Nick Payn, the saxophonist of Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, told me in person that Charlie really punched Mick and said to him: “I am not your drummer. I am the drummer of the band. Never forget it.”
Nick Payn took the story from Bill Wyman.

I´m sure Charlie apologized for whatever happened. Attacking someone physically is never funny or cool and Charlie knows that (when he is not drunken).

There is also a story about Mick getting punched because he cut a hole in Ronnie's favourite Hawian shirt. I can't remember where I read this or if it was actually Ronnie who hit him or if it was Charlie acting on Ronnies behalf.

cut a hole in Ronnie's favourite Hawian shirt...

Yes, it's in Charone's lovely book, in one of the diary-style entries.

I think it is plausible to think that the very incident happened (that Charlie punched Mick)... but... we don't know anything of the context of it, of Charlie's motivation, what Mick said/done, Charlie's condition, etc but what Keith has said about it, and I take the latter to be very biased. For example, in LIFE Keith uses that almost like a moral support to his claim of Mick getting "unbearable". Keith's claim probably hadn't anything to with the incident. If Mick was drunk, said something stupid, Charlie was probably drunk/on drugs, and under the given circumstances, 'shit happened', and Charlie - as he has said - is not proud of it. Only Keith seems to have a field day with it, and enjoys sharing the story with us. Yeah, a sign of and 'band loyalty' indeed. Not that he uses it to backstabbing Mick, he does it knowing that Charlie is ashamed of it.

- Doxa

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crumbling_mice
There is also a story about Mick getting punched because he cut a hole in Ronnie's favourite Hawian shirt. I can't remember where I read this or if it was actually Ronnie who hit him or if it was Charlie acting on Ronnies behalf.

Street fighting band.

Well, since Charlie said he did it, I think he did.

Equally important to me, is that I WANT to believe it.

Us drummers have to stick together!

Marv Peck

Y'all remember that rubber legged boy

To assume that a band together for almost 50 years would not have any skirmishes of that sort is what would be hard to believe. They are no different than anyone else except the communal living arrangements of the early years. Drugs and alcohol have caused worst results throughtout history.

Anyways, doubt the strength of a drummer, someone who grips two sticks and bangs skins for a living is a person of tremendous arm strength. A punch to scrawny Jagger is like whacking a ball.

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Bliss

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Gazza
Just because someone is agile doesnt mean they cant be decked by a decent punch.

The story about Charlie clocking Mick is believable enough. The added bits about him almost falling into the canal are most likely exaggeration (and if it was the Amstel Hotel - which is where the Stones usually stay in Amsterdam - then I think I'm right in saying there's a garden area at the back of the hotel, so the only way you could leave a window and fall into the canal would be if you were shot out of a cannon..)

Great post, and surely the last word on the subject.

Unless...In the early 80's Jagger used to stay at the Hotel de L'Europe quite a lot. It's a bit closer to the Rembrandtplein (Rembrandt Square), where he used to go dance and dine. There's some pictures of him and Freddy Heineken (the beer brewer) in the Heineken restaurant of the hotel (Heineken owns the hotel to date) and in Cafe de Kroon on the Rembrandtplein. This hotel has luxury suites on ground floor level, adjacent to the river Amstel (which isn't a canal, but anyway).

The Doelen Hotel is another contender with rooms adjacent to a canal, but this is a 4 star hotel. This hotel refused the Stones when they played the Rai in 1970 due to their long hair image, and they had to relocate to a hotel in Utrecht, 40 kilometers south of Amsterdam.

Mathijs

I'm just surprised that 'the blade' wasn't involved!

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elunsi
I think Charlie said that he pushed Mick aside and Mick fell down. And that this all happened because they both were drunken. I think I remember Charlie saying this in an interview.

and the winner is elunsi- i've seen video of both mick and charlie at different times telling the exact same story.they had a verbal exchange and charlie shoved mick.

this somehow became keiths fantasy of charlie getting dressed,coming downstairs and throwing a mike tyson-like right hand that nearly knocked jagger out a window.you can tell when someone who has never really been in a fight tells a bullshit story,people "fly back" or "almost fly out windows" sort of like a popeye cartoon.did charlie eat a can of spinach beforehand or no? did he throw that big bolo punch so micks feet lifted six feet in the air? did it make a whooshing sound?

If it was forbidden to use exaggerations and metaphors when telling an anecdote, I guess
the world would become a very dull and unimaginative place to live in.

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lem motlow

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elunsi
I think Charlie said that he pushed Mick aside and Mick fell down. And that this all happened because they both were drunken. I think I remember Charlie saying this in an interview.

and the winner is elunsi- i've seen video of both mick and charlie at different times telling the exact same story.they had a verbal exchange and charlie shoved mick.

this somehow became keiths fantasy of charlie getting dressed,coming downstairs and throwing a mike tyson-like right hand that nearly knocked jagger out a window.you can tell when someone who has never really been in a fight tells a bullshit story,people "fly back" or "almost fly out windows" sort of like a popeye cartoon.did charlie eat a can of spinach beforehand or no? did he throw that big bolo punch so micks feet lifted six feet in the air? did it make a whooshing sound?

