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October 2021 – Volume 45 • Number 10

For decades, the Rolling Stones have served up their brand of raunchy, bluesy rock and roll to millions of fans around the globe. They’ve outlasted trends, age restrictions, and most of their ’60s contemporaries. To drummers, Charlie Watts represents a throwback to a time when feel mattered more than flash. Despite his jazz tastes, Watts helped develop the idea of the prototypical rock-solid groove drummer. He has always given the Stones exactly what they need—even when the band would occasionally break away from its roots-based sound. The year 1967 was unlike any other in the Stones’ career. Under the influence of the Beatles and Bob Dylan, the band released their most pop-oriented album, Between the Buttons, the odds-n-sods collection Flowers, and the overtly psychedelic Their Satanic Majesties Request. Let’s see what Charlie was up with “The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band” back in 1967… “Let’s Spend the Night Together”Between […]
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Articles in October 2021

Charlie Watts Quartet

Four Different Collector Covers Honor the Legend The Modern Drummer staff wanted to do something ultra-special to celebrate the life and artistry of Charlie Watts, and we decided that a single cover—however great it might look—simply would not do. We…

Modern Drummer
Oct 29, 2021

Don McAulay Charlie Watts’ Drum Tech

Drums are at the center of many lives, and Don McAulay seems to live in all of them. McAulay is a drummer, a woodworker, drum restorer, studio owner, vintage-drum collector, and technican for bands such as Neil Young, My Morning…

By Clementine Moss
Oct 29, 2021

A family tribute to Charlie Watts ...Or Recollections on the Bakerloo Line

Charlie presenting Dad with the Zildjian Lifetime Achievement Award in London, 2008. I know that my late father, Ginger Baker, would want me to pay tribute to one of his two most-enduring friendships. Here is my personal account of a…

By Nettie Baker
Oct 29, 2021

Ron Tutt

March 12, 1938 - October 16, 2021 Ron Tutt, who backed up the King—Elvis Presley—as part of his TCB band from 1969-1977, passed away on October 16, at 83 years old. Tutt was a founding member of Presley’s “Taking Care…

Modern Drummer
Oct 29, 2021

Chad and Charlie

In 2018, Charlie Watts made an appearance on Drum Channel’s The Chad Smith Show. To celebrate Watt’s imprint and impact on drumming, we are currently offering the complete interview for free at drumchannel.com, but here are a few tidbits from…

Modern Drummer
Oct 29, 2021
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Watts Wisdom

Stone Insights from the Pages of Modern Drummer Given his stature in the drum community and his tenure in the world’s greatest rock and roll band, Charlie Watts gave few relatively interviews. For example, throughout MD’s 45 years, he only…

Modern Drummer
Oct 29, 2021

Latin Percussion

Tommy Lee Rockstar Ridge Rider Cowbell Tommy Lee’s signature model is big. Way big. It’s loud. Crazy loud. It even looks like a rock-and roll cowbell should look, in its bright-white finish with a large red-white-black star logo under Lee’s…

By Michael Molenda
Oct 29, 2021

Buried Treasures

I Unboxed Charlie’s First Drum Kit and Other Stories from The Watts Collection It’s hard to know what to say at a time like this. Most people will mention Charlie Watt’s contribution to the world of rock drumming—which, of course,…

By Steve Maxwell
Oct 29, 2021

RTOM

LV Mesh Drumheads I thought I was so smart. With the global pandemic surging, I drove to my rehearsal space to pack up my four-piece Yamaha kit and bring it to my home office just before lockdown. “Now, I can…

By Michael Molenda
Oct 29, 2021

What Was That?

Five Genius Charlie Watts Fills You hardly ever see “Charlie Watts” and “Drum Fills” in the same sentence. Discussions around him usually involve his groove, his feel, and the way he never plays his hi-hat with his backbeat. Rightfully so—as…

By Lane Sanders
Oct 29, 2021

Charlie Watts

A Personal Remembrance and Tribute Ringo Starr and I waited at the top of his Los Angeles driveway. It was November 2006, and as noon approached, I turned to ask Ringo, “When was the last time you and Charlie saw…

By Rob Shanahan
Oct 29, 2021

12 MD Cover Artists on Playing for the Song From the Modern Drummer Archives

As we honor Charlie Watts in this special tribute issue, we wanted to take a look back at how some other drummers accomplished what Watts did so brilliantly—which was create parts and arrangements that enhanced the song. A lot of…

Modern Drummer
Oct 29, 2021
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It’s Only Rock and Roll

Welcome to a very special MD tribute to the Rolling Stones’ Charlie Watts. I grew up in that era where a question like “Beatles or Stones?” sort of told you about someone. I always thought it was crazy, because although…

Modern Drummer
Oct 29, 2021

Remembering Charlie Watts

Ringo Starr Excerpted from his Change the World Press Conference Charlie Watts was a beautiful human being—a great guy and a lot of fun. He had a harder band than I did to keep together. He was like the quiet…

Modern Drummer
Oct 29, 2021

Charlie’s My Darling...

The reluctant rock star.The loving husband to his beautiful wife Shirleyfor over a half a century.The fantastic father to his Seraphina.The brilliant grandfather to his Charlotte.The jazz lover/enthusiast.The Dapper Dan.The dog lover/owner.The Arabian horse owner.The classic car collector.The vintage drum…

By Steve Jordan
Oct 29, 2021

Charlie’s 50 & Counting Rehearsal Kit

We’re taking this space away from Modern Drummer readers this issue, but we hope no one will mind, because the Kit of the Month for October 2021 belonged to Charlie Watts. (We’ll showcase reader kits again starting next month—you weren’t…

Michael Molenda and Jason Mehler
Oct 29, 2021

Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault

The Charlie Watts Collection Long before I ever met Charlie Watts, I was captivated by him and anything he did, said, or played. Why did this small, grey-haired gentleman sitting quietly behind the massive spectacle of the Rolling Stones command…

By Donn Bennett
Oct 29, 2021

Capturing That Charlie Vibe

As great as he was as the starship-powered engine of the Rolling Stones, Charlie Watts didn’t have a distinctly obvious drum sound on the order of John Bonham’s bombastic room rumble, or Tony Thompson’s gleefully grandiose ‘80s Power Station tracks.…

By Michael Molenda
Oct 29, 2021

DW Drums

MFG XF Double Pedal I’ve been using a DW 5000 double pedal for years. I really enjoy playing it, and it has been super reliable. I broke a spring just once. That’s the only time it needed a repair. Everything…

By Jon Christ
Oct 29, 2021
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That Seductive Charlie Watts Groove

One Style I Could Never Mimic Charlie loved music of all kinds. One of the many things we had in common. And he loved all the same drummers I did—mostly the jazz guys. But we also agreed on how great…

By Jim Keltner
Oct 29, 2021

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