The Real Reason Why Van Halen Demanded No Brown M&M Candies in Their Dressing Room Ahead of Concerts

It’s a well-known story within rock and roll that has been passed around as a rumor for years. Van Halen was one of rock’s top acts in the 1980s, and they were rumored to be picky ahead of performances. The story that has been told is that when booking Van Halen, there was a specific stipulation in the contract. It stated that there was to be a bowl of M&M’s in the dressing room, with the brown ones removed. Van Halen was known for their party rock sound, mixed with high-energy stage presence and over-the-top antics. So, a request such as this doesn’t seem far-fetched for a rock band of the time.

This wasn’t just a rock band being ridiculous, though. It wasn’t just because Edward Van Halen had a sweet tooth. In fact, this was brilliantly planted by the band to guarantee their own safety. At the time, Van Halen’s stage featured massive complexes, heavyweight loads, and high-voltage lighting grids. The heavy lighting above the stage, displaying their VH logo, can be seen in videos such as their Live at Oakland Coliseum performance in 1981. The technical setup of the show was important, as the technology was newer at the time. To ensure the band’s safety, they included specific instructions in a 53-page contract. Hidden within those instructions was a small detail about no brown M&M’s.

The M&M Test Would Mean Promoters Skimmed the Contract

If the band walked into the dressing room and either saw brown M&M’s or none at all, it meant the promoters skimmed through the contract. There were times when this happened, and promoters were called out. Their safety was important, and the band needed a way to directly gauge the situation.

The story went through various versions throughout the years. In David Lee Roth‘s 1998 memoir Crazy From The Heat, the former Van Halen singer cleared up the rumors. He dismissed the “rock star diva behavior” side of the rumor and brought everyone’s attention to the real reason. It was a security measure for the band all along, devised by rock stars with brains. It’s a real twist in the tale for a band like Van Halen to be this forward-thinking. What started as a rumor attempting to make the band look bad ended up being a myth with a brilliant explanation after all.

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