A letter Brian Jones wrote to Charlie Watts urging him to join the Rolling Stones is up for auction.
The historic letter, dated 3 June 1962, is being auctioned by Watts’ sister after more than six decades in the family and its contents have now been revealed publicly for the first time.
Jones, who co-founded the Stones before being dismissed from the Paint It Black band in June 1969 – a month before drowning in his swimming pool at the age of 27 – due to alcohol and drug problems, urged Watts to quit Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated and join the group he had formed alongside Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
He wrote: “Dear Charlie, if you consider this letter impertinent, please excuse me…
“I don’t know at the moment what your relationship with Korner’s band is.
“I noticed Nick Nicholls was drumming last night at Ealing. If you are not going to work with Alex in the future, and still want to play R+B, we are looking for a good drummer.”
Jones continued: “Already we consider our band far better than Alex’s – we are getting a very tightly-knit sound.”
The musician also informed Watts, who passed away at the age of 80 in 2021, that the band was rehearsing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
He wrote: “Anyway, if you have time, let me know what’s happening.”
Jones also delivered a scathing assessment of the Rolling Stones’ drummer at the time, branding them “atrocious”.
However, it is unclear if he was referring to the Stones’ first drummer Tony Chapman – who played with the band at their first gig at London’s Marquee Club in July 1962 – or Carlo Little, who had brief stints with the Jumpin’ Jack Flash rockers prior to Watts joining the band.
Despite the pleas of Jones, it was a further seven months before Watts agreed to join the Rolling Stones in January 1963.
Craig Inciardi, Sotheby’s music and pop culture specialist, said: “What’s so fascinating about this letter is that it shows just how highly regarded Charlie Watts already was at this incredibly early stage.
“The Rolling Stones band name didn’t yet exist, but Brian Jones clearly understood how important the right drummer would be to the sound they were trying to create.”
He added: “There’s something wonderful about seeing that history unfold in real time, especially knowing that Charlie’s distinctive drumming style would go on to define the band’s sound.”
The letter is expected to sell for between $70,000 and $80,000 and will be on display to the public at Sotheby’s New York from 2-8 December, with online bidding open from 2-15 December before the item’s sale on December 15.
