Why No Brown M&Ms?

If you’ve ever thought rock stars make odd demands, wait till you hear this. Van Halen, the iconic rock band, had a curious clause in their contract: no brown M&Ms allowed in their dressing room. Sounds like diva behavior, right? Wrong. The clause served as a quick safety check.

Van Halen, the iconic rock band, had a curious clause in their contract: no brown M&Ms allowed in their dressing room.

This little M&M trick was part of Van Halen’s rider. Given that Van Halen’s shows featured all kinds of wild stuff — think pyrotechnics and heavy lighting — they wanted to make sure venues read their safety guidelines. Missing a single point could spell disaster.

The M&M clause was stashed deep in their rider. So, if venue staff stumbled upon it, it meant they were actually reading the thing. David Lee Roth, ever the perfectionist, would scan the M&M bowl himself upon arrival. Find a brown one? Time to recheck every wire, bolt, and flame-thrower on stage.

The trick was born in the 1980s. Rock shows were leveling up, becoming grand spectacles. But not all venues kept pace with safety standards. Finding brown M&Ms was a glaring red flag. If found, the crew performed an immediate line check on the entire setup.

A Complex Document Beyond Candy

You might think all riders are created equal. Not so. Van Halen’s was in a league of its own. Why? Their performances were like mini movies, full of complicated tech. Sound systems, lighting rigs, and stage setups—all laid out in meticulous detail in their rider.

Don’t know what a rider is? It’s a list of do’s and don’ts a band gives to a venue. It’s an old practice but Van Halen’s M&M clause made it famous. They turned the rider into a compliance test.

And here’s the kicker. Miss a point on that rider and you’re in legal hot water. Van Halen could legally bail on the show, no penalties attached. That’s right, a brown M&M could potentially cost a venue big time.

The Mammoth Scale of Van Halen’s 1982 Tour

The year 1982 was a big one for Van Halen. How big? Try nine 18-wheelers big. While most bands back then were packing two or three trucks, Van Halen’s convoy looked more like a small army. Each truck was crammed with state-of-the-art sound systems, lighting rigs, and the works.

A quick brown M&M test could save a lot of time and money.

You can bet it wasn’t a one-man job. A battalion of stagehands, lighting techs, sound engineers, and roadies trailed behind. They even sent scouts ahead to vet venues. Could they handle Van Halen’s rock spectacle? That’s where the M&M clause came in handy. A quick brown M&M test could save a lot of time and money.

Speaking of money, the tour was a heavy investment for both the band and the promoters. You can’t just gamble with that kind of cash. Extra safety was a must. Fire marshals and medical teams stood by, just in case.

And did it pay off? You bet. The 1982 tour was a hit, both in ticket sales and rave reviews. It nailed Van Halen’s reputation as rock’s go-to live act.

Roth Clarifies the M&M Clause

David Lee Roth isn’t one to keep his lips sealed, especially when it comes to setting the record straight. He’s gone public, more than once, to say the M&M clause wasn’t some diva act. Nope, it was a safety litmus test.

He’s not just stopping at interviews. Roth spills the beans in his autobiography “Crazy from the Heat” and various documentaries. He hammers home that their rider wasn’t a wishlist. It was a safety manual for their larger-than-life shows.

Think about it. A stage bursting with pyrotechnics and heavy lighting rigs needs attention to detail. You slip on brown M&Ms, and you might slip on other big stuff. Roth has stories to back it up—times when those tiny chocolates signaled larger safety lapses.

More Than Just a Rock Tale

Hold your horses. This M&M clause isn’t just a backstage anecdote; it’s homework too. Yep, it’s a darling of contract law courses to discuss “material breach”. Flub even a small detail, like a brown M&M, and you’re in for some legal troubles.

The business folks are in on it too. If you’re in a business ethics or negotiation class, you’ll probably stumble upon this clause as a study in the fine art of contract detail. It’s even inked its way into legal textbooks and scholarly articles. That’s right, folks. From shredding guitars to shredding contracts.

And pop culture? Don’t get us started. This rule’s a guest star in TV shows like “The Simpsons” and “30 Rock”, usually lampooning musicians as oddballs. Even films and comedians love to riff on it, although they mostly miss the clause’s serious intent.

So, while the clause was born out of serious safety needs, it’s also fed the stereotype of musicians as quirky and demanding. But hey, maybe that’s the price of legendary status.