RIP Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones)

[Elite]

Who died today. Rest in peace.

I'm not a Stones fan and couldn't tell a single thing Charlie Watts did on the drums that made him stand out, but the Stones are obviously a legendary band who are still playing to this day and the news got me wondering whether this will be the end for the Stones as well.

[El Barto]

Who died today. Rest in peace.

I'm not a Stones fan and couldn't tell a single thing Charlie Watts did on the drums that made him stand out, but the Stones are obviously a legendary band who are still playing to this day and the news got me wondering whether this will be the end for the Stones as well.

That's too bad. And he actually did two things that made him stand out. One dramatically so. He played with a lot more power than you'd expect given how mild-mannered he appeared. He also never hit the highhat and the snare at the same time, which made him pretty easy to recognize when you knew what to look for. A fairly unique sound.

He also woke up, showered, shaved, put on a lovely suit, just to walk downstairs to punch Jagger in the mouth before returning to bed. Man, talk about style. 

This shows what he does quite well (and is a masterpiece of a song, to boot).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3FUA0Hj7fI

[Adami]

Can't say I'm surprised given his recent decision to not join their tour. But still, RIP bro. Hell of a life.

[Orbert]

He also woke up, showered, shaved, put on a lovely suit, just to walk downstairs to punch Jagger in the mouth before returning to bed. Man, talk about style. 

I've read that story before, too, and I love it!

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Who died today. Rest in peace.

I'm not a Stones fan and couldn't tell a single thing Charlie Watts did on the drums that made him stand out, but the Stones are obviously a legendary band who are still playing to this day and the news got me wondering whether this will be the end for the Stones as well.

That's too bad. And he actually did two things that made him stand out. One dramatically so. He played with a lot more power than you'd expect given how mild-mannered he appeared. He also never hit the highhat and the snare at the same time, which made him pretty easy to recognize when you knew what to look for. A fairly unique sound.

He also woke up, showered, shaved, put on a lovely suit, just to walk downstairs to punch Jagger in the mouth before returning to bed. Man, talk about style. 

This shows what he does quite well (and is a masterpiece of a song, to boot).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3FUA0Hj7fI

I love that story! 

Was never into Stones but man what a legacy of songs Charlie brought with the Stones. He had a unique style as El Barto mentioned with not playing the Hi-Hat on the backbeat.

He seemed like a total gentleman!

RIP Charlie

[Adami]

I never noticed the snare/hats thing. Looked up a video of Paint it Black from the 2000's and it's true, snare alone. Then I looked up a performance from the 60's and he's definitely hitting them at the same time. I wonder when it changed?

[romdrums]

As a drummer, it is challenging to play like Charlie Watts and leave the hi hat out when you hit the snare.  Definitely something I have to think about if I'm playing a Stones tune. 

I love that story about him cleaning up to go punch out Mick Jagger.  The version I heard is that Mick had started it by going up to Charlie's room and screaming, "where's my fucking drummer?!?"  After Charlie cleaned up, rang Mick's door and then rang his bell, he said, "I'm not your fucking drummer, you're my fucking singer!"  And then went back to bed.   

[El Barto]

His perspective was quite interesting. He hated being a rockstar, and wasn't particularly keen on the Stones. Being in the Stones was his 'day job'. Playing stadiums was what allowed him to play tiny jazz clubs and collect cars he couldn't drive. 

[ReaperKK]

RIP. Was never a drummer but I can respect a legend. Why couldn't he drive his cars?

[emtee]

What a life and legacy he leaves behind. The drummer for one of the most influential and long lasting rock bands ever. Rest in peace.

[El Barto]

RIP. Was never a drummer but I can respect a legend. Why couldn't he drive his cars?

No idea. Apparently he just stopped driving a very long time ago. Presumably he just no longer had to drive himself around and never bothered to get his license renewed. His car collection had more to do with style than the nuts and bolts. So much so that apparently he had suits tailored to match each one of them. Much like punching people out, he'd dress up in the right suit to just sit in his cars and admire them. 

[Kotowboy]

RIP. Not a Stones fan but obviously a legend.

1. Apparently he never noticed he did the hi hat / snare thing. He claimed he only did it to hit the snare harder as he played Trad Grip.

2. Also he loved collecting cars just for the look of them. According to people who knew him - he would start them up (no pun intended) just to sit in the back. And would get

suits made that matched the decor of the car just to wear whilst sitting in the back with the engine idling. What a character.

[Trav86]

RIP. Not a Stones fan but obviously a legend.

1. Apparently he never noticed he did the hi hat / snare thing. He claimed he only did it to hit the snare harder as he played Trad Grip.

2. Also he loved collecting cars just for the look of them. According to people who knew him - he would start them up (no pun intended) just to sit in the back. And would get

suits made that matched the decor of the car just to wear whilst sitting in the back with the engine idling. What a character.

