Bill Wyman says Charlie Watts’ death is a good time for closure for Rolling Stones

Longtime Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman has reflected on the death of his former bandmate Charlie Watts, noting that his death in 2021 would be the perfect end for the band.

Wyman succeeded Dick Taylor as the band’s bassist and performed as part of the Rolling Stones’ first stable lineup in 1962, remaining with the band for more than 30 years until leaving in 1993. Watts officially joined the band as drummer in 1963, a position he held until his death in 2021 at the age of 80.

in new interview classic rockWyman reflected on his time in the band and his eventual departure, noting that while Mick Jagger and Watts tried to keep him in the band, his desire for other projects outweighed the band’s prospects. Wyman also added that while he considered himself a replaceable member, he believed the group’s demise would coincide with Watts’ death.

“When Charlie left, I thought they were going to close. And I did,” he explained. “They could replace Bass, but I didn’t think they could replace Charlie and his charisma and what a great guy he was, but they moved on and it surprised me. I wouldn’t say it disappoints me, but It surprises me.

“I think it’s a good time for them … but I don’t think they have anything else to do otherwise they would do it, wouldn’t they?” he asked.

“I’ve been doing six different things and I’m happy doing them but I don’t think they’re…well, Ronnie has art and as a second thing…Mick tries Making movies but it didn’t really work out, and he did some things on his own that didn’t really work as well as they should have, so they just… were the Rolling Stones all the time.

Before Watts’ death in 2021, the Rolling Stones last released a new album in 2016, which included a collection of covers blue and loneliness Following 2005 bigger explosion. In 2023, the band returns with its first new record in nearly twenty years, Hackney Diamond.

While Watts’ drumming is featured on two songs, “Mess It Up” and “Live by the Sword,” Wyman also appears on the record, playing bass on the latter. Although he has performed live with the Rolling Stones on numerous occasions, this is his first recording session with the band since 1989.

Steve Jordan currently serves as the Rolling Stones’ drummer, having previously performed with Keith Richards’ X-Pective Winos when Watts was unavailable.