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British rock band The Rolling Stones’ frontman Mick Jagger has explained the band’s decision to continue touring, despite their drummer, Charlie Watt’s death in August this year.
“When he was sick, he said ‘You’ve gotta just carry on and do this tour. Don’t stop because of me,’” Jagger told Howard Stern during his radio show on Sirius XM.
Jagger, who recently returned on the road for the band’s ‘Get No Filter’ tour, also said that returning for live shows was easy for the band.
“Charlie was the heartbeat for the band, you know, and also a very steady personality. He was a very reliable person, wasn’t a diva — that’s the last thing you want in a drummer. He was a very quirky guy,” he said, however admitting that performing without Watts, who had been the member of the band since 1963, was never going to be the same.
“We really miss him, You know, we did so many shows with him, and so many tours with him, and so many recording sessions, it’s strange being without him,” he said.
Since 1963, Charlie has been a member of the Rolling Stones. Apart from Jagger and Richards, he is the only member who has appeared on all of the band's studio albums. Watts was introduced to Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards while playing drums in London's rhythm and blues clubs in the 1960s, and the three invited him to join their group in 1962.
The Stones have 11 more stops on their Get No Filter tour.