Hmmm…this sounds familiar.

[KevShmev]

Call me crazy, but if feels like Charlie Watts is a big enough legend that "(Rolling Stones)" shouldn't be needed in the title of the thread. 

Anyway, R.I.P. to a good ole rock and roll drummer.  His importance to the one of the biggest bands ever can never be overstated.  I am not a huge Stones fan (although I am of maybe a dozen songs or so, and Sticky Fingers is a killer record), but the list of bands as legendary as them in the modern popular music era can be counted on one hand.

[Cool Chris]

This gets tossed around a lot when someone passes, but I have never read or heard anyone say anything bad about him. I am sure he wasn't perfect (who is?) but what percentage of people who have been that big in the entertainment world for half a century can have that said about them?

[TAC]

I've never heard anybody say anything about him.

[TAC]

My musical coming of age coincided with the Emotional Rescue and Tattoo You albums. I love both and listen to each a couplethree times a year.

I was lucky enough to see the Stones in '89 and '97.

[KevShmev]

I never have gotten around to seeing the Stones.  I like them, but don't love them, and every time they have been here since I became aware of who they are, tickets were a bit too pricey, and I am not someone who feels the need to see a band just so I can say I saw them once. 

[The Curious Orange]

...the list of bands as legendary as them in the modern popular music era can be counted on one hand finger.

FFTW

[Trav86]

...the list of bands as legendary as them in the modern popular music era can be counted on one hand finger.

FFTW

Yeah. The Beatles and The Stones are pretty much at the top of the mountain, right? I mean, they’re the two bands that both your grandma and your kids will probably know.

[WildRanger]

R.I.P.

[Stadler]

Who died today. Rest in peace.

I'm not a Stones fan and couldn't tell a single thing Charlie Watts did on the drums that made him stand out, but the Stones are obviously a legendary band who are still playing to this day and the news got me wondering whether this will be the end for the Stones as well.

That's too bad. And he actually did two things that made him stand out. One dramatically so. He played with a lot more power than you'd expect given how mild-mannered he appeared. He also never hit the highhat and the snare at the same time, which made him pretty easy to recognize when you knew what to look for. A fairly unique sound.

He also woke up, showered, shaved, put on a lovely suit, just to walk downstairs to punch Jagger in the mouth before returning to bed. Man, talk about style. 

This shows what he does quite well (and is a masterpiece of a song, to boot).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3FUA0Hj7fI

HA!    I was all set to tell that story.    He had heard Jagger refer to "the drummer in my band" and when he punched Jagger, he said "Let's be clear, you're the SINGER in MY band".     Probably my favorite rock and roll story of all time.   And NO ONE - even Jagger - disputes that story. 

On one of the Transatlantic DVDs where they play Honky Tonk Woman (I think it's the Bridge Over America DVD where the show is different from the "Live In America" CD) Portnoy actually acknowledges he fucked that up - the not hitting the high hat while hitting the snare - after they stop playing.

I'm a HUGE Stones fan, and not long ago I went through some of their latter day DVDs to rip them to hard drive, and man was that Watts/Ruchards rhthym section GOOD. Even the songs that weren't ready "classics" always had something interesting - rhythmically - about them.  I know they are touring without him, but I can't see them making any more records without him.  Never say never, and Jagger isn't one to sit around, but the respect they had for him was SO evident in those DVD docs that I think this is different than Jones and Wyman.

[devieira73]

My musical coming of age coincided with the Emotional Rescue and Tattoo You albums. I love both and listen to each a couplethree times a year.

I was lucky enough to see the Stones in '89 and '97.

I saw RS only only one time on Bridges to Babylon tour. Needless to say, one of the best shows of my life!
Not a typical fan, but I really LOVE so many of its songs - including a lot more recent ones, like One Hit (to the body), that no one seems to care.
By the way, Undercover of the Night (edit: although Emotional Rescue also is pretty cool) has one of the coolest rhythm works in the rock history, what a groove!

[DragonAttack]

I read both the Keith Richards and Ronnie Woods autobiographies years ago (Woods is sad and superb....a tremendous heart, the bottle problems, and one of the last to see Jimi Hendrix alive the night he died for spoilers).  The story of punching Mick was a 'highlight', but so much gets lost in the recounting of the incident.  Mick wanted to break up the band, and was constantly saying that Charlie was 'his drummer'.  The night of the incident, Mick repeatedly called Charlie's room saying that line.  That's when Charlie shaved, dressed up in a suit, calmly walked down the hall of the hotel, said 'You're my singer', clocked him, then calmly walked back to his room.  Keith and Ronnie were witnesses.

