Remembering Charlie Watts: a Stones Primer

Now that we've entered music awards season, we realize we're still thinking about Charlie Watts and the greater legacy of the Rolling Stones to music history. Librarians Shea Betts and Elizabeth Willse came together to share some memories as well as a booklist of key works dealing with the musical legacy of Charlie Watts and the Rolling Stones.

Elizabeth: I remember being three or four years old and dancing in the living room to the celebratory chords of “Start Me Up.” Dad had been a fan from the band’s early days. Explaining Rolling Stones lyrics to a tiny kid takes some mental gymnastics. “Grownups sing about grownup stuff,” Dad explained. I didn’t care that the lyrics were raunchy. I heard the beat, and I was hooked. Once I was in college, Dad said I was old enough to join him when he managed to score Stones tickets. Getting to see them live was amazing: Mick strutting across the stage, Keith and Ronnie vamping with their guitars. And through every song, Charlie Watts and his enigmatic smile, keeping the rhythm strong. Even though I’m sad that Charlie Watts is gone, I still have the songs I love to share with my Dad. And some pretty great books to explore.

Shea: When I first heard the Rolling Stones, it was hard to ignore the attitude and swagger of Mick Jagger alongside Keith Richards’ stripped-down guitar riffs. The deeper I dove into their catalog, however, what began to stand out was the understated drumming style of Charlie Watts. Here was a rock drummer who was more influenced by jazz, who, unusually, followed the guitarist’s lead rather than the other way around. There was nothing flashy about his playing, but his inimitable style defined the sound of one of the greatest rock and roll bands for nearly sixty years.

Further Reading

• Sympathy for the Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters by Mike Edison
• Life - Keith Richards’ autobiography paints a vivid picture of the Stones’ career along with his personal life in an engaging and relaxed style.
• Old Gods Almost Dead by Stephen Davis - a solid Stones biography, covering their early lives as well as many stories from their time together. Available as an e-book in our catalog.
• The Rolling Stones in the beginning by Bent Rej - an intimate collection of photographs from the early years of the Rolling Stones, showcasing the band on and off the stage during their formative years in the 1960s.
• Rolling Stones Gear by Andy Babiuk - a detailed record of the instruments used by the Stones both on tour and in the studio. From Charlie’s drum kits to Brian’s sitar to Keith’s many Telecasters, they’re all here.
• According to the Rolling Stones
• Under Their Thumb by Bill German - when Bill was a sixteen-year-old living in Brooklyn, he started a homemade fanzine for the Rolling Stones. Unbelievably, the Stones heard about it, and invited him to meet them. His behind-the scenes stories and pictures reveal the Stones of the ‘70’s and ‘80’s Altamont: the Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the inside story of rock’s darkest day