B etween the C overs R are B ooks 112 Nicholson Rd, Gloucester City, NJ 08030 (856) 456-8008 betweenthecovers.com Absolutely No Brown M&Ms! Monica DiMeo 1980s Rock n Roll Caterer Archive Seattle, Washington: 1982-1986 $9500 The archive of Seattle-based Stageside Services, caterer to many of the biggest names in music during the hedonistic 1980s, consisting of more than 80 individual file folders, five ledger books, and two invoice book. Examples of the outrageous backstage contracts demands contained in the files include: Van Halen s request that their dressing room contain ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN M&Ms; Motley Crüe s need for one full oxygen tank and mask in the dressing room no late than 7p.m. ; and heavy metal gods Iron Maiden s oddly specific dietary desire that cheese selection include at least 3 of the following: Cheddar, Stilton, Brie, Emmenthal, Edam. Overall very good.
Stageside Services was owned by Monica Di Meo, a graduate of Bellevue High School and the University of Washington, who began a catering business in 1971. By the early 1980s she was servicing many of the most popular musical venues around Seattle, like the Music Hall Theatre, Firehouse, Seattle Center Arena, Paramount, Eagles Hippodrome, and the Tacoma Dome during its debut 1983 performance by David Bowie. Stageside Services largely provided food and drink but also laundry services and backstage furnishing. Di Meo later added film productions to her resume, with work on Harry and the Hendersons, Black Widow, and most suitably Singles, a story based in and around the Seattle music scene. While the ledger and invoice books shed light on the Stageside Services business, the performer folders are the most interesting and informative. The artists span the gamut from rock n roll, punk and heavy metal to R&B, jazz, and country. The files give a good idea of the type of services and environments expect by performers during the gluttonous 1980s, with demands varying not only from new bands to established acts but sometimes within different musical genres or individual band members. Contents of the files folders vary but typically they contain notes on the food and dressing room requirements, along with a copy of the contract rider, miscellaneous receipts/invoices, and occasional notes or correspondence. Included here is a copy of Van Halen s notorious contract rider regarding brown M&Ms. Other notable requests include The Kinks need for hot Indian take-out, a weight training room for Tina Turner, exactly 66 towels for Twisted Sister, a hairdresser skill in permanents for Weird Al Yankovic, UB- 40 s alcohol order of beer, whiskey and vodka but oddly no red (red) wine, and The Scorpions demand for Russian vodka, French Champaign, and German newspapers. Some bands were in on the joke, with the Jefferson Starship specifying: None of the security personnel shall carry guns. There will be no guns in the facility on the day of the STARSHIP show. Nuclear weapons however, are permitted. For Rush it was a warning about their dissatisfied vegetarian roadie: Bill is a mature, gentle, kind, fair and just man. I encourage you to seek him out and speak with him. Maybe something special can be prepared for him every day. In closing, I would like to say that Billy can get very upset (maybe even physical) when things do go his way. Once you see Billy and talk to him, you will understand that it is in your best interest to cooperate with him. A wonderful archive of material pulling back the curtain to reveal the hedonistic backstage of musical performing artist of the 1980a. A complete list follows.
List: Invoice Books Two oblong 24mos and one octavo. Stapled blue wrappers with dual punch holes containing triplicate invoice forms. One is half filled with entries and two only a quarter filled. Very good. Invoices from for food, drinks, alcohol, furniture, towels, laundry, etc. for such acts as Nina Hagen, Lisa-Lisa, Gloria Estefan, Joan Baez, Jimmy Buffet, Gallagher, Heart, and others. Ledger Books Five quartos. Papercovered boards with the titles and spine stamped in silver. Two with light wear the edge, one scrapped along the spine and two lacking the spine and loose boards, overall very good. Two are for the John Bauer Concert Co.: 1/83-12/83, 67pp. and 1984, 27pp. Records for Aerosmith, Iggy Pop, John Prine, Scandal, Culture Club, Pat Benatar, Journey (3-day rehearsal, plus show), Sammy Hagar, Tom Petty, Billy Squire and Def Leopard, The Kinks, Billy Idol, Joe Jackson, The Clash, The Ramones (2-day show), The B-52 s, Joan Jett, Peter Gabriel, The Police, Robert Plant, and Talking Heads. Laid in