Editing Counting Crows (section)

=== 1990s ===

==== 1991–1992: Formation and early years ====
Adam Duritz, former member of the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] band [[The Himalayans (American band)|the Himalayans]], and producer/guitarist David Bryson formed Counting Crows in San Francisco in 1991.<ref>{{cite news|author=Rubenstein, Jullian|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/01/arts/when-fame-glows-bright-it-s-hard-to-be-tortured.html |title=When Fame Glows Bright, It's Hard to Be Tortured|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 1, 1996|url-access=subscription}}<br>- {{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I0tPAAAAIBAJ&pg=5930,125804 |title=Sounds of success|work=Toledo Blade|date=July 16, 1999 |via=Google News Archive |access-date=October 5, 2014}}</ref> They began as an [[acoustic music|acoustic]] duo, playing gigs in and around Berkeley and San Francisco. Another friend, guitarist [[David Immerglück]], played with them from time to time, though he was not an official member of the group, and experimented with other musicians in the area. As the emerging band recorded some [[demo (music)|demo]]s, and as other musicians joined the duo to make a full band, Immerglück recorded with the band on some of the songs for its first album. He declined to join the band at the time, because of his membership in two other locally popular bands, [[Monks of Doom]] and [[Camper Van Beethoven]].<ref name=Immy1/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Jay N. |date=July 23, 2010 |title=Music Scene: Counting Crows full of surprises |url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2010/07/23/music-scene-counting-crows-full/48400209007/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326132622/https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2010/07/23/music-scene-counting-crows-full/48400209007/ |archive-date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=The State Journal-Register |language=en-US}}</ref> By 1993, the band had grown to a stable lineup of Duritz as [[vocalist]], occasional [[pianist]], and primary [[songwriter]], Bryson on guitar, [[Matt Malley]] playing [[bass guitar]], [[Charlie Gillingham]] on [[keyboard instrument|keyboard]]s, and [[Steve Bowman]] as [[drum kit|drummer]], and the band was a regular in the Bay Area scene.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

When Gary Gersh of [[Geffen Records]] heard the band's demo tape, he was "blown away". A bidding war between nine different record labels broke out in February 1992. In April, the band—which, by that time, included other members—"signed a deal with Gersh and Geffen believed to be so lucrative that industry wags dubbed them Accounting Crows".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1994/05/14/crows-fly-high/333c5f9b-490e-42df-9df1-7f4061a2994c/ |title=CROWS FLY HIGH|first=Julian |last=Rubinstein |date=May 14, 1994 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> On January 16, 1993,<ref name=GigArchive>{{cite news |url=http://www.countingcrows.com/tour/gigs/ |title=CountingCrows.com Gig Archive |publisher=Counting Crows |access-date=March 1, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210081252/http://www.countingcrows.com/tour/gigs/ |archive-date=February 10, 2007}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2019}} the band, still relatively unknown, filled in for [[Van Morrison]] at the [[Rock & Roll Hall of Fame]] ceremony, and was introduced by an enthusiastic [[Robbie Robertson]].<ref name=VH1>{{cite news |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |url=http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/counting_crows/bio.jhtml |title=Counting Crows biography |website=VH1|year=2005 |access-date=March 1, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070402233235/http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/counting_crows/bio.jhtml |archive-date=April 2, 2007}}</ref> At the ceremony, they played a cover of Van Morrison's "[[Caravan (Van Morrison song)|Caravan]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0078VF9GE |publisher=Amazon | title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Volume 2 1992-1994 |access-date=June 27, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-vol-2-1992-1994-live/477056336 |publisher=Apple | title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Volume 2 1992-1994 |access-date=June 27, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvwoA-pheJk |publisher=YouTube | title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Volume 2 1992-1994 |date=June 2013 |access-date=June 27, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.countingcrows.com/?em50=727_-1__0_~0_-1_10_2009_0_0&content=adams_blog |publisher= Counting Crows|title=Adams Blog |access-date=October 23, 2009}}</ref>{{excessive citations inline|date=June 2023}}

[[File:Adam Duritz.jpg|thumb|Vocalist Adam Duritz]]
Before signing to Geffen, the band recorded demo versions of a number of songs, known as the 'Flying Demos'. These later surfaced among the Counting Crows fanbase.  Tracks include "[[Rain King (Counting Crows song)|Rain King]]", "Omaha", "Anna Begins", "[[Einstein on the Beach (For an Eggman)]]", "Shallow Days", "Love and Addiction", "[[Mr. Jones (Counting Crows song)|Mr. Jones]]", "[[Round Here]]", "40 Years", "Margery Dreams of Horses", "Bulldog", "Lightning", and "We're Only Love".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bbchron.blogspot.com/2009/11/counting-crows-1991-flying-demos.html |title=BB Chronicles: Counting Crows – 1991 – Flying Demos |website= Bbchron.blogspot.com |date=November 29, 2009 |access-date=March 29, 2012}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2019}}

