|
|
 |
|||
|
IN THIS ISSUE:
2005 Mardi Gras Review & More! Meet Robert Vaughn, "Surprise" Engineer What Lurks Below - News from Oz The 4th Annual The Bootlog Fan Profile - An Ezralite Couple BTE is the Winning Bet at the Seminole Hard Rock Another Ezralite Halloween Meet Stattica / GCB Lights Up With Cigarette
News & Links TTOY Hall of Fame Cowbell Hall of Fame BTE Impressions
Volume 2
|
FAN PROFILE: Tobi and Jim. There aren't many married couples out there who share the same passion for Better than Ezra, but there are a few. The Serenade thought it might be interesting to get the married perspective on Better than Ezra from Tobi and Jim, two married Wisconsin Ezralites. If you got to show in Wisconsin or Illinois you've probably run into them at one time or another over the years. In this interview, Tobi and Jim tell us all about their passion for BTE and fill us in on one very memorable 2003 live show in Naperville, IL. Read on! Names:
Tobi and Jim.
How and when did you become a BTE fans? As soon as they came onstage, I was hooked. The sound, the energy, the hotness... Wait, Jim's right there, isn't he? *sheepish grin* Jim had already seen them once, a year earlier. He said that we should wait after the show, and the band would probably come out and meet us. I was like, "Yeah, RIGHT! BTE is coming out into the freezing cold to sign my cd's, you're full of it." When they actually came out, I was blown away. They were all so incredibly nice, and Kevin and actually remembered the conversation he and Jim had begun in Madison on the last tour! As he was signing our things, there was a girl who was probably 11 or 12 behind him, with her dad. She was trying to get Kevin's attention to sign her poster. I motioned to Kevin to look behind him, and he turned to her and said, "What can I do for you?" She blushed seven shades of crimson, said that she'd like his autograph, and Kevin responded, "I'd be HONORED." He must have spent 20 minutes talking and laughing with this girl and her father. Then and there, I just knew I'd invested emotionally in the right band, and that I'd be a fan for life! Jim - When I was in college, I had a subscription to a now-defunct music magazine called "huH." Maybe some of you remember it. Anyway, for something like 7 bucks a month, these guys sent a package containing pretty decent monthly music magazine, along with a CD full of new music from emerging artists, as well as a VHS tape (Hey, it was '95) full of music videos. I really dug it. Anyway, one fateful month, the videocassette full of videos included "In The Blood." I'd heard "Good" like everyone else and really liked it, but this video was what snared me. It was the first time I'd actually SEEN the band. And, in an era of ersatz, flannel-clad pseudo-emotion, it was obvious that these guys weren't faking. They MEANT IT. Between Kevin beating his head against the wall in frustration, and Tom hiding in half-shadow behind a curtain of hair, I saw a band that perfectly blended the confusion, insecurity, and defiance endemic to the zeitgeist. Plus, you could sing along. Perfect. A few weeks later, I heard through the grapevine that these guys were playing at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison, WI. I wanted to go, but honestly, I'm not sure I would have had the resolve to commit to the pilgrimage in my ancient, wheezing Beetle had I not wanted to see their openers, the Dambuilders, just as much (The Dambuilders had had a video on the same cassette). So I went, and stood in the spot I've occupied for every BTE show since: Directly in front of Tom, elbows on the stage. And I was blown away. Simply blown away. There's simply no other way to put it. So, after the show, I casually wandered around the back of the building, and bumped into Joan Wasser, violinist for the Dambuilders. I told her how much I'd enjoyed the show, and that I was a fan, and I started asking her where I might be able to find some of their older, independent recordings. She was really nice, and write down some names of labels on the back of my ticket stub. Just as I was thanking her and walking away, I saw Kevin and Tom come out of the stage door, carrying their instrument cases. I casually strolled up, and struck up a conversation. Just like anyone who's ever had the opportunity to meet the gentlemen of BTE, I found them warm, funny, and accommodating. I found myself lucky enough to receive the first of many autographs and photos with the band that night. I remember asking Tom some equipment questions pertaining to his bass setup, and I remember telling Kevin that, based on that performance, they'd surely made several lifetime fans. He laughed, and said, "I hope you're right." I was right... In at least one case I can confirm. Now, forty shows later, every time I leave a BTE show, I immediately start looking forward to the next. Anyone who's been to one, or several (and if you haven't, what are you waiting for?) knows exactly what I'm talking about. (As an interesting, trivia-ish side note, Kevin once told me that The Dambuilders' drummer, Kevin March, was the only other guy besides Travis they auditioned for the drum throne when Cary left the band. Obviously, we're happy with their choice. Still, Kevin March is a hell of a drummer, and he's doing just fine... Since The Dambuilders called it quits, he's been playing with Guided by Voices.)
|
Where was your most memorable live show, and why was it so good
(uh-huh)?
