I came across this posting at [www.quora.com]

***Startquote
Charlie Watts, besides being a great drummer was also a private detective. As a child he loved reading the Holmes novels of Conan-Doyle and the books of Agatha Christie and was his schools Cluedo champion four years in a row, but he started drumming and detecting was soon replaced by jazz and rock and roll as his first love. However in 1965 the Rolling Stones were in California recording the ‘Aftermath’ album and Mick Jagger noticed someone was taking his beer from the studio fridge. This ‘crime’ stirred Charlies interest and he began to investigate, and following a stake out he gathered evidence that the beer thief was in fact Brian Jones. After he gathered the band and studio staff together in the control room for a Miss Marple style reveal, Jones confessed, paid Jagger for the beer and was forgiven.

This incident impressed The Stones and news of Charlies detective skills soon spread. Other musician began to seek his help. He found John Lennon’s lost dog, helped Monkee Davy Jones recover a stolen watch and not only got Neil Young off a murder charge by proving his innocence but managed to keep the incident out of the press.

By 1970 his reputation as a P.I. was such that he set up the Watts Detective Agency with offices over a bookmakers in Caledonian Road, London. When not on tour or recording he worked on a number of high profile cases. He helped solve the Bank of America heist, foiled a plot to kidnap Blue Peter presenter Lesley Judd and solved the Malden Meat Hook Murders as well as acting as a consultant for the Metropolitan police, MI6, the FBI and Mossad.

Although he officially retired as a P.I. in 2001 after the Waddesdon Manor case, he kept his interest going by hosting very low key murder mystery weekends at the Burlington Hotel in Cleethorpes.
***** Endquote

I've read a lot about the band (I have a HUGE book collection), I've followed them from almost the very beginning, I've travelled widely to see them, I know Charlie's Best Man's wife who did socialise with him, and more.... but I've never, ever, heard about this.

Can anyone confirm/refute this?

Captain Corella



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025-03-09 12:43 by bv.

I lost my car keys at a Stones gig once, and Charlie came out to the parking lot and found them.

confirm or refute this?

no offense but your joking right?

"got Neil Young off a murder charge by proving his innocence but managed to keep the incident out of the press."

"as well as acting as a consultant for the Metropolitan police, MI6, the FBI and Mossad."

i've also heard that between tours mick puts on a mask and fights crime, ronnie is a professional lion tamer, keith is the brutal head of an international drug smuggling ring, brian faked his death so that he could become a spy for the cia, bill is a world renowned computer hacker, and least believable of all mick talyor is a retired guitarists



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-03-08 22:38 by ProfessorWolf.

Remember Deep Throat from Watergate? It was Charlie!

Cleethorpes !!!!

I would have given anything for this to be true. If anyone could solve the Malden Meat Hook Murders, it would be Charlie.

Almost everything on Quora is made up. Sometimes it's entertaining, but still made up.

Quote
CaptainCorella

Can anyone confirm/refute this?

Why do I have to patiently explain that we live in exceptional times.

The very meaning of "truth" is being challenged. We all need to be careful about what we accept (or reject), even from previously trusted sources. That's shocking, and is a dreadful comment on the times in which we live. But that's what it is.

Because of that, I added the above question.

Captain Corella

Quote
CaptainCorella

Quote
CaptainCorella

Can anyone confirm/refute this?

Why do I have to patiently explain that we live in exceptional times.

The very meaning of "truth" is being challenged. We all need to be careful about what we accept (or reject), even from previously trusted sources. That's shocking, and is a dreadful comment on the times in which we live. But that's what it is.

Because of that, I added the above question.

ok i agree with you to a point here

but if charlie was literally the greatest detective since sherlock holmes we would've have heard about it by now

although i would love to think that he was

he certainly looked the part

Obviously not true.

Someone is a bit of a joker, aren’t they?

Is it April 1st?

Although, Charlie, with his smart suits, certainly had the look of a gumshoe.

Well you heard about the Boston...

Now "Fingerprint Files" lyrics have entirely new meaning.