The 5-minute Interview: Adam Duritz, Musician

'People were saying I used to date Winona Ryder, which I didn't'

Duritz, 43, is lead singer of Counting Crows, whose new album, 'Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings', was released this week.

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be ...

Buying a flask. I made a soup for my girlfriend because she didn't believe I could, so I'm going to take it to her at the airport. It's my father's recipe: zucchini, spinach and leek.

A phrase I use far too often is ...

"I've never even met her." I had to use it about 800 times last week when everyone was saying I used to date Winona Ryder, which I didn't.

I wish people would take more notice of ...

The other guys in the band. People miss out on how good they are because they concentrate on me and the songs but if the band's flat the songs are flat. They work 'cos the guys get it. Music is all about collaboration.

The most surprising thing that happened to me was ...

This career. No one should expect a successful career as an artist. So when you do that's amazing.

A common misperception of me is ...

There's probably a thousand. We live in a world where the media attempt to describe everyone. I don't believe anything I read about other people because everything I read about myself is false.

I'm not a politician but ...

If I were, I'd make everyone speak one language. The only real problem in the world is lack of communication.

The ideal night out is...

A night in. It doesn't necessarily have to be in my own home. I like being anywhere where I've got a sense of being at home with my friends. I think it's because I wandered around so much as a kid.

In moments of weakness, I ...

Have had to learn to deal with them on my own. I think it's a good lesson to learn.

You know me as a singer-songwriter but in another life I'd have been ...

A failure! I got fired from every other job I had.

Gavriel Hollander