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Rolling Stones quotes: Charlie Watts remembers his first drums
CHARLIE WATTS’ FIRST DRUMS Charlie Watts didn’t need a fancy kit to fall in love with drumming. At 13 or 14, he scored his first Olympic set, stashed in his auntie’s bedroom, and went to town. The neighbors might not have loved the noise, but Charlie didn’t care — those chaotic beats were the start of a legendary career. From bedroom banging to rocking stadiums with The Rolling Stones, it all began with pure, unstoppable joy behind the drums.
“I got my first drum kit when I was 13 or 14. It was an Olympic: a guy in a pub sold it to my Dad. I remember finding it in my auntie’s bedroom… Can’t remember anything that gave me greater pleasure and I must say the neighbors were great about the noise I kicked up.”
Charlie Watts’ love affair with drums started early — around age 13 or 14, he got his very first kit. It wasn’t anything fancy, just an Olympic set bought by his dad from a guy in a pub. But for Charlie, it was pure joy. He vividly remembered discovering it in his auntie’s bedroom, and even the neighbors tolerated the early bursts of chaotic rhythm that would later define his style.
From Noisy Beginnings to Stage Mastery
Those early sessions weren’t just fun — they were the foundation for a lifetime behind the kit. Charlie’s excitement and dedication transformed banging around in a bedroom into precise, tasteful drumming that would anchor The Rolling Stones for decades. Even then, the thrill of creating rhythm, experimenting with beats, and making music that made people notice was undeniable. That Olympic kit may have been small, but it sparked a musical journey that would echo across stadiums worldwide, proving that every legendary career has humble, sometimes noisy, beginnings.
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