Kevin Griffin, frontman of Better Than Ezra, recently reflected on an extraordinary encounter from his teenage years. In 1982, the then-15-year-old Louisiana native and his friend Joel Rundell orchestrated a meeting with two members of legendary progressive rock band Rush at a local hotel. Armed with arcade quarters and youthful audacity, the pair waited in the Holiday Inn’s video game area until band members Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee emerged from the building.
When the musicians found themselves without transportation, Griffin made an unexpected offer: a ride in his battered 1978 Honda Civic hatchback, which he had humorously named the Green Barchetta after Rush’s song “Red Barchetta.” Despite the vehicle’s cluttered condition and humble appearance, the band members accepted. During the drive through Monroe, Louisiana, the group visited a health-food store and a sporting goods shop, where Griffin and Rundell’s friend Jim Payne witnessed the surreal scene unfold.
The encounter culminated in an arrangement that rewarded the teenagers’ boldness and courtesy. When the musicians needed their newly purchased tennis rackets delivered to the concert venue that afternoon, they offered Griffin and Rundell backstage access to the show. Four decades later, Griffin described the experience as a transformative moment that shaped his musical journey before he eventually launched Better Than Ezra.
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
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