I've never really believed this one, mostly because it's hard to imagine Watts ever resorting to violence, even given this is supposed to have occurred in the mid 80's when he was abusing drugs and alcohol. But also because it's hard to imagine he could deck the very agile and fit Jagger. The story seems, like most tall tales designed to reflect badly on Jagger to emanate from Keith who has difficulties remembering what versions he's told.
In Keith's Life version Charlie dresses up at 5am having been phoned by Jagger and summoned as 'my drummer', punches Mick so hard that he falls into a platter of smoked salmon and is saved by Keith from flying out of the window into a canal in Amsterdam. In Bill German's version (based on what Keith then told him), Mick called Charlie "his drummer" in a band meeting in Paris, Watts later met Keith in the corridor and told him he'd punched Jagger.

Keith is just re-telling stories someone has re-told and so on.
His book is a collection of re-tellings. And that´s why it is so
disappointing to me.

Charlie himself has said it really did happen. he declined to treat it as an amusing anecdote, though:
"it's not a moment i'm proud of"

I don't believe it. Charlie probably grabbed Mick by the collar, told me to 'F' off and pushed him back a little bit, that's all.Charles wanted to make his point(I am not your 'F'ing drummer), no need for punk behavior
Rock and Roll,
Mops

Just because someone is agile doesnt mean they cant be decked by a decent punch.

The story about Charlie clocking Mick is believable enough. The added bits about him almost falling into the canal are most likely exaggeration (and if it was the Amstel Hotel - which is where the Stones usually stay in Amsterdam - then I think I'm right in saying there's a garden area at the back of the hotel, so the only way you could leave a window and fall into the canal would be if you were shot out of a cannon..)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-23 02:01 by Gazza.

Charlie didn't do that. He always accepted Jagger's instructions without any protest, so in a way he actually was Jagger's drummer. This is the prototype of a myth. Great bands have many of them and some band members like to fuel them a bit more.

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kleermaker
Charlie didn't do that. He always accepted Jagger's instructions without any protest, so in a way he actually was Jagger's drummer. This is the prototype of a myth. .

So, the fact that Charlie admitted it happened and acknowledged that he was embarrassed by it is meaningless then?

I can beleive this one. Mick needed a decking back in the 80's

I believe it too, but that it's been exaggerated.

Did Charlie say to Mick " youre my @#$%& singer"?

If Charlie says so I believe him.

I think so, given Charlie's own admission and knowing the state he was in at the time. However, I think the bit about Mick nearly going into the canal is a classic Keith embellishment.

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with sssoul
Charlie himself has said it really did happen. he declined to treat it as an amusing anecdote, though:
"it's not a moment i'm proud of"

Charlie wailed on him. There is no doubt now.

Didn't Brian Jones once pull a knife on Mick? I am surprised he survived both of these attacks.

With drugs and alcohol anything could have happened and/or been exaggerated. Don't look at innocent Charlie, at the age he is now, and say he could not have done something 25 or more years ago. And don't look at the clean, athletic Mick and think he could not have stirred up sh*t 25 years ago.


I bet there have been lots of small punch-ups amongst the band over the years! When the booze flows, even friends have been known to deck it out.

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Gazza
Just because someone is agile doesnt mean they cant be decked by a decent punch.

The story about Charlie clocking Mick is believable enough. The added bits about him almost falling into the canal are most likely exaggeration (and if it was the Amstel Hotel - which is where the Stones usually stay in Amsterdam - then I think I'm right in saying there's a garden area at the back of the hotel, so the only way you could leave a window and fall into the canal would be if you were shot out of a cannon..)

Especially if the punch is coming from one of the people you feel least likely to ever take a swing at you.

Wasn't part of Keith's story, at least at one point, that after being summoned at 5 am, Charlie put on one of his nicest suits before walking to Jagger's room and decking him?

That's another of the details that sounds like Keith's bullshit.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-23 04:45 by bustedtrousers.

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mitchflorida
Didn't Brian Jones once pull a knife on Mick? I am surprised he survived both of these attacks.

According to Scaduto's biography, anyway. Just before he was dumped from the band. The same story ended with Mick disarming him, Brian jumping into the pool in a suicide attempt,Mick pulling him out and reviving him and then giving him a bit of a thumping for being a silly bastard.

