the great, modest, tasteful, soulful drummer is the main reason the Rolling Stones still exist..

he could have retired, like Bill Wyman, long ago, but he didn't.

Imagine if he'd upped and quit, feeling that the Stones had peaked, say in..1974..?

he is still getting on the plane, still going out to play the music, with his friends.

Thanks, Charlie.

The true back bone of this Band. His Woolworth drum kit he does more with less.
Thank you Charlie for giving me another opportunity to see my Favoriate Band again this summer.

Yes thanks to Charlie. But I do get the feeling that in 2015 he's doing out of a sense of responsibility to the business and his fellow band members than any real personal commitment to the art of the music (more so than the other members). Actually I think he has for many years now.

peace

You're absolutely right, NL. He even admitted as much in one of those U.S. network TV interviews they did at the end of 2012, where he mentioned that the 2012 concerts almost didn't happen and that the band looked like it wouldn't be getting back together for more shows at all, adding offhandedly, "Which wouldn't have been a problem with me, to be honest."

Nonetheless, I'm sure he doesn't hate it either, as there are moments when he actually smiles and appears to be enjoying himself, particularly during the recent run of Mick Taylor appearances (most likely for the "jazzy" element of spontaneity MT's free-form jam spirit brings to the music).

Through and through, more so than Bill and even more so than Brian, he is after all a Rolling Stone and since the Edith Grove days has always been "one of the boys".

yeah fair point but a comment he made in a fairly recent interview indicates he takes it very seriously..

he said (paraphrasing here) 'when we tour, we risk reputation, which is everything..'

Your right but as he mentioned in interviews, he doesn't have any hobbies so there are two option sitting around the house watching Shirley taking care of the horses or going on the road and see the world...and keep in good shape.

Thanks Charlie............for choosing the second option

"And what else can a poor boy do
Except to drum for a rock 'n' roll band"

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-04 22:52 by NICOS.

And he's often said he plays the drums for Mick and Keith...and US I suppose too at least judging by that nice look he had at a special person in the front row at the O2 :



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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-05 09:35 by gotdablouse.

Charlie is the prototype for an anti-rock & roll drummer. An uninformed person who sees him walking down the sidewalk may mistake him for an impeccably dressed symphony conductor or entrepreneur. Not a musician who, for over 50 years, has played drums for one of the most notorious musical groups in history. He is yet another signature element of what was, and has remained, the Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the World.

Charlie's too cool for Twitter.

And just about everything else as well.

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NICOS
Your right but as he mentioned in interviews, he doesn't have any hobbies so there are two option sitting around the house watching Shirley taking care of the horses or going on the road and see the world...and keep in good shape.

Thanks Charlie............for choosing the second option

"And what else can a poor boy do
Except to drum for a rock 'n' roll band"

No hobbies?
Charlie has a very dry sense of humour....so best not to take such comments too literarly!

NO ONE plays like Charlie. The highhat skip leaves room for the snare to sound huge. <-- provided the person mixing house sound doesn't make it sound like a tom with mid-range ringing. Charlie Watts is the man.

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jlowe

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NICOS
Your right but as he mentioned in interviews, he doesn't have any hobbies so there are two option sitting around the house watching Shirley taking care of the horses or going on the road and see the world...and keep in good shape.

Thanks Charlie............for choosing the second option

"And what else can a poor boy do
Except to drum for a rock 'n' roll band"

No hobbies?
Charlie has a very dry sense of humour....so best not to take such comments too literarly!

On TV during the Bigger Bang Tour, Charlie was asked what he would do if he weren't on tour right now: "I'd be in bed! you know... I'm a very lazy person."
I do believe he sits at home without much of an idea what to do, which is why he established a boogie combo. In a way that reinforced once again the class act that he is.

I do think he plays with what remains of the Stones out of obligation. Mick & Keith made him rich and he's helping them. His rock drumming has slowed down and doesn't have the snap it used to have. Maybe it's easier for him now, really not giving a toss. How excited could you be playing someone else's music, in a genre you don't care that much for? And I think Charlie and Darryl together has proven that no matter how good Charlie is individually, it's Wyman and Watts that made the Stones' rhythm section.

Reminds me of a conversation I had with Shirley in the O2 lobby. I mentioned that I hoped this wasn't the last show and that I'd love to see Charlie continue to play. She laughed and basically said that at that moment he was looking forward to going home and getting lots of sleep!

Lovely lady married to a lovely man.

The trooper of all troopers!

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duke richardson
the great, modest, tasteful, soulful drummer is the main reason the Rolling Stones still exist..

he could have retired, like Bill Wyman, long ago, but he didn't.

Imagine if he'd upped and quit, feeling that the Stones had peaked, say in..1974..?

he is still getting on the plane, still going out to play the music, with his friends.