==== 1993–1994: ''August and Everything After'' and popular success ====
[[File:Counting Crows @ Ancienne Bruxelles.jpg|thumb|left|Dan Vickrey, David Bryson]]
The band's debut album, ''August and Everything After'', was released in September 1993.<ref name=RollingStone94/> The album's first single, "Mr. Jones", refers to Marty Jones (Himalayans [[bassist]], and Duritz's childhood friend) and Kenney Dale Johnson (the drummer of Silvertone, [[Chris Isaak]]'s band).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/06/17/090942.php |title=Interview with Drummer Kenney Dale Johnson |website=Blogcritics Magazine |access-date=June 17, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012141254/http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/06/17/090942.php |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> It describes the desire of working musicians to make it big and the fantasies they entertain about what fame might bring.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/countingcrows/articles/story/8719090/adam_duritz_on_mrjones |title=We're gonna be big stars |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 31, 2005 |access-date=March 1, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070108012228/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/countingcrows/articles/story/8719090/adam_duritz_on_mrjones |archive-date=January 8, 2007}}</ref> Duritz sang the song in fun, enjoying the fantasy; he did not realize that just months later, in December 1993,<ref name=RollingStone94/> [[MTV]] would begin playing the video for the song. "Mr. Jones" was a breakthrough hit,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/09/09/adam-duritz-interview-counting-crows-new-music/89972088/ |title=Interview: Adam Duritz of Counting Crows on whether fans deserve to hear the hits |work=AZCentral.com |date=September 9, 2019}}</ref> drawing massive radio play and launching the band into stardom. In 2018, the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' described ''August and Everything After'' as follows: <blockquote>"August And Everything After" [launched] the Bay Area septet with its hippie-inspired, roots-rock-infiltrating hits "Mr. Jones", "Round Here", and "Rain King", (ironically, at a time when grunge dominated the charts). Counting Crows eschewed the trend, happily wearing their time-stamped influences like Van Morrison and The Band on their patchwork sleeves, and found an audience who agreed with them. That first album went on to become a seven-times-platinum success in the U.S. alone, at the time the fastest-selling record since Nirvana's ''Nevermind''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/counting-crows-concert-tour-25th-anniversary-adam-duritz/ |title=Counting Crows celebrating everything after 'Everything After' |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=September 7, 2018}}</ref></blockquote>

With "Mr. Jones" propelling the band forward, and with positive reviews from ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' and other publications, it was decided that the band could use a second guitarist, and Dan Vickrey, another Bay Area musician was offered the role as [[lead guitar]]ist, singing [[backing vocals]]. The band toured extensively in 1993 and 1994, both as headliners and in supporting roles with other artists, including [[the Rolling Stones]], [[Cracker (band)|Cracker]], [[the Cranberries]], [[Suede (band)|Suede]], [[Bob Dylan]], [[Los Lobos]], [[Jellyfish (band)|Jellyfish]], and [[Midnight Oil]].<ref name=RollingStone94/> In 1994, the band appeared on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''<ref name=RollingStone94/> and ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]''.<ref name=RollingStone94/> The album sold seven million copies in the U.S.<ref name="mercurynews.com"/> The band received two Grammy nominations in 1994; one for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal (for "Round Here") and one for Best New Artist.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/06/arts/94-grammy-nominations-not-just-the-familiar.html |title='94 Grammy Nominations: Not Just the Familiar |first=Neil |last=Strauss |date=January 6, 1995 |website= [[The New York Times]]|url-access=subscription}}<br>- {{cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/counting-crows |title=Counting Crows Grammy Awards |date=February 15, 2019 |website= GRAMMY.com}}</ref>

Success took a toll on Counting Crows; Duritz suffered a widely reported [[mental breakdown|nervous breakdown]],<ref name=NewYorkTimes>{{cite news |last=Strauss |first=Neil |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/15/arts/stars-come-out-from-under.html |title=Stars Come Out From Under |work=The New York Times |date=October 15, 1996 |access-date=March 1, 2007|url-access=subscription}}</ref> which was not his first.<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news |last=Greenstreet |first=Rosanna |url=https://www.theguardian.com/weekend/story/0,,894644,00.html |title=Q&A: Adam Duritz |work=The Guardian |date=February 15, 2003 |access-date=March 1, 2007}}</ref>

