Ongoing History Daily: Fun with Queens of the Stone Age riders

The rider is the part of the contract between a promoter and an artist regarding what needs to be provided to the artist and crew on the day of a show, including anything that may be required by the artist backstage.

For two reasons, Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age like to have fun with this document. First, you gotta have a sense of humour. And second, you need to make sure that the promoter actually reads the rider. For a while, Josh used to ask for chocolate-covered ants and that a map of Ireland be placed on the dressing room wall.

When asked why he needed those things, his answer was always the same “Wouldn’t you like to know. None of your damn business.”