Jim - Tobi and I had planned to go to this show for awhile...We always do our utmost to go to any show that plays in Wisconsin, or an immediately neighboring state. So we made the drive, and as planned, we came in early to meet a friend and fellow BTE fan from Iowa at a Tex-Mex place in Naperville before the show to catch dinner. We got to the restaurant, asked for a seat in non-smoking, and the hostess led us to the far back corner... and sat us directly next to Kevin, Tom, Travis and Jim! They spotted us before we even spotted them, and struck up a conversation. Kevin asked if we were in town for the show, and I just shrugged and said, "No. We're just here for dinner. Didn't even know you guys were playing tonight." Har, har. They were just finishing up, and so we made some small talk, and let 'em eat. When they left, we all said we'd see each other at the show. So, we get to the show, and, of course, it was awesome. But, halfway through, Tobi and I had gotten kinda squeezed out of our usual "place" at the front of the stage. I mean, it's silly...but as I previously intimated, every show we've ever seen, we wind up directly against the stage immediately in front of Tom. And this time was no exception. But with all of the people at that show, we'd gotten jostled around a bit, and kind of shoved back. It was a little irritating, but I was hardly gonna get angry about it. Still, when I felt a tap on my shoulder, I WAS ready to get upset...thinking someone else was gonna try to get in front of us. But when I turned around, it was Kevin Spellman, BTE's tour manager. He said, "Travis wants to know if you guys want to watch the show from backstage." I had to think about it for a full eighth of a second. So I grab Tobi, and say "Come with me." She protests... But I give her the "serious" face, and say "TRUST ME." So, Mr. Spellman leads us to the edge of the crowd, through the security gate, up the stairs, and sits us right at the rear-left corner of the stage! Before he left, he said, "Travis just thought you guys would be more comfortable here." Well, YEAH! So we look over at Travis, and he's grinning like the Cheshire cat. So, we watched the last half of the show from onstage! From that stage there were literally people as far as the eye could see. They stretched away from the stage, and up and over a hill, with no end in sight. Easily, the most I've ever seen at an Ezra show, and that's saying something. Mind-blowing. After the show, security wasn't quick to kick us out, so we would up shootin' the breeze with the opening act The Connells, who turned out to be as nice as they were talented. They told us they were going to this karaoke bar across town, and wanted to know if we wanted to come. Again, a no-brainer. So, we go to this bar, and we're having beer with the Connells waiting for the DJ to call the songs we signed up for. They call Tobi, and she'd barely started her song when in walks BTE. She finishes her song, goes to the bar, and runs into Tom... Tobi - "Hi. We are SO not stalking you." Long story longer, both Tobi and I wound up getting compliments on our performances from our favorite musicians as we shared drinks with them. Life just doesn't get any better than that, folks. It just doesn't. As a fun side note, Kevin was all bummed that they didn't have any BTE songs in the book. How out-there would it have been for him to be able to do a karaoke version of "At The Stars", or something? I told him that this was honestly the first karaoke bar I'd ever been to that didn't have at least a few BTE songs in it, which is completely true. Ah, well. Anyway, none of us stayed long...But it was still a truly surreal, chock-full kind of a day! It started with dinner, then continued through the gig, then well after for goofy karaoke and drinks. What could be better?
What's the best live BTE song? And your favorite cover? Best cover - I really miss "When Doves Cry", that was a fave. Jim got to see Kevin sing "Natural Woman" in Madison in 1995, I am so jealous of that one! Jim - Best live song - I tend to favor the ones that BTE doesn't, for one reason or another, pull out as frequently. I love the standards as much as anyone, but when they dust off "Pull", "R3wind", "Long Lost", or "I Do", I know I'm seeing something special. I really enjoyed the recent spate of shows that opened with "Particle," also. Cover song - Tobi's right... At that very first show in Madison, being as the gents were only working off of one album's worth of material, there were covers aplenty. I remember "When Doves Cry." But I also remember seeing something I haven't seen since - Kevin's heartfelt rendition of "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman". What impressed me most was that he didn't camp it up, wink, or sing it like it was a joke. He just poured his heart into it, and played it straight. Which is, of course, a hell of a lot funnier. It was great. Still, any time these guys apply their talents to someone else's material, it just shows their depth. I've enjoyed "Love Is Stronger Than Death" recently, as well as "Sympathy For The Devil."
Are you a bootleg collector? What's your favorite? Jim - Do "Surprise" and "Chime Street Demo" count as bootlegs? I mean, they were never widely released, so I'm guessing they do. I enjoy both of those. We also have a few live discs that we've traded for in order to get some of the more uncommon tracks. I do believe someone recently passed along to us the 11-16-00 L.A. HOB show that includes "Tell Me Something", as well as the 03-06-04 Irving Plaza, NY show that contains both "Simple Song" and "In A Little While". Obviously, since neither of those two made the Robots cut, it's great to have recordings of them! In any case, I'll only boot it if I can't buy it. If something's available for purchase, I'll pick it up. It's just the right thing to do. However, in the case of rare and unreleased tracks that can't be bought anywhere, I'll download or boot the hell out of 'em. Which BTE opening band would you recommend and why? Jim - Me, too. I've also really liked Troubled Hubble, Alice Peacock, and Bottle of Justus. What other bands do you like? Jim - Queen, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Moody Blues, Ben Folds (Five), Barenaked Ladies, Stone Temple Pilots, Cake, Bic Runga, Collective Soul, Counting Crows, Cowboy Mouth, Down The Line, Jellyfish, Live, Maroon 5, Soul Asylum, Presidents of the United States of America, The Sundays, They Might Be Giants, Train, U2. Thanks for a great interview, Tobi and Jim. Let's hope you get to your next BTE show very soon! |
||
