The Making of the Hit Song Mr Jones: The Way Counting Crows Crafted Their Defining Anthem
The Lead Singer Recalls the Early Days
Our first albums were mostly produced in homes located in the foothills above Los Angeles. Their debut major label album signified a major step for the band, as it was their first release on a major label. We each got an advance of $3,000; I used mine to purchase a classic red convertible and drove it to LA.
Each day, my routine included by listening to Pickin’ Up the Pieces by Poco, which sounds like the Beatles exploring country music. Also, I frequently played a Benny Goodman album that my dad had picked up as a free giveaway at a gas station during my childhood.
Mr Jones was included on a demo tape that we sent to record companies, but it proved a challenging track to complete. It lacked a solid grasp at first. It’s not a leisurely tune nor a fast-paced rock song; rather, it gallops along, demanding a real feel to perform. It’s soul music – closer to the Stax Records sound than country.
Our drummer couldn’t hear the track as the others did – so T Bone brought in one of his idols to play it.
We considered several producers, but when I spoke with the producer, he seemed to get where the group was at. We had great potential, but I wasn’t satisfied with our sound – we were still learning how to be a band. We removed all the synths and effects pedals. The drummer couldn’t sync with the song’s rhythm, so T Bone called in Denny Fongheiser, one of Steve’s heroes, to lay down the drums. Looking back, it’s amusing, but it was hard on Steve back then.
Marty Jones and I had played in groups together before Counting Crows. His father, David Serva, had succeeded in Spain and was back in the Bay Area doing a series of shows. Attended one of his shows and spent the night with the musicians bar-hopping. The next morning, I returned and composed the song. It’s about me and Marty that night, wishing we were accomplished artists so we could connect with the girls more easily.
In my view, it’s one of the best pieces I’ve ever written. We performed another track on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the record climbed 40 spots weekly for over a month. Afterwards, the song became a major success.
David ImmerglĂĽck Recalls His Memories
Back in the 80s, the band members were sharing a space in a warehouse complex in Berkeley. I had been playing with Camper Van Beethoven and had an offshoot band named Monks of Doom.
Returning home one night, Adam had a fresh recording he’d just done with the guitarist. I heard this song titled Mr Jones. It was done with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that sounded like a arcade sound or popcorn popping, but his singing were on another level.
After the producer got involved, it felt like a complete transformation of Counting Crows. The approach back to basics influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.
I got a call from Adam asking, “Listen, can you come down and contribute to this record?” When I arrived, T Bone had relocated us to a recording space in LA’s Encino – formerly used by a Jackson 5 member. There were guitars that Bob Dylan had recently used.
T Bone instructed me to play my guitar behind the tempo the beat. His words were, “If you rush before the drums comes off like an adolescent hurrying.” With his Texas drawl, and his advice was to imagine putting your feet up on the mixing board and staying casual while playing.
Counting Crows was, in some ways, a response to grunge. Kurt Cobain’s death seemed the culmination. Back then, everyone used heroin. The aim was self-destruction, not mind expansion. That negativity had gone too far, and the pendulum swung toward something emotional and sincere. Counting Crows combined folk and rock with a heavy dose of soulful vibes.
The song remains timeless. On stage, when performing with Adam, I recall that time when he played me the demo. Absolutely incredible.
