Sympathy For The Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters

by Mike Edison

Sympathy for the Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters is both a gonzo rush--capturing the bristling energy of the Rolling Stones and the times in which they lived--and a wide-eyed reflection on why the Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World needed the world's greatest rock 'n' roll drummer. Across five decades, Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has had the best seat in the house. Charlie Watts, the anti-rock star--an urbane jazz fan with a dry wit and little taste for the limelight--was witness to the most savage years in rock history, and emerged a hero, a warrior poet. With his easy swing and often loping, uneven fills, he found nuance in a music that often had little room for it, and along with his greatest ally, Keith Richards, he gave the Stones their swaggering beat. While others battled their drums, Charlie played his modest kit with finesse and humility, and yet his relentless grooves on the nastiest hard-rock numbers of the era ("Gimme Shelter," "Street Fighting Man," "Brown Sugar," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," etc.) delivered a dangerous authenticity to a band that on their best nights should have been put in jail. Author Mike Edison, himself a notorious raconteur and accomplished drummer, tells a tale of respect and satisfaction that goes far beyond drums, drumming, and the Rolling Stones, ripping apart the history of rock'n'roll, and celebrating sixty years of cultural upheaval. He tears the sheets off of the myths of music making, shredding the phonies and the frauds, and unifies the frayed edges of disco, punk, blues, country, soul, jazz, and R&B--the soundtrack of our lives. Highly opinionated, fearless, and often hilarious, Sympathy is as an unexpected treat for music fans and pop culture mavens, as edgy and ribald as the Rolling Stones at their finest, never losing sight of the sex and magic that puts the roll in the rock --the beat, that crazy beat!--and the man who drove the band, their true engine, the utterly irreplaceable Charlie Watts.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Biography

272 pages, Hardcover

First published November 5, 2019

About the author

MIKE EDISON is genuine rock’n’roll renaissance man. He is the former editor and publisher of famed cannabis magazine High Times, and was the editor-in-chief of the courageously irresponsible Screw. He is the author of 28 “adult” novels, and an internationally known musician who spent much of the 1980s and 90s seeing the world from behind a drum set, opening for bands as diverse as Sonic Youth, Sound Garden, and the Ramones. He has written extensive liner notes for, among others, Iggy Pop, and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and has contributed to numerous magazines and websites, including Huffington Post, the Daily Beast, the New York Observer, Spin (writing about the Rolling Stones), Interview, and New York Press, for which he covered classical music and professional wrestling.

His books have included the highly-praised memoirs I Have Fun Everywhere I Go and You Are A Complete Disappointment, as well as the sprawling social history of sex on the newsstand, Dirty! Dirty! Dirty!, written during his time as a writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library. He also writes prolifically about food and wine, notably collaborating with restaurateur and viniculturist Joe Bastianich on his New York Times bestselling memoir, Restaurant Man, of which writer Bret Easton Ellis has said, “The directness and energy have a cinematic rush . . . not a single boring sentence.”

His most recent book is Sympathy for the Drummer – Why Charlie Watts Matters, a rawkus appreciation of the Rolling Stones drummer.

Edison can frequently be seen with his long-running blues, gospel, and garage-punk experiment The Edison Rocket Train, and he speaks frequently on free speech, sex, drugs, and the American counterculture. He is “proof positive that one can be both edgy and erudite, lowbrow and literate, and take joy in the unbridled pleasures of the id without sacrificing the higher mind.” (PopMatters.com)

Edison lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. Please visit him at www.mikeedison.com

Reviews

[Peter Landau · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a maximalist style Mike Edison praises the minimalism of rock’s greatest roller. In SYMPATHY FOR THE DRUMMER: WHY CHARLIE WATTS MATTERS, he’s our Virgil describing the empire of the Rolling Stones, who arrogantly called themselves the world’s greatest rock and roll band, which is hard to argue with. Edison doesn’t argue, he enthuses, preaches from his paper pulpit and excitedly praises Watts to the point of threatening an aneurysm. He makes his point by placing Watt’s drums in the context of the greats, from blues to jazz, who knew that rock is only as strong as it’s ability to roll. Watts kept things deceptively simple – but try and replicate it – and his basic drum kit cooks with more heat than lesser drummers who hide behind the battlements of bloated kits, which do more to separate the drummer from the material than power it. Edison knows his stuff. He loves Watts, the Rolling Stones, blues and jazz, and his passion beats the heart of this love poem to what is becoming a lost art. But those are always the best kinds. Full disclosure, Mike Edison has been my friend for over 30 years, but regardless of our history (he coined the term that best describes my drum sound: the Kaiser roll, all soft and doughy), buy this book. Get it for your friends, stuff your xmas stockings with it, give to strangers, drop it in the tip bucket and at the feet of begging street people. Everyone needs to understand why Charlie Watts matters.

