A Masterclass: Charlie Watts
Everyone has a different memory of the Rolling Stones drummer – none of which question his greatness
The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are rock ‘n’ roll institutions in themselves. But can anyone doubt that the enormity of the band’s drummer, Charlie Watts, was any less? The passing away of the legendary musician last month gave rise to a litany of tributes not only from fans, but also from the world’s music royalty including the likes of Paul McCartney (“fantastic drummer, steady as a rock”, U2 (“you make a grown man cry”) and Elton John (“the ultimate drummer”), among hundreds of others.
One of the world’s most successful rock bands of all time with estimated album sales of over 200 million, Watts stuck with the band right from 1963 until his death at age 80 at a London hospital last month.
While it was rock that Watts made a career of, it was indeed jazz that was at the soul of this very musician who was born in 1941 and grew up saving money to buy 78s of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. Watts could have had a career as an artist too – he attended art school – and was a professional graphic designer who even helped design the artwork for some of the band’s early records. Thankfully, the musician in him prevailed. His utter devotion and loyalty to the band meant that from 1963 until his last live concert in 2019 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, he never missed a single gig. He, besides Richards and Jagger, is the only other member to appear on every Rolling Stones discography – 30 studio albums, three extended play singles, 33 live albums, 29 compilation albums, 32 box sets, 121 singles, 77 music videos and 48 video albums, if you were keeping score.
Unlike Richard and Jagger though, Watts maintained a relatively low profile not allowing the shenanigans and off-stage theatrics of his bandmates to influence his own modest image. It was a singular focus on his craft that showed through brilliantly on many of the brand’s greatest hits including “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, “Angie”, and “Paint It, Black”.
One of the most telling compliments, and one that Watts perhaps would have been most proud of, came from Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor who took to
Twitter to say, “Most of all, despite being in the greatest rock and roll band of all time, his self-effacing manner and humility was a shining light for all of us in the world to follow.” That light burns bright.
REMEMBERING CHARLIE WATTS
“A very sad day. Charlie Watts was the ultimate drummer. The most stylish of men, and such brilliant company” – Sir Elton John
“Charlie Watts was a groove-master. An elegant, beautiful groove-master who was as kind to my drummers as he was to me.
What a gift to have gotten to play with him and the Rolling Stones on multiple occasions” – Sheryl Crow
“A unique rhythmic personality, he’s unique, he’s irreplaceable. There’s only one guy with that sound” – Stewart Copeland
“RIP Charlie Watts, one of the greatest rock drummers ever and a real gentleman” – Bryan Adams
“To me, Charlie Watts was the secret essence of the whole thing” – Keith Richards