Charlie was simply an honest, humble and wonderful human being! I love Charlie's facial expressions while he's being interviewed ~ 37:21~39:04! Charlie spoke the unvarnished truth. REST IN PEACE ~ CHARLES ROBERT "CHARLIE" WATTS.
Charlie was, is and always will be my number 1 drummer. Some drummers are fantastic, some amazing, others are incredible, but only one is the real deal. Charlie Watts is the One.
They said Charlie explicitly told them multiple times near the end that he wanted them to continue and that he would be angry with them especially if they didn't complete the dates they had already sold tickets for. They've said he was very adamant about this. Perhaps if it had been up to Keith it would have been over, but Charlie gave instructions and they felt they owed it to him to obey them. Charlie also chose his own replacement, which makes what their doing now all the more acceptable. Theyre all just respecting Charlie's wishes. May he rock in peace \m/
Charlie Watts' Drumming on "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is absolutely hypnotizing, mesmerizing and funky! I believe it's the greatest Drum track ever recorded in Pop/Rock! The greatest Single ever is "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Child Of The Moon" in Pop/Rock!
@@markfrost2707 I think you and I have different definitions of rocking. When I say rocking, I mean playing to rock in roll songs like Street Fighting Man, Jumping Jack Flash and when the Whip Comes Down. Charlie does swing on a lot of the earlier songs like the Chuck Berry covers the Stones did back in the sixties. I also love his rock drumming on Get Of My Cloud.
I met Charlie with my then gf what a classy guy.....ps he liked my gf.....I asked him if the Rolling Stones are breaking up and he asked me " I don't know are they"....Great man God Bless Charlie Watts
it's been 493 days from when your reading this on 12/29/2022 since his passing AD 08/24/2021. Charlie Watts is and was an incredible once a life-time human being, son of Lillian and Charles Watts, husband of Shirley Ann Shepard since 1964, father of Seraphina Watts, drummer of The Rolling Stones since 1963,. "if there's a rock -n-roll heaven, Well you know they've got a hell of a band ". 24/7 , 365 Welcome Charlie Watts with your Gretsch Drum Kit! Miss you!
I remember years ago an interviewer asking Keith who his biggest musical influence was, and at the drop of a hat he said Charlie Watts. You don't usually hear a lot of guitarists saying that about the drummers in their band. They had a certain admiration & respect for each other a lot of bandmates don't share.
Always loved his playing. Walking through the neighborhood a few months ago. A dude was jamming his drums to the Rolling Stones. So damn good that I had to stop and listen. Perfection. And way loud ! (RIP Charlie).
Was fortunate to be allowed on stage by Ian Stewart, and stood behind Charlie Watts throughout their concert in Winnipeg 1966, and the one thing I noted about his drum set set up was, how low the seat was, it almost looked like it was a foot above the floor, they all treated me as if I was one of them during the show and off stage too, I'll never forget it. Also, he had a polkadot suit, with long side burns, not even Elvis could match the length. Always love the Stones, learned so much from them.
Growing up, all my drummer friends were raving about Moon, Peart, Bonham who are extraordinary. I was into Watts. later Stewart Copeland. In the long run, bands appreciate that solid groove and tasteful fills than the bombastic 'foregrounding' drum styles of those others. Thanks for showing me the way, charlie
But on the other side.... imagine Watts playing Rush or Who tune.... hmmm... BTW since Watts was jazz-influenced, my heroes from that genre are Joe Morello and Louie Bellson.
@@anta40 agreed, I don't think Charlie could do what peart and moon did. Not many working gigs for that kind of stuff though. I'm a huge Joe Morello fan too
@@FrederickJohnSebastian I like to think we agree that: 1. Watts didn't need to be like Peart, Bonham, Moon, Baker, Palmer, etc. 2. Drummers first should provide solid timekeeping, and not doing flashy stuffs serving their egos. Nevertheless, I found Watts playing to be too minimalistic for my taste. Ringo and Purdie are two excellent examples it's possible to provide solid timekeeping and sound really interesting without overpowering the whole song, but maybe because in the end I just don't really like The Stones :p
In 75 I saw the Stones the Who and Led Zeppelin. I remember it being the year of the battle of the top drummers . We got lucky with Moon but Bonham was wasted . Charlie was just so consistent and powerful that it was no contest. Charlie was the best . He was also extremely handicapped keeping Keith inline . 😜❗
I missed Zep that year (saw them in 73, and was a little disappointed), but saw Faces twice, with the Stones in between. Kenny Jones was a terrific drummer as well.
