Everything began in Erie, Pennsylvania, in the middle of 1964. The local no-name band was ready to play in an important talent show: The Mercyhurst Talent Show. James Mattingly (just called Jimmy), Lenny Haise, The Bass-Player and Chad had already rehearsed the song That Thing You Do!, composed by Jimmy, a lot of times. Once the sound was right, it was the time to give a name to the band...
But as they say, "When everything is going right, something must go wrong..." So, right on the day of the talent show, the drummer Chad, jumping parking meters, broke his arm! So, the band had one more problem: to get a drummer in few hours.
Guy Patterson, a salesman in his parents' appliance store, thought Lenny and Jimmy were just customers when they came in the store that day; he was wrong. Using Jimmy's words, they had a "big proposition" for Guy. Of course they knew Guy was the only drummer available on short notice, and they could not lose him. After Guy made them buy two record needles and a clock-radio (for US$ 14.95 on sale), he was in the band. Just one rehearsal and the tune was right again; as The Bass-Player said, Chad took a week to learn the song. Nothing could stop them now...
