Charlie Watts was the Rolling Stones for almost six decades. Although he wasn't the first to hold the position, the musician joined the year after the group's formation and was instrumental in shaping the band's sound. In Keith Richards , Watts was the Stones, even more so than himself or Mick Jagger .
Throughout his 58 years in the band, Watts took time off on several occasions for health reasons. His last medical leave was in early August, when he stepped away to recover from "a successful procedure," a few weeks before his death last Tuesday, the 24th .
In 2005, while recovering from throat cancer, the drummer was asked by Rolling Stone if he imagined the possibility of the band continuing without him at some point. “I think so, if they wanted to. If I wasn’t well enough to do this tour, someone else would have done it – if Mick and Keith wanted to. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t, if people show up to see them. There are guys on our crew who can do what I do. They see me play every night,” he said.
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Despite his humility in understanding that he was replaceable, Charlie Watts had a clear vision of the importance of chemistry on stage. “The best thing, I suppose, is the combination of the four of us. That’s what the Stones are,” he explained. “Technical skill is another thing. It’s like The Who : they’ve had several good drummers. They have one now – Zak, Ringo Starr . He’s great. It’s not Keith Moon . That was a personality. Pete Townshend and Keith, they were wonderfully crazy, the two of them together on stage. John Bonham was the same in Led Zeppelin – it was a thunderous sound. And you wouldn’t have Cream without Ginger Baker .”
According to The Sun , the band intends to proceed with the announced No Filter Tour in September with a tribute to the late drummer on stage. The question about the Stones' future must now revolve around plans after the already announced dates and the celebrations of their 60-year career in 2020. “Well, the plan is for everyone to be alive. Beyond that, at our age, I don't know. I haven't heard any plans [about that], but I'm sure there are things being done,” Richards commented to GQ in 2020.
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