Charlie Watts RIP

Say Your Number

Not a massive fan of the Rolling Stones, but was always impressed with drumming on any track I heard, the man was a real legend, may he rest in peace.

https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1430207396899692551

archfi

Just read that, 58 years in the band, phew!

RIP

PTH2009

Ah darn was not expecting that news RIP Charlie

Saw the stones in Croke Park a few years back and it was a great concert

silliussoddius

Paint it Black, some drum intro.

Say Your Number

Love the story from Keith Richards book, where Jagger rings his hotel room and asks 'Where's my drummer?' Watts shows up a few minutes later grabs him and says 'Don't call me your drummer again' and nearly puts him out the window with a punch.

I love that style of drumming, I know music snobs look down their noses at it, but it just sounds great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAWjSTwvroY

Rothko

R.I.P.

Very underrated drummer

Great drummer, rip.

nj27

My favourite band of all time. RIP, wonder if that'll be the end of the rolling stones.

Snickers Man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117798559#Comment_117798559

I thought the punch line was "You're MY lead singer!" :)

Thelonious Monk

Was lucky enough to see him live a couple of times, great drummer. He had a great life, 80 isn't a bad age considering all the booze and drugs and copious amount of vadge he was no doubt drowning in in his earlier days. Him and Don Everly are queuing up to see St Peter as we speak.

Montage of Feck

So they are not immortal after all, :( lol. Still had a good run though.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117798661#Comment_117798661

I think it has to be, his style of drumming and personality was The Rolling Stones personified... I think there would be quite a backlash if they continued minus Charlie with some session randomer ... and rightfully too.

Jagger and Richards are 78 and 77 respectfully....I’d be surprised if they continued.... minus their lifelong pal and bandmate.

apart from the emotional disconnect of missing their pal... finding another drummer with the same style, suitability, and ability would be a challenge and time consuming and some.

Then... they rehearse a lot of songs to tour, probably 30+ because the setlists are quite varied... so to try and look for a new drummer, months of rehearsals..planning a tour...

i might be wrong but if I’m putting a hundred euros on it the Stones are finished... they leave an incredible legacy, hundreds of great songs and memories which live on, Charlie was the beat and heartbeat of it all... I never really appreciated how good a drummer he was until I saw them live back in 2003 I think.... seemed like a pretty decent skin too..... leaves some legacy.

rolling boh

A fantastic drummer the recent operation given his age and earlier health issues proberly was a lot more serious than reported .Would be a big fan of the band I know he was not playing on the tour coming up but not sure it would be the same without him anyway .

degsie

Another good one gone! RIP

PTH2009

He seemed a quite enough guy but I'd say he lived the rock star life and enjoyed a drink or 3

The stones have a tour scheduled for the Sep/Oct and Nov of this year in the states and they have a guy named Steve Jordan on drums who was announced as a stand in for Watts a few weeks ago. Reckon the band knew his health was bad. Reckon it will be quite hard for them esp looking over and not seeing Charlie on the drums

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117799134#Comment_117799134

Keith Richards is

RIP Charlie

Riddle101

Fair play to him for making it to 80. With all the wild partying and drinking and drugs they did, not to mention that he had throat cancer at one stage, he lived a long life. Rest in Peace.

Wibbs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117799054#Comment_117799054

While he had a period in the 70's of the booze and drugs alright, to the degree that even Keith was concerned, on the women front he was by all accounts not into that and was faithful to his wife who he met and married before the fame and madness started. Now that's a rarity indeed.

He wasn't the most innovative or "best" drummer of his time by any stretch of the imagination, but his style completely fitted and formed the band's sound. That's not an easy trick to pull off either.

loyatemu

Jagger and Richards are 78 and 77 respectfully....I’d be surprised if they continued.... minus their lifelong pal and bandmate.

I'd expect them to continue, they were planning to tour without him soon anyway due to his illness. Mick n' Keef are the Stones, the loss of Jones and Wyman didn't stop them before.

