I don't know why he's trying (badly) to reinvent the ScottEVest.

But Captain Kirk never went on any "away team". In ST:TOS, the term was "landing party". We didn't hear "away team" until Picard said it in ST:TNG. Silly writer.

I was friends with the road manager's assistant for a few of the VH tours, including the 88 Monsters of Rock tour, and she confirmed this story as exactly stated: the M&M clause was merely a bellweather item to tell if they had even bothered looking at the rider.

The son of Richard Datin, the original model maker, is Charlie Datin. Charlie runs http://cruisetrek.com/ - producing Star Trek cruises. I first met him a decade ago... very nice guy.