[Paul Lyons · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing opinion essay disguised as a book about (or centered around) Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. "Sympathy For The Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters" is neither biography, nor rock and roll textbook. Instead author Mike Edison uses the idea of Charlie Watts as an excuse to go through the entire history of The Rolling Stones, going off any and all tangents he felt like. The result is a lackluster pundit piece that inspired me NOT to listen to Charlie Watts' legendary work with The Rolling Stones.

For some crazy reason, I thought the title "Sympathy For The Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters" was going to be specifically about Charlie Watts and his drumming. The book does indeed mention Charlie Watts, and delves into his drumming technique at times. The author even does well going into the added dynamics of Watts' use of China cymbal, which the drummer bolded added to his kit around 1978-1979. However, too much of the otherwise short book is deviations and distractions and the author's insistence on discussing topics outside of Charlie Watts and his drumming.

For those looking for "An Opinionated History of the Rolling Stones," Mike Edison's book is for you. Otherwise, for everyone else picking up a book entitled "Sympathy For The Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters," do we really give a shite what the author thinks of (Rolling Stones' albums) "Goats Head Soup" or "Bridges To Babylon"? Does the reader really need to hear the author trash drummer Buddy Rich because he was volatile and hates country music? And what was the point of going on about The Ramones, or about Keith Richards drug problems, or trashing Aerosmith because drummer Joey Kramer was not a Charlie Watts fan? And WTF does "zork" mean? The book goes off on so many tangents and the author's opinions ware so narrow and dismissive that it made me want to toss the book out the window.

"Sympathy For The Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters" is bait and switch ripoff, even if you don't ask me. Fools like myself are seduced by the title, and take the time to read the bloody book hoping the pages and chapters will both inform and inspire one to take note of Charlie Watts and his drumming. Instead, I felt inspired to put the book down. It's not all horrible, yet too much of "Sympathy For The Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters" made me cringe with frustration and disgust.

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is tough to read. It is filled with attitude and pretense, poorly formed opinions, and annoying braggadocio. Author Mike Edison makes judgments of musicians that are way out of line. This self-proclaimed “rock’n’roll renaissance man” who edited Screw Magazine and High Times, styles himself hip beyond measure. Predictably, his observations on the art of rock are filled with drug and sex references that might charm a wannabe rocker or a horny 12-year old.

His points are often reduced to “fuckin’ this or fuckin’ that’ or ’goddamn’ this in order to emphasize his “I’m as cool as my subject” bona fides. Attitude in rock and roll criticism is a thin line that he stumbles over to an embarrassing degree. This is attitude without art. I’d call him a dime-store Lester Bangs but that would be a compliment. He’s more like a nursery school Robert Christgau.

Some of his worst judgments pit the Beatles against the Stones, an old and tired game. For instance: “The Beatles weren’t part of any counterculture - they came adult approved . . wholesale embrace of product … shaking their mop tops . . . cracking a few jokes for the Queen of England.” He claims that the Beatles lacked “a mojo” in his words “no pretty boy handling the mic like a hot cock”.

In his hair-brained estimation, the Stones were authentic sexy bad boys. That makes them superior rockers? Does that make Charlie more ‘authentic’ than Ringo? It's a tired and fatuous opinion, especially considering that these drummers were both the steady and sober backbone for their respective outfits. They both allowed space for their more flamboyant frontmen and created parts that supported the songs perfectly.

There is a perilous white insensitivity to his discussions of black music as in the repeated and dated use of the word “negro” (“primal negro eroticism that Mick and Keith mainlined at least until the drugs took over"). Regressing to the dated use of that word, skirting a more savvy term, is part of his being hip and ‘in the know’. That kind of attitude makes this book exasperating: passing judgments from some self-proclaimed throne of expertness but more like a thread-bare high chair of puerile ignorance.

