Counting Crows: Who Was Mr. Jones About?

Who was Mr. Jones by Counting Crows about?

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Before we start today’s video, did you guys ever think Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz looks a lot like Adam Ritchman from Man vs Food? Let me know in the comments section. Anyways, The San Francisco band Counting Crows burst onto the scene in 1991. One year later the band recorded a demo tape that got the attention of 9 record labels who were in a frenzy to sign the group. The band soon signed wth Nirvana’s label Geffen Records, more specifically their subsidiary DGC. By the later part of 1993 the band would release their debut record August and Everything After which would go on to sell a whopping 7 million copies stateside. The album was helped due to the success off several big singles, but none bigger than the lead one, Mr. Jones. But you guys maybe surprised to know that Mr. Jones was never supposed to be released as a single and it’s success took the band, their label and management by surprise... Either way Mr. Jones would become one of the most inescapable songs from the 90’s. But who was Mr. Jones and what’s the story behind the song. That’s what were going to discuss in today’s video.

Prior to forming Counting Crows, frontman Adam duritz played in a variety of bands including the group named the Himilayans. It was by 1991 Duritz joined forces with guitarist and producer David Bryson forming Counting Crows, originally playing as an acoustic duo. They would eventually expand their lineup to a full rock band and it was shortly after signing to DGC, the band landed a high profile appearance at the rock n’ roll hall of fame in january of 1993. It was during this time they were working on their debut August & Everything After and they were filling in for no show inductee Van Morrison.

The band landed the gig thanks to Gary Gersch who worked at Geffen Records and signed the band. Gersch introduced them to the rock hall’s musical director. Fast forward to September of 1993 and they would releasee their debut record August and Everything After. The group’s label and management took an old school approach when it came to marketing the band on radio..In fact it was so old fashioned, some claimed it was revolutionary. During the month the album was released, the label would issue the record to college, alternative and modern rock radio formats with program directors getting to choose the first single The band’s manager would tell Rolling Stone in 1994 “The marketing plan for this band–such as it was–really was to have no marketing plan. We just wanted to let the record get out there and give people a chance to see the band and have the pleasure of discovering them on their own.” Counting Crows would hit the road prior to the album coming out pening for the likes of the the cranberries, midnight oil, Suede and Cracker. Side note guys i’ve done whole band histories on cranberries and cracker.


The state of Georgia would be instrumental in giving the band some early momentum. Radio stations WKLS or 96 Rock and WNNX in Atlanta as well as Georgia State radio station WRAS were one of the first stations to play the track Mr. Jones in November of 93. The success of the song in the Georgia Radio markest signalled to DGC that Mr. Jones was the logical first single to release with the label issuing it as a promo single December of 93. What’s funny is that frontman Adam Duritz would reveal to Huffington Post that the label initially thought that Murder of One would be the big hit off the album, while the band thought Rain King would be the big single. In December of 93 the music video for Mr. Jones would be added to MTV’s buzz bin which further propelled the song’s popularity.

In January of 94 Counting Crows would appear on Saturday Night Live as the musical guest performing Mr. Jones and Round Here. Duritz would reveal in multiple interviews that by the time Mr. Jones became a hit, their debut album wasn’t even in the top 200, it was their appearance on SNL that propelled the album moving 40 spots up the charts for 6 consecutive weeks all the way to number 2. The New York Times would report and I have to admit this surprised me, that August and Everything After hit platinum before Nirvana’s Nevermind did. Mr. Jones would peak at number 2 on the US Top 40 charts by the spring of 94. The