‘It’s Strange Being Without Him’: Mick Jagger Talks to Howard Stern About Moving Forward Without Drummer and Cancer Warrior Charlie Watts

In an interview with Howard Stern, Jagger remembered Watts, who died August 24 at age 80.

"Charlie was the heartbeat for the band,” Jagger told Stern. Watts was never known for his flashy drum fills or stage antics. He was a stabilizing force in a band of larger-than-life showmen.

Jagger praised Watts as "a very steady personality." The singer said, "He was not to be perturbed. He was a very reliable person, wasn't a divathat's the last thing you want in a drummer." Poking fun at Jagger's reputation, Stern responded, "Enough divas in that band."

Dr. Scott Irwin, Director of Supportive Care Services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, says that grieving a loss to cancer is a process, and there will be good days and bad days.

Jagger spoke glowingly about the subtleties of Watts's drumming, and made sure to highlight that the pair shared a powerful bond beyond the band. "Outside of the band," he said, "We used to hang out quite a lot and have interesting times. We liked sports, we'd go to football, we'd go to cricket games, and we had other interests apart from music."

The front man acknowledged that after "so many shows with him and so many tours and so many recording sessions, it's strange being without him." But Watt's presence is still felt. "Every time we get together now and rehearse, we say, 'Oh, Charlie would say this, then he would do that." The band may move forward, but Watt's driving grooves are still a central part of what makes the Rolling Stones who they are.

Watts was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 2004. He underwent six weeks of radiation therapy and two operations after his initial diagnosis. The drummer largely kept his battle with throat cancer private, and when he passed away on August 24, his publicist did not specify the cause of his death. Instead, the publicist wrote that the drummer "passed away peacefully," and requested that the privacy of his family and all those close to him be respected.

Moving Forward After Loss

Speaking with SurvivorNet about the process of moving forward after the loss of a loved one, Dr. Marianna Strongin said that the grief process can look very different for different individuals. She listed the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) as "tools to help us frame and identify what you may be feeling." They can be helpful markers to help us understand the learning curve of accepting loss and moving forward, but it is essential to remember, "They are not linear and can occur in a variety of ways."

This dynamic is at the heart of balancing act of grief. Dr. Strongin recommends approaching your feelings with compassion and kindness, while keeping in mind, "The emotions you are feeling are meaningful yet temporary."

Doug Wednt  discusses facing cancer as a team, and moving forward after losing a loved one to cancer.

Doug Wednt lost his wife Alice to ovarian cancer. The couple were business partners, and Wednt depended on his wife's support and input. "I really feel like the business started the day she joined," he said. "The clients liked working with me, but they loved working with her."

Wednt was a caregiver for his wife for over two years while she battled cancer. "We raised two children together, and we ran a business together, so our lives were intertwined in pretty much every way. Which was wonderful," said Wendt. Doug and Alice were married for 23 years, and when Alice succumbed to cancer, Doug didn't want to move on. In fact, he still doesn't. "We're never going to move on. I don't even think I want to move on," he said. "But I do want to move forward. And that's an important distinction."

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