I'll give him credit for describing some songs worth revisiting, particularly on the roots of lesser-known drummers. Also on the band Kiss, this is well said: “.... a band so ugly they had to cover their faces with Spackle and great paint [and had] more sexual conquests than Wilt Chamberlain and Satan combined”. It is a nice put down of the infantile trillionaire Gene Simmons - but begs the question, in this context, who cares?

I did glean some information from the book but as a professional musician (and drummer), I find this kind of fan perspective infuriating. Anyone who has put hours into the craft and the work, who has absorbed and experienced this world of popular music and its roots will be drowning in this writer's arrogance and pretense.

Regarding the audiobook:
There are good narrators and not-so-good narrators, narrations where the voice infuses eloquent subtleties and those that are overproduced with unnecessary music and effects. Rarely do I hear one where I simply wanted to punch the reader right in the schnozzola.

My own tribute to the late drummer is here: https://artsfuse.org/235576/music-rem...

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting work. It focuses on Charlie Watts, the drummer for the Rolling Stones. Much focus is on his technique and his minimalist drum kit. It also aims to get the reader to understand that Watts is actually a pretty good drummer who works within the rest of the Rolling Stones in an important way. Some interesting anecdotes, too! Anyhow, if interested in the Stones and/or Watts, this is a nice little volume.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extensively and well researched book focusing on Charlie’s minimalist style and his part of the “roll” in rock and roll. It was interesting to learn more on his influences and side projects. And a bit more about his punch up with Jagger. :-)
Didn’t care for the author’s snark towards other bands and drummers. Compare and contrast; sure. But borderline rudeness is off putting. But Edison is apparently known for his bluntness. 4/5

[Ian Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good overall, but patchy. Perhaps only for people interested in drumming or the Rolling Stones.

[John Spiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Charlie Watts, and I love Mike Edison; why then, did Mike Edison writing about Charlie Watts strike me as meh? To begin with, I don't think a book is the best format to elucidate on the subtle genius that is Charlie Watts. Even if one is familiar with the Stones' discography, Edison's descriptions of how Watts anchored a song or gave it some "roll" are not terribly enlightening. Again and again, Edison tells rather than shows why Watts was critical to the success of a Stones classic. I suspect that a video series on the subject would have been more illuminating.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hoping it was more about Charlie's life.

[D.B. Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

# Sympathy For The Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters

*A Review of Mike Edison's Tribute to Rock's Most Elegant Timekeeper*

There's a moment in every bass player's life when we realize a profound truth: we're only as good as the drummer behind us. As a four-stringer myself, I've spent decades silently worshiping at the altar of the kick drum, my fingers instinctively seeking that pocket where magic happens. Mike Edison's "Sympathy For The Drummer" isn't just a book about Charlie Watts—it's a love letter to those of us who understand that rock and roll without rhythm is just noise with pretensions.

Edison's irreverent, wildly entertaining deep dive into why Charlie Watts matters is like finding yourself in a late-night conversation with the coolest music nerd at the party. You know the type—the one who can tell you not just that Charlie kept perfect time, but *why* his particular approach to timekeeping transformed the Rolling Stones from just another blues band into the greatest rock and roll outfit on the planet.

The book swaggers through Watts' career with the same understated confidence Charlie himself brought to his drum stool. Edison doesn't just chronicle—he celebrates, he analyzes, he occasionally genuflects. Through his prose, we see Charlie not as the reluctant Stone (though he certainly was that), but as the essential Stone, the foundation upon which Mick's strut and Keith's riffs were built.

What makes this book particularly delicious is Edison's refusal to indulge in the typical rock biography reverence. There's a wicked humor threading through these pages, a willingness to acknowledge both Charlie's genius and his peculiarities. The stories of Watts' famous midnight punch to Mick Jagger's jaw (after Jagger had the audacity to call him "my drummer") is recounted with the glee it deserves. Charlie, dressed impeccably in a custom suit at 3 AM, delivering both a right hook and the immortal line: "I'm not your drummer, you're my singer."

