Van Halen’s request for a bowl of M&Ms ‘with the brown ones taken out’ has gone down in history as the ultimate example of how ludicrous a tour rider can be. Having claimed that the clause was only put there to ensure that concert promoters were reading the contract thoroughly, there was, at least, a method to their madness.
In contrast, most of the weird and wonderful demands that have been leaked over the years defy any kind of similar logic. Iggy Pop & The Stooges are responsible for perhaps the most bizarre of tour rider of all. The 18-page document they carried around with them in the 90s featured random requests such as a specific copy of USA Today featuring an article on morbid obesity, seven little people dressed in full Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs costume, and a Bob Hope impersonator.
The second runner up for Spinal Tap-esque requirements are 80s hair-rockers Poison, who asked for such arbitrary objects as a schedule for local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, a 12 foot-long boa constrictor, and a jar of creamy peanut butter. Reports have also indicated that they regularly insisted on having a sign-language interpreter for their hearing-impaired fans.
Of course, when it comes to being a backstage diva, there are few who do it better than Mariah Carey. At various stages in her career, she has asked for an assistant solely to dispose of her chewing gum, ‘no stairs, only elevators,’ and an assortment of rabbits, kittens and puppies to be held in her dressing room.
Jennifer Lopez is undoubtedly second in line to the diva throne, especially after she had the gall to demand a 40 foot trailer covered in white from top to bottom whilst recording her very brief part for a single for an African AIDS charity. While Mary J. Blige’s insistence that her ‘do not disturb’ sign features 26 exclamation marks, Britney Spears’ request for a picture of Princess Diana at a recent gig at London’s 02 Arena, and Cher’s call for a room specifically to house her wig collection, proves there are plenty of other female stars willing to take over Mariah’s crown.
Whether consciously or not, some rider lists live up to the reputations of the stars who compiled them. A bag of Haribo Gummy Bears might not fit with the shock-rocker image of Marilyn Manson, but his request for a bald-headed toothless hooker certainly does. LL Cool J’s self-confessed lover man routine is undeniably evident in his demand for baby oil and 24 roses, while David Hasselhoff’s penchant for taking himself just a little too seriously is further confirmed with the revelation he has asked for a life-size cardboard cut-out of himself.
Elsewhere, Adele may have picked up Grammy and BRIT Awards galore, but her fondness for beer, cigarettes and English tea prove she’s still a down-to-earth Cockney at heart. Paul McCartney’s pro-vegetarian stance is reflected in his ban of fur, leather, and meat in his dressing room, while Coldplay’s rock n’ roll credibility is hardly likely to improve with the news that they ask for eight stamped local postcards at every venue they play.
However, many tour riders sit at odds with the star’s public persona. Who knew that Eminem was a keen lover of koi carp before he asked for a wooden pond filled with the colourful fish at a gig in Northern Ireland last year? Likewise, Led Zeppelin were so domesticated during their 70s heyday that they requested both an iron and an ironing board, or that Busta Rhymes eschews most of the bling you’d expect from a Brooklyn rapper in favour of one of the more simple pleasures in life, a bucket of KFC.
From James Brown’s demands for two girls under 21 and Aretha Franklin’s request for $25,000 in cash, to Madonna’s insistence on brand new toilet seats and Prince’s requirement that every item should be wrapped in cling film, to Kanye West’s fondness for certain beauty products and Trent Reznor’s need for two boxes of corn starch, the tour rider has tested the patience of even the most mild-mannered of concert promoters since the dawn of rock.
And with Lady Gaga reportedly asking for an oxygen tank and Katy Perry refusing to allow her tour chauffeur to even make eye contact with her, it appears that the whole concept may get even more ridiculous in the future.
Most Interesting Musician Tour Rider Demands
Van Halen’s request for a bowl of M&Ms ‘with the brown ones taken out’ has gone down in history as the ultimate example of how ludicrous a tour rider can be. Having claimed that the clause was only put there to ensure that concert promoters were reading the contract thoroughly, there was, at least, a method to their madness.
In contrast, most of the weird and wonderful demands that have been leaked over the years defy any kind of similar logic. Iggy Pop & The Stooges are responsible for perhaps the most bizarre of tour rider of all. The 18-page document they carried around with them in the 90s featured random requests such as a specific copy of USA Today featuring an article on morbid obesity, seven little people dressed in full Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs costume, and a Bob Hope impersonator.
The second runner up for Spinal Tap-esque requirements are 80s hair-rockers Poison, who asked for such arbitrary objects as a schedule for local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, a 12 foot-long boa constrictor, and a jar of creamy peanut butter. Reports have also indicated that they regularly insisted on having a sign-language interpreter for their hearing-impaired fans.
Of course, when it comes to being a backstage diva, there are few who do it better than Mariah Carey. At various stages in her career, she has asked for an assistant solely to dispose of her chewing gum, ‘no stairs, only elevators,’ and an assortment of rabbits, kittens and puppies to be held in her dressing room.
Jennifer Lopez is undoubtedly second in line to the diva throne, especially after she had the gall to demand a 40 foot trailer covered in white from top to bottom whilst recording her very brief part for a single for an African AIDS charity. While Mary J. Blige’s insistence that her ‘do not disturb’ sign features 26 exclamation marks, Britney Spears’ request for a picture of Princess Diana at a recent gig at London’s 02 Arena, and Cher’s call for a room specifically to house her wig collection, proves there are plenty of other female stars willing to take over Mariah’s crown.
Whether consciously or not, some rider lists live up to the reputations of the stars who compiled them. A bag of Haribo Gummy Bears might not fit with the shock-rocker image of Marilyn Manson, but his request for a bald-headed toothless hooker certainly does. LL Cool J’s self-confessed lover man routine is undeniably evident in his demand for baby oil and 24 roses, while David Hasselhoff’s penchant for taking himself just a little too seriously is further confirmed with the revelation he has asked for a life-size cardboard cut-out of himself.
Elsewhere, Adele may have picked up Grammy and BRIT Awards galore, but her fondness for beer, cigarettes and English tea prove she’s still a down-to-earth Cockney at heart. Paul McCartney’s pro-vegetarian stance is reflected in his ban of fur, leather, and meat in his dressing room, while Coldplay’s rock n’ roll credibility is hardly likely to improve with the news that they ask for eight stamped local postcards at every venue they play.
However, many tour riders sit at odds with the star’s public persona. Who knew that Eminem was a keen lover of koi carp before he asked for a wooden pond filled with the colourful fish at a gig in Northern Ireland last year? Likewise, Led Zeppelin were so domesticated during their 70s heyday that they requested both an iron and an ironing board, or that Busta Rhymes eschews most of the bling you’d expect from a Brooklyn rapper in favour of one of the more simple pleasures in life, a bucket of KFC.
From James Brown’s demands for two girls under 21 and Aretha Franklin’s request for $25,000 in cash, to Madonna’s insistence on brand new toilet seats and Prince’s requirement that every item should be wrapped in cling film, to Kanye West’s fondness for certain beauty products and Trent Reznor’s need for two boxes of corn starch, the tour rider has tested the patience of even the most mild-mannered of concert promoters since the dawn of rock.
And with Lady Gaga reportedly asking for an oxygen tank and Katy Perry refusing to allow her tour chauffeur to even make eye contact with her, it appears that the whole concept may get even more ridiculous in the future.
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