Interview with Better Than Ezra: Better Than Solo

Have you been talking with anyone from the most recent American Idol?

For Kris Allen? We just contacted the A&R people and that’s all just kind of getting put together. So we’re talking with the Kris Allen people, the Adam Lambert people and the Allison Iraheta people.

Having people seek your talent out for songwriting must be some sort of artistic validation.

It’s definitely cool and fun. It’s good for me because I love playing in the band but, at the end of the last album in 2007 and after touring for it, I mean, I’ve got a family now so I want to do something where I can be at home and not always on the road, so writing and producing for other people allows me to do that. And I’m also able to get together with Ezra during the summer so it’s really cool that writing allows me to do that.

I know the band has had notable success in the past but maybe people don’t realize you’ve been at this for quite some time, since 1988.

Our first practice was in ’88 and we kind of took a couple years off in ’90 and ’91. I finished college and was kind of just traveling around, but yeah, since our first rehearsal we’ve never broken up. We’ve been around that long-it’s crazy-21 years!

You’ve never broken up but have been through your share of trials as a band.

We’ve been through some trials, losing a member and that sort of thing. But this is something we enjoy doing with people we like working with. I’ve never been the kind of person who quits things. I do everything for the long run and as long as it’s fun and everyone gets along.