What would your tour rider include?
By breepeace
@breepeace (3014)
Canada
May 2, 2007 3:36pm CST
Heavy Metal band Van Halen requested a bowl of M&M's to be waiting for them backstage with all the brown ones removed in their tour rider. If they found a single brown one mayhem would occur, trashing of the backstage area was par for the course. Lead Singer David Lee Roth explained the reasoning: " we have a very technical tour operation and if they didn't remove the brown M&M's then they sure as hell did not read that the tensel strength of the stage needs to be 250 PSI. and some serious loss of life could be the result it was for safety and Brown is not a very Rock and Roll color anyway."
I read that and had to laugh, because it seems a little heavy handed, but it does make sense in a really twisted way. Attention to detail is an important thing.
It just got me thinking about what I would ask for in my rider if I were a musician.
Just a little FYI for anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about:
The contract rider includes specifications on stage design, sound systems, lighting rigs, as well as an artist's wish list--from transportation and billing to dressing room accommodations and meals. In some cases, a promoter will refuse a demand (crossing out the request on the document), though stars usually get what they want, whether it's clean boxer shorts (Jane's Addiction), prune juice (Kansas), or an arrangement of tulips, roses, gardenias, and lilies (Janet Jackson).
You can view a collection of various artists' riders here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/index.html
As for mine? Definitely a stretch SUV like a Navigator or Excursion to and from the venue, a case or two of Propel Vitamin water, a selection of fresh fruits, spinach dip and sourdough, at least two 2 Litre bottles of Canada Dry Ginger Ale and a large-ish bottle of Crown Royale Rye. :)
What about everyone else? What would you ask for on your rider if you were a famous musician or personality?
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