Hello, I'm Kirstie Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive.

For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 2001, and the presenter was Sue Lolly. My castaway this week is a drummer, 60 years old this year, he's been at the center of British

rock music since 35 years ago he joined a band called The Rolling Stones.

He never expected the fame and fortune it brought him and he remains to this day a little apart from it all

He's no hellraiser his contribution has been the essential qualities of professionalism

consistency and loyalty. The Stones were just

another band he remembers. I thought they'd last three months, then a year, then three

years, and then I stopped counting. He is Charlie Watts. Your head sank when I said 60 this year,

Charlie. Do you hate the thought? No, I'm quite comfortable with age really, but lately it's sort of been a number isn't it to contend

we is. The 60 is a big one I suppose isn't it? People used to worry about 40 but

when we were getting to 40 years. No I've, it's never really bothered me to actually be 80 or whatever,

but as it gets there, suddenly old gould.

Yeah, it doesn't feel like you, really, is it?

How much, you know, I just quoted you as saying that you didn't think they'd last the

stones, I mean, how much would you have minded if they hadn't, if it's possible to answer

that?

No, I wouldn't have minded, oh dear I'm going to miss that bit, but looking at the

life I've led, very nice and very privileged really. I mean I get paid very well for doing what I love doing you know. But would you

have preferred to have done what you love doing which is drumming in a jazz band?

No, no, because I enjoy being with the role

and the problem with the Rolling Stones is that they became so popular that

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