Don't forget that Mick would have headed straight out of window into canal unless Keith in the very last moment hadn't rescued him. And he did that only due to the fact that Mick happened to use Keith's expensive coat, and Keith didn't want that to be ruined...

Well, the funny thing is that Keith made a collection of that kind of stories and called it an "autobiography", and is praised for being so "honest"...

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-24 15:25 by Doxa.

No!

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what year did charlie beat his addiction?

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71Tele
I think so, given Charlie's own admission and knowing the state he was in at the time. However, I think the bit about Mick nearly going into the canal is a classic Keith embellishment.

hey tele I think you've got the truth of the matter right there. Charlie was self admittedly taking alot of amphetamines at that time so the behaviour is likely, even if out of character. And if keith and charlie both said it's true (and that Mick was hammered) , who's to even doubt it. These guys can't even agree on which hotel to stay in. Besides it's the quiet , super mellow guys like Charlie that you gotta watch out for when they get angry...peace.

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with sssoul
Charlie himself has said it really did happen. he declined to treat it as an amusing anecdote, though:
"it's not a moment i'm proud of"

Yeah, I just reread that quote only a few days ago. Was it in Q or Mojo?
Can't remember where.

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parislocksmith
cut a hole in Ronnie's favourite Hawian shirt...

Yes, it's in Charone's lovely book, in one of the diary-style entries.

Indeed it is a lovely book. And the diary-style entries are terrific.
A much better book that Brockis' or even Keith's.

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tomk

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parislocksmith
cut a hole in Ronnie's favourite Hawian shirt...

Yes, it's in Charone's lovely book, in one of the diary-style entries.

Indeed it is a lovely book. And the diary-style entries are terrific.
A much better book that Brockis' or even Keith's.

Yup, best Keith book out there.

Mick said puShed and not punched, which I believe.

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Title5Take1
Mick said puShed and not punched, which I believe.

Yes, there is in According to the Rolling Stones smth like "He did not punch he pushed me, a big difference in my book"
There is very telling story in Life. KR wanted to beat Jagger up, but he could not do it. Instead he attacked the then president of the RS records, and threatened to throw him off the roof, imagining that guy on the spot is Mick himself. How pathetic is this? So he takes such pleasure to tell the story about Charlie punching Mick, 'cause he never was able to do it

Maybe Keith did punch Mick,, but its the part of the book Mick wanted edited out,,,

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The Sicilian
A punch to scrawny Jagger is like whacking a ball.

That's funny....

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northernale1
Maybe Keith did punch Mick,, but its the part of the book Mick wanted edited out,,,

That was just one more thing thata Keith betrayed Mick on. Why the hell would you go tell the media about this? Does he think Jagger wants that made public?

One more reason if I was Jagger I would never work with Richards again. Jagger is a private person ( like myself ) and I can sure understand why he doesn't want to hang out with anyone who is going to run to the press and tell them things that you want kept private.

If I was in Jagger's shoes and Richards did that to me, I would have beaten the crap out of him, and then went and told the media about it.

Yeah I struggle with the thought of Charlie punching Jagger. I don't think Charlie has ever said he actually did...but more likely a few loud words and a push and then was broken up by the handlers who saw their meal tickets fraying out of control. Keith is been shown to be very loose with the facts and has a foggy memory and is probably projecting on what he wished he could do. But lets face it, Jagger is always ubur fit and could kick some major ass if he wanted to. Keith is a wirey skinny big mouth. Lots of bark, little bite.

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whitem8
Yeah I struggle with the thought of Charlie punching Jagger. I don't think Charlie has ever said he actually did...but more likely a few loud words and a push and then was broken up by the handlers who saw their meal tickets fraying out of control. Keith is been shown to be very loose with the facts and has a foggy memory and is probably projecting on what he wished he could do. But lets face it, Jagger is always ubur fit and could kick some major ass if he wanted to. Keith is a wirey skinny big mouth. Lots of bark, little bite.

Charlie did admit to doing it, and said he wasn't proud of it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-08-19 07:05 by brianwalker.

Really? WOw! I don't recall reading it... where did you read it? Ok, I stand corrected. Rock on Charlie!

Just add fuel to the fire, there is another story in Stones history, where Jagger, for a laugh, cuts a big hole out of Ronnie's favourite Hawaian shirt, Charlie is so angry he hits MIck and warns him never to do anyhting like that again!

Damn..I've already said this back in January...senility.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-08-19 13:44 by crumbling_mice.

I'm not believe you...play @#$%& loud...

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Does anyone actually believe Charlie Watts ever punched Mick Jagger?
Yes, sure!