Adam Duritz Went Back to Tending Bar at the Viper Room After Counting Crows Hit It Big

Adam Duritz is the lead singer, a founding member and songwriter for Counting Crows. The band nonetheless releases new music as lately as their album Butter Miracle Suite One on Might 21. Back in the ‘90s, Duritz was a bartender at the Hollywood club The Viper Room. As you’ll study, Counting Crows was already successful again then, however Duritz needed a standard job. 

Adam Duritz | Steven Ferdman/Getty Pictures

Mark McGrath spoke with Showbiz Cheat Sheet by telephone on July 15 about the Vice TV present Darkish Aspect of the ’90s. One in all the present’s episodes is about The Viper Room, so McGrath shared a narrative he witnessed firsthand as a membership crawler in the 90s. We’ll have extra with McGrath as he tells tales from the ‘90s and new episodes of Dark Side of the ’90s air Thursdays at 10 p.m. on Vice. 

Mark McGrath didn’t anticipate to run into Adam Duritz at The Viper Room 

Johnny Depp owned The Viper Room in the ’90s. Loads of bands performed the stage, however McGrath was not anticipating to see a success singer behind the bar. 

Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz performs in 1994
Adam Duritz | Patti Ouderkirk/WireImage

“You had Adam Duritz bartending,” McGrath mentioned. “One day, I remember walking into The Viper Room, I snuck in, I knew one guy and he got me in the back room before Sugar Ray had any success. I remember walking in. And Adam Duritz [said], ‘Can I help you?’ I go, ‘Wow, man, the record business is a cruel mistress. I just heard your song on the way over here.’”

The Viper Room let Adam Duritz felt regular

Counting Crows was not having a dry spell when Duritz labored The Viper Room. After “Mr. Jones” and the album August and The whole lot After, Counting Crows stored recording and performing. Duritz additionally offers an interview for Darkish Aspect of the 90s.

“He just wanted to work the bar to feel normal and do his thing,” McGrath mentioned. “It was a great place for that.”

Mark McGrath has different nice reminiscences of The Viper Room

Sugar Ray performed The Viper Room, too. McGrath has many extra fond reminiscences of being in the viewers for different artists.

Viper Room awning over entrance
The Viper Room | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Pictures

“So many great bands came out of The Viper Room,” McGrath mentioned. “I think a lot of people forget about that. It was the places we mentioned bands would showcase. The Neurotic Outsiders, Duff McKagen’s first band after Guns n’ Roses, Matt Sorum with Steve Jones, they got their start there. Every band either showcased or did something there from Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins. It was the place to be because you never knew who would show up and play.”

The Viper Room holds some private reminiscences for McGrath, too.

“The irony of the Viper Room episode is it so directly affects me in so many ways,” McGrath mentioned. “First of all, I met my wife there. I met my wife at the Viper Room and then I got engaged at the Viper Room.”



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