August 24th, 2021 at 1:14 PM ^
RIP.
It still amazes me that Keith Richards wasn't the first Stone to go.
August 24th, 2021 at 1:16 PM ^
Keith Richards has nine lives. He should have died many times over already, and he'd be the first to admit that...
August 24th, 2021 at 2:50 PM ^
I'll never forget the picture of Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Bob Dylan at Live Aid playing a set together. It looked like the Win, Place and Show photo for the Rock & Roll Death March Futurity.
August 24th, 2021 at 2:55 PM ^
A cat gets to heaven, and says to St. Peter: "What the hell, I thought I got 9 lives?" St. Peter said "You do-but you got hit by an 18-wheeler."
I'll show myself out.
August 24th, 2021 at 5:08 PM ^
If there was ever a nuclear war all that would survive it would be Keith Richards and probably some Cock roaches. That guy will live forever.
RIP Charlie……
August 24th, 2021 at 6:06 PM ^
Don't forget Brian Jones, an original member of the Stones, who died in July 1969. The song Shine a Light was regarding Jones' worsening drug addiction and was released on Exile on Main Street in May 1972, well after Jones' death.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shine_a_Light_(Rolling_Stones_song)
August 24th, 2021 at 7:49 PM ^
If you really read all the details about Jones' death you will be convinced that he didn't drown accidentally. That handy man killed him.
August 25th, 2021 at 8:49 AM ^
agree
August 24th, 2021 at 1:18 PM ^
It seemed like they would all live forever. He led quite a life. RIP, Charlie.
August 24th, 2021 at 2:48 PM ^
The Anchor Man for the Word's Greatest Rock & Roll band.
August 24th, 2021 at 1:22 PM ^
Surprising . I knew he wouldnt be touring with the Stones on their upcoming tour do to health .
It didnt sound like he was on his death bed though .
August 24th, 2021 at 1:23 PM ^
As a kid, he didn't fit what I thought was a 'rock and roller' was to be. But Im sure that was the whole point. RIP
August 24th, 2021 at 1:35 PM ^
I misread this title as "RIP Charlie Weis."
August 24th, 2021 at 6:51 PM ^
Same, and wasn't surprised.
August 24th, 2021 at 1:36 PM ^
Nooooooooo
August 24th, 2021 at 1:37 PM ^
If you read a little bit about his life, especially in the later years, you'll realize that Charlie Watts was actually the coolest man in the band. A real Renaissance Man and a true English gentleman who enjoyed sculpting, gardening, and jazz.
August 24th, 2021 at 2:59 PM ^
I second this - easily my favorite member of the band but to be fair I am lukewarm on the Stones in general.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:18 PM ^
And he punched Mick Jagger in the face!
August 24th, 2021 at 1:38 PM ^
RIP...
80 years of life is a pretty good achievement while being in that band most of his life, so much great music!
August 24th, 2021 at 1:39 PM ^
Booo!! I grew up with the Stones, even if they weren't my favorite band. The music they made was outstanding and trend-setting. Everyone still sings along to Satisfaction! And 'Under My Thumb' has to go down as one of the all-time great (?) sexists songs of all-time. (On the strength of that song alone, how were the Stones' not me-too'd?)
RIP, Charlie - thanks for the awesome music...
August 24th, 2021 at 2:51 PM ^
The Stones are uncancellable.
August 24th, 2021 at 1:41 PM ^
This is an excellent summation of his career:
https://variety.com/2021/music/news/charlie-watts-rolling-stones-drummer-dead-dies-1235047778/
The Stones were my first true obsession—I bought every one of their early albums through Beggar's Banquet, and as a frustrated teenage drummer I tried to ape Watts's stickwork on pieces like this one:
August 24th, 2021 at 1:45 PM ^
I saw the Bridges to Babalyon tour in 97 thinking it would be their last or at least near their last. I was very much wrong. Great Show. RIP
August 24th, 2021 at 2:06 PM ^
I saw them for the first and only time in 2015 (or at least I think it was 2015). They were more energetic and gave more to the audience than musicians one third their age.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:41 PM ^
I saw their 1983 tour, thinking it would be their last one -- because they advertised it as such.Great band, but they pulled that "final tour" con way too often.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:09 PM ^
I liked the earlier Stones songs. like Mothers Little Helper, Get off my Cloud, Pease to Meet You, Under my Thumb, and Painted Black. The last time I saw them in concert was their Steel Wheels Tour at the Silverdome in December of '89. RIP Mr. Watts.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:23 PM ^
I saw them in 1981 at the Cotton Bowl and then in 1989 at Alpine Valley in Wisconsin. I was/am a huge fan. Sad but I guess inevitable day.
