SKF NOTE: I’m sorry for the audio quality here, especially the first few seconds. I’ve sweetened the sound to the best of my ability, and while it’s not great sound, it’s audible. I’m posting this excerpt from my November 12, 1981 with Charlie Watts because I think it might be of particular interest to drum equipment buffs.

The full back story to this interview is here.

Max Weinberg is the first voice heard in this excerpt. Max is talking about a Ludwig Beatles front drum head given to Max from one of the reputable drum shop owners at the time. But Max isn’t sure how to authenticate the drum head.

Charlie then begins a conversation about the scarcity of Ludwig drums in England around 1960. And that leads to a three-way conversation about Premier drums and hardware, how Keith Moon and Kenney Jones improved Premier hardware, and Charlie’s use of old Rogers hardware that, he says, is “rusty.”

Rogers had since been sold to CBS Musical Instruments, and Ludwig had recently been acquired by The Selmer Company.