Thanks, Charlie.

HERE HERE!!! BRAVO!!!

GREAT POST Duke!!

Charlie is THE MAN!!

I am so glad that the Charlie is the man he is and The Roling Stones are the way they are!!

Charlie is everybody's darling.
Rightfully so!

A question to the drummers around here: how challenging is an average Stones setlist
for a drummer?
Are there enough variations in rythm, figures and styles to keep yourself interested
as a drummer?

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

After one of the ABCD gigs in Pizza Express after the O2 anniversary concert, Charlie was walking among the audience. I told him half-jokingly that this may have been more fun than the O2 gig. He said: "Definitely".

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marcovandereijk
Charlie is everybody's darling.
Rightfully so!

A question to the drummers around here: how challenging is an average Stones setlist
for a drummer?
Are there enough variations in rythm, figures and styles to keep yourself interested
as a drummer?

No there really isn't. Especially after you've played the tunes as many times as Charlie has and when your personal tastes are not the Stones style of music. I think obligated is more applicable to Charlie's playing than interested. The few times he can stretch a bit on breakdowns and improvs are few and far between. I suspect Charlie is mostly bored to death playing the warhorses but it's his job, he's well paid and he isn't going to rock the boat.

That being said, Charlie has a style which is not that easy to replicate, it's simple but it can be different, especially the way he pulls the hi hat beat when he hits the snare.

peace

Thanks Charlie

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marcovandereijk
Charlie is everybody's darling.
Rightfully so!

A question to the drummers around here: how challenging is an average Stones setlist
for a drummer?
Are there enough variations in rythm, figures and styles to keep yourself interested
as a drummer?

My personal experience from playing with drummers is that most of them have this idea that playing a lot and doing many fills will push the other band members more - and that the result is better.

Actually, it's often the other way around. By being extremely disciplined with keeping the beat you'll actually push the band members to create variety and to lay a more interesting rhythm down.

The drummers who master the latter are the ones who put the band and the song first. They are happy when the swing is there, and when their band mates reach another level because of their drumming.

Needless to say, Charlie is within this cathegory of drummers.

The funny thing is that a lot of the drummers who feel they have to do all those fills, can't really keep a beat

The man loves his drum kit.

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latebloomer

When was this shot taken late bloomer ?

When was this shot taken late bloomer ?


I wish I knew, EJM. It popped up on my FB feed, from one of several Stones related groups I belong to. It looks fairly recent to me.

It's from Charlotte Watts' Instagram, 27 Feb 14. So I presume it's from Tokyo

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marcovandereijk
Charlie is everybody's darling.
Rightfully so!

A question to the drummers around here: how challenging is an average Stones setlist
for a drummer?
Are there enough variations in rythm, figures and styles to keep yourself interested
as a drummer?

In my experience, save one (great) drummer I play with, who - incredible but true - actually LOVES Charlie's style, most drummers will answer that drums in Stones music are easy and/or boring-not at all challenging.

Then, they try, and it doesn't work.

Of course, at first they think they did a great job. Once finished they all look at you with the typical idiot-face expression "see what I mean?"

But tapes don't lie - inevitably the groove ain't there.

Those drummers who have the patience to actually "listen" before saying something, end up with a great appreciation for Charlie's work.

Same old story applies to every single musician who played in the band.

C

Waiting outside for his wife...

[www.charleskeith.com]

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Naturalust

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marcovandereijk
Charlie is everybody's darling.
Rightfully so!

A question to the drummers around here: how challenging is an average Stones setlist
for a drummer?
Are there enough variations in rythm, figures and styles to keep yourself interested
as a drummer?

No there really isn't. Especially after you've played the tunes as many times as Charlie has and when your personal tastes are not the Stones style of music. I think obligated is more applicable to Charlie's playing than interested. The few times he can stretch a bit on breakdowns and improvs are few and far between. I suspect Charlie is mostly bored to death playing the warhorses but it's his job, he's well paid and he isn't going to rock the boat.

That being said, Charlie has a style which is not that easy to replicate, it's simple but it can be different, especially the way he pulls the hi hat beat when he hits the snare.

peace

obligated vs. interested /engaged..

when it comes to playing with Keith (and Darryl) I presume, since that's all I can do, that lots of history and ways of making this interesting for them exist between them.

I don't think for a minute that Charlie is bored or plays due to obligation. I think it might look that way..

there are so many ways to put unexpected and subtle shifts in tone and attitude, in music, especially in the way the Stones rely on feeling and that intangible telepathy they have..

I think you'd agree since you are a player too..

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TooTough
Waiting outside for his wife...

[www.charleskeith.com]

Wonder what Shirley bought...I like the ankle boots best.