Charlie's credentials as a drummer and human being speak for
themselves
I'm guessing to question his skills comes from a place of personal preference,
uninformed or both, as I cannot imagine anyone less likely to have haters than
Charlie Watts
If it's a perspective of uninformed, you're in for a treat if willing to invest
the time
He's not John Bonham, Neil Peart, etc and has never even played a drum solo,
but says he admires those that can and do
He's not classically trained and tends to play more by gut instinct and what
the song needs
Yet he's owned the drummer's seat for nearly 60 years of what's commonly (and
arguably) referred to as The Rolling
Stones the Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the World
The tenure alone is admirable, but whether you like them, hate them or
somewhere in between the fact of the matter is, the evolution of the product
stands alone
Granted, these days, it's more the business of The Rolling Stones than the band
The Rolling Stones but an equally important chapter in their storied evolution
Back to Charlie.....
Start with Paint It Black, the left channel carries the drum track and it's
very accessible for your listening pleasure
If you don't want to listen to more after Paint It Black, then it's just not
your cup of tea
Another option, read the liner notes of the book Sympathy For The Drummer and
Why Charlie Watts Matters, by Mike Edison
Mike is an author, editor and musician. Formerly editor of High Times and Screw
magazines, his writing has appeared in the Huffington Post, the Daily Beast and
The New York Observer, among others. As a drummer, he has opened for bands
including Sonic Youth, Sound Garden and the Ramones
He describes song after song in prolific detail, the complex intricacies and
uniqueness of what Charlie is playing. And does so in layman’s terms that
is engaging and informative not over the top technical speak or music theory
that would escape most readers
If you're looking for an endorsement from his contemporaries go no further
than Ginger Baker, who claims lots of drummers can rock but the only drummers that can rock and roll are him
and Charlie
I'm not trying to sway anyones opinion or swing the pendulum to favor Charlie, he's one of many many wonderful drummers and just wanted to share some fun facts
Is he on the Mount Rushmore of drummers, probably not for most but he should be in the conversation
RIP Charlie