Royale with Cheese

I saw them twice in the past ten years, last time at Croke Park in 2018. Even though he was the oldest of them (he looked it too) he could still play perfectly, I wouldn't say the same about Keith Richards' guitar playing these days (even though I think he was actually better in 2018 than he was in 2013).

I saw they were going ahead with their north American tour this year without him and thought the end of the band must be nigh, didn't think he was on death's door though. They must be the first big rock n roll band who still pull huge crowds that will end up just dying of old age instead of retiring.

A natural talent. Jazz-capable. More than any other member of The Stones, Watts knew that it was only rock and roll, but he liked it. And he played it to perfection, finding the groove and the roll. 999 drummers out of 1,000 only ever get as far understanding the rock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGaBlygm0UY

Ken Tucky

RIP..Not a Stones fan but loved the early stuff. Specially the bluesy tunes they did.

I am no expert, enjoyed reading the plaudits that have been written about him today but was he really that good a drummer?? Seems the music world are talking losing a pioneer of the art! Am i missing something here? Genuine question!

Not taking away from his length of time in the band or the great tunes and live energy they had/have.

Wibbs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117801217#Comment_117801217

The other thing we can forget is guys like Charlie Watts and Ringo came along very early in the whole rock and roll thing, before the virtuoso flashy players like Baker and Moon(same can be aid for lead guitarists of their time) showed up and the later two hour live drum solos of the 70's stuff. They were there to keep a solid beat and not a lot else really and they did it very well and they were able to evolve enough even after the super players came along. Of the two Ringo was the more versatile and innovative, but that's because he had to be as his band were. Charlie nailed the R&B feel completely and had a very laid back groove behind the beat which suited the sound perfectly. A drummer like Ringo could have played all of the Stones stuff with ease(the reverse isn't true), but it wouldn't have sounded like the Rolling Stones. Someone like Entwhistle or McCartney for that matter would blow Wyman into the weeds as a player, but again it wouldn't be the Rolling Stones. It's rarely about the virtuoso technical player, that's why cobbled together "supergroups" usually sound shíte.

Wibbs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117801260#Comment_117801260

Compared to his contemporaries no, Watts was a pretty basic drummer. The jazz stuff is very much overplayed. IMHO for 90% of the Stones' output a halfway competent drummer would have stood in easily for him. However they wouldn't have Charlie's feel, the distinctive groove he had.

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117801323#Comment_117801323

Tell that to Mike and the Mechanics!

Wibbs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117801344#Comment_117801344

I would quite happily do so. 😁

Actually they're a pretty good example. Technically on point, bland as unflavoured tepid custard.

By the standards of rock and drumming, he was exceptional. Even if the jazz infusion was minimal and is overplayed; Watts must be up there with the best because of his feel, ability to find the groove and ability to find the song and enhance it (rather than merely keep time with it as is often the case w/ rock and roll drummers).

Beatles or Stones? Blur or Oasis? Watts or Ringo? The only thing I am certain of is that the British music industry's PR Hype Machine has been running for several decades and has proven extremely effective in shaping such conversations! :D Music is better enjoyed than discussed in any case. Like de man said, it's only rock and roll.

Ever tolerant Charlie putting up with country music...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyK1bZZ7E-s

Sugarlumps

Watt’s acquired his 57 Gretsch whilst doing a recording for Ronnie Wood in LA, it was a rental from SIR. He misses the backbeat on the hi-hats, which is odd, even he doesn’t know why. Uses a china as his main crash, not the norm.

Came across as a gent. This should be the end of The Stones for me.

AllGunsBlazing

As long as Mick and Keef can trundle on stage the Stones will continue.

Watts was the classiest of the bunch. The only one who didn't become a parody of himself.

PMBC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117801323#Comment_117801323

Not an argument but I'd say Charleiwas better than Ringo whom George Martin replaced on some tracks with a session man. Dont think that ever happened to CW. Whichever RIP