You know, most people associate the Rolling Stones with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. However, there is one other ingrediant in there that people tend to look over, a big one....Mr. Charlie Watts.

The man has never let success go to his head. I'm sure he is the same man he was in '63, whereas the same thing couldn't be said for Jagger. He has remained faithful to his wife for what, 4 decades? Being a rock star, especially being part of the Rolling Stones in the 60's and 70's, that's amazing! Aside from all of that, even though he doesn't understand why the fans love the band so much..he realizes that there ARE fans and always gives 110%. The man could have easily died while fighting cancer last year but he survived. We also recently found out that he was injured in a car crash last June. But he takes part in the recording of the album and goes out on tour in support of it. What a guy.

He also seems more human than Jagger or Richards. They both seem to have this larger than life aura about them, whereas Charlie just seems like a guy, you know what I mean? I love Mick and Keith, but Charlie just has that quality about him.

He's 64 years old and still plays like a beast. Never does he seem tired. Even the way he plays...he's not too flashy but you can't imagine him doing any more than what he does. Look at his drums, just a basic setup (by the way, does anyone know the specifics of the drums and cymbals he uses?) but he makes it sound like so much more is there. He's flash without flash.

I used to be so interested in guitar, but recently I played some Stones songs with some friends with me playing drums and I loved the feeling. Charlie may very well turn me into a drummer. As a matter of fact, I'm going out to get a drumset soon.

Long live Charlie Watts.

Agreed...Charlie's beat is essential. ABB actually hits you like 4-5 secs in when Charlies adds that roll to Rough Justice. I used to love Keith Moon and Bonham, but Charlie is without a doubt the greatest drummer in rock history!

hey i knew he was 1 of the greatest since Get off my cloud & paint it black in the 60's,,,, if ya really want 2 Appreciate charlie...just play Some Girls album,,, that is the envy of all the rock drummers ,,,but 2 add 2 that,,,seen him play again last week ,,,wow ,,, incredible live ,,, what a drummer,,,,,Btw Moon ,,Bonham ,,& Ringo were great also

Very well put deuce! What I've always loved about Charlie Watts' drumming is its simplicity. Not too flashy and not too much. And his drum kit is so simple in the way that he doesn't need any additional drums or cymbals to get the job done. He is definitely one of the best rock drummers in the business and a class act all the way!

As Ron said in 4 Flicks...

Charlie is the engine...and we don't go anywhere without the engine

Hi there!

He uses a Gretsch set from the fifties or maybe early sexties. The zize´s are;
Bassdrum 22", Floortom 16", Racktom 12", Snare ( i beleve it is an sexties Ludwig)14".
He´s left china is for shure an "UFIP Natural Series 18" or 16" china". Then at he´s right side comes a flat ride, i think (not shure) it´s an old, or special made for Charlie, 18" Zildjan. Then a 16" crash, probably Zildjan. And last at he´s right side again a UFIP Natural Series 18"
china.
This is the cymbalsetup he normaly uses at the mainstage.
On the small stage he uses 3 Zildjan cymbals. From he´s left - a big, 20" or 22" China whith rivets. Then a big "normal" ride and finally a 16" crash.
HiHat´s? Not shure here. Lookes like an 14". I guess it´s an old Zildjan too.

"You have the sun, you have the moon, you have the air to breathe, you´ve got The Rolling Stones"

I too think that Charlie is the best drummer in rock.
But here's an interesting story: a close friend of mine has been driver for The Rolling Stones for the Vodoo Lounge Tour gig in Budapest, so he met all of them; he appreciates the music, but he's not really a fan, so he gave me a detached report of his (very short, anyway) meetings with the guys. About Keith Richards, he told me that he really used to drink a lot, so he was drunk all the time; the same goes for Ron Wood, who anyway seemed to him much nicer than Keith; on Mick Jagger, he told me that he was really detached and uninterested on what was going on around him. About Charlie Watts, well, he told me : "He's a REAL gentleman".

Charlie really stands out the cliché of being a rock'n roll star! So, I join deuce in saying:

Long Live Charlie Watts!!!

"got to be worked on
don't have no bark nor bite..."

Well, you couldn't find a better to inspire you to learn drums besides Charlie!
I agree he's great.

The only thing I have to add about his set up is that his heads appear to be Remo CS

He is one of the very few rock drummers I've seen actually use brushes during a concert!

He also has kind of bragged about not changing out his bass drums head for a long time but that is probably just bs.

Still, Charlie is great at the whole less is more, leaving space in the music to breathe.

As kind of a different take on Charlie, give between the buttons a listen. I saw one guy refer to it as the Charlie Watts Solo album.

Marv


Marv Peck

Y'all remember that rubber legged boy