VIDEO: Counting Crows Perform ‘Spaceman in Tulsa,’ ‘A Long December,’ and Taylor Swift’s ‘The 1’ Live on the Stern Show

It’s been over a decade since the last time Adam Duritz and the Counting Crows stopped by the Stern Show or put out a full-length album, and the music industry has evolved considerably over that time. When they visited the studio on Monday morning to play their new single, “Spaceman in Tulsa,” live on the air and record a very special performance for Howard 101, Howard was curious if it was challenging to make music in the current landscape.

“I think it’s more confusing about how to put it out, how to promote it,” frontman Duritz said. “I really liked the last record we put out, I thought we had a great record company, and it kind of came out and disappeared,” he continued before revealing why he waited 11 years to put out a new full-length record. “I just think I was just like, ‘Well, I don’t want to throw stuff down a hole, let’s figure out how to do this better.’”

Talking to the whole band about their gear, Howard took the opportunity to inquire about favorite riffs and musicians. While guitarists Dan Vickrey and David Immerglück chose David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel” and Led Zeppelin’s “Four Sticks,” respectively, drummer Jim Bogios spoke of some of his favorite drummers before settling on Zeppelin’s John Bonham as the best. “It’s more songs for me, but I always go back to all the British bands — Beatles, Stones, the Who, Zeppelin – they all had the best songs and the best drummers,” he noted.

Before breaking into “Spaceman in Tulsa,” Duritz offered Howard some insight into their new track. “[It’s about] people who grow up different from everybody else in their hometown,” he explained. “Art makes a place for people who are weirder than the people around them, maybe. In our case, rock and roll gave us a whole life, and that’s what it does for the people in the song.”

Watch the Counting Crows’ energetic performance of “Spaceman in Tulsa” (above) and check out their inspired medley featuring Taylor Swift’s “The 1” and their own smash-hit “A Long December” (below).

Listen to Howard Stern Presents: Counting Crows on Friday, May 16 at 7 and 10 p.m. on Howard 101 and check out their new album, “Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!” — out now.