the world lost one of the great rock and roll drummers today. he was also one of my favorite drummers as well. in the world of rock drummers, there are at least two categories. there are the showy and bombastic power drummers, epitomized by the likes of john bonham, ginger baker, keith moon and so on. and then there is the type that are known for their innate sense of time – their ability to lay the rhythmic foundation of the song down to such a degree that the other band members always knew where to land. ringo starr and levon helm come to mind, but so do so many others. in fact there are more drummers in the latter category, primarily for two reasons. the first corresponds to the fact that it does not require a lot of skill to be a more traditional small kit drummer. but the more important reason is that the primary job of the drummer is to keep the beat. if you can do that, most bands will find value in your musicianship.

i bring this all up of course because charlie watts, who died today at the age of 80, was one of the icons of the latter camp above. he was the bedrock of the rolling stones’ rhythm section for the last 58 years, keeping time for arguably one of the best rock and roll bands ever. the accolades have come pouring in all day, and most reference his rock solid drumming, but also his elegance and warmth as an individual.

i tried to find some good videos to accompany this post, showing charlie’s drumming prowess, but nearly everything featured the ‘stars’ of the band – keith and mick. charlie could always be seen in the background pounding away at his small four or five piece kit, but never being focused on. and he probably always preferred it that way. he didn’t really like the rock and roll lifestyle, especially being out on the road, but he did love to play.

although charlie was not in the press like his more flamboyant bandmates, there is no question that he commanded the respect of them. all members are on record for giving immense praise to his contribution to their overall sound and live performances. keith richards has been quoted often saying that ‘charlie’s drumming is the bed i lay in’.

there is a great story about a time when they were on tour, and mick called his hotel room late at night after a big party session, and yelled ‘where’s my drummer?’. charlie hung up, got out of bed and shaved, put on a suit and tie, then went down to the party room and punched jagger in the face, saying ‘don’t ever call me your drummer again. you are my f**cking singer’. mick apologized. he knew his place.

rest in peace, charlie.