The Lead Singer Recalls the Early Days
The initial four records were mostly recorded in homes located in the hills 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. We each got an advance of $3,000; with it, I to purchase a classic red convertible 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 picked up as a free giveaway at a gas station during my childhood.
Mr Jones was included on a demo that we submitted to labels, but it proved a challenging track to complete. It lacked a solid grasp at first. Neither a slow ballad nor a straight ahead rock song; instead, it gallops along, requiring a deep understanding to play. It’s soul music – more akin to the Memphis soul style than folk.
Our drummer struggled to grasp the track like the rest of us did – thus the producer enlisted one of his heroes to play it.
We considered several production candidates, but when I spoke with the producer, he seemed to get where the group was headed. We had a lot of promise, but I didn’t like with our overall tone – we were still learning how to work together. We removed all the synthesizers and guitar effects. The drummer couldn’t sync with the song’s rhythm, so the producer called in Denny Fongheiser, one of Steve’s heroes, to lay down the drums. Looking back, it’s amusing, but it was tough on Steve at the time.
My best friend Marty and I performed in groups together before Counting Crows. His father, David Serva, had succeeded in Spain and was back in the San Francisco area performing a tour. Attended one of his performances and hung out with the musicians visiting bars. The next morning, I returned and composed Mr Jones. The lyrics reflect our experience that night, dreaming 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. We performed Round Here on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the album climbed 40 spots each week for over a month. Following that, the song became a huge hit.
David Immerglück Recalls His Memories
Back in the 80s, Adam, David Bryson, and I were sharing a space in a industrial building in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with Camper Van Beethoven and had an offshoot band called Monks of Doom.
One evening, Adam had a fresh recording he’d created with the guitarist. I heard this track called Mr Jones. It was done with a basic drum machine that resembled a video game or popcorn popping, but his singing were exceptional.
After the producer took over, it felt like a complete transformation of Counting Crows. They shifted 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, the producer had moved us to a recording space in LA’s Encino – previously used by a Jackson 5 member. Inside, we found instruments that Dylan had recently used.
He told me to play my guitar slightly behind the drums. He said, “Playing too fast ahead of the drums makes you sound like an adolescent rushing.” With his southern accent, and his guidance was to visualize putting your feet up 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. At the time, many used heroin. The goal was obliteration, not enlightenment. That negativity had gone too far, and the pendulum swung toward something emotional and sincere. Counting Crows blended folk and rock with a heavy dose of soulful vibes.
Mr Jones remains timeless. Sometimes, when I am rocking out with Adam, I remember that moment when he first shared the early version. It’s insane.
