Rob Reiner's 1984 film This Is Spinal Tap captured the mood with its parody of rock musicians who refused to go onstage if the sandwich bread was too small or the olives didn't have pimentos.Īs the indulgent '70s became the health- and business-conscious '80s, even rock 'n' roll cleaned up its act much of the excess seems to have gone out of style.

The new atmosphere backstage at Aerosmith's concerts is one of the more conspicuous examples of how the business of rock tours has evolved.īy the end of the 1970s the game of excesses played by rock tour promoters and the bands themselves had reached ludicrous proportions, with each act attempting to one-up the last with their demands _ the more idiosyncratic the better. The tables were littered with half-empty bottles of mineral water and bowls of Greek salad.Īt one point someone handed Tyler a small brown jar. Lead singer Steven Tyler, 42, was bouncing his year-old baby on his arm. After the show, the atmosphere backstage was calm, peaceful, almost domestic.

Conspicuous more conspicuous onstage