October 20, 1970 (Tuesday)
Raley Chapel, Oklahoma Baptist University
Shawnee, Oklahoma, U.S.A.

I just happened to be walking by when their bus pulled in. I was the first person to greet them and we just clicked! Being the Beatles fan that I was and already a great fan of Badfinger, it was an amazing meeting. I met them as they arrived and helped them unload and set up. I believe their manager was the one who asked me if I would help them unload their equipment. Being a drummer myself, I helped Mike set up his drums. Even though he was left-handed and I was right-handed, I was still able to play a bit on his drums.

Badfinger were very concerned that their playing in the chapel might be sacrilegious, but I assured them that it was okay. I took photos of their performance and recorded them on my cassette recorder. Backstage they listened to themselves from my recording. I took Mike, Pete and Tom to a college party. Joey wasn't feeling well so he stayed behind. The next day, I helped them take down and load their equipment.

They invited me to finish the tour with them and go back to England and audition to play drums for a new band that Paul McCartney was putting together. They said Paul was looking for an American drummer. I passed it up because I was newly engaged and a freshman in college. Looking back, I wish I had agreed to go with them.

Terry Neil Thompson (2020 September 15)

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