"He could kick these songs and make them swing, make them swagger," Lars Ulrich says of what Charlie Watts brought to the Rolling Stones.
Greg Allen/Invision/AP; David Wolff-Patrick/Redferns/Getty ImagesWhen Metallica simplified their sound as they were writing their monumental Black Album, drummer Lars Ulrich looked to two drummers in particular for inspiration — AC/DC’s Phil Rudd and the Rolling Stones’ Charlie Watts. When he learned of Watts’ death this week, he felt both shocked and sad.
“It hits hard on many levels,” Ulrich tells Rolling Stone. “Obviously, as a Stones fan, it’s sort of the end of at least an era within that band, because he was the only drummer that ever recorded with them. He was such a significant part of their sound, and an underrated part of their sound. In a band where the spotlight would go to especially Mick and Keith, a lot of people truly didn’t understand how valuable he was. And from that side, as a Stones fan, it’s a great loss.”
Ulrich has always looked to the Stones for inspiration as to how a band can continue to grow and enjoy a career that spans decades. “They don’t need the money or exposure, so one can only imagine the reason they kept going is because they loved what they were doing,” he says. “And that has always been so relatable to me and to our band.
“Charlie has always been that driving force,” he continues. “He could kick these songs and make them swing, make them swagger, still make them have that attitude, that pocket. Seeing him do that way deep into his seventies has been such a life-affirming thing. [Metallica are] a good 20, 25 years behind, but it’s given me a lot of faith in the possibilities of what it can continue to be — music, concerts, connecting to fans, connecting to each other as a band. There’s nobody above them on that pyramid, and there’s nobody above Charlie on that pyramid. Of course, there are a couple of incredible jazz drummers who played into their eighties, but there’s been nobody above Charlie in the rock & roll pyramid in terms of being out there and doing it.”
Ulrich adds that he’s learned something new about Watts’ importance to the Stones this week by watching video of the band playing live. “I was looking at a couple of the clips from the last show in Miami and even seeing Mick Jagger up there swaying.… What is he swaying to? He’s swaying to Charlie Watts’ drumming,” Ulrich says. “People sit there and go, ‘Yeah, I’m dancing along with Mick Jagger.’ No, you’re dancing along with Charlie Watts in the same way Mick Jagger’s dancing along to Charlie Watts’ drumming. So Mick Jagger wouldn’t have those moves if it wasn’t for Charlie Watts’ drumming. It sort of starts and ends there.”
Queens Of The Stone Age have secured the Number 1 spot on the Official Albums Chart, with their ninth studio album, Perfecth, making its debut at the top. The American rock band have now earned their second UK Number 1 album, following the success of their 2017 record Villains.
The band also came out on top in physical sales this week, claiming Number 1 on the Official Vinyl Albums Chart after selling more vinyl copies than any other release. Olivia Rodrigo follows at Number 2 with You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In, while Michael Jackson's The Essential remains at Number 3.
Scottish band The Snuts have taken Number 4 with Joy In Short Moments, marking their fourth album in a row to reach the Top 5. They also secured the Number 1 position on the Official Record Store Chart, recording the biggest sales across independent record shops during the past week. Fontaines D.C. complete the Top 5, with Dopamine Chamber falling three places to Number 5.
Elsewhere in the Top 10, Canadian rock band Nickelback have added another milestone to their career, as Everything Under The Sun enters at Number 6 to become their eighth Top 10 album. Birmingham group Editors have matched that achievement, with Surface, Echo & Sound arriving at Number 7. Following Halloween weekend, Michael Jackson's iconic album Thriller has also made a strong return, climbing 14 places to re-enter the Top 10 at Number 10.
American DJ and producer MK has made his first appearance on the Official Albums Chart at Number 20 with In The Night Again, his debut solo full-length album. Meanwhile, UK rapper Nines has secured his second Top 40 album of the year, with Young Nina opening at Number 30. This follows his earlier release Lost Tapes, which reached Number 14 earlier this autumn.
Completing this week's notable chart movements, The Who have returned to the Top 40 with their 1975 album The Who By Numbers, which has re-entered at Number 31 after the release of an extensive super deluxe edition.
