Crows' frontman in a flap over Ulster band
IT'S easy to bring your preconceptions to a band such as Counting Crows.
The American outfit, who perform at the Odyssey Arena tonight, are known for songs which never quite conform to the stereotype of a US rock band.
Frontman Adam Duritz has often been painted as a morose individual – his lyrics are categorised as moody and introspective, often drawn from his own experiences with depression.
It hasn’t stopped the band from selling 20 million records, but it’s natural to expect the real Adam Duritz to be a reflection of the man he is on record.
As he cruises to work in the early morning Californian sunshine, with the roof down on his classic convertible car and The Undertones blasting out of the stereo, it’s clear that this isn’t the case.
“You get me vibrant and alive in a 40-year-old death trap,” he said with a laugh.
The car, it turns out, is a Karmann Ghia he bought with his first advance cheque from a record company.
“I’ll never sell it – it’s the most beautiful thing in the world.”
But that’s not the only reason why Adam is so chipper.
“I got a letter from Billy Doherty of the Undertones saying the band were marking the 30th anniversary of their debut album and asked if Counting Crows would be involved in a cover of Teenage Kicks,” Adam said.
“Aside from being shockingly honoured, I’m intimidated at having to sing a song that Feargal Sharkey sang.
“I want to do it, it’s one of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard, and it’s a big deal for us to be asked.”
Firstly, you expect Adam Duritz to be dour and introverted, but he is upbeat and enthusiastic.
Secondly, you don’t think he would be so keen to talk about Northern Ireland music.
“Stiff Little Fingers are another great band from there,” he said, adding that the mid-1970s to mid-1980s were his favourite time for music.
Travelling to the set of a film called Freeloaders, where Adam is the executive producer, he is relishing branching out into new art forms.
“There’s a chance to be creative without tearing my guts out,” he said. “I enjoy being in a film because, even though I’m responsible for a lot of this, I don’t have the whole weight of it on my shoulders.”
It’s not surprising that he equates Counting Crows with a weight on his shoulders.
Catapulted to fame in the wake of their debut album August and Everything After, the band have been both a creative outlet and something of a burden for Adam, who puts considerable effort into their output.
“You have to put enormous amounts of work into records, touring, all of it really, or it’s not going to happen,” he said.
And there is no sense of good music coming naturally or easily for him.
“I don’t think anyone has an easy time doing anything creative,” he said.
“You may have talent but to be good you have to break your neck over it, and be willing to put yourself out there.
“You also have to collaborate with a band to get a song out there, then you have to go on tour and get it right every night.
“None of it is easy, but it’s who we are and I’m probably better at it than I am at anything else,” he said.
Of course there are rewards, but the sense of creative struggle that fuels Counting Crows has always been evident.
“All the parts of being in a band – writing, record and touring – are all the emotions,” Adam said.
“They’re easy, difficult, horrible, incredible, frustrating and wonderful – it’s like life, there is everything in there,” he said.
There are benefits and challenges to all aspects of musical life – even if you’re a world-renowned artist with an established pedigree – and those who can fill huge arenas have to make sacrifices.
“With touring you miss your friends and your family,” Adam said. “We’ve being doing it for 16 years and I don’t think we’ll do as much in future.”
With members of the band now raising families, they have more pressing priorities than playing music.
And Adam is thinking about his own future: “I’d like to settle down, get married and have children but it hasn’t been possible because I’ve been a workaholic up until now,” he said.
So Counting Crows might be taking it down a level, but there’s no indication that they’ll disappear.
“I’ll still be creative, I don’t think I’d be able to switch it off,” Adam said.
n Counting Crows perform at the Odyssey Arena tonight. For more information, or to book tickets, contact the box office on 028 9073 9074 or log on to www.odysseyarena.com.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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