As a bass player, I found myself nodding vigorously through Edison's explorations of Watts' unique approach to timekeeping. Even more revelatory is Edison's examination of the almost telepathic connection between Charlie and bassist Bill Wyman. Together, they formed one of rock's most formidable rhythm sections—Wyman's melodic, unflashy bass lines locking in perfectly with Watts' swing to create that unmistakable Stones groove. Edison eloquently articulates how this partnership underpinned everything the Stones did in their golden era, and how the band was fundamentally altered when Wyman departed in 1993. There's something almost religious about finding a rhythm section that breathes as one, and the Wyman-Watts duo exemplified this sacred connection. Edison's analysis of their interplay on tracks like "Honky Tonk Women" or "Start Me Up" is worth the price of admission alone.

The book doesn't shy away from the contradictions that made Charlie fascinating: the rock star who hated touring, the jazz purist in a rock and roll band, the faithful husband in a sea of debauchery, the timekeeper who sometimes played behind the beat to create that distinctive Stones groove. Edison captures it all with a prose style that's as punchy and rhythmic as a well-placed snare hit.

What elevates "Sympathy For The Drummer" above typical rock biography fare is Edison's understanding that Charlie's contribution wasn't just musical—it was philosophical. In a band (and an era) defined by excess, Charlie's minimalism wasn't just an aesthetic choice; it was a statement. Every note he didn't play was as important as those he did. Similarly, Wyman's understated approach complemented Watts perfectly—neither man seeking the spotlight, both creating the foundation that allowed the band to soar. After Wyman's departure, the Stones continued to tour and record, but as Edison deftly points out, something essential had been lost—that ineffable chemistry that only comes from years of rhythmic communication.

The book occasionally meanders into tangents about the broader history of rock drumming, but even these detours feel like worthy explorations rather than distractions. Edison writes with the authority of someone who's not just studied the music but lived it, and his passion is infectious.

For those of us who've spent our musical lives locked in with drummers—good, bad, and transcendent—"Sympathy For The Drummer" articulates something we've always known but struggled to explain to the uninitiated: nothing makes a song better than fabulous rhythm. Charlie Watts didn't just keep time; he created space, he built foundations, he made everyone around him sound better while never demanding the spotlight for himself. And with Bill Wyman as his partner in time, he achieved a level of rhythmic perfection that the band has never quite recaptured since.

Edison's book is a fitting tribute to rock's most elegant timekeeper—witty, insightful, occasionally profane, and always entertaining. Like Charlie himself, it delivers exactly what's needed, right when it's needed, without unnecessary flourish. And for a bass player like me, that's the highest praise possible.

[Cory Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hell yeah!

I'm a drummer, a great lover of music, and a huge Rolling Stones fan: so yes, I'm the obvious demographic for this book. However, there is a lot to be learned here. I would recommend to a junior or senior in high school interested in music to give this a thorough read. We are getting past the point where we look back in time and can see the start of the British Invasion, most kids these days have parents that think the British Invasion involved the electronic movement (and they should be rounded up and put through rock and roll remediation starting with Little Richard and Jimmy Reed, and everything since with heavy coursework in both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones).

Mike Edison shines a light on The Rolling Stones in this Rock and Roll history book, teaching us that the Stones matter - and without them, we would absolutely not have and know rock and roll. And he's bloody right. But more importantly, he highlights Charlie Watts, perhaps one of the best drummers ever. What I love is how he compares Charlie for what he does to appropriately fit what he plays into each song against every other big name dropped when discussing drummers. Charlie is not a showoff, he's not playing a drumkit that requires him to be airlifted into it, and he consistently proves he's the perfect drummer for every song he is on. Charlie Watts is the pocket; and he's the perfect partner in crime to Keith Richards and Mick Jagger.

If you can get the audiobook, I greatly recommend listening to Mike Edison share his love for Charlie and The Rolling Stones with tremendous emotion and true adoration.

Final rating is 4.83... for the record.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this because I wanted to know more about Charlie Watts. I listened to the audiobook on Hoopla and which is read by the author and has some produced music with the audiobook.

But first, where was the editor in the making of this book? Edison repeats metaphors (eg. Michael Jordan making a basket), seems to not understand definitions of words (eg. he says The Who is rococo in comparison to The Rolling Stones... do you know what rococo is, sir? You'd think someone so obsessed with sex would know a little bit about rococo art...), and is inconsistent (eg. rags on jazz drummers with small kits early in the book, but then both hates on big kits and sings praises about Watt's small travel kit later). Was there no one to say, "Hey, maybe you should know how to write?"

