Charlie Watts (1941-2021)

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I’d forgotten the phrase “chalk stripe”… I think that’s what mine was

Nice line from an old Guardian interview with Charlie W about his record collection, tastes etc etc...
"Originally, Brian was a 'traddy' - he used to wear big jumpers and listen to Sidney Bechet, but he was really a blues purist, and a terrible snob. Well, he was from Cheltenham, wasn't he?"

Smashing! I am old enough to remember the old early 60s (sarcastic) joke about Brian catching "that old Greyhound bus back to Cheltenham, down Highway 59".

[Jazzrook]

I used to like a chalk stripe but pin stripes are more for Counsel imho ;)

I wonder if JRR will mark his passing.

Radio 3's 'Breakfast' today played 'Stomping At The Savoy' by Charlie Watts Orchestra at Fulham Town Hall in 1986. Deserves a repeat hearing on JRR:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=wYf9-p3EbMA

JR

[Serial_Apologist]

Radio 3's 'Breakfast' today played 'Stomping At The Savoy' by Charlie Watts Orchestra at Fulham Town Hall in 1986. Deserves a repeat hearing on JRR:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=wYf9-p3EbMA

JR

I once talked to John Stevens about that band. Stevens was one of its three drummers - Charlie Watts and Bill Eyden the others. If I remember correctly, John recalled that Charlie was always slightly ahead of the beat, Bill slightly behind, so by way of compensation John made it his business to play right on the beat. I'm kicking myself now because I'm not sure it was in that order - I should have written it down somewhere.

It was nice catching Dave Green reminiscing about their, pre-Stones days on Today, first thing as I "woke up this morning", right at the end of the programme. It must mean there is still someone working at the Beeb who happened to know about Dave.

[Jazzrook]

Richard Williams on Charlie Watts:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/aug/25/beat-lighting-man-exploring-charlie-watts-love-of-jazz

JR

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Richard Williams on Charlie Watts:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/aug/25/beat-lighting-man-exploring-charlie-watts-love-of-jazz

JR

That's a nice piece but I don't think Freddie Below "avoided decoration". He was a kind of Blakey of the blues, very distinctive, especially those sides with Little Walter, Off the Wall, Juke, etc etc. Fills, rolls, rims and tom toms, and when I saw him with Otis Rush and Junior Wells in the mid 60s, he was doing all that live. He was in a sense a precursor of Watts, moving from straight jazz to then being a founder of 50s Chicago blues.

[Ian Thumwood]

Charlie Watts is rightly getting a lot of respect as a musician and it made me wonder just how many people there are now working on pop / rock who enjoy a reputation as a musician as opposed to making music that is popular. I am not even convinced this is a criteria that matters any more to people buying records.

[cloughie]

Charlie Watts is rightly getting a lot of respect as a musician and it made me wonder just how many people there are now working on pop / rock who enjoy a reputation as a musician as opposed to making music that is popular. I am not even convinced this is a criteria that matters any more to people buying records.

Certainly doesn’t seem to be a criterion for those making records!

[muzzer]

I think there are plenty of versatile musicians working across genres but the chances of being an avowed jazzer in a mass popular band are nil, and have been for decades.

[Jazzrook]

Although Charlie Watts was a fine drummer for The Stones, I'm not sure about "the world's greatest rock drummer" as some have said.
Would he have passed the audition for any of Frank Zappa's bands,for example, and would he have coped with FZ's 'The Black Page' as the underrated Terry Bozzio did?

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=aDQE82ElyJg

JR

[cloughie]

Although Charlie Watts was a fine drummer for The Stones, I'm not sure about "the world's greatest rock drummer" as some have said.
Would he have passed the audition for any of Frank Zappa's bands,for example, and would he have coped with FZ's 'The Black Page' as the underrated Terry Bozzio did?

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=aDQE82ElyJg

JR

I guess he could have turned his hand (and sticks) to anything - after all Zappa recruited another British blues drummer (Aynsley Dunbar of the Bluesbreakers) to the Mothers! All speculation of course as my knowledge of drumming techniques is minimal!

[johncorrigan]

Although Charlie Watts was a fine drummer for The Stones, I'm not sure about "the world's greatest rock drummer" as some have said.

At least he was the best drummer in the Stones, JR. He was a great drummer in a great group and he clearly loved playing drums - I don't think he needed to be the greatest rock drummer ever. I always found it funny that he couldn't get his sticks around the great drum beat in 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' and so it's not him playing it on 'Let it Bleed'. Otherwise, he was the perfect member of the Stones adding more than just keeping the beat to Mick's rear-end girations.