Editing Better Than Ezra (section)

=== 1996–2000 ===
After ''Deluxe''{{'s}} major label release, original drummer Cary Bonnecaze left the band in 1996.<ref name=cbs /> He was replaced by drummer [[Travis McNabb]],<ref name=cbs /> formerly of the band [[Vigilantes of Love]], who was tapped to play on the band's upcoming album, ''[[Friction Baby|Friction, Baby]]''.<ref name="Larkin"/> Bonnecaze's departure set off a series of lawsuits and counter-suits between Bonnecaze and Better Than Ezra.<ref name=cnn /> Bonnecaze, who took his suit to the [[United States District Court]] in New Orleans, argued that the band owed him money "based on his role in fortifying the band's [[reputation]]," according to ''[[Rolling Stone]]''.<ref name=rs>{{cite magazine |title=Really Randoms: Oasis, Beck, David Bowie |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5926177/really_randoms_oasis_beck_david_bowie |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=August 11, 1999 |access-date=August 20, 2009}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> He asked for approximately $1 million in damages.<ref name=rs /> A settlement was reached between the band and Bonnecaze on August 5, 1999.<ref name=rs /> The exact terms of the settlement were not released at the time, though Better Than Ezra's manager John Isbell was quoted as saying that Bonnecaze received "way less" than the one million dollars he had originally requested.<ref name=rs />

Better Than Ezra released their second major label album, ''[[Friction, Baby]]'', in 1996 through Elektra Records.<ref name="Larkin"/> The album produced the hits "[[Desperately Wanting]]" and "[[King of New Orleans]]".  ''Friction, Baby'' was not as commercially successful as ''Deluxe'', but has sold almost 500,000 units as of 1999.<ref name=cnn />

The trio began work on their third major release, ''[[How Does Your Garden Grow?]]'', soon after the end of touring for ''Friction, Baby''. The album was recorded between mid-January and late-April at a studio in New Orleans.<ref name=rollings>{{cite magazine |first=Blair R. |last=Fischer |title=Better Than Ezra Going Gardening |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/betterthanezra/articles/story/5918443/better_than_ezra_going_gardening |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=June 26, 1998 |access-date=August 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515001704/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/betterthanezra/articles/story/5918443/better_than_ezra_going_gardening |archive-date=May 15, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The album was produced by [[record producer]] [[Malcolm Burn]], who had formerly produced Iggy Pop and U2,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Knopper |first1=Steve |title=Better than Ezra Cultivates New Sounds for Elektra's 'Garden'. |journal=Billboard: The International Newsweekly of Music, Video and Home Entertainment |date=July 25, 1998 |volume=110 |issue=30 |pages=12–12, 15 |id={{ProQuest |978688}}}}</ref> and released on August 25, 1998.<ref name=rollings /> The album was described as "experimental" and a significant departure from their previous two albums.<ref name=cnn /> Griffin described the album in 1998 as "guitar driven ... rhythmic."<ref name=rollings /> Likewise, Tom Drummond described the band's thinking on its third major album, "We thought the third album was a very important record, because generally a band either makes or breaks on the third record. We wanted it to be a record that didn't necessarily sound like what people expected."<ref name=cnn /> Despite the emphasis on guitar experimentation, two tracks, "One More Murder" and "Je ne m'en souviens pas" contain no guitars.<ref name=rollings />

The [[Single (music)|single]] "At the Stars" debuted, and peaked, at number 78 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref name=cnn /> The band was dropped by Elektra Records following the release of ''[[How Does Your Garden Grow?]]'' in 1999.<ref name=battalion />