Why did Charlie Watts punch Mick Jagger?
ROLLING STONES fans were left shocked in 2021 at the death of the legendary Charlie Watts.
The rest of the band were known for their rock and roll lifestyle, while their laid back drummer enjoyed a quieter life - that was until one night when lead singer Mick Jagger pushed him too far.
Why did Charlie Watts punch Mick Jagger?
The now famous incident happened during the Rolling Stones trip to Amsterdam back in 1984.
The infamous incident occurred after Mick annoyed the usually mild mannered Charlie by continuing to refer to him as "my drummer".
It happened at a time when tensions were running rife in the band due to Mick’s magnified ego, and suspicion from within that he was trying to sort a solo deal for himself.
The story is told by Keith Richards in his autobiography, Life.
Recounting the incident, the legendary rocker said: “There was a rare moment, in late 1984, of Charlie throwing his drummer’s punch - a punch I’ve seen a couple of times and it’s lethal; it carries a lot of balance and timing.
"He has to be badly provoked.
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"We were in Amsterdam for a meeting, Mick and I weren’t on great terms at the time but I said c’mon, let’s go out and I lent him the jacket I got married in.
"We got back to the hotel about five in the morning and Mick called up Charlie. I said ‘Don’t call him not at this hour.’ But he did, and said, ‘Where’s my drummer?’ About 20 minutes later there was a knock at the door."
"There was Charlie Watts, Savile Row suit, perfectly dressed…I could smell the cologne!
"I opened the door and he didn’t even look at me, he walked straight past me, got hold of Mick and said ‘Never call me your drummer again.'
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"Then he hauled him up by the lapels of my jacket and gave him a right hook.
"Mick fell back onto a silver platter of smoked salmon and began to slide towards the open window and the canal below.
"And I was thinking this was a good one, and then I realised that it was my wedding jacket. And I grabbed hold of it and caught Mick."
Despite the incident, Charlie and Mick remained good friends and continued to tour together until his death in 2021.
What did Mick say about Charlie's death?
Mick was the first member from the band to comment on Charlie's sad death on August 24, 2021.
He took to Instagram and shared a smiling shot of Charlie sitting in his familiar spot, behind a drum kit.
The poignant post needed no caption and fans flocked to share their condolences.
Keith also shared a poetic post on Twitter, an empty drum set with a "closed" sign hanging from it.