http://spinearth.tv/report/preposterous-charlie-and-mick-laugh-their-arses-offThis is the story that just won't go away. An article on Undercover.com hit the wires on Tuesday with claims that a Rolling Stones insider leaked the news that Charlie Watts, Stones drummer for over 37 years, had quit the band.Fans around the world were shocked and were bracing for a possible break up of the band altogether.
Despite an official statement by Fran Curtis, the head of Rolling Stones' North American public relations, that Charlie had not left the band, speculation and rumors are still flying all over cyberspace. But instead of maintaining the suspense, we're trying to figure things out just as much as anyone.
First of all, this fire has been fueled by a number of factors, starting with the author of the original article and CEO of Undercover Media, Paul Cashmere, who insists his source is "100% correct" and "time will show that my story was accurate." Bloggers and Twitters are speculating as well, wondering why Charlie Watts hasn't dispelled the rumor himself.
I spoke with "The Man", Bernard Doherty, in London yesterday afternoon to try to get to the bottom of it all. Doherty is the O.G. of PR in Europe and has been the main press liaison for the Stones for over 23 years. His company, LD Communications, boasts an A+ List roster of "whos who" in music; as well as handling PR for just about every major show in the last three decades (Live Aid, Concert for Dianna - you name it - he was behind it).
Doherty was adamant that Charlie Watts is not leaving the band. When I told him that Paul Cashmere was backing his source, he replied laughingly, "Well, of course he is! This is the best publicity he could have ask for, both for his website and himself. Sounds like something drummed up in a pub in Australia. 'Yeah, let's say Charlie Watts is quitting the Stones!'... It's absolutely NOT true and was a fabricated story to elicit just this kind of response. And it worked. Here we are talking about this for ten minutes. Like SPIN or I have nothing better to do. Ridiculous waste of time for both of us."
I pointed out that many fans and other media were wondering why Charlie had not issued a personal statement and the fact that no one from the band had spoken out on the subject either. Doherty said,
"Look, as soon as the story hit, I waited until a respectable 9 a.m. to walk the short distance from LD Comm. to Charlie's flat (although he is an early riser). I rang the bell and he answered. I won't tell you his exact words, because they contain some expletives, but we literally laughed our arses off for a good two minutes. So, obviously he is finding humor in the notion that he would quit the band. We discussed issuing an official statement, and that truly should have been the end of it. Short of marching him up on a stage in front of cameras, which we will not do, the official statement should suffice."
Doherty went on to say, "Perhaps the world hasn't heard from the band, but Mick (Jagger) called me yesterday from the West Indies and very jokingly asked why no one told him Charlie had quit. Again, we just had a great laugh over it! How preposterous that this rumor; started by someone for publicity and does not know what he's talking about (Cashmere) has been blown so out of proportion."
I asked him if there were any plans to have Charlie Watts issue a personal statement, to which Doherty replied, "Not at this time, I don't believe. A statement was issued by Fran Curtis (PR firm of Rogers & Cowan - NYC). Everyone knows who Fran is, and that should truly suffice to set everyone's mind at ease. She would be the one to decide if that were to happen, but I can tell you that Charlie isn't going anywhere. They have the 50th anniversary coming up, are working on the next CD, and planning tours."
Fran Curtis is out of the office for Labor Day Weekend and could not be reached for comment. But we think the case is closed here. Finally!
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Charlie NOT QUITTING - Stones P.A. denies gossip (Read 22,655 times)
