“I thought they would stop.” This is the comment made by Bill Wyman in reference to the choice of his former band, the Rolling Stones, to continue even after the death of historic drummer Charlie Watts in 2021.
Wyman, who left the band in 1993, continues: «When Charlie passed away I thought they would stop. Really. You can replace a bass player, but I didn't think you could replace Charlie and his charisma.” And again: «But in the end they moved forward and it surprised me. I wouldn't say it disappointed me, but it certainly surprised me. I thought it would be a good time to stop.” And then the laconic addition: “But I don't think they had other things to do, otherwise they would have stopped.”
The lack of alternatives, this is the motivation – according to Wyman – why the band continued despite everything: «I have six different things to do and I do them all day and I'm happy like that; I don't think it's the same for them. Ronnie Wood makes art, it's true. Mick tried acting but it didn't go well, and also tried doing solo things which weren't as successful as we all expected. And so they're the Rolling Stones full time.”