Saw The Stones in DC in '15.  Mick ran around better than I could at 30, the final song was 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' along with the top DC gospel choir of twenty or so individuals on stage (local choirs were used throughout the tour, and not some lazy recording), Lisa Fischer providing various vocals (killer Merry Clayton rendition on 'Gimme Shelter'....check out 'Twenty Feet From Stardom on their background), and Keith and Ronnie and others doing what they do best.  I watch drummers often during shows, and there was Charlie, the engine driving the machine, and looking so 'unique' (awkward perhaps?) because of how he played.  If you watched him too much, you might feel like he was out of step quite often.  Close your eyes, and there were no missteps.

Like Ringo, he wasn't the best, he was simply the absolute perfect fit for the band he played in.  Since he was in one of the greatest bands of all time, I guess that says it all.

I grew up with them, loved most of their hits, many deep cuts, wasn't all that crazy about other songs, but there's boatloads of good that outweighed the bad.

From Alice Cooper:  ""We have lost one of rock and roll’s true gentlemen. Charlie Watts kept the beat for the world’s greatest rock band for over 50 years. I consider him the greatest pocket drummer of all time. Every time I would go backstage to see The Rolling Stones, Charlie was the first to greet me. He will be sorely missed and impossible to replace but I’ve no doubt The Stones will go on. My message to Charlie? Rest In Beat!”

[Sebastián Pratesi]

In 1995, the Stones played in Argentina for the first time. Here's an excerpt of the show, with Charlie receiving an ovation from the whole stadium: https://youtu.be/UfTRzBuI6pw

Here's McCartney saying a few words about Charlie: https://twitter.com/PaulMcCartney/status/1430221433100177409

[Cool Chris]

In 1995, the Stones played in Argentina for the first time. Here's an excerpt of the show, with Charlie receiving an ovation from the whole stadium: https://youtu.be/UfTRzBuI6pw

I love how he looks both so happy at all the adulation, and yet simultaneously uncomfortable with it all.

[Kotowboy]

Whenever a famous musician dies - they suddenly become the greatest musician who ever lived.

I don't know why people idolise Ringo Starr but I guarantee that when he dies everyone everywhere will start calling him the greatest drummer in the history of music.

" But you already said that about Charlie Watts.."

Yes well um but well you see um....

Not saying Ringo are Charlie are bad drummers obviously but Charlie is clearly better than Ringo. But it's weird how people elevate musicians who have died.

Here's McCartney saying a few words about Charlie: https://twitter.com/PaulMcCartney/status/1430221433100177409

" Charlie was...a rock..."

You could say he was a ...STONE. 

[Adami]

Whenever a famous musician dies - they suddenly become the greatest musician who ever lived.

I don't know why people idolise Ringo Starr but I guarantee that when he dies everyone everywhere will start calling him the greatest drummer in the history of music.

" But you already said that about Charlie Watts.."

Yes well um but well you see um....

Not saying Ringo are Charlie are bad drummers obviously but Charlie is clearly better than Ringo. But it's weird how people elevate musicians who have died.

Why is any of this necessary? No one is saying Charlie is the greatest drummer in the history of music. And if someone is, who cares?

[Kotowboy]

Why are you necessary ?

I was pointing out how people suddenly get god status after they pass.

[ReaperKK]

I don't think it's based purely off the technical skill of the musicians. People like Ringo and Charlie reached the 1% of popularity not solely based off technique but because of influence as well.

[Kotowboy]

Exactly my point. People like to deify artists who have passed for some reason.

[KevShmev]

And some people (generally speaking) like to take the "sorry this musician just died, but they weren't as great as many said they were" approach, when not saying anything is probably the better and classier approach.  Read the room, save the hot takes for later instead of throwing them out there when fans are still reacting to his or her death.

[The Curious Orange]

When someone who has had many, many years at the top of their field dies, it is an opportunity to remember and recognise their achievement and contributions. Charlie Watts may not be the greatest drummer who ever lived, but he certainly was one of the most important and influential. The Stones spent nearly 60 years as one of, if not the, greatest bands in history. That counts for something.

[Mladen]

When someone who has had many, many years at the top of their field dies, it is an opportunity to remember and recognise their achievement and contributions. Charlie Watts may not be the greatest drummer who ever lived, but he certainly was one of the most important and influential. The Stones spent nearly 60 years as one of, if not the, greatest bands in history. That counts for something.

This. It's also not that we do not appreciate musicians when they are alive, we do. But when a musician dies, we think more often about them, listen to the music more carefully and are reminded of the quality of music.

[Adami]

Exactly my point. People like to deify artists who have passed for some reason.

Who is doing that? They are saying he was a huge influence, seemed like a cool guy, and had interesting technique. I just don't get the need to go into threads and drag it down so often. The dude just died. Let people talk about him in a way that you might not personally feel without needing to go in there and imply that it's dumb to do that.