The Making of Mr Jones: The Way Counting Crows Developed Their Signature Track

Adam Duritz Recalls the Formative Period

Our first albums were mostly produced in homes located in the foothills above Los Angeles. August and Everything After marked a significant milestone for the band, as it was their first release on a large record company. Each member got an advance of $3,000; with it, I to buy a 1971 cherry red VW Karmann Ghia and traveled to LA.

Each day, I would start by listening to a Poco track, which sounds like the Beatles venturing into American folk. Additionally, I frequently played a jazz record that my dad had acquired as a complimentary item at a Texaco station during my childhood.

The song Mr Jones was part of a demo that we sent to record companies, but it proved a very difficult track to complete. It lacked a clear direction at first. It’s not a slow ballad or a fast-paced number; instead, it moves with a rhythm, requiring a real feel to play. It’s soul music – closer to the Stax Records sound than folk.

The band’s drummer couldn’t hear the song like the others did – so T Bone brought in one of his idols to perform on it.

We considered a few production candidates, but when I discussed things with T Bone Burnett, he really understand where the band was headed. We had a lot of promise, but I wasn’t satisfied with our overall tone – we hadn’t learned how to work together. Eliminated all the synthesizers and effects pedals. The drummer had trouble with the tempo, so the producer invited Denny Fongheiser, one of Steve’s heroes, to play on it. It’s a funny story, but it was hard on Steve back then.

My best friend Marty and I had played in bands together before Counting Crows. His father, a flamenco musician, had succeeded in Spain and was returning in the San Francisco area performing a series of shows. We went one of his performances and hung out with the flamenco troupe visiting bars. Next day, I went home and wrote the song. The lyrics reflect our experience that evening, wishing we were accomplished artists so we could connect with the girls more confidently.

I believe, it’s one of the best songs I’ve composed. After playing Round Here on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the album climbed 40 spots each week for five or six weeks. Afterwards, the song turned into a huge hit.

David Immerglück Shares His Memories

Back in the 80s, the band members were sharing a space in a industrial building in Berkeley. I had been playing with another band and had an offshoot band named Monks of Doom.

One evening, Adam had a fresh recording he’d just done with Bryson. He played me this track called the now-famous tune. It was done with a basic drum machine that sounded like a video game or popcorn popping, but his vocals were on another level.

After the producer took over, it was a complete transformation of Counting Crows. They shifted back to basics echoing folk and soul legends.

I got a call from Adam asking, “Hey, man, can you join us and contribute to this record?” When I got there, the producer had relocated us to a recording space in LA’s Encino – formerly used by Tito Jackson. Inside, we found guitars that Dylan had recently used.

T Bone instructed me to perform behind the tempo the beat. He said, “If you rush ahead of the drums comes off like an teenager rushing.” He has a Texas drawl, and his guidance was to imagine relaxing on the mixing board and staying casual during the performance.

The band was, in some ways, a response to grunge. Kurt Cobain’s death seemed the culmination. Back then, many were on heroin. The aim was obliteration, not enlightenment. The nihilism had gone too far, and the trend shifted toward something emotional and sincere. Their music combined acoustic and electric with a strong influence of soulful vibes.

Mr Jones remains timeless. On stage, when I am rocking out with the singer, I recall that moment when he first shared the demo. Absolutely incredible.