What does it take to become a successful rock band? For the alterna-pop group Better Than Ezra, which will be performing Tuesday night at the Newport Music Hall, it took nine years of perseverance and a little improvising. Better Than Ezra was born in 1988 when singer/guitarist Kevin Griffin and former drummer Cary Bonnecaze (Travis McNabb is the current drummer) put out a want ad for a bass player. They took the first person to answer the ad, Tom Drummond.With its members in place, the band’s next hurdle was to play its first gig. Better than Ezra accomplished this by using some good old American ingenuity. They fabricated the band’s name and identity to fill an open night at Murphy’s, a Baton Rouge club where frontman Kevin Griffin was working. Fortunately for Kevin, the band was good enough for him to keep his job.From there the band began playing at small bars, parties, and frat houses, anywhere they could, sometimes only making enough money to cover gas to and from the show.”There is no substitute for just getting in a van and going, playing night in/night out.” Griffin said. “It’s the only way to become a tight band.”Better Than Ezra began recording their first album, “Deluxe,” at friend and producer Dan Rothchild’s home studio. Due to the studio size, the guitar portions of the album had to be recorded in what Rothchild has called the “mobile units.” Mobile one was Rothchild’s jeep, Mobile two was the band’s ’82 Dodge van. “I guess the sonic qualities of shag carpeting were such that we got these great guitar tones.” Griffin said.The shag-mobile recording got the attention of Elektra Records, who signed the band in 1995.Better Than Ezra released its first major label debut, “Friction, baby”, last year.So where did the band come up with its unusual name? It’s from page 78 of Hemingway’s “Papa tome, A Moveable Feast.” “Anything was better than Ezra learning to play the bassoon…”Better Than Ezra will be performing at the Newport Tuesday. The Boo Radleys will kick things off at 7 p.m.; tickets are $13.50 in advance, $15 at the door.