are receipts and a Pink Floyd album release party thank you card. Three are for Albatross Productions: 1983 (85pp.) and 1984 (2 - [25]pp. and [29]pp.). Records for Jefferson Starship, Jimmy Buffet, Simple Minds, Bob Segar, Randy Newman, Bow-Wow-Wow, Berlin, John Cougar, Stray Cats, Joan Armatrading, Iron Maiden, REM, Neil Young, Duran Duran, Wayne Newton, Rodney Dangerfield, Ozzie Osbourne, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Hall & Oates, David Bowie, Supertramp, Stevie Nicks, Dio, and Rick Springfield. File Folders: 1. Pat Benatar (1983) 2. Bon Jovi (1984) 3. Cheap Trick ( 1982) 4. David Bowie (1983) the first event held at the Tacoma Done, with printed neighborhood map and list of local restaurants 5. Dokken/Twisted Sister/Tarzen
6. Iron Maiden (1983 & 1984) Cheese selection to include at least 3 of the following: Cheddar, Stilton, Brie, Emmenthal, Edam, Cream Cheese. 7. Rick James (1983) six dozen towels, Cigarette Machine, 8. Jan and Dean [no date] 9. Jefferson Starship (1983 &1986) None of the security personnel shall carry guns. There will be no guns in the facility on the day of the STARSHIP show. Nuclear weapons however, are permitted. 10. Joan Jett (1984) 11. George Jones (1985) no alcohol 12. Howard Jones/Animotion (1985) Jones has own vegetarian caterer 13. Ricki Lee Jones (1984) 14. Elton John (1984) 15. Judas Priest (1982) 16. Gladys Knight and the Pips (1983) complete contract with map of the stage 17. Kidskin (1985) two flyers for video shoot at the Mountaineer s Club in Seattle 18. King Crimson (1984) 19. B.B. King (1984) 20. The Kinks (1983) Hot take out from the India House Restaurant. 21. KISS/Queesryche (1985) 22. Kool and the Gang (1985) 23. Krokus/W.A.S.P./Helix (1984) 24. Huey Lewis (1985) 25. Lena Lovich (1983) 26. Little River Band ( 1985) 27. Los Lobos (1985) 28. Kenny Loggins (1982) 29. Loundness (1985) 30. Loverboy/Quiet Riot (1983) Loverboy carries their own towel. 31. Madonna (1985) 32. Chuck Mangione (1985) 33. Barry Manilow (1985) 34. Manhattan Transfer (1985) 35. Michael McDonald (1985) 36. Men at Work (1982 & 1983) 37. Metallica (1985) 38. Pat Metheny (1984) 39. The Motels/Taxxi (1982)
40. Motley Crue (1983) Reasonable supply of unbreakable plates, 5,000 balloons to be imprinted with: MOTLEY CRUE THEATRE OF PAIN 41. Wayne Newton (1984) 42. Night Ranger (1985) 43. Eddie Murphy (1985) 44. Anne Murray (1984) 45. Ted Nugent (1984) 46. Oingo Boingo (1985) 47. Jeffrey Osborne (1985) Miniature quiches and teriyaki winglets 48. Ozzie Osbourne/ Motley Crue (1984) Promoter will supply one full oxygen tank and mas to be placed in the dressing room of Motley Crue not later than 7 p.m. on the day of the show. 49. Peter, Paul & Mary (1985) 50. Tom Petty (1983 & 1985) 51. Pink Floyd (1983) for Columbia Records album release party [The Final Cut] 52. The Police (1982 & 1983) - 1 Bottle French Red Bordeaux (Nice). 53. Power Station (1985) 54. The Pretenders (1984) 55. John Prine (1984) 56. Psychedelic Furs (1984) 57. Quiet Riot (1984) 58. Queen (1982) 59. Bonnie Raitt (1984) 60. Ratt (1984) 61. Raven (1985) 62. REM (1984 & 1985) small diagram of backstage 63. Joan Rivers (Romeo Void (1984) 64. Lionel Ritchie/Tina Turner (1984) 23 cases of Pepsi
65. Romantics/Wang-Chung (1984) 66. Rush (1984) letter of complaint by a vegetarian rigger: Billy is a mature, gentle, kind, fair and just man. I encourage you to seek him out and speak with him. Maybe something special can be prepared for him every day. In closing, I would like to say that Billy can get very upset (maybe even physical) when things do go his way. Once you see Billy and talk to him, you will understand that it is in your best interest to cooperate with him. 67. Scandal (1983) 68. Scorpions (1984 & 1985) Russian vodka, French Champaign, German newspapers. We are easy to get along with. The above request are mean to give the crew the optimum environment to do their jobs. We will respect your environment and problems, but please respect ours. 69. Bob Seger (1983)
70. Simple Minds/China Crisis (1984) 71. Talking Heads (1983) 72. James Taylor (1985) 73. Tears for Fears (1985) 74. Third World (1982) 75. Thompson Twins/OMD (1985) 76. Tina Turner (1985) room for weight training required 77. Twisted Sister /Y&T (1984) 66 Towels 78. UB-40 (1984) WEAR A-TEAM Shirts!! and request for beer, whisky and vodka but no red (red) wine. 79. U2 (1985) 80. Van Halen (1982) M&M s (WARNING: ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN ONES) 81. Stevie Ray Vaughn (1984) 82. Weird Al Yankovic (1984) business card for Dimension hair salon Blowdry Styling, Permanents, Hair Cuts, Manicures. [BTC#412397]