There’s no “must” here. Woody covers a lot for Kieth’s arthritis and Jagger at his age trying to still behave like he’s 30 isn’t a great look. I’m a huge fan but how long should we expect this to continue
I saw the Stones in Nashville about 2 weeks after his death and I really felt it was weird that they went on with that tour. I know that it was already kinda decided that way but still strange.
Me and my friends got heavily into the stones in 1969. We were supposed to see them in 1972 in NYC during the STP tour. But we were scammed by a "misbred, gray executive I've seen heavily advertised". In 1975 we saw them 3 times in the Garden NYC. From then until 2007 we saw them every tour in NY, NJ or Penn. As far as we were concerned they were The Greatest Rock n Roll Band in the WORLD, The Fantastic Five. At this point they are no more. I get that they did the tour when Charlie was sick, and I get they completed the tour as a tribute to Charlie, but The Stones are done. Charlie gone is too much to what the Stones were. Jagger and Richards can do their side projects if they want to tour but never again should they do so under The Rolling Stones moniker.
I agree. And 60 year is longer than anyone. Ellington, etc. All the other big bands broke up at some point (Who, Floyd, etc). Give them the 50 years I suppose, either way. It was tough losing Bill. Charlie gone, it ain't the Stones. And, God bless Ron Wood.
@@johnryan3913 Yeah, going from Jones to Taylor to Wood was tolerable, losing Wyman was starting to get crumbly, but Watts gone is too much. At this point they are the Glimmer Twins nostalgia act. Jagger can do his solo stuff and Richards can do the X pensive Whinos or New Barbarians. Woody had his art and he can play with Richards. They had a great run, no other Rock Band will ever match it.
@@arminiusschild5260 Mick and Keith are 80 next year, Ron is 75, they have nothing to prove! I do wish they had finished one more studio album in the past few years, w/ Charlie. But what a body of work they produced! Including some of the outtakes on SG and Tattoo. Always so much to revisit.
@@AlmostReady504 That's great, but sadly Glenn is not so to say that post-Charlie it ain't the stones won't work if you compare that to GM. But you are right on, the band may still be terrific.
I engineered some of Bridges to Babylon so I spent lot of 12 hr days with Charlie in Studio2 summer of 97. He was a Humble, quiet man. One day he asked me to copy a cassette to cassette for him. We were so busy that day i forgot. The next day he snatched it out of my hands and said” nevermind”. I was devestated. A few days later he asked me to follow him and he winked as he gave someone a bit of stress for setting up ( Ross drum doctor)a gretsch kit withojt asking him! Very uncomfortable for the three of us. Then he stuck out his arm and said” Charlie Watts…. Nice to meet you Ross”. He turned to me and we went back to work. I’ve always felt he knew i was devestaed by my tape copy incident and did that little play for me. It was the last recording day before mix and mastering last song.
thats awesome 5 years playing and 20 years hangin around what a man and what a fantastic drummer my favorite drummer ever i play in a stones tribute band and to get it right is not easy it sounds it but when you delve into the grooves Charlie was unique
The drummer is the heart of the band and can make or break a show. Can't You Hear Me Knocking is my favorite Stones song along with Gimme Shelter with Lisa Fischer. Unlike just about all the 60's, 70's and 80's rockers now on tour in 2022 who are but shadows of their former selves and on what I call their "Take the Money and Run" tours, the Stones on their latest "60 Years" tour are at the top of their game. Mick's voice is clear and powerful and Keef and Charlie still rockin'.
I got into the drums when I was 9 or 10 and became impressed with drum solos, which were de rigeur in the early 70s. Later I realized the best drummers were essential part of a band's sonic personality. Even the ones, like Ginger or Bonham, who did lonnng solos were at their best within songs. I had the opportunity to see the Charlie Watts Orchestra in 1986 or so, 32 members including 3 drummers squeezed into a club! I also love his playing on Howling Wolf's London Sessions, which also features Bill Wyman, Ian Stewart, and Mick J. The Charlie Parker book and albums are beautiful as well. Thanks for the tribute! And RIP to Shirley Watts who died last week at 84, just a year after Charlie. They were together for 60 year, too, and hopefully now reunite, somewhere. ⛄🎄🙏🌟
As a long time drummer,....I find most if not all drum solos to be boring, not very interesting, narcissistic and pointless. The most important thing for a drummer is keeping time and enhancing, accenting and pushing the music and dynamics of the entire band and music.
I saw The Stones last Monday night. Great show. They brought it big time for a full house. I missed Charlie. The grove and drums were definitely not the same. Steve Jordan brought heavy hand with a totally different feel. The Band and music goes on, but Charlie Watts will never be replaced.
The beat is so important. In old Irish cottages you sometimes find a large stone in the floor with space under it where the working people would do a beat with their working boots and a fiddler would play. The expression on Charlie's face would amuse me. To me it said everything. I thought that he was very happy playing jazz and quite sophisticated.
