The Creation of Mr Jones: How Counting Crows Crafted Their Signature Song

Adam Duritz Remembers the Early Days

The initial albums were primarily recorded in homes located in the foothills above Los Angeles. Their debut major label album marked a major milestone for the band, as it was their first release on a large record company. We each received an advance of $3,000; with it, I to purchase a classic red convertible and traveled to LA.

Every morning, my routine included by playing Pickin’ Up the Pieces by Poco, which sounds like the Beatles venturing into American folk. Additionally, I frequently played a Benny Goodman album 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 that we submitted to record companies, but it was a very difficult track to finish. It lacked a clear direction at first. It’s not a leisurely tune nor a straight ahead number; rather, it moves with a rhythm, demanding a deep understanding to perform. The style is soulful – more akin to the Memphis soul style than country.

Our drummer struggled to grasp the track as the rest of us did – thus the producer enlisted one of his idols to perform on it.

We considered several producers, but when I spoke with the producer, he seemed to get where the band was at. There was great potential, but I didn’t like with our overall tone – we hadn’t learned how to be a band. We removed all the synthesizers and effects pedals. Our drummer Steve Bowman couldn’t sync with the tempo, so the producer invited Denny Fongheiser, one of Steve’s favorites, to play on it. Looking back, it’s amusing, but it was tough on Steve at the time.

Marty Jones and I performed in bands together before Counting Crows. His father, a flamenco musician, had made it in Spain and was back in the San Francisco area performing a tour. We went one of his performances and hung out with the flamenco troupe visiting bars. Next day, I returned and wrote Mr Jones. The lyrics reflect me and Marty that night, wishing we were cool musicians so we could connect with the women more confidently.

I believe, it’s among the finest songs I’ve ever written. We performed Round Here on SNL in 1994, the album climbed 40 spots each week for five or six weeks. Afterwards, Mr Jones became a major success.

David Immerglück Shares His Perspective

In the late 1980s, Adam, David Bryson, and I were sharing a space in a industrial building in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with another band and had an side project called Monks of Doom.

One evening, I found Adam with a fresh recording he’d just done with Bryson. I heard this song called the now-famous tune. 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 total reinvention of Counting Crows. The approach back to basics echoing folk and soul legends.

Adam called me asking, “Hey, man, can you join us and contribute to this album?” When I got there, T Bone had moved us to a studio in LA’s Encino – previously used by a Jackson 5 member. Inside, we found guitars that Dylan had just recorded on.

He instructed me to perform behind the tempo the drums. He said, “If you rush ahead of the drums comes off like an teenager hurrying.” He has a Texas drawl, and his advice was to visualize putting your feet up on the mixing board and staying casual while playing.

The band was, to an extent, a response to the grunge movement. Kurt Cobain’s death seemed the final act. At the time, many used heroin. The goal was self-destruction, not enlightenment. The nihilism had reached an extreme, and the pendulum swung toward something emotional and heartfelt. Their music blended acoustic and electric with a heavy dose of soulful vibes.

Mr Jones remains timeless. Sometimes, when I am rocking out with Adam, I recall that moment when he played me the early version. Absolutely incredible.