The Making of Mr Jones: The Way Counting Crows Developed Their Iconic Song

The Lead Singer Shares the Beginnings

Our first four records were mostly recorded in houses located in the hills above Los Angeles. Their debut major label album signified a major step for the band, as it was their inaugural release on a large record company. Each member received an upfront payment of $3,000; with it, I to buy a 1971 cherry red VW Karmann Ghia and drove it to LA.

Every morning, my routine included by listening to Pickin’ Up the Pieces by Poco, which resembles the Beatles venturing into American folk. Additionally, I was into a Benny Goodman album that my dad had acquired as a complimentary item at a Texaco station when I was young.

The song Mr Jones was part of a demo that we sent to record companies, but it was a very difficult track to complete. It lacked a clear direction at first. Neither a leisurely tune or a fast-paced number; instead, it gallops along, requiring a deep understanding to play. It’s soul music – more akin to the Stax Records sound than country.

Our drummer struggled to grasp the song as the others did – thus the producer enlisted one of his idols to play it.

We looked at 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 didn’t like with our overall tone – we were still learning how to work together. Eliminated all the synths and guitar effects. Our drummer Steve Bowman 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. 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, David Serva, had made it in Spain and was returning in the Bay Area doing a tour. We went one of his performances and spent the night with the musicians bar-hopping. Next day, I went home and wrote Mr Jones. The lyrics reflect our experience that evening, wishing we were cool musicians so we could connect with the girls more confidently.

In my view, it’s among the finest pieces I’ve composed. We performed another track on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the album climbed 40 spots each week for five or six weeks. Afterwards, Mr Jones became a major success.

The Multi-Instrumentalist Recalls His Memories

In the late 1980s, Adam, David Bryson, and I were sharing a space in a warehouse complex in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with another band and was in an offshoot band called Monks of Doom.

One evening, Adam had a fresh recording he’d created with the guitarist. He played me this track titled Mr Jones. Recorded with a basic drum machine that resembled a video game or popcorn popping, but his vocals were on another level.

After the producer got involved, it was a total reinvention of Counting Crows. They shifted toward roots echoing Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.

I got a call from Adam asking, “Listen, can you join us and contribute to this record?” By the time I got there, the producer had moved us to a studio in Encino, Los Angeles – formerly used by Tito Jackson. Inside, we found guitars that Bob Dylan had just recorded on.

T Bone instructed me to play my guitar slightly behind the beat. His words were, “If you rush before the drums comes off like an teenager rushing.” He has a southern accent, and his guidance was to imagine putting your feet up on the mixing board and staying casual while playing.

The band was, to an extent, a response to grunge. The tragic end of Cobain felt like the final act. Back then, everyone were on heroin. The aim was obliteration, not mind expansion. The nihilism had gone too far, and the trend shifted toward something emotional and heartfelt. Their music blended acoustic and electric with a heavy dose of soulful vibes.

The song remains timeless. Sometimes, when performing with the singer, I remember that time when he played me the demo. Absolutely incredible.