I want to refer to the photo taken by Hendrik Mulder, of the four in their final bow, Edinburgh 2018 posted by others. It is so poignantly meaningful to me also.

If anyone can help me out who knows the image and knows how to put pics up here, I'd appreciate it. TY.

~"Love is Strong"~

photo taken by Hendrik Mulder

Another lovely memory I have is the gig in Madrid way back in 2014 when my dear friend Andreea took so many great videos over the years, and this is my favourite.

Haven't seen this one for a long time, and bought tears to my eyes thinking of Charlie and also Andreea, who I haven't seen for a very long time, down to me to be honest.
She is a true Rolling Stones fan and love the pic of Andreea and Sonoko together.

Matt Clifford was around the area listening to the sound coming out from the stage area about half hour before the gig started . Had a short chat to him and he seemed a nice guy.
Just before The Stones came on stage, got chatting to an English family with a few teenagers with them, and they were relatives of Charlie.
Having a great chat to one of the ladies and she said they were chatting to Charlie just half hour before.
Next thing I knew was the lighting and music etc.was leading up to the start of the gig.
Great time in Madrid with a couple more days there before going home.

I haven't posted here in a long time but Charlie's passing felt like a kick in the gut; maybe the hardest hitting musician loss for me personally since John Lennon, George Harrison and maybe Entwistle. This one hits even harder. The Stones have been the soundtrack to my life. Born in 1960, I remember hearing Satisfaction when it came out and loving it. What does a five year old know? I just knew I loved the sound and loved the way it made me feel. Ya Ya's was the album that made me a fan(atic). "Chollie's good tonight, ain't'e?" Years rolled by and at first my teenage self was very into the obvious players, Mick, Keith, Taylor then Wood, Wyman. I suspect many others like me took a while to realize how important Charlie was. It slipped into focus gradually. I trace it back to when the IORR album was released. The first song I heard on the radio - without being told they were playing the Stones was If You Can't Rock Me. As soon as the drums kicked in I knew it was Charlie - the Stones. In time it was obvious how utterly crucial he was to the sound of the band. In a similar example, the first time I heard the title track from IORR, I knew it was NOT Charlie on drums. Still a cool song but it sounded different. And of course along the way I also came to appreciate that Charlie was also just an apparently an all around good guy. Never really any scandals or bad reports on him. The tales of his "brief wobble" with substances came out after the fact and it was just that - brief; he never was known as a druggie or bad role model. And his stability. He never drew attention to himself. He was fine with his role as a bricklayer in the band, and in doing so, he came to work, did his job, and never missed a beat, as a rule. And in the manner of many other less high profile band member, who came to be more and more appreciated over the years, the last couple times I saw the Stones, which was sadly way back in 2005 and 2006, during band introductions, Charlie got the biggest ovations when announced. The long reign of the Stones was an era that will never be replicated and Charlie deserves huge credit for his part in it. I love the way one musician - I forget which - one put it - that Charlie found the perfect balance between brilliance and understatement. And while I'm incredibly sad that this era is over, I'm so thankful that I got to see the Stones in 1978 and 1981 with what you might called the "classic" post Taylor line up of Jagger, Richards, Wood, Wyman, Watts, Stewart and Maclagen. It was a sound that can never be duplicated, especially in terms of the engine room. God bless Charlie Watts. Somehow, with his passing, I feel like a huge part of my life has ended; The soundtrack to my life has a hole in it that can never be filled again. Sure, if they continue with someone like Jordan on drums, the hole gets a suitable Band-Aid, but it can never be completely healed. God bless you Charlie, thanks for putting the swing and the roll in the music that defined my life.

"Gonna find my way to heaven ..."

[www.youtube.com]

Charlie "Shrink" Watts... Last song with Bill... Of course you knew...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-08-29 00:58 by The Joker.

Thanks so much, MrDDDD, that's it. But, as shown, I can't see the whole photo that size, even after clicking on it, no Charlie, so I wanted to use a smaller one that everyone can access. Could you (or someone else) size it down some? (I did see the original posts with it.)

