The Rolling Stones' 'World War III': How Jagger and Richards Turned the 1980s Into a Blood Feud

If you think the Gallagher brothers have bad blood, look at Mick Jagger and Keith Richards between 1985 and 1989. Richards himself called it “World War III” — a period where the two stopped speaking, publicly insulted each other, and the band nearly collapsed. The core conflict: Jagger wanted to be a solo pop star chasing MTV hits and film deals; Richards wanted the Stones to stay a rootsy, blues-based touring machine. Neither was willing to give an inch.

The war showed up in the music fast. Jagger’s 1985 solo album She’s the Boss was sleek, synthy, and featured Herbie Hancock and Jeff Beck — everything Richards hated. Meanwhile, the Stones’ 1986 album Dirty Work was recorded in a toxic atmosphere: Jagger showed up late or not at all, Richards drank through the sessions, and the resulting record sounded fractured, full of angry guitar riffs and bitter lyrics. Even the cover — a graffiti-smeared Mick — felt like a middle finger. After the album, Jagger refused to tour, opting instead to promote his solo work and even perform at Live Aid with the Jacksons while the Stones’ set was a ramshackle mess without him.

The public comments got nastier. Richards told Rolling Stone that Jagger had “become a c***” and called his solo albums “crap.” Jagger fired back in interviews, saying Richards was a “dinosaur” who couldn’t adapt. They didn’t trade direct verses, but their respective solo records became surrogate insults — Jagger’s Primitive Cool (1987) tried to be a serious pop-rock statement, while Richards’ Talk Is Cheap (1988) sounded like a pissed-off Stones album with songs like “You Don’t Move Me” clearly aimed at Mick. The feud only ended when Richards showed up at Jagger’s house in 1989, they hashed it out over brandy,