Another great gone, this time its Charlie Watts

lowrider, what are your favorite Stone's albums?

I listen too 'Exile on Main Street' and 'Between the Buttons' fairly regularly. What I loved about Charlie Watts was an anticipated kick that gave the Rolling Stones its drive and energy. As simple as those fills seemed to be, they took me by surprise every time. Plus he was also a visual artist and illustrator. May he remain in our blessed memories.

roxy54, I don’t so much think of Charlie Watts as a drummer as much as I think of him as a musician. Too many drummers believe that a flashy technique is required but typically the opposite is true. Studio drummer Gary Chester, who was also a great pedagogue, would tell his students that if they planned to make a career from playing drum solos, that they needed to find a good job to fall back on.
To me, drummers who can support the musical strengths of those around them, are extremely valuable and difficult to find. Some drummers can do this and solo too. Some drummers are strictly ensemble players. There is no doubt that The Rolling Stones are one of the greatest pop/rock bands of all time and Charlie Watts helped to make that happen. I don’t believe any other drummer in the world could have done as much for the Stones as what Charlie Watts did.

bdp24, Yes, there's certainly no problem with sounding idiosyncratic where it applies to rock/pop/jazz, etc.. Playing in a rock band isn't like singing a Bach Aria. And the impromptu nature of 'Exile On Main Street'  gives it a charm not found on any of their other studio albums. Additionally, I always appreciated the chemistry between Nicky Hopkins and the band.

When I saw Buddy Rich with his big band, I new what to expect and I was very entertained. When I saw Paul Motian with Paul Bley and Steve Swallow, I had no idea what to expect and I was awestruck.
I’m thinking Charlie Watts may have more drum solos than Paul Motian, or at least it’s close.

gpgr4blu, Hal Blaine was another drummer who brought out the  musicians that surrounded him in the studio. John Von Ohlen was a drummer for the Stan Kenton Band and taught at CCM and he always spoke about enhancing the melodic line. He started out playing the horn but switched later to drums. I always felt connected when a drummer new the harmonic structure two or three measures ahead.

Charlie Watts mentioned Shelly Manne as a major influence. Not sure about what other drummers he was influenced by.

bdp24, A lot of drummers think that Jim Gordon is the best rock drummer of all time.
  
I grew up emulating more of the jazz drummers than the rock;
Philly Jo Jones, Art Taylor, Paul Motian, and more recently Joey Baron.

Oddly enough, I'm currently experiencing Bob Will's and His Texas Playboys, The Tiffany Transcriptions. I think it was Louis Armstrong who said 'There's Only Two Types of Music, Good and Bad'.

I think it’s safe to say, Charlie Watts would have been a blast talking with about drummers, jazz, etc...

lowrider, I have to agree about Mick Taylor. My original favorite was Begger’s Banquet. That was until I heard Exile. Between The Buttons is in there somewhere but it has to be the Decca Mono pressing. I’m guessing that you’ve seen them live which I never have.