10 Insane Backstage Demands Made By Musicians
6. Van Halen - No Brown M&M's
Back in 1982, Van Halen had some particular requests for their backstage rider, including the exclusion of brown M&M's. No, this wasn't a joke, and the request came with a warning to anyone who slipped up and included a brown M&M in their band room.
Caterers who didn’t pay close attention to the band's 11-page rider food requests were subject to an £80 fine for each mistake. Almost every meal was to include doughnuts, and there was an odd side request for herring in sour cream. The list of drinks was lengthy, with chocolate milk and Pepsi at the top spot. Beer was only to be served past 6 pm, which was surprisingly respectful for the band, considering their history.
Some view the requests featured in these riders as a reflection of some of the outlandish demands these rockstars make. Van Halen simply explained the inclusion of their M&M request as a way to check whether or not their rider had been properly read through. According to Van Halen, brown M&Ms would indicate that they were dealing with a lazy promoter and could expect faulty sound and lighting while performing.