The drummer is often the most overlooked member of any rock band. Positionally, that is quite a literal fact, as they are tucked at the back of the stage, hiding behind snares, kicks, and cymbals. Meanwhile, their mates are up front, soaking in the screams of the masses in front of them. But one frontman who has paid credit where credit is due on several occasions is Mick Jagger. And he paid credit to his friend and former drummer of The Rolling Stones, Charlie Watts.
Charlie Watts was The Rolling Stones’ longest-running drummer. Joining the group in 1963, Watts served as the driving sonic force of the band until his death in 2021. He saw it all, the ups and downs, and left and rights. He experienced the dismissal of Brian Jones in 1969, their major hiatus in the 80s, and their 50th anniversary in 2012. And per Mick Jagger’s comments, he was seemingly the glue guy.
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Down to Earth as Dirt: The Nature of Charlie Watts
During an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Mick Jagger revealed just how important the late, great Charlie Watts was to The Rolling Stones. While many people already knew this, it’s a good refresher, given that headlines about the band typically revolve around Mick or Keith Richards.
In the interview, Mick Jagger told Stern, “Charlie was a heartbeat for the band, and you know, and also a very steady personality. You know, he’s a very reliable person. He wasn’t a diva. I miss Charlie because, you know, he had a great sense of humor, and we were also outside of the band; we used to hang out quite a lot and have interesting times going.”
Concluding his thoughts on his late pal, Jagger stated, “When he was sick, he said, ‘Well, you know, you’ve got to carry on and do this tour. Don’t stop because of me.’ So we did.” They did indeed, but they certainly did with the memory of Charlie Watts in the back of their mind.
Charlie Watts is not only remembered as the drummer of The Rolling Stones. The masses also remember him as one of the greatest drummers of all time. And to Mick Jagger, as well as seemingly many others, he was “the heartbeat” of The Rolling Stones.
Photo by Carsten Rehder/picture alliance via Getty Images
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