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The Rolling Stones' Sir Mick Jagger remembers friendship with Charlie Watts
25 September 2023, 12:58 | Updated: 26 September 2023, 12:49
The Rolling Stones frontman has talked about the late drummer, who passed away in August 2021.
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Sir Mick Jagger has opened up about his relationship with the late Charlie Watts and talked about some of the interests they shared together.
The late Rolling Stones drummer passed away on 21st August 2021, following complications from emergency heart surgery and frontman Mick Jagger shared some of his favourite things outside the band.
"I knew him since I was 19, and I hung out a lot with Charlie. He was one of my close friends," the rock legend told SiriusXM.
"Charlie and I had a lot of interests outside of just playing in a band. We loved football and cricket. Charlie and I used to go to cricket together a lot.
"Charlie's very knowledgeable about [football] He used to play football when he was a kid. He was pretty good. Much better than me.
"Charlie loved beautiful objects. He liked antiques, he liked furniture. So we talked a lot about things like that."
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Last month saw two years since the passing of the late drummer and The Rolling Stones marked the occasion on social media. An photo of Watts was shared on the official Rolling Stones Instagram account, with a quote from the drummer himself, which reads: "I wanted to play drums because I fell in love with the glitter and the lights, but it wasn't about adulation. It was being up there playing." - Charlie Watts".
Meanwhile, guitarist Keith Richards shared a photo of himself with the drummer, alongside the heartfelt caption: "Charlie Watts was my bed. I could lay on there, and I know that not only would I have a good sleep, but I’d wake up and it’d still be rocking” (2021)
"Miss you, Charlie"
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Meanwhile, this month saw The Rolling Stones - completed by surviving members Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood - announce their new album Hackney Diamonds (released on 20th October) at a special event in Hackney Empire in London.
The band also unveiled the official video to their Angry single, which you can watch below:
The Rolling Stones - Angry (Official Video)
Hosted by Jimmy Fallon, the event was streamed live on YouTube and featured Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood present the video for Angry, which starts Emmy-nominated actress Sydney Sweeney (The White Lotus, Euphoria, The Handmaid's Tale).
Jagger also confirmed to the press that both Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder appear on the track Sweet Sounds Of Heaven.
Beatles legend Paul McCartney plays bass on Bite My Head Off, while Sir Elton John features on piano on Get Close and Live By The Sword. The recording was started around Christmas and the sessions were finished by Valentine's Day, the star revealed.
"I don't want to be big-headed but we wouldn't have put this album out if we hadn't really liked it," Sir Mick told the assembled crowd.
"We said we had to make a record we really love ourselves. We are quite pleased with it, we are not big-headed about it, but we hope you all like it."
The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds track listing
- Angry
- Get Close
- Depending On You
- Bite My Head Off
- Whole Wide World
- Dreamy Skies
- Mess It Up
- Live By The Sword
- Driving Me Too Hard
- Tell Me Straight
- Sweet Sounds Of Heaven
- Rolling Stone Blues
The band are also planning to release a documentary about the making of the record, which will include footage of the band's press launch for the album, plus a tribute to their drummer.