Look, I know Edison is obsessed with sex (see his CV) and that when talking about The Rolling Stones you're going to obviously run into sex, drugs and rock and roll. Of course. So a few innuendos and sex-related analogies are warranted. However, you're doing a book about Charlie Watts, the least sexed-up of all the Rolling Stones, turning down sexual advances and favors from fans and groupies because he was (generally, except for that bad spell) happily married. I think Edison just got off (probably literally) on recording himself say "anticipation. penetration" 500 times.

It got old really fast. If your gimmick is "I talk so much about sex because I have to prove I have no inhibitions," it's not great. Edison doth protest too much, methinks.

[RANDY MCBRAYER · Rating 5 out of 5]

MIKE EDISON “GETS IT” - GREAT BOOK!

As a long-standing, lifelong Beatlemaniac, I also was very familiar with the Stones. Especially Charlie Watts. Being a drummer myself, and always predisposed to the minimalist ways. Rather than the concert hall-filling- kit-mania which struck (and still persists in) the minds of so many drummers of the 70s.
Edison has given me an even greater appreciation for the magnificent Mr Watts. With his breakdown of most every Stones track listed here. And granted me license to pursue my continuing drum education, by following up on his insights. Granting my aching, aging body more energy, and the promise of new life. Seeking to re-acquaint myself with perfecting that ever so elusive shuffle mastered by Charlie Watts, D J Fontana, and Mr Below.
Thank you Mike Edison, for an educational, enlightening read. One I’m glad I took the time to devour. And will no doubt return to many times over. More importantly, as all real drummers know. The click track, or metronome is no man’s master. Not in rock & roll. Not if you’re gonna get it right. Living within the song itself. Instead of being the hero of the song.

[Christopher Renberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. The author's style took me back to the halcyon days of 70s rock magazine writing. That could be good or bad depending on the passage. I feel I learned a lot about Charlie Watts and what he brought to the Rolling Stones (a band I am ok with I guess is the best way to state it). The author is a far bigger fan than I and I appreciated his enthusiasm. Did not always agree with it but appreciated it, nonetheless.
I really got into Charlie Watts through his big band/jazz recordings at the close of the century. That, to me, was his sweet spot. His style and grace approaching his life and his music comes across as stately and even elegant.
This would be a fine volume for fans of the Stones or fans of drummers and drumming. The author also has some mighty fine playlists on Spotify to echo what he writes about. Perfect soundtrack to the book! Hope Charlie's good tonight!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book should be read and enjoyed by drummers or Rolling Stones fans. If you are neither, you will be wasting precious reading time. If you are both, you'll be in hog heaven. Edison has opinions, which he expresses freely. These apply to drumming styles, drummers and their influences, rock and roll stars, and the RS work, almost song by song. He has extreme dislike for some groups and drummers I'd never heard of---and Eric Clapton.
The author believes Charlie Watts embodies everything great about drumming and the Stones. He makes a convincing case. With the provisos above, it is a fun read.

[Patrick O'Hannigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Edison has been tuned in to the Rolling Stones for years, and is a musician to boot. This book-length appreciation for Charlie Watts is a great read: opinionated, knowledgeable, bawdy, honest, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. I knew the book would be packed with insights into Charlie Watts and the iconic band for whom he drove the proverbial bus, but Edison also stirs a generous portion of cultural history into the mix. The cherry on the sundae is that he also understands how to use footnotes to move a story along.

The book swings, and punches well above its weight -- just like Charlie Watts himself did. Highly recommended for all music fans.

[RichVT · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seems a real fan book - an ode to Charlie Watts, The Rolling Stones drummer. But, while there is plenty of adulation for him, the charming part of the book is a history of rock music from Charlie’s vantage point- within The Rolling Stones. As a non musician, I barely knew or understood what it means to come in behind the lead guitar, or emphasize the backbeat, or what rolls and fills are. I also don’t have the songs memorized. But the description of the flow and history of rock and roll was worth the read

[Jacqueline · Rating 1 out of 5]

