The Backstage Rider

Ongoing History of New Music with Alan Cross
Episode Date: November 12, 2025

Episode Overview

Alan Cross pulls back the curtain on one rock music’s most curious and creative traditions: the backstage rider. He dives into the wild, weird, and sometimes entirely sensible requests artists make as part of their touring contracts—covering everything from legendary stories (Van Halen’s “no brown M&M’s”) to uniquely tailored demands for comfort, health, and performance. In this episode, Alan explores how the backstage rider is both a logistical manual and a psychological safety net—a document that can be serious, silly, and often a secret code between artist and promoter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Purpose of the Rider (01:06)

• Touring is tough: sleep deprivation, bad food, and lack of routine are common. The backstage room is the band's only sanctuary—so it’s no surprise comforts (and some quirks) become non-negotiable.
• The rider's main purpose is to ensure the artist is “in a good headspace to play a great show.”
• Riders cover mundane logistics—load-in times, electrical needs, catering—but get interesting with specialty artist requests.
• “Mess up the rider, and the promoter runs the risk of having a pouty, petulant, and otherwise pissed off performance.” (Alan Cross, 02:35)

The Van Halen “No Brown M&Ms” Myth (04:40)

• The tale: Van Halen demanded M&Ms with absolutely no brown ones, threatening to cancel if this detail wasn’t met.
• Reality: This clause was a test to see if promoters actually read the contract, as previous neglect had caused technical disasters.
• “[The] implication was that if a single brown M&M was found...they would refuse to go on. And this story has become legendary.” (Alan Cross, 06:36)

More Legendary Riders

• Foo Fighters (07:55)
  • Their “Wasting Light” tour rider (52 pages!) included food specifics, a warning against “Promoter Pasta,” a coloring book, and a word puzzle (“Don’t forget the bacon”).
  • Dave Grohl likes “stinky cheese.” No cauliflower (“because cauliflower blows”).
  • Promoters fined $100 for typos.
  • “No cauliflower, because cauliflower blows.” (Alan, quoting the rider, 09:30)
• The Killers (10:07)
  • Alcohol requests are tied to the day of the week (e.g., Maker’s Mark on Mondays, Jack Daniel’s on Tuesdays, Jameson on Sundays).
  • Gin, vodka, or other liquor also depends on the day.
• Jane’s Addiction (11:00)
  • Two stretch limos, police escort, specialists on call (throat doctor, chiropractor, masseuse), and a no-EMS zone backstage.
• Ramones (11:50)
  • Surprisingly basic: OJ, milk, cookies, fruit, cheese pizzas, soap, and just a single case of beer.
• Danzig (12:06)
  • Requested “10 attractive women between the ages of 18 and 24, well-versed in politics, religion, and sports, who live no further than a five dollar cab ride from the venue.”
• Queens of the Stone Age (12:23)
  • Promoter must post a map of Ireland in the dressing room.

History and the More Eccentric Demands (13:17)

• Chuck Berry
  • Insisted on cash payment in a paper bag, supplied local backup band, specific amplifier, rented Mercedes S-class for every city.
• Aretha Franklin
  • Demanded $25,000 in cash plus her standard fee; kept it in her purse on the piano.
• Little Richard
  • Wanted to distribute free moral-souvenir books.
• Johnny Cash
  • Wouldn’t perform without an American flag in full audience view.
• Mojo Nixon
  • Possibly the world's simplest rider: “Be nice, one case Budweiser, a bathroom or four pee jars, a couple of crew to carry stuff.”

Food, Dietary, and Lifestyle Requests (16:08)

• Weezer
  • Strictly vegetarian & organic; no shellfish, peanuts, Styrofoam; European chocolate only with ≥55% cacao.
  • “No shellfish, no peanuts. Apparently there are some who may risk going into anaphylactic shock.” (Alan Cross, 16:55)
• Morrissey
  • Entire venue must go vegetarian for his shows; no meat even backstage or downwind of his dressing room. Sometimes, even ticket warnings tell fans vegan food only will be sold.
  • “Meat is actually treated as a prohibited item.” (Alan Cross, 17:36)
• Stone Temple Pilots
  • Two vegetarian and two vegan meals, strict “no drugs or alcohol”—except one six-pack of Amstel Lite.
• Coldplay
  • Sixty bath towels (15 per member), no American beer, sometimes socks.
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • Used to require new underwear and socks, now also want substantial furniture and four live trees backstage.

