Adams riff

They're opinionated and outspoken, talkative and testy, prideful and passionate.

Counting Crows' Adam Duritz, 44, he of the dreadlocks, and Maroon 5's Adam Levine, 29, he of the faux-hawk, have dated their share of Hollywood hotties, scored a few radio hits and toured like old-school rockers. Before they hit the road for a co-headlining trek that comes to Mystic Lake Casino on Tuesday, the Adams collaborated on a phone interview.

Q How do you feel about touring together?

Duritz: I think the great thing about co-headlining is that you get a 1+1=10 situation, because people are hesitant to spend their money nowadays.

Levine: I'm just happy to return with these guys because there are so few bands at this point that are touring bands that are for real. We both have the same touring ethics, and we both do it the old-fashioned way still.

Duritz: Nowadays, it's so easy to fake it in the studios. And there are lots of bands when you see them on some TV show, you realize they can't play. Everybody here tonight is a musician.

Q Adam Duritz, what advice do you have for Adam Levine as far as celebrity girlfriends?

Duritz: Mine are, for the most part, entirely fictional. I'd be really thrilled except I know that people aren't who they look like they are in the movies. So I've nothing, no advice on that one, other than learn to laugh it off when you read about how someone you've never met is your girlfriend -- because I've had that happen a thousand times now.

Q How about advice for career longevity?

Duritz: I think there's two sides to it. One side is how you feel about yourself and continue to be inspired; the way to do that is you play the music you want to play and make the records you want to make and that will allow you to stay in a career that can be kind of grinding at times. And the other half of it they've already got down, which is the touring. I really truly believe that the impression you make on someone on the radio at one given moment is very fleeting. But the impression you make on a given evening when it's you and them and you make a real connection with an audience, that can last forever -- and does.

Q Adam Levine, you've worked with Kanye West, Rihanna and recently with country star Sara Evans. What direction do you see yourself going in?

Levine: I don't have any kind of direction I see myself going in. I think that fortunately, I'm in a position to work with a lot of different types of artists, whether it's Alicia Keys or Kanye or Sara Evans or whoever it may be. I think it just comes down to whether I dig what's going on. I'm kind of genre-blind; I don't really care about what it is because obviously I love all music.

Q Adam Duritz, most people say their favorite Counting Crows album is your first one, "August and Everything After." Is it your favorite?

Duritz: I don't really have one. At the time I wrote that record, the band was very new. There's like five songs on that record out of 11 where I think they're great songs and I can't help thinking how much better I sing them now than I did then. There's some songs where I didn't fully understand the song then. You know what I mean? I don't have that kind of feeling about anything on any other record.

Levine: Can I interrupt you in your own thought for one second? Sometimes that's what makes it really great, is that you didn't know it that well and that it was some sort of weird naive approach.

Duritz: I just didn't fully understand what I was saying. It's subconscious writing. I got the song right, but there's a difference between having a good voice and being a good singer. Communicating stuff from your heart to your mouth is a whole different art.

Levine: I like the sincerity of it. When you don't know what you're doing to when you do, that's the best.

Duritz: Oh, I don't think that's true, life's not accidental. I think you can be inspired by moments, but art is a mixture absolutely of craft and inspiration.

Levine: I agree with that. I'm just busting your balls because I think that that record is really great.

Duritz: I didn't even realize I was arguing with you then.

Levine: This is the argument that's going to blow the whole tour.

Duritz: That's the biggest argument we've ever had, man.

Jon Bream • 612-673-1719