In August 2021, the world received the sad news of the death of Charlie Watts , longtime drummer of the Rolling Stones . In a recent interview with the Sunday Times , Mick Jagger spoke about how much he misses his friend.
“I don’t expect to run into him anymore when I turn around at a show, but I think about him. Not just during rehearsals or on stage, but in other ways too. I would have called him and talked about the Arsenal game last night because he was a Tottenham fan and I support Arsenal. I miss him as a musician and as a friend,” he said.
“In the show, when we go to the front of the stage and do a reference at the end, Charlie isn’t there. He was always the last to arrive. I’d say, ‘Come on, what are you doing?’ and he’d be adjusting his drumsticks because he needed to line them up before getting up.”
After Charlie Watts' death, the Rolling Stones decided to go on tour as a way to honor their friend and bandmate, and also following Charlie's own wishes. "Charlie gave his blessing to go on tour after the surgery, so they will honor his wishes," a music industry insider told The Sun.
A few weeks before the drummer's death, Watts had withdrawn from the tour on medical advice and was replaced by Steve Jordan , who currently holds the position of substitute drummer.
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