The Wild, the Wacky, and the Understated (20:04)

• Iggy Pop and the Stooges
  The classic of outlandish, humorous riders—detailed, with sardonic asides and surreal requests.
  • “Dinner for Iggy and two other people...local food for local people. Or steak, chicken, endangered species including moths and anything really cute, snake, whale or nurse shark with the nurse on the side just in case.” (Alan, quoting rider, 20:48)
  • Requests Bob Hope impersonators and seven dwarves (“Attitude more than height, that’s important here.”)
• Barenaked Ladies
  • 20 pounds of bananas plus a bottle of good Scotch; open to varied cuisines but “don’t offer chicken breast or vegetarian lasagna again.”
• Duran Duran
  • Cellar-worthy wine and champagne of precise vintage and make, plus specific tequila (“do not supply regular tequila”).
• David Bowie
  • Near the end, only a fruit bowl and a dressing room at precisely 14–18°C.
• Beck
  • Two packs of rice crisps, hummus, soft drinks. Nothing else.

Non-Food, Non-Booze Requirements (27:30)

• Peter Gabriel
  • Oxygen on standby for altitude sickness, one-hour pre-show massage at 6:20 p.m. only, performed by a woman.
• The Who (Pete Townshend)
  • Large bed with fine linens for pre-show nap.
• Prince
  • No one can talk to or look at him; infractions could get people fired.
• Pearl Jam
  • Easy-going; sometimes request four cartons of Epsom salts.
• Blink-182
  • Needs DVDs, fashion and science magazines (plus “an X-rated lesbian theme magazine”).
• Jack White
  • “No banana tour”—“Seriously. We don’t want to see bananas anywhere in the building”—but insists on detailed, chunky guacamole.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Van Halen’s Brown M&Ms:
  “If a single brown M&M was found by Van Halen, they would refuse to go on, and this story has become legendary.” (06:36)

• Foo Fighters’ Playful Demands:
  "No cauliflower, because cauliflower blows." (09:30, quoting their tour rider)

• Morrissey’s Vegan Vibe:
  "If Morrissey is going to be a vegetarian, then everyone in the venue has to be a vegetarian for that night...meat is actually treated as a prohibited item." (17:36)

• Iggy Pop and the Stooges Surrealism:
  "Local cuisine is acceptable, that is local food for local people. Or steak, chicken, endangered species including moths and anything really cute, snake, whale or nurse shark with the nurse on the side just in case..." (20:48)

• On the Purpose of Riders:
  “Touring is hard, so you can’t begrudge performers their need for amenities, perks, and the odd luxury backstage.” (29:12)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Touring Realities & Intro to Riders: 01:06
• The Brown M&M Legend: 04:40
• Foo Fighters, Killers, Jane’s Addiction, Ramones (examples): 07:55 - 12:23
• Historical Riders (Chuck Berry, Aretha Franklin, etc.): 13:17 - 16:08
• Modern Dietary & Backstage Requests: 16:08 - 18:45
• Iggy Pop, Barenaked Ladies, Duran Duran, Bowie, Beck: 20:04 - 27:30
• Non-Food Demands (Gabriel, Who, Prince, Pearl Jam, Jack White): 27:30 - 29:12

Episode Tone & Delivery

True to Alan Cross’s trademark style: thoughtful, wry, richly anecdotal, and gently irreverent. Each artist’s rider reveals something quirky or philosophical about touring life—sometimes fussy, sometimes minimalist, and often surprisingly funny.

Takeaway

Riders, both serious and ludicrous, are a fascinating insight into the personalities, anxieties, and humor of musicians. They help keep touring bearable and, sometimes, are a subtle test to make sure the people running the show truly care. As Alan sums up: The rider is a window into what it takes to stay (relatively) sane in the chaos of rock and roll.