The two Mick Jagger albums Keith Richards couldn’t stand: “Dog Shit in the Doorway?”
In the early 1960s, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met for the first time on platform two of Dartford Railway Station.
Aged 18 and 17, respectively, the pair found common ground in their mutual appreciation of American blues music, especially that of Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Howlin’ Wolf. Within a few years, they had formed The Rolling Stones with Brian Jones, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman.
Although the Stones have impressively remained relevant for over six decades and continue to tour to this day, Jagger and Richards’ relationship has endured periods of spite and acrimonious remarks over that time. The pair’s most intense feud occurred in the late 1980s after their disappointing 18th UK studio album, Dirty Work.
Following this spat, the pair took a hiatus in which they focused on solo endeavours. In 1985, while Richards began to scrape material together for his first solo album, Talk Is Cheap, Jagger released his solo debut album, She’s the Boss.
Let’s be honest, the reason the two men never worked for long separately was that, when they worked seperately they lost the balance their rock counterpoint provided. Jagger needed Richards like eggs need bacon, or your favourite plant-based alternative. It meant the solo records they delivered never quite reached the dizzying heights they enjoyed together.
While Jagger’s debut was by no means a classic of the decade, it performed well in the charts and received a generally warm critical reception. A little more pop and less rock-orientated than the Stones’ material, it’s easy to see why the album may not have been Richards’ cup of tea, but one can’t help feeling his appraisal was influenced by lingering resentment.
“Mick’s album was called She’s the Boss, which said it all,” Richards reflected. “I’ve never listened to the entire thing all the way through. Who has? It’s like Mein Kampf. Everybody had a copy, but nobody listened to it.”
By 2001, The Rolling Stones had reunited, with Jagger and Richards on much better terms. Continuing to pursue his solo career, Jagger released his fourth album, Goddess in the Doorway. Again, the album received a warm critical and commercial reception buoyed by collaborations with Rob Thomas, Lenny Kravitz, Wyclef Jean, Pete Townshend and Bono.
Despite improved relations with his bandmate, Richards gave a cutting and candid appraisal of the album in a 2002 interview with Guitar World. “What, Dog Shit in the Doorway?” Richards joked after being quizzed on the release. “I listened to three tracks and gave up on it. Sometimes, you wonder. With the Stones, he’s great. It’s best to keep him on a short leash.”
The guitarist continued, claiming that Jagger could only release good material with the Stones. “I think that everybody – with the possible exception of Mick himself – has learned the lesson that Mick Jagger’s really good when he’s with the Rolling Stones,” Richards added. “But when he ain’t, I don’t think anybody gives a fuckin’ toss. Whether he gets the message or not. Obviously, he does. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be on this project.”
It’s clear that Richards had a little bit of a chip on his shoulder about the LPs. The guitarist must have enjoyed working with Jagger so much that he felt left out and found himself enough space to make fun of Jagger and his attempts to branch out.
Listen below to ‘God Gave Me Everything’, the lead single from Goddess in the Doorway, and see what you think.
