80-year-old drummer Charlie Watts is likely to miss the Rolling Stones‘ forthcoming No Filter tour in order to recover from a medical procedure. The band will resume their tour on September 26th in St. Louis.
The procedure was completely successful, but his doctors concluded he needs proper rest and recuperation. “With rehearsals starting in a couple of weeks it’s very disappointing to say the least, but it’s also fair to say no one saw this coming,” a spokesperson for Watts said. Watts also said in a statement that he didn’t want his recovery to delay the tour.
Continuing, “For once my timing has been a little off. I am working hard to get fully fit but I have today accepted on the advice of the experts that this will take a while.
“After all the fans’ suffering caused by Covid I really do not want the many Rolling Stones fans who have been holding tickets for this tour to be disappointed by another postponement or cancellation. I have therefore asked my great friend Steve Jordan to stand in for me.”
Back in 2004, Watts was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent two operations to beat the disease. Performing in his stead for the remaining dates of the tour is Steve Jordan, who has played with Keith Richards for years.