When Capt. Brass asks Gene Simmons about whether he drank or took drugs during the "Fame Experience" he participated in, Simmons vehemently emphasizes that he refuses to do drugs or drink alcohol and that people who are high "bore" him. This reflects Simmons' real-life stance on drugs and alcohol, in that he takes pride in the fact he never consciously took drugs or drank, and does not want anything to do with people who do. When he ran $immons Records, he even put an ironclad clause in all artist contracts, forbidding acts from partaking in alcohol and drugs.
The TV series Bones has done a previous episode involving The Fame Experience but in that occasion it was called Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp.
In the opening of the episode when the band is ending the song the guitarist smashes his guitar, a signature move started by Pete Townsend of The Who whose hits provide the theme songs for all four CSI programs. Also as Sidle and Russell are discussing whether it was The Who or Led Zeppelin that sank a limo in a hotel pool Sidle follows with "Whoever they are, the song remains the same" referring to the song by Led Zeppelin "The Song Remains the Same"
The "limo in the pool" story is apocryphal. It was The Who, as DB remembered, but the story has never been confirmed. Keith Moon swore it happened. Other witnesses at the hotel (it was in Flint, Michigan) claim it was not the car, but a variety of other things. Roger Daltrey remembers the story, but says he does not remember the event. John Entwistle and Pete Townsend claimed it never happened.
This episode features Michael Des Barres, who is well known for playing the character Murdoc in the original MacGyver (1985) show. In the previous episode (killer moves), David Dastmalchian, who plays Murdoc in the MacGyver reboot, plays a part. Also in the reboot, Michael Des Barres played the mentor of "new Murdoc". Of course, both CSI episodes and the MacGyver reboot had George Eads (CSI Nick Stokes) as a series regular.