I see too, that Bjornulf posted a number of Hendrik's photos from this show in his "reports," great shots. I just love the angle and the cascading faces on this one, plus it's saying goodbye to us...Goodbye for real, Charlie.

Going to another browser I don't usually use for IORR, I can see it now. Just want to know, am I the only one who has the cut-off version on Firefox/Mozilla for Mac?

~"Love is Strong"~



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-08-29 02:23 by angee.

April 1967, a few days before the military coup in Greece.
Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts at Heathrow board an Olympic Airways plane en route to Athens.
The Rolling Stones concert in Athens ended early with lots of red carnations and even more fan beat ups from the Police (Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images) Source: Protagon.gr

Really a sad week first Charlie then the next day my older brother passed from Leukemia.

I remember first hearing their new song “Satisfaction” and those drums on the beach when I was 10. And with every radio tuned to the local AM radio station playing it. The older guys saying “listen, it's The Rolling Stones” and looking around seeing everyone listening too. I was hooked and didn’t know it as I heard so much more of their music over the next few years

The first long haired neighbor I had always playing "Their Majesties..." and digging the album cover picture and some new sounds on it.
Then my brother brought home LIB from college and played Midnight Rambler over and over and over some more dug the bass so much. I dug those drums again and how to me they rose and fell like the guitars.

Going to miss Charlie as for plainly selfish reasons because I am not ready to stop seeing them before and even more so now. See if they end well so do those oh so great times I hear them live and get moved the same way I did on August 2, 1975 at my 1st live show by this band.
You never know what you will miss until you do….



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-08-29 18:55 by chevysales.

Smaller version per request.
Was fortunate to have been at this show. Thanks to Hendrik for the fantastic shot.


photo taken by Hendrik Mulder

There we go, ty, Mr. DDDD.


~"Love is Strong"~

Condolences to his wife Shirley, along with a heartfelt "Thank You" for sharing Charlie with us for all these years.

I first became aware of her in 1981, when at the Seattle concert all the wives and gf's joined the chorus line for Honkey Tonk Women.
She seemed to me at the time to be having the time of her life.
Much respect.

Charlie always impressed me by his calm, down to earth style, on and off stage. He appeared as great human being, able to equilibrate the big egos around. He is surely a main ingredient in the band large duration.

One of the main memory I have is is role in Australia after L'Wren passing. I really felt at that time that he was a rock that the band laid on.

So long gentleman. You'll be missed.
But your smile and coolness will stay !

Goodbye Charlie, thank you for so many wonderful moments.
Photo below by Adam Sandurski, East Rutherford, 05.08.2021:




Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2021-08-29 20:25 by Adams.

I will miss Charlie's presence in the Stones dearly. Can hardly imagine them without him.
I took these fotos at his farewell in Berlin 2018. His final german show. Loved the interaction between him and Keith. They had so much fun.

Lucca 2017




Hendrik Mulder

I'm listening to his Charlie Parker Tribute right now, and it's fantastic.

Charles Robert Watts was the heartbeat of the Rolling Stones. I will miss you Charlie! I will miss the Rolling Stones. The music, the inspiration, the excitement.

This is a memory thread. No quoted posts. See first post.
If you want to discuss then please use other threads.
Quoted posts will be deleted in this thread.
Thank you for your understanding.

Bjornulf

Today I saw the Aretha Franklin movie "Amazing Grace" and when Charlie Watts appeared in the middle of the movie I thought; he still surprises me positively and it's good that he continues to surprise me.Impossible to forget him.

I've been a fan since the early 60's and have followed the Rolling Stones thruout their storied career. While Mick and Keith got most of the attention from fans of the group, Charlie Watts genuinely always appeared to be happy with that and he and Bill steadily kept the beat and rhythm section going despite being the backburners so to speak of the band. As time went on it became very obvious Charlie was no doubt the glue that held the Rolling Stones together. Such a gentleman in every sense of the word, he leaves a legacy that will truly stand the test of time. Rest in Peace Charlie,.

