Over the past couple of years, The Smoking Gun has published excerpts from the backstage riders of a few hundred performers. Among the requests (demands) that different performers made for their backstage and during the concert needs were the following:
Red Hot Chili Peppers: A meditation room with all walls pipe and draped (what does pipe mean?) a medium to dark color- please, no blue.
The Wallflowers: (note Jakob Dylan, the lead singer of the Wallflowers is Bob Dylan's son) "purchaser should make absolutely NO reference to 'Bob Dylan's Son' in any and all advertising and billing- including advertisements and radio"
Goo Goo Dolls: "Fresh, 1 pound package of "Mr. Turkey" or similar sliced roasted turkey, 6 pairs of new tube socks"
Luciano Pavarotti : "There must be no distince smells anywhere near the artist."
Mariah Carey: "Tea service for 8: must use Poland Spring water
Phish: "Phish fans are a peaceful, intelligent group of people who respond better to curteous, respectful requests than to aggressive bullying. It is important that the security staff be aware of this fact and apply it throughout the show."
Cher: "TV with VCR with cable hookup. Please make sure we can get the following channels: Turner Classic Movies or AMC."
OK, I can keep going, but the list is way too long as it is. After reading all these, I decided what I would put on my Backsage Rider if I were a performer. here goes:
-1 42" Widescreen Plasma TV with the following videos rewound and ready to watch: every episode of the Wonder Years, The Karate Kid, and Happy Days (just the "Chachinated episodes, please).
-5 bags of Wise Onion Rings, unopened. (Funyuns will not do, Wise is necessary)
-Decor should be painted in as many shades of Green as possible, this color provides a calming effect on the performer.
-1 Sectional sofa with at least 1 recliner chair built into it.
-Case of Diet Peach Snapple Served with glasses of crushed ice filled 3/4 of the way up (ice cubes are not acceptable) and purple twisty straws.
-3 size medium Old Navy performance fleece sweatshirts in kelly green, mint green, and chartreuse.
- No reference should be made about "9th grade", the "9th grade play", "The King and I" or anything to do with the above mentioned tabboo subjects; both in print and media.
I can keep going, but I don't want to act like a Prima Donna.