This is a very
affectionate portrait of Charlie Watts from a journalist who was close to the
band during its later decades. The chronology of albums and tours is only lightly
touched upon allowing the main focus to fall on Watts’ personality, his music
and personal loves, (he married Shirley in the early days of the Stones and they
stayed together until he died in 2021), his horses, homes, collections and
clothes. It is as far from a tale of rock’n’roll excess as could be imagined.
This is a man who would spend nights on tour drawing things in his hotel rooms
after making sure that his clothing was properly put away, socks perfectly
matched and folded. He would, anonymously, wander the cities they played in in
the early mornings, impeccably attired and well-shod.
This week’s
definitive story of the fight between Jagger and Watts following Mick’s
introduction of Charlie as his drummer is included as is his mid-life crisis when
he took to drink and drugs in a way he never had before. A fall down the cellar
stairs and a broken ankle a few months before an engagement at Scott’s led to
an end to that lifestyle and a return to normality.
The interest for
readers of BSH will fall on the sections that deal with Charlie Watts’
favourite music. The Stones are very much ‘the day job’ but his first and
endearing love is jazz. His lifelong friendship with bassist Dave Green is one
of the mainstays of his life. They grew up in neighbouring post-war prefabs and
played together, originally with a tea chest bass and a banjo body as a drum,
later in pick up bands and, together, in pubs as part of the Joe Jones Seven
and All Stars before Watts joined Alexis Korner. When his finances were such that
he could indulge his love fully he put together the Orchestra which hoovered up
every British jazz name of the time and released the wonderful Live at Fulham Town Hall. (Watts allegedly put in £1000 for each of
the 35 band members for the week). There is also coverage of the From One Charlie To Another album and
book using pictures from Watts’ pre-fame days, the other Tribute to Charlie Parker album and the albums of standards with
Bernard Fowler’s vocal contributions, of which I would recommend Long Ago & Far Away, and the Watts at Scott’s album by Charlie Watts
and the Tentet.
His love of jazz
drumming led him to collect drum kits of the not so rich but famous so he had a
kit that had belonged to Kenny Clarke by way of Max Roach, one that once
belonged to Duke Ellington’s drummer Sonny Greer and another that belonged to
1930/40s drummer Sid Catlett. There are also references to drummers he admired,
most notably Elvin Jones. (On the subject of British jazz Sexton does, however,
make the schoolboy error of conflating the sax playing Peter King with the
other Peter King who helped run Ronnie Scott’s Club).
I found this a
very enjoyable, easy read and, as ever when reading any musician’s biography,
part of the enjoyment is what you listen to whilst doing it.
My choices were: Get Your Ya-Yas Out, Sticky Fingers, Forty
Licks by the Rolling Stones and Watts
At Scott’s by Charlie Watts and the Tentet. Dave Sayer
Published by Mudlark, ISBN-10 : 0008546339
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