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IN THIS ISSUE:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5 More Pics & Reviews
Page 13
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16 HAVE YOU SEEN THE MAP OF EZRA? MISSED THE DEBUT EDITION OF THE SERENADE? CLICK HERE MISSED THE MAY EDITION?
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FAN PROFILE: EZRAJEN. EzraJen has volunteered to be the subject of the SERENADE's Fan Profile for this edition. Each profile includes some basic information about the fan and follow-up questions about their BTE and related experiences. Name: Jennifer G.
Where was your most memorable live show, and why was it so good
(uh-huh)? KG is such a great frontman both in front of AND not in front of the mic. The on-stage antics were most entertaining during the Saturday night show. I wish that Graham Colton would open at those shows again this year. The "Sympathy for the Devil" collaboration of the two bands blew my mind. What's the best live BTE song? And your favorite cover? Are you a bootleg collector? What's your favorite? Which BTE opening band would you recommend and why?
What other bands do you really like? What BTE song do you wish would "come back?"
Anything else you'd like to share with your fellow Ezralites? Thanks for sharing with us Jen, you rock!! Editor’s Note: If you would like to suggest a fan to profile for future editions (a profile of yourself included), please email your suggestion to ED@streetserenade.com. GLOBAL BTE: Editor's Note: This edition of the SERENADE features a profile of Paul Galagher, an Australian Ezralite. Paul tells us a little bit about himself and how he got to Here she tells us a little bit about her world and how she became a fan of the band. My name is Paul Galagher, and I just turned 23. I live in a town called the Gold Coast (Australia), but spend the best part of the week in the city of Brisbane (1hour drive away). I'm a musician/songwriter, and I also do work in graphic & web design. I have had a slightly unhealthy obsession with the music of BTE for about 5 years now. I first heard "Good" back in it's release days and liked the song heaps, but I was too consumed in writing to really take enough notice of the band... until I heard the song "Desperately Wanting" on my radio. This song blew me away, and I had just started work in a music store so I spent the next 6 months wearing out the store's copies of Friction Baby and Deluxe, as well as my own copies at home. |
I first logged onto the BTE website when the Billboard (I loved that old site) was promoting At the Stars as the new single. Before this I had no idea that HDYGG? existed, due to a shameful lack of support by the Australian record industry. I then went and purchased HDYGG? (at which point I was going through a bad break-up) and this cd turned my life upside down! It was like I had discovered a new religion. I started keeping track of the band via the website and joined an e-group list where I met a lovely young ezralite who goes by the name Taperkat. She sent me a whole bunch of bootlegs from live shows, and was even kind enough to send me a copy of Closer (signed I might add!) as I was unable to buy the record in Australia.
I had already downloaded a few of the tunes, but the record still blew my socks off... as expected. It was not long after this that I came to the conclusion that I would be taking a big risk waiting for the band to tour down under, due to the lack of support from the Oz music industry (which is pretty piss poor in general). So I decided I had to see BTE in the flesh before I die, so I traveled half way around the world just to see 'em play live. I wanted to see 'em play in their home town, and I had read so much about the band doing Jazzfest over the years, so when the dates were announced for the 2002 jazzfest shows I immediately booked my plane ticket. I had never left the country before so it was a pretty big step to go the USA by myself - and $4,000(AUD) is a lot of money for a broke muso!
The first show, HOB May 2, was amazing! Even more amazing than I imagined! Hearing the 'Al Green' version of Porcelain for the first time was an experience I'll never forget. Waiting in the front row for a couple of hours also gave me a chance to meet 2 really cool people (Corinne & Jennie) who after the show joined me in chasing down Tom & Kevin to let them know I'd flown for 22hours to see BTE. They were way cool and very down to earth! The jazzfest show at the Fairgrounds (May 4) was a shorter set but still amazing. Some girls in the front were highly amused at my accent... which I still don't understand. After the set I was forced to make half the journey to the night show @ Tipitina's on foot due to the shortage of cabs, but I managed to make it to the venue about 10mins after doors opened which gave me just enough time to score a spot up the front. After opening with Briefly, I knew this show was going to be special. It was this show that the band played TTOY and began to ask the crowd for some "audience participa-shon"... Kevin recognized me with my arms in the air yelling "pick me" and seemed a bit unsure at first, but decided to get me up anyways. The adrenaline at the moment was comparable to nothing I have, or will experience! Having played guitar since I was 13, I started playing some solo licks over Tom's bass lines. The look on Kevin's face was unbelievable... and he proceeded to tell the crowd about how I chased him down the street 2 nights ago. We jammed the song out for a while, with KG doing all his favorite skits ("Whole World" and "Debra")... then when it came time for the final G chord ending... KG turns to me, and back to the crowd and says "he's like a little Aussie Slash..." so I took that as a cue, and started playing "Sweet Child O' Mine"... Kevin ordered the band to follow and I swear to God from onstage it looked like the entire room was bouncing up & down with the music! We got half way through the song and just did a big rock ending. I stumbled off the stage with disbelief and watched the rest of the show from side-of-stage. They ended the show with WWOZ which everyone seemed to be pleasantly surprised about (as was I).
Afterwards I got to hang with the boys and meet their families etc, which was a total spin-out! When I told them that I was flying to Atlanta to see BTE at the Music Midtown Fest the next day for my last show of the trip, they asked me to join them onstage again... by then I was desperately in need of dry underwear. After 2 hrs sleep, I flew to Atlanta and I was blown out by the size of this Festival. It was awesome. The wait for BTE was made less painful by copious amounts of Margaritas & Beers. The set was much shorter being a festival gig, but the boys got me up and we did it all again!!! After the gig the boys got me very drunk as we watched Journey close the show on the 96rock stage. I got to hang with the band & crew all night at a very 'special' club where the boys looked after me in a ridiculously generous way! Thus concluded the greatest 4 days of my life, and I am forever in their debt. Click here to hear Pauly's TTOY Performance, and here for a little bit of "Sweet Child o' Mine." After returning home, I got to hook up with heaps of cool ezralites via the message board, and even found one in Brissie (Go Lexie!), and of course, the one and only English Dave. Better Than Ezra has had a huge impact on my life and I wouldn't want to imagine life without their music. BTE fans are the best fans I've ever met, everyone is so loving and respectful of the band and it's a pleasure to be a part of the ezralite community. I am continuously spreading the word of BTE throughout my "circle of friends" and have converted quite a few people into ezralites. Other artists that are in my favorites list include RemyZero, Spacehog, Ben Harper, Gn'R, Audioslave, Interpol, Powderfinger, Time, Led Zeppelin, silverchair, and a shit load more... but none of them top BTE! Thanks sharing this incredible story with us, Pauly. Information on Pauly's new band "Mofo" will be online soon at http://mofonet.com
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