The Creation of Mr Jones: How Counting Crows Produced Their Defining Anthem

The Lead Singer Recalls the Early Days

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

Each day, my routine included by listening to Pickin’ Up the Pieces by Poco, which resembles 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.

Mr Jones was included on a demo that we sent to record companies, but it was a very difficult song to complete. We didn’t have a clear direction at first. Neither a leisurely tune or a straight ahead rock song; instead, it gallops along, requiring a deep understanding to perform. The style is soulful – closer to the Memphis soul sound than folk.

The band’s drummer couldn’t hear the track like the others did – thus the producer brought in one of his heroes to play it.

We looked at several production candidates, but when I spoke with T Bone Burnett, he really understand where the band was at. There was great potential, but I wasn’t satisfied with our sound – we hadn’t learned how to be a band. We removed all the synths and guitar effects. The drummer had trouble with the song’s rhythm, so T Bone called in a renowned drummer, one of Steve’s heroes, to lay down the drums. Looking back, it’s amusing, but it was hard on Steve at the time.

Marty Jones and I had played in bands together prior to Counting Crows. Marty’s dad, a flamenco musician, had succeeded in Spain and was returning in the San Francisco area performing a tour. Attended one of his performances and spent the night with the musicians bar-hopping. The next morning, I went home and wrote Mr Jones. 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 composed. After playing another track on SNL in 1994, the album jumped dozens of positions weekly for over a month. Following that, Mr Jones became a huge hit.

The Multi-Instrumentalist Shares His Memories

Back in the 80s, the band members were living together in a industrial building in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with another band and had an offshoot band named Monks of Doom.

One evening, Adam had a fresh recording he’d created with Bryson. I heard this track titled Mr Jones. It was done with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that sounded like a arcade sound or popcorn popping, but his vocals were exceptional.

After the producer took over, it felt like a total reinvention of Counting Crows. They shifted back to basics influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.

I got a call from Adam saying, “Listen, can you join us and play on this album?” By the time I arrived, the producer had moved us to a studio in Encino, Los Angeles – previously used by Tito Jackson. Inside, we found guitars that Dylan had recently used.

T Bone told me to play my guitar slightly behind the beat. He said, “If you rush before the drums comes off like an adolescent hurrying.” With his Texas drawl, and his advice was to visualize relaxing on the mixing board and chewing gum while playing.

Counting Crows was, to an extent, a response to grunge. Kurt Cobain’s death seemed the final act. Back then, many were on heroin. The goal was obliteration, not mind expansion. The nihilism had reached an extreme, and the pendulum swung toward something more human and sincere. Counting Crows blended folk and rock with a strong influence of soulful vibes.

The song never gets old. On stage, when I am rocking out with the singer, I recall that time when he played me the early version. It’s insane.