Rolling Stones deny Watts's departure

The Rolling Stones issued a terse statement Wednesday denying an online report that drummer Charlie Watts had quit the band.

"Contrary to a fabricated story that ran this morning on a small music website in Australia, drummer Charlie Watts has not left the Rolling Stones," the band said in a statement.

Australian music and entertainment website undercover.au.com stirred a worldwide panic online early Wednesday with its report that Watts was leaving the band and would likely be replaced by Charlie Drayton, the drummer who has played with Stones bandmate Keith Richards in his side project, the Expensive Winos.

The report, which quickly spread via music websites and microblogging service Twitter, quoted an unnamed source in the band's inner circle and said that Watts "will never record or tour with the band again."

Watts, 68, joined the Rolling Stones in 1963, the year after the band was first established by Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Watts, renowned for his jazz drumming style, has also pursued solo music projects, including releasing the 2004 album Watts at Scott's.

That same year, Watts was also diagnosed with and underwent treatment for throat cancer, which is now in remission.

The Rolling Stones releasedtheir latest album, A Bigger Bang, in 2005 and completed their most recent world tour in 2007.