Viva the diva: Stars' most outrageous backstage demands from puppies to bald hookers

11 April 2012
The Weekender

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Pop stars are famous for their outrageous requests for luxuries that must be placed in their dressing rooms.

Typical backstage demands are for vast amounts of alcohol, expensive bouquets and huge vanity mirrors.

The legendary James "Sex Machine" Brown even asked for "two girls under the age of 21 and a ladies' hair dryer".

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Mariah Carey: Demands an attendant to dispose of her used chewing gum

Now a new book has collected these lists of diva-ish demands, past and present . . .

Paul McCartney

Nineteen leafy 6ft plants. Four leafy 4ft plants. Vegetarian catering (including no meat by-products).

Mariah Carey

Cristal champagne. One box of bendy straws. One special attendant to dispose of used chewing gum. Tea service for eight. A Honey Bear pack of honey. Two air purifiers. Puppy. Kittens.

Robbie Williams

No alcohol. Four ashtrays. Two packs of cigarettes. Two full-length mirrors. Two deodorants. Two freshly laundered towels. Toothpicks. Soap. A melon platter. A fruit platter. Evian. Peppermint drops. Chocolate. Soft loo paper.

The Police

Organic food. Cough mixture.

Rolling Stones

HP sauce. Shepherd's pie. Paintbrushes. Snooker table. TV (capable of showing cricket matches). Toilet (on wheels).

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Specific tastes: Rocker Marilyn Manson requests a bald, toothless hooker while Beyonce insists all products are Pepsi

Lily Allen

A bottle of Jack Daniel's. Four bottles of champagne. Twelve packets of Monster Munch (pickled onion flavour). A puppy (for the night only).

Charlotte Church

Iron. Ironing board. Steamed vegetables - asparagus, broccoli, carrots. English breakfast tea. Maltesers.

Keith Richards

A guitar strap. Chicken sandwiches. Diet Coke. Cigarettes.

Jools Holland

Fifty clean pint glasses. 5 bottles of good quality champagne. 12 local postcards with 1st class stamps.

The Darkness

Absinthe. Fruit smoothies.

Nirvana

Macaroni cheese.

Marilyn Manson

Air-conditioning always on full. Haribo gummi bears. Doritos. Microwave popcorn. Bottle of Absinthe. A bald hooker with no teeth.

Prince

A physician. All food to be covered in clear plastic wrap.

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Diminuitive jazz musician Jamie Cullum demands 43 bottles of alcohol while known party-girl Charlotte Church asks for steamed vegetables

Frank Sinatra

An ear, nose and throat specialist with the anti-inflammatory drug Decadron.

Motley Crue

Mayonnaise. Grey Poupon Dijon mustard. Creamy peanut butter. A 12ft-long boa constrictor. A sub-machine gun. Local Alcoholics' Anonymous meeting schedules.

David Hasselhoff

Life-size cut-out of David Hasselhoff.

Sammy Davis Jr

Assortment of groovy chicks.

Al Jonson

A plaque on the dressing-room door that reads: "Al Jolson - World's Greatest Entertainer".

Artic Monkeys

Special K. Crunchy Nut Cornflakes. Two cooked chickens. A novel of the venue's choice. Two cases of cider. Wrigley's Extra chewing gum. A novelty Yo-Yo.

Marc Almond

Cornflakes. Two dressing rooms. Red towels.

Britney Spears

Two boxes of Pop Tarts. Fruit Loops. Cable television. Two 6ft sofas. Odour-free carpet. A phone line.

Led Zeppellin

Iron. Ironing board.

Janet Jackson

Chaise longue. Ten black roses. Marmite. Male catering staff.

Beyonce

Pepsi products only. Honey Nut Cheerios. Ginger root. A two-man love seat. 78F in dressing room. Toilet scrubbed with disinfectant. No sweets, chocolate or crisps in dressing room.

Barbra Streisand

Rose petals in toilet.

Madonna

A new toilet seat. 25 cases of Kabbalah water.

James Blunt

120 bottles of beer. 12 bottles of Magners cider. 4 bottles of vodka. 3 bottles of white wine. 2 bottles of champagne.

Oasis

"Lots of" Guinness. "Lots of" beer. "Lots of" red wine. "Lots of" vodka. A bottle of whisky. Monster Munch. Wotsits. Doritos and dip.

The Pogues

24 bottles of beer. A bottle each of gin, vodka, dry white wine, Martini, brandy, champagne, ginger beer. A bottle of Rock shandy. Two bottles of non-alcoholic Beck's. Marlboro Red and Lights. Benson & Hedges. Chocolate.

Jennifer Lopez

White flowers. White tablecloths. White curtains. White candles. White couches. Lowwatt lightbulbs. Coffee to be stirred counter-clockwise. Skittles.

Will Young

Pink champagne. Pink towels.

Elton John

74 towels. Flowers (NO chrysanthemums, lilies, carnations or daisies).

P Diddy

204 towels. 20 bars of soap. Two bottles of Hennessy cognac. Two bottles of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. Two bottles of Veuve Clicquot. A bottle of Dom Perignon. Grey Goose vodka. Boom box. Bouquet of white flowers. Cheddar cheese and sour-cream chips. Sweet Tarts. A $300,000 bullet-proof Maybach.

Jamie Cullum

20 bottles of Moet & Chandon. 20 bottles of good-quality lager/beer. 12 small bottles of still mineral water. Four cans of Guinness. A bottle of good-quality red wine. A bottle of good-quality white wine. A half-bottle of Myers rum. Marks & Spencer sandwiches. Crisps. Nuts. Yoghurt. Bananas. Apples. Grapes. Pineapple. Ice (must have no straight edges). A full-length mirror (must have lights around it). A deck chair.

Taken from The Little Red Riders Book: The Backstage Requests Of Rock 'n' Roll's Most Famous Artists, published by Portico at £4.99. To order a copy (p&p free), call 0845 606 4206.

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