I hated it," he told The Guardian newspaper in an interview. "Girls chasing you down the street, screaming.horrible!. But Watts often said that the actual experience was draining and unpleasant, and even frightening. Watts thought that "Between the Buttons" was the actual name and included it in his artwork. When he asked Stones manager Andrew Oldham what the album would be called, Oldham responded "Between the buttons," meaning undecided.
He also provided illustrations for the back cover of the acclaimed 1967 album "Between the Buttons" and inadvertently gave the record its title. He worked with Jagger on the ever more spectacular stage designs for the group's tours. He also had an impact on the Rolling Stones that extended beyond drumming. Richards called Watts "the key" and often joked that their affinity was so strong that on stage he'd sometimes try to rattle Watts by suddenly changing the beat - only to have Watts change it right back. Jagger and Richards at times seemed to agree on little else besides their admiration of Watts, both as a man and a musician. Watts stayed on, and largely held himself apart, through the drug abuse, creative clashes and ego wars that helped kill founding member Brian Jones, drove bassist Bill Wyman and Jones' replacement Mick Taylor to quit and otherwise made being in the Stones the most exhausting of jobs.Ī classic Stones song like "Brown Sugar" and "Start Me Up" often began with a hard guitar riff from Richards, with Watts following closely behind, and Wyman, as the bassist liked to say, "fattening the sound." Watts' speed, power and time keeping were never better showcased than during the concert documentary, "Shine a Light," when director Martin Scorsese filmed "Jumpin' Jack Flash" from where he drummed toward the back of the stage. He joined the band early in 1963 and remained over the next 60 years, ranked just behind Mick Jagger and Keith Richards as the group's longest lasting and most essential member. The quiet, elegantly dressed Watts was often ranked with Keith Moon, Ginger Baker and a handful of others as a premier rock drummer, respected worldwide for his muscular, swinging style as the Stones rose from their scruffy beginnings to international superstardom. Watts had announced he would not tour with the Stones in 2021 because of an undefined health issue. "Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also as a member of The Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation," Doherty said.