Indie-rock mainstay The Strokes have been touring since the late 1990s, and when they first started, guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. and his bandmates were excited by the novelty of simple backstage amenities.
"I mean, in the early days, you're happy just with free beer," he says. As the decades have passed, though, the band's tastes have evolved.
In this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas, Hammond explains that these days, he's less excited about the free beer and more excited about the prospect of staying hydrated. "It's gonna sound silly, but I drink a lot of water, so I have liter-and-a-half bottles of water, and I have about two a day," he explains. "So just seeing those is comforting, for some reason."
The rockers have also come to look forward to local specialties in the different countries they visit, too. "I know in Germany the breads are gonna be great. The varieties you get there — seeded bread, rye breads, all kinda homemade style breads...just amazing breads," he continues.
And while the band's tour riders may have changed over the years, Hammond says that he still gets excited — and a little nervous — for every show.
"I think even at my most calm, even if we've done a bunch of shows on the road, there's always something. Because that's what keeps the excitement there," he reflects. "It'd be pretty boring to just walk out and not care."
Watch the video above for Hammond's rundown of his backstage essentials, and keep checking GRAMMY.com for more installments of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.
