Adam Duritz Remembers the Early Days
The initial four records were primarily recorded in homes located in the foothills above Los Angeles. August and Everything After signified a significant step for the band, as it was their first release on a major label. We each got an upfront payment of $3,000; I used mine to buy a classic red convertible and drove it to LA.
Every morning, my routine included by listening to a Poco track, which sounds like the Beatles exploring American folk. Also, I frequently played a jazz record that my father had picked up as a free giveaway at a Texaco station when I was young.
The song Mr Jones was part of a demo tape that we sent to labels, but it was a very difficult song to complete. It lacked a solid grasp at first. Neither a slow ballad or a straight ahead rock song; instead, it gallops along, demanding a real feel to play. The style is soulful – more akin to the Memphis soul sound than country.
The band’s drummer struggled to grasp the track like the others did – thus the producer brought in one of his heroes to perform on it.
We considered a few production candidates, but when I discussed things with T Bone Burnett, he really understand where the group was headed. We had great potential, but I wasn’t satisfied with our overall tone – we hadn’t learned how to be a band. We removed all the synthesizers and guitar effects. Our drummer Steve Bowman had trouble with the song’s rhythm, so the producer called in a renowned drummer, one of Steve’s heroes, to play on it. It’s a funny story, but it was hard on Steve at the time.
My best friend Marty and I had played in groups together before Counting Crows. His father, a flamenco musician, had made it in Spain and was back in the Bay Area doing a series of shows. We went one of his shows and spent the night with the musicians visiting bars. Next day, I returned and composed the song. It’s about me and Marty that night, wishing we were accomplished artists so we could talk to the women more confidently.
I believe, it’s among the finest songs I’ve composed. We performed another track on SNL in 1994, the album climbed 40 spots each week for five or six weeks. Following that, Mr Jones became a major success.
David Immerglück Recalls His Memories
Back in the 80s, Adam, David Bryson, and I were living together in a warehouse complex in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with another band and was in an offshoot band called Monks of Doom.
Returning home one night, I found Adam with a new demo he’d just done with Bryson. I heard this track called the now-famous tune. Recorded with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that sounded like a video game or random noise, but his vocals were exceptional.
Once T Bone took over, it was a complete transformation of Counting Crows. The approach back to basics echoing folk and soul legends.
I got a call from Adam saying, “Listen, can you come down and contribute to this album?” When I arrived, the producer had moved us to a studio in Encino, Los Angeles – previously used by Tito Jackson. Inside, we found guitars that Dylan had recently used.
T Bone instructed me to play my guitar slightly behind the drums. His words were, “Playing too fast before the drums makes you sound like an teenager hurrying.” With his southern accent, and his advice was to visualize putting your feet up on the mixing board and staying casual while playing.
Counting Crows was, in some ways, a reaction to the grunge movement. Kurt Cobain’s death seemed the culmination. At the time, many used heroin. The aim was obliteration, not enlightenment. The nihilism had gone too far, and the pendulum swung toward something emotional and sincere. Counting Crows blended acoustic and electric with a strong influence of Van Morrison soul.
Mr Jones remains timeless. On stage, when performing with the singer, I remember that moment when he first shared the early version. Absolutely incredible.
