The Making of Mr Jones: How Counting Crows Developed Their Defining Anthem

Adam Duritz Recalls the Beginnings

Our first four records were primarily recorded in houses situated in the hills above Los Angeles. Their debut major label album signified a major milestone for the band, as it was their inaugural release on a major label. We each received an upfront payment of $3,000; with it, I to purchase a classic red convertible and drove it to LA.

Each day, my routine included by listening to a Poco track, which sounds like the Beatles exploring country music. Additionally, I frequently played a jazz record that my father had picked up as a complimentary item at a gas station when I was young.

Mr Jones was included on a demo that we submitted to labels, but it was a challenging song to complete. We didn’t have a solid grasp at first. Neither a slow ballad nor a straight ahead rock song; instead, it gallops along, demanding a deep understanding to play. The style is soulful – more akin to the Stax Records style than folk.

Our drummer struggled to grasp the song as the rest of us did – thus the producer brought in one of his idols to play it.

We looked at a few production candidates, but when I discussed things with the producer, he really understand where the band was headed. We had great potential, but I wasn’t satisfied with our overall tone – we hadn’t learned how to be a band. Eliminated all the synths and effects pedals. The drummer had trouble with the tempo, so the producer invited a renowned drummer, one of Steve’s favorites, to lay down the drums. It’s a funny story, but it was hard on Steve back then.

Marty Jones and I had played in groups together prior to Counting Crows. Marty’s dad, a flamenco musician, had made it in Spain and was back in the San Francisco area doing a series of shows. We went one of his performances and spent the night with the musicians bar-hopping. Next day, I returned and composed Mr Jones. The lyrics reflect our experience that evening, wishing we were accomplished artists so we could talk to the girls more confidently.

I believe, it’s among the finest pieces I’ve ever written. We performed Round Here on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the record climbed 40 spots weekly for five or six weeks. Afterwards, the song turned into a major success.

David Immerglück Recalls His Perspective

Back in the 80s, the band members were sharing a space in a industrial building in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with another band and was in an offshoot band called Monks of Doom.

One evening, I found Adam with a fresh recording he’d created with Bryson. He played me this track called Mr Jones. It was done with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that sounded like a video game or popcorn popping, but his vocals were exceptional.

Once T Bone took over, it was a complete transformation of Counting Crows. The approach toward roots influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.

I got a call from Adam saying, “Listen, can you join us and contribute to this album?” When I arrived, the producer had relocated us to a studio in Encino, Los Angeles – previously used by Tito Jackson. Inside, we found instruments that Bob Dylan had just recorded on.

He told me to play my guitar slightly behind the beat. He said, “Playing too fast ahead of the drums makes you sound like an adolescent hurrying.” He has a southern accent, and his advice was to imagine putting your feet up on the mixing board and chewing gum during the performance.

Counting Crows was, to an extent, a reaction to grunge. Kurt Cobain’s death seemed the culmination. Back then, many used heroin. The aim was self-destruction, not mind expansion. The nihilism had reached an extreme, and the pendulum swung toward something emotional and heartfelt. Their music combined folk and rock with a heavy dose of soulful vibes.

Mr Jones never gets old. Sometimes, when I am rocking out with the singer, I recall that moment when he played me the demo. It’s insane.