==== 1995–1998: ''Recovering the Satellites'' and double live album ====
[[File:CharlieGillingham.jpg|thumb|right|Charlie Gillingham, keyboardist for the band, on accordion]]
The band played only two gigs in 1995.<ref name=GigArchive/> This allowed Duritz to write a set of songs that became the band's second album, ''[[Recovering the Satellites]]''.<ref name=NewYorkTimes/>  Released October 15, 1996, it was heavier than ''August and Everything After''. A response to the sudden fame that "Mr. Jones" had brought, it contains lyrics such as "These days I feel like I'm fading away / Like sometimes when I hear myself on the radio" (from "Have You Seen Me Lately?") and "Gonna get back to basics / Guess I'll start it up again" (from "Recovering the Satellites"). Dealing with the theme of Duritz's unease with his newfound fame, the album was described as "a concept album of sorts about trying to pick up the pieces of a family, a social life and a psyche shattered by fame".<ref name=NewYorkTimes/> This album contained the single "[[A Long December]]", which was a number one hit in Canada<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9891&URLjpg=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f4/nlc008388.9891.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9891 |title=Image: RPM Weekly |via=Library and Archives Canada |date=July 17, 2013}}</ref> and a Top 10 hit in the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/counting-crows |title=Counting Crows Chart History |magazine= Billboard}}</ref>

On July 2, 1997, Counting Crows started off a co-headlining tour with [[the Wallflowers]] that continued to September. The tour included opening acts by [[Bettie Serveert]], [[Engine 88]], [[Gigolo Aunts]] and [[That Dog]], with each opening band touring for three-weeks.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fA8EAAAAMBAJ&q=Bettie+Serveert+%22The+Wallflowers%22+1997&pg=PA16|title=the Beat |first=Melinda|last=Newman|magazine=Billboard|page=16 |date=May 24, 1997 |via=Google Books}}</ref> After nine months of near-constant touring in support of the album, Duritz developed [[Vocal fold nodule|nodules on his vocal cords]] in July 1997, leading to the cancellation of a number of gigs.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/countingcrows/articles/story/5930346/duritz_needs_to_rest_voice |title=Duritz Needs To Rest Voice |magazine= Rolling Stone |date=July 25, 1997 |access-date=March 1, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002044748/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/countingcrows/articles/story/5930346/duritz_needs_to_rest_voice |archive-date=October 2, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1427546/counting-crows-counted-in-again/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404210831/http://www.mtv.com/news/1427546/counting-crows-counted-in-again/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 4, 2015 |title=Counting Crows Counted In Again |website= Mtv.com |access-date=March 12, 2017}}</ref> After taking time off to recover, the band toured for the rest of 1997, concluding with a [[MTV]] show at the [[Hammerstein Ballroom]] in New York City. This concert was released as half of a double live album, ''[[Across a Wire: Live in New York City]]''. The other disc was a recording of a predominantly acoustic set from the band's appearance on the ''[[VH1 Storytellers]]'' show.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/free-bird-counting-crows-live-double-album-plays-faster-looser-article-1.816981 |last=Farber |first=Jim |title=Free As A Bird Counting Crows' Live Double Album Plays Faster and Looser |newspaper=[[New York Daily News]] |date=August 2, 1998 |access-date= January 31, 2021}}</ref>

==== 1999–2001: ''This Desert Life'' and extensive touring ====
In 1999, Counting Crows performed at [[Woodstock 99]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1999/07/26/1999-07-26_woodstock__hurts_so_good__lo.html |title=WOODSTOCK: HURTS SO GOOD LOUD BANDS, MELLOW FANS & THE JOY OF MISERY |newspaper=[[New York Daily News]] |date=July 26, 1999 |last=Farber |first=Jim}} {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Later that same year, the band released ''[[This Desert Life]]'', sales of which were propelled by the success of "[[Hanginaround]]" and "[[Colorblind (Counting Crows song)|Colorblind]]", which was also featured in the movie ''[[Cruel Intentions]]''. Supporting the album, the band embarked on a co-headlining tour with alternative rock band [[Live (band)|Live]]. Counting Crows closed nearly every show. Before this album and subsequent tour, the band invited [[session player]] and long-time friend David Immerglück to join the band as a permanent member. Immerglück had played on every Counting Crows album as a [[sideman]], but early on had declined a permanent position.<ref name=Immy1>{{cite news |last=Farley |first=Mike |url=http://www.bullz-eye.com/concertreviews/david_immergluck-interview.htm |title=Interview with David Immerglück of Counting Crows |website=Bullz-Eye |year=2003 |access-date=March 1, 2007}}</ref> This time, however, Immerglück agreed. He plays a variety of instruments with the band, including acoustic, electric and [[pedal steel]] guitars, [[slide guitar]] and [[mandolin]], as well as [[backing vocals]].<ref name=Immy1/>