Happy Birthday to the best drummer in the business! My favourite jazz and big band drummer, and - of course - rock'n'roll drummer. Keep on rocking, Charlie! And keep the Stones engine running. You're the best MOTOR any band could ever hope to have. I wish you good health, many exciting years to come, a fantastic tour and many fine moments to remember. All the best, hugs and kisses to our birthday boy, Charlie!

I did not this. Happy birthday Charlie and all the best to come

Yesterday I was listening to Undercover with some friends of mine, and we argued about Charlie's musical skills: of course I said Charlie's THE best, but everyone else almost laughted at me...how comes he's so underrated?

btw, happy birthday, Charlie!!!!

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-06-03 18:29 by Wild Slivovitz.

Musicians know how to rate Charlie Watts. Top jazz musicians count him among the very best drummers alive! His way of playing is very complicated, and the back beat is unique. If you're not capable of hearing this yourselves, speak to a jazz musician! And the reason why every jazz musician says YES when Charlie asks for their participation? You get only one guess. The man is unique, can't be replaced. Just ask Keith!

Without doubt the greatest and best drummer ever - for the Stones.

I've read other comments from jazz musicians about Charlie as a jazz drummer, different from shidoobee's, but hey, the man is celebrating his birthday. Happy birthday, Charlie!

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"Music is the frozen tapioca in the ice chest of history."

"Shit!... No shit, awright!"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-06-03 16:28 by Greg.

He is always respected by GREAT drummers, mainly because of his steadiness.

That's true, but his fame derives largely from his work for the Stones. Without that fame, plus the money to finance his jazz projects, I doubt that he would have secured his name in the jazz world. A good or OK jazz drummer but nos as unique as he is as rock drummer. And why should he: musicians who equally excel in both departments are quite rare. He probably knows himself.

----------------------------
"Music is the frozen tapioca in the ice chest of history."

"Shit!... No shit, awright!"

For a rhythm guitarist like Keith he is so steady. Keith knows where he is and can play around him. I guess if he weren't so commited to the Stones we would have heard a lot more jazz output from Charlie.

Keith, with his playing style, really needs a good drummer

And Keith LOVES Charlie, he feels safe in front of his engine, the best r&r drummer in the world. Powderman, are you from Høvik...?

Nesodden, men bor i Oslo

charlie - a rock drummer with a jazz mentality

I could not have found better words than those. It inspires respect, professionalism, and loyalty.

I've never heard any drummer that can swing like him! Thanks for the great beats and a belated happy Birthday Charlie!

Although Charlie is no doubt an understated (and possibly underrated) drummer, all this stuff about him being the only white drummer in the world that swings is nonsense! There are countless talented white drummers out there who can "swing" with the best of them.

However, he is the best suited drummer for the stones and we all love him. (In the same way as Keith is the best guitarist for the Stones, but by no means the best "technical" guitarist in the world.)

My favourite drummer has to be Keith Moon.

<My favourite drummer has to be Keith Moon>

That's two completely different drummers I must say

tOTALLY DIFFERENT. Moon's dead. And was out of his mind. More colourfull than talented. More mental than brilliant, but still, an asset to rock'n'roll. We need all sorts of people. But Charlie's my favourite drummer, and I'll scream my heart out at MSG when Mick introduces him... As always.

How can you say that Moonie wasn't talented? I'll grant you that he was like an over excited schoolboy, but I really admire his talent.

He was very different to other rock (or any other) drummers out there and had his own unique sound. Listen to the blistering drum fills of Won't Get Fooled Again or anything from Live at Leeds and be astounded! It might not be "technical", but he sure lets his personality penetrate his playing - the mark of a great player in my opinion.

Good comment sjs12....shidobee's got his ead up his arse! Moon revolutionised a style of drumming, a way to play and the dynamics that go with it.

Charlie is cool though...

Ha ha, gotcha! Shidoobe's a Lady. Moon was colourfull, in the sense that he developed his own, easily recogniseable style. And a true eccentric. Hooray! Did you hear the story when he and Ronnie drove a Bentley (dead drunk) into a hotel reception in Scotland? Through a glass door and up a couple of stairs? Hillarious. Moons most important contribution to the history of R&R is as Uncle Ernie in Tommy.... Come on, get angry!

1. Ginger baker

2. Keith moon

3.charlie

And one of the worst drummer is John Bonham after 1974-1975.

OK, as a drummer for life I have to put in my 2 (or 3) cents. First of all, my impression of Charlie is that he is NOT a great jazz drummer, and has gotten lazy over the years even as a rock drummer. I love Charlie, I love his style, I play kinda like Charlie because of that, but in terms of "greatness" I'd say while he may be a big fan of jazz, he's not up there with the jazz greats.

Next, marclaff commented on Bonham... Yes, he did gain a lot of weight in the late 70's before his death, but he still was great. JB was a real jazz-trained rock and roll drummer, which gave him his simply brilliant technique. You may not like Zeppelin, but John Bonham played with a power and finesse that was, and still is today, unmatched in the rock and roll world. The skill in his kickpedal foot alone was remarkable.

Keith Moon was great in his own psycho-energetic way too, but not quite like JB was. When I played in a classic-rock band, I could approach playing like KM, I can play any Stones song, but there are still Zeppelin tunes with drum fills that are just kind of baffling. Like that little thing at the end of "Rock and Roll"... or in the dreaded Stairway, just before "and as we wind on down the road..." or even a tune like D'yer Mak'r, who could imagine such a crazy beat for a reggae-tinged song?

Ringo is my other favorite rock drummer... Just because what he did was as sharp as can be. His playing was brilliantly artistic and precise, and was just as responsible for the Beatles' magical sound as GH's guitar playing, or anyone else. Listen to the drums on "Strawberry Fields..." and on the end of the Abbey Rd album... The drums aren't phenominally technical, just simply perfectly composed and played. He was as perfect for the Beatles as, well, CW is for our Stones.

JB? Ringo? KM? who are you kidding? CHARLIE WATTS is the greatest EVER!

My wife asked me the other day " If you could pick any famous musician, who would
you like to record or play a gig with?"
Being a guitar player, she thought I would say Keith, MT, or Ron Wood, McCartney, etc...
I said Charlie Watts without even blinking an eye.
There you have it.

All time TOP 4 ROCK AND ROLL DRUMMERS...drum roll please!!!



- Charlie Watts (living legend)

- John Bonham (Zep Master - r.i.p.)

- Ringo (The Backbeat of the Beatles - legendary in every way)

- Keith Moon (out Of Control...listen to the end of My Generation..enough said!)

Don't forget Al Jackson of Booker T. and the MG's (absolutely wonderful)
and Bobby Elliott of the Hollies (don't laugh, he was spot-on).
Fantastic drummers.

My favourites:
1: Charlie Watts
2: Ginger Baker
3: Ringo Starr
4: Jon Christensen (jazz)
5: Mickey Finn (congas, T.Rex), gets points for fab looks, too! (I'm a lady)