Meet The Beatles
We delight in hearing stories detailing the ostentatious demands of rock bands and piggy Hollywood stars. Well, we’d like to direct Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lopez, and Christina Aguilera to the concert contract rider, a study in modesty from The Beatles. The most influential band ever had simple demands when they toured the U.S. in 1965 . Remarkably, there’s no requirement of bendy straws, Rough Rider condoms, or Cristal for the Fab Four. Instead, the group just wanted adequate police protection, a “hi-fidelity sound system with adequate number of speakers,” and “a platform for Ringo Starr and his drums.” The backstage dressing room accommodations were also spartan: “four cots, mirrors, an ice cooler, portable TV set and clean towels.” As for ground transportation, the performers were not above sharing a ride: “Two (2) seven-passenger Cadillac limousines (air-conditioned if possible), with chauffeurs. My, how times have changed.
Sunn
September 28th, 2005 at 6:28 pm
Maybe the difference between The Beatles and performers like them who don’t require forced acknowledgement of their stardom and wealth is that they were – and are – actually talented……..
September 29th, 2005 at 7:12 am
I remember playing in bands, travelling hundreds of miles in a Ford Econoline van. Four other muscians and all our equipment, strategically placed to form “beds”.
If we had a really good night we could afford to rent one motel room for us all to sleep. Didn’t really seem so bad at the time.
Sunn