What's so great about Charlie Watts, after all?

If he is not the greatest ever he's in the Top Five!

 

In my opinion he is the best. Not to start trouble.....I think that The Replacements drummer Chris Mars is the Alt Rock equal to Watts. I wrote an email to Chris telling him so and he kindly replied.

 

A good demo of the Charlie Watts effect on something other than a Rolling Stones track is the Pete Townshend solo cut, "My Baby Gives It Away."

Now did it sound like a Stones track because Watts played on it, or did Townshend ask Watts to play on it because it sounded like a Rolling Stones demo? That I dunno.

 

Two completely different players.

I like Charlie's drumming. He's steady, but never flash.

 

He's an institution.

 

Search out the flac files for the Rolling Stones "Dead Men Cumming" Pretty amazing.

 

Pocket of the gods.

 

I'm not dead wrong. Listen to early stones albums, he isn't steady as a rock - there are numerous examples, the first of which comes to mind is "I'm Free". Sorry nothing steady about his drumming on that song. I don't dislike Charlie, I just don't think he's as solid as everyone claims he is. He's the perfect drummer for the Stones though and yes I agree, he's totally in sync with Keith. But if you compare him to other drummers of the time, Ringo, Mick Avory etc, he isn't as steady as they are.

 

I agree & I like Charlie!

 

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I am a Stones fanatic but I have never thought Charlie was anything but a basic average drummer but then I listen to Mick and Keith solo stuff and I hate the drumming. Either those drummers are awful or Charlie is better than I always thought.

 

Charlie serves the song. He doesn’t need magic tricks or flash and I’m OK with that.

 

Well....is Mick a great singer? Is Wyman a great bassist? Is Keith a great guitar player? The appeal of the stones is they have that raunchy //garagey// sleazy // smoke filled bar on a Friday night next to a river in deep woods Mississippi R&B feel that most rock bands can't pull off.

Charlie watts is not a great drummer in my world but he was the drummer for the Rolling Stones! A band which made 4 all time classic rock albums.

 

i was just doing a v-drum pounding session and i popped this on to play along with it and seriously ..... it's some great playing, great FEEL ..... this incredibly push pull thing going on .... i'm a guitar player that plays his own drums btw lol ... but still ... i know a great drum track when i hear it .... and especially when i try and play it ...... it's certainly different from the complexity of some more intricate players ...... but with this track ... the intricacy is in the FEEL of it ..... FANtastic !! i suggest folks give this a real close listen ..... it's not easily repeatable at all .....

 

And it was played by no less than Mr. Kenney Jones!

 

damn was it ?

well i LOVE kenney jones .... and really ... had no idea he had a track like THAT .... in him !!! that's awesome! thnx!

 

If you have to ask, you'll never understand it