In more recent years, rock bands have demanded lavish, ridiculous things in their performance riders, right down to what color M&Ms are served in the dressing room.
What did the Beatles want? Clean towels, four cots, and ice cooler and TV. Plus a drum platform for Ringo and at least 150 cops for security. Plus, they refused to play for segregated audiences, still sometimes a concern in mid 60s America. Pretty cool.
All this info comes from an actual copy of the contract on auction here.
The "no brown M&Ms" rider clause is much mocked over the years, but the reality makes a lot of sense. Short version: it was a test to indicate how closely the venue paid attention to everything else in the rider, including safety issues. Speaking as a former roadie myself, can we please retire the myth?
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