Counting Crows' Adam Duritz talks with the Music Mix

Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz was tired of touring like he always did.

Everyones been doing it the same way for, like, ever, he says.

Theyre stupid and boring.

Credit: Danny Clinch

Nobody has an ego, Duritz says.

Its just about the music.

Want to know more?

Read the Q&A with Adam after the jump…

EW: How are you?

What are you up to?

AD: Nothing really, we did a gig last night in my hometown, Berkeley.

Just sitting around at my parents house.

EW: Tell me more about the concert youre doing.

Playing is always incredibly powerful to begin with, but its also like emptying my gut sometimes.

Theres an opening act thats brilliant, but nobody sees.

There was nothing about it that a concert should be.

EW: How did this collaboration come along together?

I wanted to find someone different, someone who would add to the equation.

The music was like a circus, it had differences in it.

But I wanted the first set to be Counting Crows, so everyone would be there for the beginning.

I wanted us to kind of play together, but play separately.

I wanted songs where we mixed members of the bands together with different combos with little groups of us.

I wanted all seventeen or eighteen of us to be onstage to do stuff.

When we played at the Greek Theater in L.A., we packed the entire house in 5 minutes.

How do you feel about it now that its off and running?

AD: Best thing Ive ever done.

And everyone in the band thinks that too.

Its amazing because 17 people are all having the time of their lives.

Nobody has an ego.

EW: So Im sure theres a lot of improvisation you guys do also…

AD: Yeah, it happens.

Were all making up what were singing sometimes… With 17 people it can be a disaster.

Sometimes you just have to point at people to control how it goes.

But its not difficult when were there.

You just have to see it.

you’re free to see it on everybodys face.

Every night when we come offstage everybody, they thank me for doing it.

Im just like, will you guys stop?

This is our tour, this isnt a favor were doing to anybody.

Theyre like, no man, this is the best, you dont understand.

I want to do it every night.

EW: Can we expect any official collaborations on any records with all three bands?

But overall, were independent, and theyre on labels.

Id like to put every show up.

But I dont know if their labels are up for it.

EW: Any last words?

AD: Come out early, because youre going to miss out if you come out late!

Come see the Circus this summer, its coming.

Theres nothing like it.

It sucks doing the Circus and only having two-thirds of it right now.