Mick Jagger has been very vocal about the recent loss of his Rolling Stones bandmate Charlie Watts. Most recently, Jagger took to his personal Instagram to share a moving video tribute to the late drummer. This comes after the band’s official Twitter account posted a similar tribute set to “If You Can’t Rock Me” yesterday.
Jagger kept the Instagram caption simple, writing only “Charlie.” Still, the 1-minute 59-second video tribute does a good job at displaying the tight-knit rapport the band created during their legendary career together that spanned decades across the entire globe. Charlie Watts is seen smiling in many of the clips shown as well as engaging in horseplay with the other Rolling Stones members.
Between the hundreds of broken hearts and prayer hand emojis, fans flocked to Jagger’s comments to offer their condolences. Many also recounted their favorite memories of the band and late drummer. One commenter summed up the majority’s take:
“Icon, Trailblazer, and Legend. Will always be missed but never forgotten. Rest in Peace Charlie.”
Fans Join Mick Jagger in Tributes to Charlie Watts
Fans shopping at LA’s Amoeba Records joined the worldwide tributes to pay respect to the late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. The band’s loyal followers flocked to the record store to pick up their favorite Rolling Stones records in a wave of solemn nostalgia. They also talked to Wion News about their fondest Rolling Stones memories with Watts, Mick Jagger, and the rest of the crew.
Some fans of the drummer talked about his drumming style and set-up. One recounted how Watts typically liked to keep things simple. He typically kept a bare-bones drum kit, and never had to rely on anything flashy to draw in a crowd. Instead, Watts relied on his sophisticated technique and love of jazz as fuel. Drum Magazine outlines the late drummer’s kit of choice: a 12″ x 8″ mounted tom, 16″ x 16″ floor tom, 22″ x 14″ bass drum, and 14″ x 5″ snare.
Fans also try to speculate what the future looks like for the Stones. While a couple of names of possible replacements come up, ultimately the fans all agree on one thing. Charlie Watts cannot truly be replaced, for his legacy is far too great to ever do him that disservice. This might mean that the upcoming Rolling Stones tour is now a farewell tour. We’ll keep you posted as more information is made available.
What You Didn’t Know About Watts
Charlie Watts had an incredibly interesting life, ripe with many experiences most people will never have themselves. This led to a lot of fun facts about the late drummer you may not know. For example, Watts and his wife Shirley were actually very fond of horses– Arabian horses to be more specific.
Horse Talk details how Shirley is actually an active member of the Arab Horse Society. Moreover, they look into her and Charlie’s 600-acre horse ranch in rural Devonshire. At one point, the couple’s ranch had over 250 horses!
If we could expect anything from Watts, it was always the unexpected. We send out healing and comfort to those he left behind, including his wife Shirley and bandmate/friend for life Mick Jagger.