Charlie, thank you for joining the Rolling Stones and for being the driving force that caused them to launch a life-long career as the world's greatest rock and roll band. I have always thought that as great as Mick and Keith and Brian were, they needed you to get over that last hurdle...

There are many songs that demonstrate your creativity and art, but the one that I have on constantly now is track 3 from LA Friday 75, If You Can't Rock Me. The repetitive drum roll just builds and builds. I do not have the drummer's technical knowledge to properly describe it, but this track is how I will remember Charlie.

Charlie, I agree with you, your were never his drummer, Mick is your singer!

Aranbee

I think most of us in this forum have reached an age in which deaths of dear friends and relatives have already struck multiple times. And yet it looks like there's still something new to be felt and learned now that Charlie has gone too.

His passing came as a shock, in spite of his age and the health news, as blurry they were kept. The shock was quickly accompanied by the sensation of what his disappearance means for us loyal fans, whose life soundtracks were written by the Rolling Stones. The importance of Charlie's presence within the Stones seems to get a new edge now, beyond the dominant musical role we all loved him for. It is now also defined by the void - if not the abyss - he left behind. A sensation we were unable to feel while he was still among us, and one we are sadly unable to praise him for.

May we learn to be fully aware of the importance of our friends, relatives, surviving Stones members while they are all still alive. Even if we may never be able to share our emotions with them all, at least they will not be overshadowed by the melancholy of their absence.

I think the combination of unique personality, class, understatement, humor and amazing musical devotion and craftsmanship is extremely rare, even more so when these commendable components and talents are so strongly present within a single human being. Charlie was blessed with that wonderful package and we were blessed to have him so present in our lives - a kind of presence in a separate dimension which on one hand is global and shared by millions, on the other very personal, pleasing and touching our individual cores.

.

For me, collecting bootleg LPs back in the late 1970s was exciting non only because of the unreleased live recordings you were able to listen to (although the sound quality was sometimes horrible!) but also for the artwork and creativity on the covers. Some bootleg titles were really special, and among the best are those refering to Charlie:

CHARLIE WATTS LIVE AT LEEDS

(Leeds 1981, with a great picture of him on the cover)

CHARLIE WATTS AND HIS FABULOUS ROLLING STONES

(Los Angeles 1975, dito)


I would post the covers if I found the records (and knew how to publish them on IORR). Perhaps someone can help.

They don't release official records with such funny lines...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-08-30 17:36 by saltoftheearth.

He was the best guy of the world. He was the best glue for keeping the stones alive. His presence, his attitude, his idiosincratic way of play drums.............everything wil be missed
But everything will be alive in our hearts. His music and legacy is there, and we can continue enjoying his thing
Rest in piece the very rolling stones Charlie Watts
We love you.
Condolences for his familiy, relatives a rest of band memmbers
We all have lost a friend

We have Charlie's rhythms in our bones. What a blessing!
Love and light to the beautifully inimitible Charlie Watts,
and thanks and praises, forever, for the joy and swing you brought to the world.

I hope strength and comfort have already found and enveloped and uplifted his family and friends,
and that strength and comfort will find me and other fans soon.

Thank you, Charlie xox

What the lady with sssoul said! Good to see you back in these hard times.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-08-30 19:21 by DandelionPowderman.

Thanks for being Charlie Watts. The unique, the BEST

Thank you, Charlie, the greatest drummer ever.
I really enjoy Charlie’s drumming with the Stones, with the Tentet, with ABC ‘n’ D, with Jim Keltner, and so on…
Charlie is really missing.

I remember the first time I Saw Charlie in Aarhus (Vejlby risskovhallen) 9th of september 1970 . Stones started with jumping Jack and Keith was already doing the chords and Charlie was running up the stairs to the stage. Charlie lost the balance but manage to jump to the drumkit and make the 3 start up beat on the snare drum. I have seen Stones concerts live about 7 times - and Charlie was allways “ good to night”