Brown M&Ms

Audacious. Aggravating. Arrogant.

That’s what some venue promoters thought about Van Halen in 1982. They hadn’t yet reached the peak of commercial success, but they were having the time of their lives living like rock stars, and they had the success to back it up. They were already selling out enormous venues, and this was still two years before Jump came out.

Like a lot of rock stars, Van Halen exuded confidence and irreverence that many probably took for mere mischief-making.

They also cared a great deal about the quality of music they were producing. They wanted the experience to be just right for their fans.

Nothing really encapsulates this better than brown M&Ms.

The thing the event promoters were upset about was a clause in the agreement with the band that stipulated that there would be a bowl of M&Ms left out back stage for the band, and that there would be no brown M&Ms in the bowl.

Now, this is a perfectly standard rider I remember seeing when I signed my mortgage, and… no, so…