Yes... thanks for posting that! Looks like it was a different RK kit with 2 floor toms. Regardless... love watching Charlie play. I learn so much everytime.
After the vid was done... I clicked on this one. The camera on Charlie the whole time playing Monkey Man.
My pleasure Brian! Ya... Charlie is one of my favs too. I've been recently listening to 'Some Girls' remastered. O man... you gotta hear Charlie's kit on this album. It's Charlie/Gretsch in HD. I'm dying to know what snare he used on that album.
Thanks for the great rock and roll story too!
Just wanted to thank you, jespo for the post! Charlie Watts is one of my favourite drummers. He's steady and very cool. From what I've read about him he won't take any nonsense from a certain singer either. Charlie on one occasion, told Mr. Jagger, " I'm not the drummer in YOUR band, you're the singer in MINE!" Charlie then punched Mick in the nose. Basically, the altercation arose from Mick's arrogance. Anyway, thanks again. Brian
If you look carefully, there's a little lesson to be had... Note the drum key on the floor tom. Those are likely to be calf heads on those RK's. Calf heads are notorious for responding to ambient temperature and humidity. Experienced drummers know that; after you have a drum in-tune, you can alter the pitch of the entire drum by turning a single tension rod! All Charlie (or the owner,) has to do to tweak the heads during a performance is to give the one t-rod a quarter to a half turn or so. I got a kick out of seeing the key on the floor tom. It's an old-school/old-timer thing. A left-over from the days when all drums had 'skins' for heads. Love it.John
I have calf on a 3ply Gretsch set. One of its advantages in tuning calf is 5 lugs top and bottom on the 12" tom along with the easy access to the bottom head due to the consol mount.
The 'single tension rod' tuning adjustment you describe is a sure recipe for poor tone! Where did you get that dumb idea?
Ron
Chalie,s grinning from ear to ear. Its obvious he just loves that setting, like he would trade the Stones gig in in a heart beat. Arnie Lang told me he avoids playing new gear whenever possible.
> Where did you get that dumb idea?
LMAO! I got that "dumb idea" from one of my teachers, Bobby Columby back in the mid-sixties.
If you're not familiar with the name, Google him. I'd pay good money to hear you tell Bobby how "dumb" you think the information is that he passed on to me.
Words matter. Calling something 'dumb' doesn't make it so. Before calling anything dumb, make sure you're not the one who is misinformed or speaking out of turn. Sometimes it pays to do a little homework -before- passing judgement. Good way to avoid making oneself look "dumb." DOH
John
I think the set belongs to one of the player's brothers in Charlie's band, The A B C and D of Boogie Woogie. He uses it on the European dates they play.
That's what he states in the latest issue of DRUM! He has one as well but uses his Gretsch sets when he plays in England or the US.
If you look carefully, there's a little lesson to be had... Note the drum key on the floor tom.John
Old habits die hard! If you check most pics of Charlie at the drums you'll see that drum key on the FT of all his sets.
> Where did you get that dumb idea? LMAO! I got that "dumb idea" from one of my teachers, Bobby Columby back in the mid-sixties. If you're not familiar with the name, Google him. I'd pay good money to hear you tell Bobby how "dumb" you think the information is that he passed on to me. Words matter. Calling something 'dumb' doesn't make it so. Before calling anything dumb, make sure you're not the one who is misinformed or speaking out of turn. Sometimes it pays to do a little homework -before- passing judgement. Good way to avoid making oneself look "dumb." DOHJohn
As someone who is willing to deal with the inconveniences that come with using calf heads, this is why I call it a 'dumb idea':
Tightening or loosening only one lug is a poor, inadequate solution to the problem of the susceptibility of calf to changes in humidity, however expedient it may seem, because uneven head tensioning inevitably causes degraded tonal quality.
Perhaps it wasn't important to Bobby Columby. On the other hand, do you know if he recommended the idea of changing the tension of only one lug, or was he simply describing the practice?
I have no idea about Charlie Watts' tuning methods or whether he had calf on those drums... do you? I doubt that he'd take the trouble.
You're surely aware that parking a key on the floor tom is a longstanding practice of many drummers, myself included... even when using plastic.
Ron
Just wanted to thank you, jespo for the post! Charlie Watts is one of my favourite drummers. He's steady and very cool. From what I've read about him he won't take any nonsense from a certain singer either. Charlie on one occasion, told Mr. Jagger, " I'm not the drummer in YOUR band, you're the singer in MINE!" Charlie then punched Mick in the nose. Basically, the altercation arose from Mick's arrogance. Anyway, thanks again. Brian
Brian,here's how the story goes, Brenda as kief calls Mick. Jagger is doing an interview in a confrence room of the motel that Charlie is staying in as charlie has already gone to bed as it's late, good ole Mick being the prima donna he is calls charlie on the phone and says where's my f**king drummer get down here now!!, Charlie showers and shaves+ cologne puts on a nice clean suit looking all dapper he comes down stairs still they are on like the 3rd or 4th floor where the interview is taking place, charlie walks up to mick and gives him a good right handed punch to the jaw almost knocking mick out the open window, and then states to him I'M NOT YOUR F**k drummer your my F**K SINGER. Goes back upstairs and goes back to bed. right out of Kieth Richards book life of Kieth Richards, yeah I think Charlie is the cats meow also!
Bobby Columby was a studio pro and the inventor of the 'Fusion' drumming style. He formed/founded, Blood, Sweat & Tears back in the 60's. One of the best, most knowledgeable, drummers ever. Based on his deep knowledge and experience, I just put way more stock in Mr. Columby's word. You're entitled to your 'opinion.' Nobody is debating that. You sound kind of angry in your responses. As I said, words do matter. Calling something dumb/stupid, is pretty strong language.
BTW, just a note... if you'd take the time to study as I suggested, you'd see that it is a technique that is mentioned in more than one place. I'm not going to 'do your homework for you,' you'll simply have to look it up for yourself if my word isn't good enough for you. And, hey, I never asked you to take my word for anything. Again, you sound 'almost' upset in your responses, so I'll make this my last post on the subject. I was only sharing some information that I got from a 'reliable source.' Wasn't looking to get into a pi$$ing contest with you. (Or anyone else for that matter. I'm just here to shoot the scheize and have a little fun. Maybe learn something.)
Mellow out a little, Ron. Everyone's 'opinions' carry equal weight around here. You don't have to get annoyed about it. We're all just talking. Nobody is forcing you to believe anything. If you think what I said is BS, that's ok. Like I said, we're all entitled to our opinions here. That includes -you-.
Peace,
John
