The Rolling Stones are ready to move forward with a new drummer, Steve Jordan, and the spirit of Charlie Watts flowing through them.

The iconic rock band sat down with Rolling Stone magazine ahead of their 2021 No Filter Tour. The Rolling Stones spoke at length about legendary drummer Watts’ passing on Aug. 24.

“The thing about Charlie was that he was always there, always played beautifully and was always willing to discuss what to do about it – how he could make it better,” said Mick Jagger. “He held the band together for so long, musically, because he was the rock the rest of it was built around.

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“The thing he brought was this beautiful sense of swing and swerve that most bands wish they could have. We had some really nice conversations in the last couple of years about how all this happened with the band. It’s a huge loss to us all. It’s very, very hard.”

Keith Richards celebrated the person Watts was.

“Charlie had an incredible sense of humour,” said Richards. “And my joy was I loved to crack him up. If you could hit that spot, he wouldn’t stop, and it was the funniest thing in the world. He had an incredible sense of humour that he kept to himself unless you sparked it. And then it could be painful to laugh.

“A most vital part of being in this band was that Charlie Watts was my bed,” he continued. “I could lay on there, and I know that not only would I have a good sleep, but I’d wake up and it’d still be rocking. It was something I’ve had since I was 19. I never doubted it. I never even thought about it.”

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The Rolling Stones worked tirelessly to get Jordan up to speed and the band is impressed. Not only is Jordan a supremely talented drummer, but he also has a deep understanding of the Stones. He also brings his own sort of energy to the set.

“Charlie would have loved it,” said Ron Wood. “There’s an energy that Charlie projected through his sticks, but Steve projects it physically as well. Whereas Charlie sat dead still, Steve is moving, and so is the whole drum podium. You can see the satisfaction on Keith’s face, on Mick’s face.”

The Stones’ 2021 No Filter Tour kicks off at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis on Sept. 26 and wraps up at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas on Nov. 20.