[imagesource: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images]

Yesterday, Charlie Watts, the drummer for The Rolling Stones, passed away at the age of 80.

His death came as a shock to fans, after it was announced in early August that he would miss the Stones’ US tour starting next month to recover from an unspecified medical procedure.

Charlie joined the Stones in January 1963, and you don’t spend near on half a century in a band with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (Ronnie Wood seems easy to get on with) without having the odd run-in.

The beef between Keith and Mick has been well documented (Keith went very in-depth in his autobiography, Life), but Charlie and Mick did have a famous falling out of their own.

Keith also wrote about that in Life, with The Independent picking up the story from here:

The disagreement was to do with Jagger’s burgeoning ego and remarks he apparently made in a meeting about whether the Stones should break up.

According to Richards’s book, Jagger told Watts: “‘None of this should matter to you because you’re only my drummer.”

Later, Richards recalled, a drunken Jagger antagonised Watts over the phone and said to him “where’s my drummer?”.

Watts, who was in a hotel room just down the corridor from Jagger, then proceeded to have a shave, put on one of his Savile Row suits and spray some cologne before knocking on the door of his bandmate.

Richards said Watts walked right past him and grabbed Jagger by the lapels of his jacket and gave him a right hook and said “never call me your drummer again”.

The fact that he popped on a suit, and a splash of cologne, before nipping out to clock Jagger with a right hook is just magnificent.

Some who recount the story say that Charlie finished by telling Mick “you’re my (expletive) singer.”

Keith wrote that Mick staggered after the punch, landed on a platter of salmon, and almost fell out of the open hotel window and into a canal.

According to Rolling Stones fanzine editor Bill German, Charlie then walked past Keith in the hallway, with the latter asking where he was coming from.

Charlie replied, “I’ve just punched Mick Jagger in the face” and walked straight past and back to his hotel room.

The fallout was said to last for years, with Charlie’s wife eventually playing a pivotal role in brokering peace.

Everyone seems to have mellowed with age, and Charlie has often spoken about his love for his fellow bandmates in more recent times.

As news of his passing spread, The Rolling Stones sent this tweet:

pic.twitter.com/wi6333F6QF

— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) August 24, 2021

Mick just shared this image:

pic.twitter.com/MrPpJI0Hxd

— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) August 24, 2021

And Keith’s message was also beautiful in its simplicity:

pic.twitter.com/YUR6lckf8k

— Keith Richards (@officialKeef) August 24, 2021

Let’s kick off this Wednesday with an absolute belter.

RIP, Charlie.

[source:independent]