Another great gone, this time its Charlie Watts

When Exile came out reviewers (generally letdown after the Sticky Fingers studio precision) commented how Charlie was the glue that held it together. They were right, and eventually came around to how great the other playing was also. 
He was a capable of metronomic rhythm but played around with the timing enough to keep the songs interesting (the two-beat tap on a cymbal at the end of Dead Flowers is a great example of his stylish virtuosity).
He will be missed.

bdp24, Yes, there's certainly no problem with sounding idiosyncratic where it applies to rock/pop/jazz, etc.. Playing in a rock band isn't like singing a Bach Aria. And the impromptu nature of 'Exile On Main Street'  gives it a charm not found on any of their other studio albums. Additionally, I always appreciated the chemistry between Nicky Hopkins and the band.

Charlie's credentials as a drummer and human being speak for themselves

I'm guessing to question his skills comes from a place of personal preference, uninformed or both, as I cannot imagine anyone less likely to have haters than Charlie Watts

If it's a perspective of uninformed, you're in for a treat if willing to invest the time

He's not John Bonham, Neil Peart, etc and has never even played a drum solo, but says he admires those that can and do

He's not classically trained and tends to play more by gut instinct and what the song needs

Yet he's owned the drummer's seat for nearly 60 years of what's commonly (and arguably) referred to as The Rolling Stones the Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the World

The tenure alone is admirable, but whether you like them, hate them or somewhere in between the fact of the matter is, the evolution of the product stands alone

Granted, these days, it's more the business of The Rolling Stones than the band The Rolling Stones but an equally important chapter in their storied evolution

Back to Charlie.....

Start with Paint It Black, the left channel carries the drum track and it's very accessible for your listening pleasure

If you don't want to listen to more after Paint It Black, then it's just not your cup of tea

Another option, read the liner notes of the book Sympathy For The Drummer and Why Charlie Watts Matters, by Mike Edison

Mike is an author, editor and musician. Formerly editor of High Times and Screw magazines, his writing has appeared in the Huffington Post, the Daily Beast and The New York Observer, among others. As a drummer, he has opened for bands including Sonic Youth, Sound Garden and the Ramones

He describes song after song in prolific detail, the complex intricacies and uniqueness of what Charlie is playing. And does so in layman’s terms that is engaging and informative not over the top technical speak or music theory that would escape most readers

If you're looking for an endorsement from his contemporaries go no further than Ginger Baker, who claims lots of drummers can rock but the only drummers that can rock and roll are him and Charlie

I'm not trying to sway anyones opinion or swing the pendulum to favor Charlie, he's one of many many wonderful drummers and just wanted to share some fun facts

Is he on the Mount Rushmore of drummers, probably not for most but he should be in the conversation

RIP Charlie