A few 'accounts' in that book have been discredited and I think its generally widely acknowledged that this was one of them.

Why would you be surprised Mick 'survived' being hit by a punch?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-23 06:12 by Gazza.

Sure Charlie did it. He has told the story and it is very similar to Keith's version. No reason to doubt it and the fact that Jagger never has refuted it is very telling. I mean if it wasn't true he probably would have said something in an interview pish poshing it, but he as been very silent about it all, which seems to speak volumes. And the way Charlie dressed up and looked all proper is the Englishman's duel. He took the time to present himself to his adversary and properly laid him out. Go Charlie!

unless someone has the actual audio and video of it we will never know for sure, now i know mick got decked by a reporter in the 70s because there is an actual photo of that one

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melillo
unless someone has the actual audio and video of it we will never know for sure, now i know mick got decked by a reporter in the 70s because there is an actual photo of that one

Yes and Mick was also the prick who broke a reporter's glasses in San Francisco once because he didn't like the questions he was being asked. Actual video footage of that (Somewhere).

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

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Gazza

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mitchflorida
Didn't Brian Jones once pull a knife on Mick? I am surprised he survived both of these attacks.

According to Scaduto's biography, anyway. Just before he was dumped from the band. The same story ended with Mick disarming him, Brian jumping into the pool in a suicide attempt,Mick pulling him out and reviving him and then giving him a bit of a thumping for being a silly bastard.

A few 'accounts' in that book have been discredited and I think its generally widely acknowledged that this was one of them.

Why would you be surprised Mick 'survived' being hit by a punch?

The source for the story about Brian was Marianne Faithfull. I doubt the veracity of that story and am certain that Charlie Watts never punched Mick Jagger. Bianca Jagger, maybe , but not Charlie. He's not that sort of person.

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mitchflorida

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Gazza

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mitchflorida
Didn't Brian Jones once pull a knife on Mick? I am surprised he survived both of these attacks.

According to Scaduto's biography, anyway. Just before he was dumped from the band. The same story ended with Mick disarming him, Brian jumping into the pool in a suicide attempt,Mick pulling him out and reviving him and then giving him a bit of a thumping for being a silly bastard.

A few 'accounts' in that book have been discredited and I think its generally widely acknowledged that this was one of them.

Why would you be surprised Mick 'survived' being hit by a punch?

The source for the story about Brian was Marianne Faithfull. I doubt the veracity of that story and am certain that Charlie Watts never punched Mick Jagger. Bianca Jagger, maybe , but not Charlie. He's not that sort of person.

Were you there?

I think Charlie said that he pushed Mick aside and Mick fell down. And that this all happened because they both were drunken. I think I remember Charlie saying this in an interview.

If Charlie says it happened, I believe him, although I'd bet that Keith has added a few picturesque details over the years. The trouble with the way Keith tells 'em is that he can make anything, true or not, sound like just another one of Keith's tall stories.

.......I dunno but I reckon the import thing
is ta find out who the bastard was that left the window open ....



ROCKMAN

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Gazza
Just because someone is agile doesnt mean they cant be decked by a decent punch.

The story about Charlie clocking Mick is believable enough. The added bits about him almost falling into the canal are most likely exaggeration (and if it was the Amstel Hotel - which is where the Stones usually stay in Amsterdam - then I think I'm right in saying there's a garden area at the back of the hotel, so the only way you could leave a window and fall into the canal would be if you were shot out of a cannon..)

Great post, and surely the last word on the subject.

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Gazza
Just because someone is agile doesnt mean they cant be decked by a decent punch.

Mick wasn't looking very agile when he was laid out on the ground in front of that photographer.

Sure he did,Lady Jane's post seems right.

Jagger,Watts and Richards confirmed it..
"Never call me your drummer again, you're my f*cking singer",Charlie said to Jagger.
According to Richards he had to grab Jagger, otherwise the latter would have
gone through the window.
I don't know which Amstel Hotel floor though, let alone the street or canal side.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-23 16:06 by Amsterdamned.

I can believe it.

It's also been stated that Charlie had to be restrained from hitting Mick again a few weeks later when Jagger told him he was forgiven for the punch.

the only one i ever heard confirm it was keith, and we all know how shaky that can be