The Daily Times

Tomes have been written about the origins of various band names over the years, and few generate as much discussion as the genesis of modern rock outfit Better Than Ezra.

Over the years, bassist and founding member Tom Drummond told The Daily Times this week, speculation has given the band as much exposure in some cases as the alternative radio hits they generated in the mid-1990s. Groups like the Rolling Stones will get a few paragraphs in a band name book; Better Than Ezra gets a page and a half, with speculation and discussion about the meaning of the name reported far and wide.

Those reports, however, are greatly exaggerated, Drummond said.

“It’s funny, because even the wives don’t really know,” he said. “Here’s the deal — we had a show, and we didn’t have a name until we had to come up with something on the spot. And it was something we just happened to be doing at the time. We had no idea it would even stick; it was just better than saying, ‘We’re the blank,’ or whatever. And now we’ve made it as far as being a ‘Jeopardy!’ clue and in the USA Today crossword puzzle.”

Of course, a name alone doesn’t get a rock ‘n’ roll band the acclaim that Better Than Ezra has enjoyed over the years. The music — specifically the catchy rock off of 1995’s “Deluxe” album, including the single “Good,” which was harder than pop but not as angst-ridden or dour as the grunge craze a few years earlier — has always been quality stuff, and that’s endeared the band to a legion of fans over the past two decades. They may not be selling out arenas, Drummond said, but they’ve got a following that’s dedicated and loyal.

“We’ve been real fortunate in that we’ve been able to maintain the fans we grew up with and the new generation as well,” he said. “One of the things we wanted to do is to keep in real close touch with the fans. We answer emails on the website, take song requests and we still do all that, and I genuinely think it’s one of the reasons we’re around 22 years later.

“There are so many things vying for your attention, so when you give back a little bit to the fans it goes a long way. We do meet-and-greets at every show, and sometimes on tour we hold little contests for fans. We’re always coming up with ideas for ways to keep the fans involved.”

The band formed in 1988 in New Orleans, but it took seven years before “Deluxe” put the group on the national radar. By the end of 1995, however, the album had sold more than 1 million copies, and “Good” was a No. 1 single. Although subsequent records did well — “Friction, Baby” in 1996 and “How Does Your Garden Grow?” in 1999 were critical hits, in particular — they didn’t approach the sales success of “Deluxe,” but the band wasn’t crushed, Drummond said.

“We’d been a band for seven years before ‘Good’ hit, so it wasn’t like it just happened overnight for us,” he said. “The whole time, we were touring and working constantly, in the middle of riding that wave, and in the meantime, we had been working on that next record.”

It’s been two years since the band’s last studio effort, “Paper Empire,” and while there’s been talk of a follow-up, Drummond and vocalist/guitarist Kevin Griffin (who are joined by drummer Michael Jerome, who came to the fold in 2009) have numerous side projects that take up their time as well. They love the band and the fans, but it’s not the only project that engages them artistically, Drummond said.

“I’m producing in New Orleans, and Kevin is writing songs with people like Carrie Underwood,” he said. “We just have to figure out what we want to do and literally take a month off to get together and do it. It’s definitely time for a new album; we’re both just so busy doing other stuff. But that’s a good problem to have.”

In the meantime, occasional tours — such as the current one that brings them to East Tennessee next week — will have to suffice. And that’s also a good problem to have, he added.

“We love playing a show, and I think it’s just transferable from us to the audience,” he said. “If we’re having a good time, they’re having a good time. We’re not gimmicky; the songs are solid, because we believe in a strong melody and catchy chorus. That’s just what we do.”

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