How Counting Crows’ Adam Duritz Handled Fame in a Surprising Way

NEED TO KNOW

• Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately? is a new documentary exploring the band behind the ’90s alt-rock hits “Mr. Jones” and “Round Here.”
• The film highlights the band’s rise to fame following their 1993 debut album and examines the mental health struggles of lead singer Adam Duritz.
• The documentary also reveals an unexpected choice Duritz made during the year after the band’s breakthrough.

In 1993, it was nearly impossible to turn on the radio without hearing a song from Counting Crows, fronted by the charismatic Adam Duritz, who penned most of the group’s songs. Despite the popularity of hits like “Mr. Jones” and “Round Here” from their debut album August and Everything After, the band elicited polarized opinions—some fans adored them, while others dismissed them as lacking substance.

The HBO documentary Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately?, premiering on December 18 at 9 p.m. ET, directed by Amy Scott, delves into the band’s journey to fame, highlighting Duritz’s lifelong struggles with mental health, which intensified as he transitioned into rock stardom.

Counting Crows in 1994.

David Tonge/Getty

Scott further reveals a surprising decision Duritz made after the band’s success and a substantial worldwide tour: he became a bartender. In an exclusive clip from the documentary, Duritz remarked, “Once I was a little recovered, ’cause I needed some recovery time, it was magic and gave me this world to write about that was f—ing fascinating.” This pivotal year was spent serving drinks at the Viper Room in Los Angeles.

“Everyone was famous,” Duritz recalls of the nightclub clientele. “Even though I was famous, who cares? There’s Jack Nicholson… I had Mexican food with Allen Ginsberg one night. We watched Adam Ant together. I mean, what more do you want out of life?”

This unique experience behind the bar ultimately inspired the band’s second album, Recovering the Satellites, released in 1996. “I couldn’t wait to make a record. I lived a completely different life that year than I ever lived before,” Duritz added.

Adam Duritz on November 12 in New York City.

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Director Amy Scott notes her longstanding admiration for Counting Crows, which began in the ’90s. “I’ve always been drawn to artists who refuse to sand down their edges, even when success is asking them to,” she explains. “Counting Crows exploded at a time when indie music was becoming mainstream, but they never quite fit any mold. Adam Duritz is a songwriter who insists on emotional honesty over polish, even when it makes people uncomfortable.” Scott reflects on the tension of the ’90s where bands were both celebrated and critiqued.

“The ’90s were fascinating in that way. Popularity was a betrayal. Counting Crows didn’t try to course-correct; they leaned harder into sincerity. That made them polarizing, but also lasting.”