RIP.
Hard to believe, but he was 80. Thanks so much for all the memories, Sir.
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I always expected Keith Richards to be the first of the Stones to go, or at least the first to go after Brian Jones. RIP Charlie Watts.
You know, it’s funny about Keith Richard(s). I sometimes wonder whether this was just an act…the Stones, much like the Beatles, were/are REMARKABLY intelligent fellows. I’ve watched interviews of both groups from the 1960s and I only wish I had been that smart when I was in my 20s.
I used to think Ron Wood was another stoned aging rocker. I came across a music interview show he was doing (The Ronnie Wood Show). The sheer joy and energy when he interviews folks like Paul McCartney is just completely infectious.
I have to credit the Stones for holding it together for so long.
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Keith Richards has looked like a corpse for so many years now, how would we tell if his time had come?
Just heard a Charlie Watts story on the radio while driving: Mid 1980’s middle of the night a very drunken Jagger calls Watts in his hotel room, waking him up, repeating over and over, “Where’s my drumma?”. Watts puts on a fresh suit and tie, polished shoes, etc., marches down to Jagger’s hotel room and punches him out while yelling " Don’t ever do that again! I’m not your (expletive) drumma—you’re my (expletive) singer!!!"
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What a lovely BBC article and such beautiful tributes from his fellow musicians. RIP, Charlie, and many thanks for the music.
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Saw the Strolling Bones decades ago at Giant Stadium, when they only looked to be 130 years old. That rocker life must be tough on the body. Have to admit it was a “Meh” show, but Charlie Watts was my fav. So relaxed and low key and played with a smirk as if he was laughing at Mick. Would have been nice to see them in the 1960s.
I too wish I’d seen them in their prime, but I did see them for The Bigger Bang tour in 2005 and they were pretty darn good. I think Keith Richards is going to live forever.
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I saw the Stones in San Diego in 1981 at the now gone Jack Murphy Stadium. I remember it was October and I was in my senior year at SDSU. It was a great concert.
I saw them three times and always admired how Charlie just kept the band driving forward. Pearl Jam opening for the Stones at PNC Park is probably the best show I’ve attended. Eddie Vedder dedicated “Alive” to Charlie, shortly after his cancer diagnosis.
For those of us of a certain generation, Glen Matlock put it well, saying Watts:
kept the beat to the soundtrack of our lives
Absolutely! Which is why I’m a little surprised more people haven’t commented on this. I was in tears earlier today when I read the BBC article posted by @mynameiswhatever. These old guys that are still rocking will be gone all too soon.
And from all (most-nobody’s perfect!) accounts, he was one of the good guys.
Charlie was one of the quiet rock and rollers. He was very dignified, and I am sad that he is gone. He was one of the good ones.
Putting aside my sadness for Charlie and his family, I guess I had always viewed the Rolling Stones as indestructible. I couldn’t believe how long they kept on keeping on, and Charlie was there, every step of the way, from 1963 until today, It’s not quite the same as John Lennon’s horrific murder in 1980 or George Harrison’s death in November 2001. But, it is, without ANY doubt, the true passing of an era.
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Yes, And the poignant thing was that Charlie wanted to keep going after he had hopefully recuperated more and the drummer that was going to replace him on the tour considered himself an “understudy” prepared to step aside when Charlie was ready. I’m sure his bandmates are devastated.