My Rolling Stones buddy recommended this. He’s a collector and an aficionado of all things Rolling Stones.
I had to force myself to read this. It took me longer than Moby Dick in 9th grade. It’s a poorly written ego trip by the writer.
I can’t call him an author as that would be granting an undeserved title.
He’s more impressed by his “ hip”(?) writing style, opinions and comparisons than by his interest in Charlie Watts. He acknowledges Charlie for calling him and thanking him for writing the book. That says more about Charlie than he did in 250 pages.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I didn’t know exactly what I was getting, reading this book. Perhaps a studious dissection of what makes Mr. Watts so great. Instead, it’s more of a long essay written by a fan, which I could appreciate if he didn’t spend so much of his book slamming other musicians in order to lift Watts. As entertaining and humorous as it is, the final product doesn’t quite hold Charlie Watts upon his well-deserved pedestal as much as it does him disservice. Edison didn’t write this for Charlie Watts, he wrote it for himself.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true rarity - a new book about the Rolling Stones that isn't a rehash of all the same info, and it damn sure isn't dull. Yes, the Stones were (are?) the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World. And yes, Charlie Watts was (and still is) the Greatest Rock and Roll Drummer in the World. There are so many reasons and Edison nailed a lot of them. One star upgrade because of the entertaining ballsiness of the author.

[Mark O'mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cracking read for genuine Stones fans. An absolute must read for fans. This was the audiobook edition read by the author who is a fantastic narrator making it one of the best examples of an audiobook I’ve found. Increased my appreciation and understanding of the role, talent and how integral to the sound of The Stones the incredible Charlie Watts is. Now I’m off listening to all my Stones records.

[Enrico · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book about music and art in general, not just about Charlie and the Stones… Mike is just spot on about the essence of the Stones and he tells it in a no nonsense and highly entertaining way… Everyone should read this book and learn about greatness and how it is to be great… The experience of reading this book was made all the more powerful because Charlie passed away just when I neared the end of the chapter called Where’s My Drummer? Rest In Peace Charlie 🙏🏼

[Charles · Rating 1 out of 5]

You have to be a big fan of the Rolling Stones to make it through this book. There is a lot of interesting history and trivia but the author is a pretentious douchebag who spews a lot of useless drivel in an attempt to appear cool. It's basically unreadable.
If Google had an app that could translate overwrought adolescent bloviating into plain English, this might be something a normal person could read.

[Jack Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehh it’s fine. Suffers from the similar issues of classic rock bios, namely that the majority can be summed up as “old man yells at cloud,” but that comes with the territory. Didn’t love the way blues music was described in this one. The reverence for the “primitive” rhythms sounds much more like fetishization, but then again the stones also were big on that so i dunno. Ultimately it’s nothing revolutionary but it does make me appreciate Charlie watts more. Good ass drummer.

[Allan Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

An overview of the Rolling Stones from the perspective of the drummer.

Very entertaining and informative about the players that helped feed into Charlie's playing. And a convincing case made that even if the Stones' records might have varied in quality since their glory years, that Charlie is always good.

Damn right, Charlie Watts matters.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a little about my favorite Stone and more about the band and a lot about drumming. The author unrepentantly ripped into some well known artists and his snarky comments were pretty funny, whether you agree with him or not (in some cases, I didn’t). It was interesting to read the details about Charlie’s other musical life—hope I can find some of these recordings.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lively, excited love letter to the great Charlie Watts. Like all good music books, this made me want to put the book down for a minute while I looked up the song he was raving about - whether a rare Stones track, or a Chess gem with his hero Fred Below on drums, or a lazy Jimmy Reed late night shuffle.

Thoroughly recommended for music enthusiasts

[William Dury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terrific book. Mr. Edison is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about the finer points of jazz and rock drumming. Charlie Watts was a beloved figure and this book is a fitting tribute to him. It, of course, is an excuse for yet another Stones history, but why not? Our favorite stories are the ones we already know.

[Angela Woodrow Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok, I am a drummer, and one of my drum God's drum Gods is Charlie Watts. I KNOW why he matters to me, but I still cant figure out why he matters to the author and the rest of the world. This guy is obviously ADHD and forgot his meds (we can smell our own) He was all over the place the entire book and when I was done with the book I had to listen to some white noise to clear my head

[Timothy Swartout · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun whirlwind of a book basically telling the story of The Rolling Stones through the lens of its understated drummer, Charlie Watts. The multiple descriptions of his drumming style are a joy to read and have me new perspective and will definitely have me revisiting their back catalog, as well as checking out Charlie’s many side projects.

[Michael Hoag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written in a very snarky manner. I liked the cleverness of the "inside rock" and "inside jazz" history references. The author really captured the mood and feel of the subject matter. Honestly one of the best Rock - pop culture books I've read.