August 24th, 2021 at 1:46 PM ^
I’d seen he wasn’t joining this years tour due to health reasons, but didn’t think he’d go this quickly. One of the best drummers for sure. I sat across the aisle from him on a flight about 20 years ago, but couldn’t get myself to say anything or ask for an autograph. He was traveling alone and read the entire time
August 24th, 2021 at 2:07 PM ^
LOL
Charlie Watts, net worth in the hundreds of millions, part of a billion dollar music empire
Flyin' Coach
I always count how many posts until That Guy says, "I met him once, he's cool"
This took 12.
August 24th, 2021 at 5:29 PM ^
LOL. It was actually in first and I didn’t actually meet him
August 24th, 2021 at 8:10 PM ^
Yeah, but it doesn’t sound as condescending if he didn’t say “coach”!
Glad you came back to tell him to F off! (In the nicest way possible. Not exactly true to your username Dave!)
August 24th, 2021 at 2:01 PM ^
From Keith Richard's memoir:
"We were in Amsterdam for a meeting. Mick and I weren't on great terms at the time, but I said, c'mon, let's go out...
We got back to the hotel about five in the morning and Mick called up Charlie. I said, don't call him, not at this hour. But he did, and said, 'Where's my drummer?' No answer. He puts the phone down. Mick and I were still sitting there, pretty pissed - give Mick a couple of glasses, he's gone - when, about twenty minutes later, there was a knock at the door. There was Charlie Watts, Savile Row suit, perfectly dressed, tie, shaved, the whole fucking bit. I could smell the cologne!
I opened the door and he didn't even look at me, he walked straight past me, got a hold of Mick and said 'Never call me your drummer again.' Then he hauled him up by the lapels and gave him a right hook. Mick fell back onto a silver platter of smoked salmon on the table... twelve hours later [Charlie] was saying, 'Fuck It, I'm gonna go down and do it again.'"
August 24th, 2021 at 2:11 PM ^
Definitely read this 2x as "Charlie Weiss"
Which reminds me of a Louis CK bit about how he's OK with his own weight in that if he died tomorrow people would still ask "what happened?".
Probably not true for old Charlie Weiss....
August 24th, 2021 at 2:17 PM ^
Saw them in concert in the late 80s when I was in high school. Couldn't believe how old they looked then when they were all pretty much my current age...
RIP
August 24th, 2021 at 4:17 PM ^
We were at the same concert at the Silverdome. I was only 26 and also thought they looked old but back then I probably thought everyone over 40 was old.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:47 PM ^
I grew up in Philly so I saw them in beautiful Veterans Stadium. It was the Steel Wheels tour which I think was also marketed as possibly their last tour.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:02 PM ^
When I was in high school, I worked with a guy who took time off to see the Stones in Milwaukee for their farewell tour.
That was 1975. I guess they decided to play a few more shows.
Thanks for the music Charlie!
August 24th, 2021 at 4:06 PM ^
The coolest dude
August 24th, 2021 at 4:34 PM ^
"Charlie's good t'night in't he?"
Not the one I thought would go first (I guess second--sorry Brian)
Edit: OK, I guess maybe Ian Stewart too.
August 24th, 2021 at 5:38 PM ^
My two favorite Stones’ songs, Paint it Black and Sympathy for the Devil are driven by Charley Watts’ percussion. RIP Mr. Watts.
August 24th, 2021 at 6:08 PM ^
Indeed RIP!
August 24th, 2021 at 8:36 PM ^
Though IT’S ONLY ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, and as any FORTUNE TELLER knows, there can be NO EXPECTATIONS that any band will last forever, even though the Rolling Stones were trying to break all the records, after learning that Charlie Watts ran OUT OF TIME, I’m feeling MIXED EMOTIONS.
SAD SAD SAD and somewhat SHATTERED by this news. I don’t think that any long-time fan of the Rolling Stones would be a FOOL TO CRY a bit about it. As those who created the soundtrack of my youth are SLIPPING AWAY, maybe there’s NO USE IN CRYING when I consider that I should be HAPPY that I got to see Charlie Watts and the Stones perform in person.
Some say that when you SHINE A LIGHT on Charlie Watts’ life, many considered him to be the SALT OF THE EARTH. I’ll MISS YOU, Charlie. Thanks for the steady beats.
August 25th, 2021 at 12:12 AM ^
I only have seen The Stones once, at the Silverdome back in 1981, though I had planned on going to Chicago a couple years ago until the tour was cancelled (Mick had some health problems, IIRC).
And when tickets for their concert in Detroit this coming fall went in sale, I immediately bought a pair--- just a couple weeks later it was announced Charlie would be out due to recent surgery.
And then today's news.
I'm now sad.
What a contrast to the rough and tumble image of the Stones that Charlie Watts always provided.
I'll now go flick my Bic in his honor...