Meeting Richard

 

Photo and Story Posted on Facebook by Bobby Chirmside:

This is my first post to the group and I warn you it's going to be a long one but worth reading. In 1978 I was Road Manager for Bruce Springsteen. We were playing multiple nights at the L.A. Sports Arena and I had never seen so many celebrities at any of Bruce's shows. Max Weinberg informed me that Ringo was coming to the show on this particular night. The band were freaking out. We had never met a Beatle before. Max gathered the crew and told everyone no antics tonight, don't embarrass me in front of Ringo. 

About 30 minutes before doors opened the head of security came to me and said Ringo has been going around to your crew guys and taking their laminate passes. If the guys don't have passes, they might be thrown out. Well, in a panic I went to Richard. He had asked us to call him Richard, not Ringo. I noticed he had about 20 or more of our backstage all-access crew passes around his neck. I explained the situation and asked him for the passes. He laughed and said no way they were his. I explained one more time it was crucial for me to get the passes back to our crew. Once more a laugh and a no way. I told him I was going to turn him upside down and shake him until the passes came off. Once again he said, I'd like to see that. So, I picked him up, turned him upside down, and shook him for a bit. He was laughing his ass off while our drummer Max was having a heart attack watching me do this.

 Anyway, it all ended fine and Richard/Ringo came into Bruce's dressing room after the show to take this picture. That's me on the far right with Ringo's finger extending my smile. What an unbelievable night