What annoys me is that the you start with deprecating Mick and Keith. Calling them flashy and after that even trying to infer that only Charlie "was about the music". Get a grip. Yes a drummer is essential, and Charlie definitely was. But so are the rest of the members. Especially in the case of the Stones. There wouldn't be a band without Keith, Mick or Ronnie either. (The latter being the one that _actually_ saved the band and secured another 47(!) years of success) I just don't get it. Why go for the divisive angle? I love Charlie to death, but I loathe this narrow minded video which is not much more than a very short and uninsightful introduction to a random compilation of clips. Ugh, I guess you'll harvest some clicks, so there's that if if that's something you'll be happy with I guess.
I would say just Ginger Baker could replace Charly Watts (If he would yet be alive) The others including Steve Gadd NOT !! Ok ,Carmine Appice is Phantastic ! but he is legendary already in his Band Vanilla Fudge !
Mick, Bill Wyman, Keith Richards and when Ronnie Woods came on board with the Stones all said you can always tell when Charlie is behind you and he never misses a beat.
My first Stones record was " Let it Bleed" I played it everyday, his playing on the whole thing was incredible.. but " Live with me" on there.... That is a total course on him , on why the people all talk about him, It's said that he told them to not stop, So if that's true... They gotta do it . Right?
the fact that Ginger liked says a lot. Ginger hardly liked anybody!! I played in a Stones tribute band for a while years ago and it as then I truly got to appreciate what he did and how he did it. His playing style was not easy to replicate.
Keith's book Life, he talks about recruiting Charlie and how Mick & Keith would talk about not being able to afford Charlie to join them. The earlie days when they had to beg, borrow & steal to get by.
I distinctly remember reading an interview with Keith in the 70's where he said there would be no more Stones if either he, Mick or Charlie died. I get it that Charlie wanted the Stones to go on..but it's not the same.
Got to see them a couple months before Charlie's last gig, and there had been some sort of straw poll vote on what song to play that was not on the lineup, or some such. The screen went dark and then they flashed the result on the screen: Monkey Man. And this huge crowd went nuts! And it was great. One thing I noticed immediately was that people were there to see and hear Charlie just as much, if not more than Mick, Keith and Ronnie. I felt very lucky and grateful to see them. It was the only live performance I've seen of theirs, and I've been a fan since 1969.
I think he needed more volume to overcome all the screaming from the audience. I once read where Ian Stewart convinced him to switch back to the "proper" way of playing.
Two things I found interesting. Number one: those drummers spoke more about Charlie than his drumming. Two: when these drummers spoke of Charlie, Ringo wasn’t far behind.
Feel feel feel!!! Also how he placed the pocket locked that band giving it a tremendous propulsion that is now sorely missed. Golden backbeat!!! RIP to one of the greatest rock'n roll drummers to ever pick up a pair of sticks.
I got lots of chops from good old Charlie. A story about Charlie that I just love is when Mick called Charlie his drummer. Charlie showed up at Micks door and knocked him on his ass.
Stones are all really lovely people, but Charleez technique is quite ordinary. That deliberate hiccup is unnecessary. Also Ringo is the world's wealthiest, but also a technique to be ignored. Just an opinion.
To me Charlie was so unique that to compare him to anyone just isn't anywhere to go down that road. Comments I hear is how unique his sound is,it's from the heart and his is one of a million or more. I was at a grocery store that was broadcasting music into the lot and I was in the back and just from the rhythm and beat I knew it was a Stones tune . Many comments about how laid back he was as a drummer is to me a bit misunderstood. Charlie could come from a subtle drive like a finely tuned motor to a pedal to the metal and hold that timing and keep everything right on track. Full open. I do have to say that I've seen and heard Steve Jordan with Keith and the Expensive Winos and with the Stones and a piece of Charlie is in him . A small piece of Charlie is a huge Stone . Life goes on and I dearly miss Charlie but I'm supporting Steve on Charlie's behalf . The sticks were passed on. 😎
I saw the original Stones with Brian at an old run down movie theater in NYC on 14th or 23rd Street twice a million years ago. Hundreds of screaming girls.
Like the time Mick Jagger said, "yeah, my drummer" and Charlie came up and grabbed him and said, "Hey, Your my singer!" or some thing close to that. I know it was back in the late 60s then. Mick always showed such great respect for him. What a great chat going on about Charlie. Thanks, great stuff.
When it comes to a favorite tune. I have to say, I pulled up Moonlight Mile a few months back to play it at a gig. I hadn't listened to it in a couple of decades... I think that is now my favorite tune. RIP Charlie. You made The Stones what they became...
