MTVog: Welcome to the MTV Arena this event with Charlie of the Counting Crows. Welcome, Charlie! Charlie Gillingham plays the piano, Hammond B-3 organ, accordian, and sings Chamberiain vocals with the classic rock influenced Counting Crows.
CROWSx1: Hey there everybody. Now I'm stage. Nice to be here.

Mtvmail: Delighlah asks:
Question: first, i'd like to say thankyou. August and everything helped me through a very rough time. Was some of the music from the new album inspired by your relationship with Jennifer Aniston?
CROWSx1: I can't find Matt. I think he's out wandering the streets of New York Adam dated Jennifer about a week about a year ago. I don't think the record has much to do with her

Mtvmail: Speedy375 asks:
Question: where did you get your name from?
CROWSx1: There's an old English poem about counting crows. We used some of it in the "Murder of One" on the first record.

MTVog: Lightbrig asks:
Question: I was wondering if there are any plans of yours to make a live cd because the 6 or 7 cds that are sort of bootlegs are cool( at least the one I heard
CROWSx1: Maybe someday. We improvise a lot in concert, and we play some songs that we're never going to record, so there is some interesting stuff on some of the bootlegs. I have a few.

MTVog: SHPINKD asks:
Question: Who were your influences growing up?
CROWSx1: jeez. I think if you asked each of us who are favorite artists are, you get six different answers. Some of the people that we've been listening to lately: Vic Chestnut, Sparklehorse, Remy Zero, Dandy Warhols, Bowie (Ben on a Bowie kick), Replacements, Tom Waits, ... a little of everything.

MTVog: The Counting Crows have a new album: "Recovering the Satellites."

CROWSx1: yep

MTVog: They will be touring-
Counting Crows Tour Dates:
Tue 16 Dec: Los Angeles: Wiltern Theatre
Wed 17 Dec: Los Angeles: Wiltern Theatre
Fri 19 Dec: Los Angeles: Wiltern Theatre
Sat 20 Dec: Los Angeles: Wiltern Theatre
Thu 23 Jan: Houston: Music Hall
Fri 24 Jan: Austin: City Coliseum
Sat 25 Jan: Dallas: Dallas Music Complex
Mon 27 Jan: Tulsa: Brady Theatre
Tue 28 Jan: Oklahoma City: Music Hall
Thu 30 Jan: Little Rock: Robinson Music Hall
Fri 31 Jan: Memphis: Orpheum
Sat 1 Feb: New Orleans: Saenger Theatre
Mon 3 Feb: Nashville: Ten. Perf. Arts Theater
Tue 4 Feb: Birmingham: Alabama Theatre
Thu 6 Feb: Orlando: UCF Arena
Fri 7 Feb: Miami: Sunrise Theatre
Sat 8 Feb: Tampa: Performing Arts Center
Mon 10 Feb: Athens: Classic Center Theatre
Wed 12 Feb: Atlanta: Roxy
Thu 13 Feb: Atlanta: Roxy
Sat 15 Feb: Greensboro, NC: War Memorial
Sun 16 Feb: Charleston, SC: Gaillard Municipal Auditorium
Tue 25 Feb: New Brunswick, NJ: State Theatre

CROWSx1: and that's just the start

Mtvmail: BillP33 asks:
Question: Can you tell us anything about adam's surgery on his knea? Or his throat problems?
CROWSx1: Well, last year Adam had "soft nodes so we had to cancel some dates. We have to be very careful with his voice. We want him to still be singing 10 years from now. The knee: in the middle of the song Angels at the show on monday, adam takes this flying leap off the riser and tweaked his knee. He tore his ALU ligament, which is the whatchacallit that runs right across the middle of the knee. He got right up, and finished the song. He did about two more songs, and then a doctor showed up so he went off stage for minute, and Our Own Dan "Glad to Meet Ya" Vickrey sang a song. Adam came back with his knee wrapped up. At first they thought it was a sprain because they couldn' t believe he was still standing. He's going to get surgery, but it will have to wait until after the L.A. dates. I'm telling you, I'm proud of him for hanging in.

MTVog: AntiLisa9 asks:
Question: "Recovering the Satellites" is incredibly unified thematically in terms of flight and space imagery. Did any event or topic inspire the theme?
CROWSx1: It's just a metaphor. The woman in the song is like a satellite: distant, spinning, coming down in flames. To recover a satellite they have to go out in the middle of the ocean or desert and bring it home. For me, it's also a little bit like us -- the first tour was kind of like being launched into orbit and coming down in flames

MTVog: JKG16 asks:
Question: I think you guys are the greatest band ever! When did you guys get started, and do you have any advice for aspiring musicians?
CROWSx1: Charley's advice for aspiring musicians: 1) your most important piece of equipment is your record collection Every good band that I've ever met has at least one True Record Geek. 2) Don't give up your day job 3) If you want to write songs and make records, then write songs and make records. Make records any way you can. Don't mess with anything else -- playing in a cover band, becoming a monster jazz player, blah blah. I did all these things. I've played thousands of weddings and frat parties and God knows what else. Most of what I learned doing all those gigs didn't help a bit in the studio. The only skill you need is Good Taste in Records, and a good sense of Time.

MTVog: Check out the Counting Crows Website at: www.countingcrows.com.

Mtvmail: Sk8r C168 asks:
Question: DO U GUYS KNO WHAT ADAM USES IN HIS HAIR TO KEEP HIS DREADS IN???????
CROWSx1: Adam's favorite hair joint is in New Orleans. Every time we go through there he spends an afternoon with this Super Bitchin Dreadlock Maintenance Expert. Whatever they do to his head is a closely guarded industrial secret.

