Charlie Watts

on the occasion of his June 2 birthday

When I hear the phrase “sartorial splendor,” it is Charlie Watts I think of. When I hear the word “elegant,” it is again, Charlie Watts I think of.

When I think of rhythm sections, it is the combination of Charlie Watts and Keith Richards that I think of as the ultimate heartbeat of a band. In 2022, I made this perennial Heavenly Happy Birthday card for Charlie.

Charles Robert Watts was born on this date, June 2, 1941, in London. He joined The Rolling Stones in 1963 and was with them until his death in 2021, three weeks after the band announced he was sitting out their tour and had given his blessing to have Steve Jordan fill in.

He really needs no explanation, and his history is easily found online.

Charlie is one of the few musicians who was universally loved. I don’t know a soul who didn't love him. I often felt unworthy of his acquaintance due perhaps to his dry, no-nonsense sense of humor.

Imagine being a 23 year old girl literally running errands for a member of this band when you are invited to dinner RIGHT NOW. It’s rock and roll, and no one expects everyone to look as if they stepped out of the pages of VOGUE, and it was a group of band members, assistants, and crew. Not everyone looked sharp, but I was wearing a grey sweatshirt that I had blinged with pastel pink and blue crystal beads around the neckline, faded jeans with stress tears at the knees - NOT the kind that come pre-distressed, nope. These tears were earned. But my shoes, I miss those shoes - leather so buttery-soft ecru-colored jazz dance shoes… the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned… I felt like at least I wasn’t a total slob when Mick Jagger remarked, “Nice shoes” as I shuffled past him so I could sit next to Chuch¹ and Mac².

Mac, Chuch, me, and Mac’s wife, Kim

“So we dressed for Jagger today,” Charlie said to me, leaning over Mac to do so. Mac chuckled, but I wasn’t sure if Charlie was being snarky about the concept of dressing to please Mick, or if he was giving me a dig about my sloppy outfit at the expense of Mick’s “respectability.” Obviously, I have not forgotten this incident from 1981.

In 1985, I spent some time in London and Paris and so did the Stones, but I wasn’t working with them. We were both just there. They were recording DIRTY WORK at the erstwhile Pathe Marconi Studios in Paris. I wrote about that period of time here last year, and there are dates, times, videos, and weather reports as well as pictures of my stamped passport (I miss passport stamps!). What I didn’t share in that post was the generosity that Charlie showed those of us who worked for the band. It was quiet and was always exactly what you needed.

Charlie dined at a bistro in the 1st Arrondissement every day, and he left his tab open for those of us who knew we could dine “on him.” He would usually return for a hang with a friend after he was finished with his session. He had a regular table. The maitre’d never questioned us when we asked to be seated there - it was an IYKYK situation. He wasn’t present for these meals, but Charlie has treated me to a poule au pot, a creme brûlée, a bouillabaisse, and so much wine.

I tried to repay his generosity by providing a meal for him or his band/crew in New York in the summer of 1996 when he was touring his jazz combo in support of a jazz record he’d made³. They were playing The Supper Club, which did have a kitchen, so a meal wasn't an issue⁴, but I did want to bring baked goodies or something as a token of appreciation for his years’ worth of generosity. I ended up bringing teatime snacks for the soundcheck - scones and real English clotted cream and some jam, and am fairly certain Charlie gave these snacks to the crew. He always did take time for his tea, so I felt like this was the best gesture I could make.

As a lifelong nonfiction writer and filmmaker, I always like to provide corroboration for you, the reader. I cannot find a single accurate entry anywhere on the old internet for the Supper Club show⁵ EXCEPT a clip of Charlie’s appearance on Letterman the night before his show, and an odd mention about the Letterman appearance in NYC’s snarky DAILY NEWS, both of which are provided below.

Oh dear Charlie Watts, I hope you and Shirley enjoy your eternity together at the cricket ground in the sky with your horses nearby. Happy heavenly birthday.

1. Chuch Magee (given name Walter) was the head of the Stones crew. He originally worked with The Faces. He met Ron Wood at the Grandee Theatre in Detroit when The Faces played there. Later, Chuch was in London, got mugged and looked up Woody in the phone book. Then they started working together . . . and when Woody joined The Stones in 1975, Chuch joined them too. Chuch was known as “the world’s most famous roadie.” I remember seeing him side stage by Woody during Faces days, handing him lit cigarettes, and he did that forever. I even witnessed it at the Bob Fest in NYC, 1992 when Woody was part of the tribute, performing “Seven Days.” At the Supper Club show in 1996, Chuch was the head of Charlie’s crew and his personal drum tech. Chuch lived in Marquette, MI when he wasn’t working for the Stones, and the locals adored him. He was a lumberjack! Chuch died with his boots on (of an apparent heart attack) during a Rolling Stones rehearsal in Toronto on July 18, 2002.

2. Ian McLagan, of course! Bandmates with Woody during Faces days, and touring keyboard player for the Stones 1978-1982

3. LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY, released 1996 → listen ←

4. I did however tease Chuch with the prospect of bringing paella, which would have been a logistical hassle… hence scones. It is the thought that counts.

5. I always hope that setlist dot fm will have it - and they most often do — there is NO listing for this show at all. Except I was there! I did not imagine it. There’s no adverts in the papers either. Thank you David Letterman for having Charlie on and thank you Daily News for making the Letterman appearance newsworthy.