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

he's a good jazz drummer....saw his big band years ago..not much of a challenge in the Stones really...

 

Well said.

If you listen carefully to Charlie, there are subtleties within his performances which really serve the song. Fabulous musician, IMHO.

 

I can't, certainly not any of the ones you mention even though they are all fantastic, except Chad Smith who I've never liked the sound of.

 

Good one!

 

Damn good book:

 

When I saw them live circa 1981, it was refreshing to see Charlie playing such a small kit, considering that the two horrid opening acts had huge drum sets, including, IIRC, four kick drums for one of the bands.

 

Hal Blaine, maybe, but the rest of those guys? No way.

Saying the Rolling Stones would somehow sound better without Charlie Watts is like saying fried chicken would somehow taste better if it wasn't fried.

 

what's so great about sunsets? or puppies? or true love? all overrated imho.

 

Just listen to the song "Bitch" and that will inform you on how great Watts is.

 

Just listen to Brussels Affair, Ladies & Gentlemen or Live In Texas 78 to hear him at his best

 

I've the same name as the thread starter but couldn't agree less. Best four on the floor guy ever. I adore the drumming on that golden period - Paint It, Black, Satisfaction, Get Off My Cloud. Just great. And then the bluesy stuff where he's just holding it together.

My top drummer.

 

charlie is a stylist and as such you did his style or you don't. he has some of the greatest intro's in rock history see "sway".
i have never felt the stones were all that live after the mid 70's. and granted this is just from listening and watching videos as i have never seem them live. they are were an old school british blues band with shamblistic (sp?) tendencies.
charlies playing on those 60's singles and sticky fingers amongst others is unimpeachable.

 

I feel like the drumming in Satisfaction is perfect. I have never once thought about it not being right. IMHO obviously.

 

to elaborate, nope.

 

Charlie is unique and sounds like himself. Nobody else really does what he does in the same way. That signature Stones groove is the Charlie groove.

 

what hype?
name a drummer that you believe would be a better fit for the Stones ...

 

The hype in the OPs head. I have never in my life heard anyone hype Charlie.

 

I've never thought of Charlie as a great drummer, but he's a good drummer, and a perfect fit in the Rolling Stones. Is he near the top of the list of best rock drummers? Nah, but he doesn't need to be. And hey, the drum fill in the middle of Paint It Black is still one of the most worthy air-drum moments ever, and as a professional air-drummer, I have to give him mad props for that.

 

Pretty soon it will be said.
He wasn’t even the best drummer in the Stones....

 

You have named many technically great drummers but not one of them would have made the Stones a better band.

 

Charlie was cool from day one.

 

I had always respected Charlie as a solid drummer who fit the Stones perfectly (much like Ringo with the Beatles) but didn't catch/notice his groove ability until I heard Hot Stuff on Black and Blue. That snare sound on that album is probably my favorite out of all Stones records.

 

I’m a big Charlie fan and already made my post defending him. But I do wonder if there was an early period where he needed to “catch up” a bit, maybe when Jagger and Richards started writing pop songs. Charlie does sound like he struggles on I’m Free, for one. But obviously he found the groove soon enough.

 

now that's funny!

 

Charlie is The Stones, as much as Mick or Keith. I can't believe he even needs to be defended, the groove he's laid down in thousands of performances is testament to how perfect he is for this band.

It's the drum nerd in me talking here but I also love how he uses a traditional grip which is pretty rare in rock music these days.