Def Leppard’s Rick Allen recently opened up to Business Jet Traveler about the role the late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts played in his career and how he differed from other rockstars. While talking about his paintings, he said:
“Some of the pieces that I’m the proudest of are of musicians who’ve inspired me. The first one I ever did was of Steve Clark, the guitar player with Def Leppard. And then the last one I did was of the Rolling Stones’ Charlie Watts. If it wasn’t for Charlie, I don’t think I’d be doing what I do now. He was such an inspiration.”
Explaining how Watts set himself apart from Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Allen went on:
“He was such a sweet guy. It was refreshing to meet somebody with such a huge band who was so down to earth. That was one of the things that really inspired me, let alone the music.”
Following the Rolling Stones member’s death in 2021, the drummer created a tribute painting of him, which he auctioned off to raise funds for veterans. A year later, he talked about Watts in an interview with the Eddie Trunk Podcast by saying:
“Saint Charlie. Losing Charlie is the end of an era… If it wasn’t for Charlie, I wouldn’t be a drummer. Very sweet man who I had the honor of meeting.”
You can read the Def Leppard drummer’s full interview here.