michael Jerome (drums). The band has issued 8 studio albums from 1988 to present. They are best known for their 1993 platinum album, "Deluxe" and the single "Good" from 1995, which hit #1 on the Hot Modern Rocks Tracks charts. The four original members - Griffin, Drummond, drummer Cary Bonnecaze and guitarist Joel Rundell formed when they all attended Louisiana State University. The band refuses to disclose the origin of its name although many theories continue to float around. The band circulated a demo tape in 1988 called the Chimes Street demo. While not official, the demo is sought after by fans and traded by collectors. In 1990 they released the cassette-only album, "Surprise." Tragedy hit the band in 1990, when their lead guitarist, Joel Rundell committed suicide on August 8 of that year. The band took some time off but reunited as a three piece at the end of the year and played house parties and colleges across the South. They released their first nationally-distributed album, "Deluxe," in 1993 on Swell Records which ended up helping to gain the attention of major labels and radio. The band signed with Elektra Records in 1995 and the label rereleased Deluxe in 1995 and the single, "Good," reached #1 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart which helped get the album to platinum status by the end of the year. Success came fast and furious. Tom Drummond was later quoted as saying, "It took us seven years to get signed and then seven weeks to get to #1." After the success of "Deluxe," drummer Cary Bonnecaze left and was replaced by Travis McNabb. Better Than Ezra released their second major label album, "Friction Baby," in 1996 and the record produced the hits "Desperately Wanting," and "King of New Orleans." Although not as commercially successful as "Deluxe," but as of 1999 has sold 500,000 copies.