Bill Wyman was surprised The Rolling Stones didn't split when Charlie Watts died

11 December 2024, 12:52

Bill Wyman thought Charlie Watts' death may have been a good time for The Rolling Stones to end.

The Rolling Stones are one of the longest-running bands in music history, having passed the 60-year mark a little while back.

In that time they've gone through several lineup changes, including the exit of founding member Brian Jones, the short-lived but vital Mick Taylor years and the departure of Bill Wyman.

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The band have never been without Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and another ever-present since he joined in 1962 was Charlie Watts.

When Charlie died in 2021, The Rolling Stones continued and Watts' place on the road and in the studio was taken by his old friend Steve Jordan.

Now Wyman, who left the group in the early 1990s, has said that Charlie's death would have been a good point to end The Rolling Stones.

"When Charlie left, I thought they would close, I really did," Bill told Classic Rock magazine.

"They could replace the bass, but I didn't think they could replace Charlie, and his charisma, and what a great guy he was, but they went on, which surprised me.

"I wouldn't say it disappointed me, but it surprised me. I think it would've been a good time for them to…"

He added: "But I don’t think they’ve got anything else to do, otherwise they’d do it, wouldn't they?

"I've got six different things I’m doing all the time, and I'm so happy doing them, but I don't think they… Well, Ronnie's got art, as a second thing

"And Mick's tried to do movies and things but hasn't really succeeded, and he's done solo stuff which really didn't work as well as it should've done either. And so they just… It's just the Stones all the time."