[Mod Male is on vacation at this time so won't be able to respond to any comments.]
In the British Style Genius video I linked to on Monday, Charlie Watts (y'know, Rolling Stones drummer and all) was featured in some of the interviews, which I thought was a good choice. Having not read up much on his life (which I plan to remedy in the future), I wasn't sure what his involvement was with early Mods. That said, this guy had impeccable style back then:
 |
| Taken from the Relais Madeleine Paris site, filled with great photos and autographs of '60s figures. |
But even more importantly, this guy has not let up on the style well into his older age! While most 'rock stars' are out there trying desperately to hold on to their youth, Charlie Watts is usually seen in a tailored suit and tie. No, he's not walking around in Mod-stye suits or anything, but he is always looking dapper and well put-together. Again, a lesson for all us aging guys... we don't have to give in to casual simply because it's comfortable. Think about it... while Paul Weller is walking around in
*Yes, I know there are photos of Charlie in tank tops in the 1970s... but that decade was messed up for almost EVERYONE style-wise. I'll give the guy a pass.
Charlie was/is a jazz head. One can't discount the influence of the British Modern Jazz crowd on Charlie & Co. Dig some images of Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, Don Rendell, etc. for reference. I suspect Watts spent more time at Austin Reed than Carnaby Street back in the day - at least until some of that Stones money started rolling in and he could afford Savile Row. Looking at the second photo, it could very have been shot in 1946 at the Royal Roost in Manhattan for all sartorial intents and purposes.
ReplyDeleteCharlie was the only Stone with god hair in the 70's, ever see the pic where they'ore outside the Alamo and he's got a perfect #2 crop!?
ReplyDeleteAs Mr. Rossi said, Chaz was a jazzer. The Stones did a BBC session with Georgie Fame in '64 and one reviewer noted that Watts spent the whole gig behind The Blue Flames drummer watching closely and that was probably the closest he ever came to rock n' roll!
He is such a class act. There is a great photo of him and his wife sitting on a sofa sometime in the early 60s and they both look so effortlessly sharp.
ReplyDeleteBut what I love most about him is that he is so obviously just phoning it in when you see him playing some crappy number with the Stones. You just know he's got a taxi cab meter in his brain that is ticking off how much money he's making per song and that he's absently daydreaming about how he's going to spend it.
You missed out recent photos where he easily looks the coolest of the bunch now. Not far off from back then.
ReplyDelete