I am very sad. I am not devastated,though; Charlie was elderly, and he had had good life, and he seems to have been truly loved by all who knew him. He was a good man, one
genuinely mourned by his many friends.
and
- It's just life.
Charlie and Keith were the heart and soul of the Stones, working together with such eccentric and elastic simplicity that the work wasn't all that simple. Charlie once said that Keith was the time keeper in the band and that he followed Keith. He was such a great drummer that he could keep a tight groove, a pulse, going in a sea of eccentric looseness. And simple? To play simply
and well is very, very hard. There is nowhere to hide. Busyness can be a distraction hiding a fundamental lack of technique and musicality. Miles Davis was a simple trumpet player.
Shake Your Hips off of
Exile on Main Street is the best example I can come up with of Charlie's brilliant minimalism:
In an interview Keith once said that Charlie, who had declined an invitation to join in the formation of the X-Pensive Winos, hand picked Steve Jordan as
the drummer for that group. Charlie is gone, but Jordan, now his touring replacement in the Stones, has had the Charlie blessing and seal of approval.
A collection of links, some of which have been already posted above.
Musician’s publicist says he died peacefully in a London hospital surrounded by his family
www.theguardian.com
A look back at the life of the iconic rock 'n' roll drummer, who has died at the age of 80.
www.bbc.com
The Who's Kenney Jones and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith pay tribute to the Rolling Stones drummer.
www.bbc.com
The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards salute drummer Charlie Watts, who has died aged 80.
www.bbc.com
The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards salute drummer Charlie Watts, who has died aged 80.
www.bbc.com
He wasn't flashy or prone to pyrotechnics, but Charlie Watts was the heartbeat of the Rolling Stones.
www.bbc.com
The drummer kept his feet firmly on the ground despite the success of the Rolling Stones.
www.bbc.com
The music world pays tribute to "one of the greatest drummers of his generation".
www.bbc.com