CHARLIE WATTS
UPDATE: See photos via Deidree McMaster below
Some very sad news received over the last few months ... Charlie is ailing with lung cancer. At the last Taylor Square Reunion in November, 2011 at the Merton Estate Hotel, Rozelle, John A informed me that he (Charlie), was not fairing well. Today Deidree McMaster aka Nita Mann, confirmed the worst, our old pal has very little time left with us. Deidree has put up some photos on her Facebook page and I was touched to see Charlie, Bronnie, Deicree, Wally, Sharon, Maree (Legs!) and Rachaell, I have requested permission to use these photos on this page and am awaiting a reply. I will ring Tracey (Charlie's partner).
I met Charlie through Wally Mudd, my cleares memory of him is on trip to Warrawee when Wally, Charlie and I travelled by train to Anne Kelso's family home. Charlie moved in with Anne, Errol and I at Alison Road, Randwick (temporarily).
I have only one photo of Charlie sent to me from Keltic Ken Adams, the snap was taken at the Nasho Party (see below)
I received these emails from Charlie a while back
From: Charles Watts
Date: Nov 24, 2009
Subject: Greetings
"Hello Lynne, Do you remember me from Taylor Square ? a friend of Wally's and also in the Starving Wyld Dog Piano Band ( to use it's full name). I have just stumbled across your site, very interesting and very nostalgic. Could you please pass my email address on to Alan Johnson. Regards for now, Charlie Watts"
From: Charles Watts <[email protected]>
Subject: Reporting in
Date: Sunday, 28 February 2010 3:14 AM
I live in Cornwall UK at the moment, been there 13 years. I work on ships now. I am in Chile at the moment, been here a month, I´m working on a ship from Falkland Islands.I was sad to read that Jim Crowley died. Is Paul Wyld also gone? I have Red´s CD "....Trains" on board, very good, also nostalgic. I got your Facebook message, unfortunately I can´t operate it because everything is in Spanish here and I can´t negotiate it. Must go, regards to those who remember, please keep in touch Charlie
John A Bird writes ... Oct 26, 2011Frank first arrived in Hobart in 1965 with Frank Amendola on harp. They played at the Sullivan Cove's Jazz club and later that year at the Wild Goose in Battery Point. Sometime later that year the Gutbucket Five formed with both Franks, Chris Cruise, Rainer Gartz and myself. Our first gig was to be at the Sullivans Cove club as the Gut Bucket Five minus one as Chris had returned to Sydney but it didn't make it and I went on solo as the Gut Bucket five minus four. It's all a bit Hazy now but, Charlie I seem to remember that when you first joined the Sons you didn't have a drum kit and played washboard as I did later 'cause I didn't have a piano. Chris Cruise had introduced me to Whitties in january '66 and I'd returned in October that year. Sometime later you turned up as did Frank and Chris was around. Chris had introduced me to Swanee earlier. But, like I said ti's all a bit Hazy.....Guess there was a bit of Lunatic soup around in those days....Seem to recall Our wonderful mate one Julian Michael Sackville there as well.
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