MTVog: Sisali asks:
Question: Charlie, what's your favorite Counting Crows song?
CROWSx1: Round Here. I first heard it in 1987 or so when Adam and Dave (Bryson) opened for a band I was playing in (Midnight Radio). I stood at the back of the club and watched them do this song, just the two of them, acoustic guitar and Adam singing. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't breath. I thought it was the best performance I had ever seen, bar none. Whenever this stuff get's really bad, I think about that moment. That's why I do this.

Mtvmail: Sisalia asks:
Question: Who are the girls (Maria, Margery, Elisabeth....) mentioned in your songs, or at least which band member are they aquaintances of?
CROWSx1: Maria and Margery are fictional characters. Elisabeth is a real person -- she was Adam's girlfriend at the begining of tour, but after we'd been on the road a few months, she wasn't his girl anymore.

MTVog: Referring to the Counting Crows latest album, "Recovering the Satellites," BJ13 asks:
Question: how come you used a lot less accordion on this album?
CROWSx1: There's accordian on Long December. I bought the little red one for $30 in Omaha Nebraska

Mtvmail: CuttSki asks:
Question: It has been rumored that Adma & Matt often post messages in the infamous Counting Crows bulletin board on AOL. Is this true?
CROWSx1: Matt got completely addicted to AOL last summer, freaked out, and sold his computer. Now he spend about two hours every Show day using the Manager's computer.

MTVog: Check it out, the Counting Crows could be coming to a city or town near you!
Counting Crows Tour Dates:
Tue 16 Dec: Los Angeles: Wiltern Theatre
Wed 17 Dec: Los Angeles: Wiltern Theatre
Fri 19 Dec: Los Angeles: Wiltern Theatre
Sat 20 Dec: Los Angeles: Wiltern Theatre
Thu 23 Jan: Houston: Music Hall
Fri 24 Jan: Austin: City Coliseum
Sat 25 Jan: Dallas: Dallas Music Complex
Mon 27 Jan: Tulsa: Brady Theatre
Tue 28 Jan: Oklahoma City: Music Hall
Thu 30 Jan: Little Rock: Robinson Music Hall
Fri 31 Jan: Memphis: Orpheum
Sat 1 Feb: New Orleans: Saenger Theatre
Mon 3 Feb: Nashville: Ten. Perf. Arts Theater
Tue 4 Feb: Birmingham: Alabama Theatre
Thu 6 Feb: Orlando: UCF Arena
Fri 7 Feb: Miami: Sunrise Theatre
Sat 8 Feb: Tampa: Performing Arts Center
Mon 10 Feb: Athens: Classic Center Theatre
Wed 12 Feb: Atlanta: Roxy
Thu 13 Feb: Atlanta: Roxy
Sat 15 Feb: Greensboro, NC: War Memorial
Sun 16 Feb: Charleston, SC: Gaillard Municipal Auditorium
Tue 25 Feb: New Brunswick, NJ: State Theatre

CROWSx1: After that we go to Asia, Europe, and then back to do the entire U.S.A

Mtvmail: FrenchyPo asks:
Question: When did you start playing, and what instrument?
CROWSx1: I played trombone in the elementary school band. I was never very good, but I did learn read music.

MTVog: Spzero103 asks: What's your favorite song on the new album?
CROWSx1: I think Miller's Angels has the best playing. Long December might be the best written.

Mtvmail: Big Sugar1 asks:
Question: Do you plan on releasing Chelsea at all? On a single perhaps?
CROWSx1: A bootleg buyer. Chelsea is beautiful, and we had a version of with trumpet, trombone and sax. It was kind of Eric Satie meets Miles Davis. But, it kind of slowed the album down, and it had some problems, so we axed it.

MTVog: Charlie Gillingham plays the piano, Hammond B-3 organ, accordian, and sings Chamberiain vocals with the classic rock influenced Counting Crows. Speaking of classic rock,StaggrLee asks: Why do you think folks compare your music to Dylan's.
CROWSx1: There's a lot of words. We have an organ player (I play the role of Al Kooper). Other than that, I dunno.

Mtvmail: gael gree asks:
Question: When you are composing a song, do you listen to music for inspiration... other people's music?
CROWSx1: Not when we actually write. The songs we write together usually start out when somebody brings in a chord progression or some interesting little part, and then we all start playing on it, and Adam improvises the words. That's how Round Here, Time and Time Again, Catapult, Daylight Fading, etc were written. Sometimes Adam will just come in with chords, melody, and words all finished and we'll just write the bridge or whatever.

MTVog: We have time for just one last question:Robin 999 asks: Hey- you guys are my FAVORITE band. I love your new CD. It is excellent. Where do you get the ideas for your songs? I love your music- it's so inspirational. Are you working on a new CD - or- do you have any new songs that are not on your latest CD?
CROWSx1: We're going to be on the road for about a year and a half or so. After that we'll cook up another batch. We've got one GREAT new song for the record -- it's called Barely Out of Tuesday, I think. Correct me here. We played it last night. At the show in New York.

MTVog: Thanks to Charlie of the Counting Crows for joining us here in the MTV Arena.

CROWSx1: Where the hell is Matt? Everybody in the greater New York area please lean out your window and shout "Hey Matt -- Call Home, Dude". Anyway, folks, I gotta go. Love and kisses. See you later.

MTVog: Check out the Counting Crows Website at: www.countingcrows.com. Thanks to our audience for their questions, and participation. Check out the Counting Crows latest album, "Recovering the Satellites." CYA later!

Copyright 1996 MTV Networks


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