ROCKS saw a lot of old friends at the Buck Sweeney 50th birthday. The best bunch of bouncers were reunited to re-enact there incredible bouncing manuavers of the "Glory Days" of Solomon Grundy's. A;ive and Kicking also played so it was no stop rock n roll. ROCKS depended heavily on their "Boss" and "Southside" material while adding in a bit of "Bowie".

After a break ROCKS came roaring back at the Court House in Massapequa Park on September 29. It was a bit of a home-coming and all that were there had a good time. The boys went through their set like they enjoyed it and the crowd responded.

With the chance of big storms, the event was threatened. But things turned out glorious and the Bayville Concert for 2007 went on. And what a night. The boys did a soft set of songs to start things off and then went into second gear. They rocked out one song after another. Kenny smoothed them with Mack the Knife, BiGG Ray got to prance about when Tommy Menkes came to sit in on drums, Bob wowed them with explosive guitar leads while doing his "Bug Dance", and John wore a nice cap while slinking around the stage. Mombo took turns dancing and working the stage equipment. The crowd was very receptive to the band and there were a group of kids that started a train around the whole beach

ROCKS returned after a six-month hiatus to play at Daumfest 2007. The boys rested and raring to go after not playing for a long time. They did some old numbers and added a few new ones. The crowd enjoyed it and were dancing up a storm.

Rockin night at Callahan's with the "Return of the Kraw" on Saturday. Charlie "the Kraw" Koeppel, former basssist for ROCKS, filled in for the night and few a memories were installed. Kenny kept the people interested by pulling people out of the audience to sing. Around 1:00 am the "Callahan's Dancing Review" hit the dance floor and an interesting setting appeared.

The night was fantastic at West Harbor Beach as ROCKS took the stage at Bayville. About 300 to 400 people were on hand to dance, party, and sing that enthused the band to play a great two-hour set. People started to dance in the second song.

ROCKS returned to the Irish Cottage on June 10. The crowd was thin but raucous. Tommy Menkes helped out on the drums while BiGG Ray took a breather due to injuries. There were quite a few special guests that had not been down in a while which was a pleasnt surprise.

Just back from their trip to Ireland, ROCKS returned to the Irish Cottage for their pre- St. Patrick's Day / post Mardi Gras party on March 11. The crowd was not disappointed. To help them out they were joined by the Koeppel brothers who filled in on bass for that night. Dressed in their finest Celtic garb, the boys rocked the house

Christmas is the time of year for ROCKS and friends and this year was the same. The boys added their Christmas numbers to a packed house at the Irish Cottage on December 17. People were dancing and partying to the old Yuletide maddness. Booger and Zoot sat in with the band.

Saturday, Sept. 17, started out real slow at the Irish Cottage. In fact at 7:00 pm the band was to begin to play and there was no one there. By 7:30 pm the place was packed and the stage was set for a great night. People were swinging from the rafters, dancing on chairs and tables, and singing along with the music The lads in the band were cranking and it was a great party. The band brought back an old favorite, Mixed Emotions, and played it like they had been doing it all along. It was too bad the night was cut short by some technical difficulties. This will make the night at the Irish Cottage on December 17, all the more fun.

ROCKS finally got to play in Bayville but it was cut short due to the lightning. The boys were breezing through their songs when the weather got bad. Tommy Menkes, of the TommyGunn band, won MVP of the night being sound man and filling in for a few songs on drums. Next year's date is already July 14, so mark it on your calendar.

After almost two months off, ROCKS came back to the Irish Cottage with a vengence. And so did the crowd. There was only one word to describe the night, "PARTY". From half way through the first set everyone was having a great time. The band started out with some new material ending the first set with a powerful version of "Vertigo". Johnny Craw was bass dancing with the crowd, Bob and Kenny were rocking the crowd, and BiGG Ray was pounding away on the skins. Booger came up and did "Caledonia".

ROCKS played to a sparse but enthusiastic crowd at Classic's Sports Bar on April 8. People in the neighborhood knew they were there from the crowd noise. John led the band in an impromptu version of Sweet Caroline a request from the audience. Bob was the unofficial Master of Ceremonies for the night. Johnny McGee, the Wee One, was in the zone for his stint on stage.

The lads returned to the Irish Cottage to a rounding applause. The night seemed to have a bit more energy than usual. Maybe it was because the band showed off their new bass player Johnny Boy Ragusa and also being back at the Irish Cottage. The crowd was great as usual and people started dancing after the third song.

ROCKS returned to Classic's in Levittown and we're helped out by Damian Sholls of the Tommygunn band. Zoot and Tommy Menkes also helped out as the band returned after the wild Xmas party. Crowd was good and once they got warmed up by the music there was a good time by all.

There was only one way to describe the ROCKS Xmas Party at the Irish Cottage on Dec. 18, "TOTALLY ROCKING". The place was packed with people into the "Yuletide Madness". They only were there for one thing , a good time. And they got it. The band just banged out songs one after the other and the crowd was dancing everywhere. There was even a few people swinging from the rafters of the bar. Bob kept the band paced with one song after another. Kenny got them going with his "Mack the Knife" set. With the help of Tommy on drums and Mike on guitar from the TommyGunn band and Mike "Booger" Howley on harp, BiGG Ray got to come out and do his thing out front. If you wanted a picture of a "partying attitude" the Irish Cottage had that night

ROCKS played the Chemiclene 50th aniversary and all was rockin'. The Daum family threw a great party and all that attended loved it.

People came down to work off their turkey at Callahan's on Nov. 27. There was a John McGee and Irish Cottage contingent. Zoot came down to help out on sax. Jack Carney with a little help from Edward sang Carol. John McGee was just dancing on stage.

The return to Classic's was a return to some good times. Despite the bad weather, people came from all over to see the boys rock the place. There was a large contingent from South Nassau Hospital and the Irish Cottage. The band had a little more room to play than the old days, but the dancers were a little squeezed in. The lounge chairs on stage added a different look. The band looks forward to the next time.

ROCKS returned to Callahan's in East Meadow on October 9. A few new and old faces showed up. Johnny McGee joined the boys on stage for the old Jerry Jeff Walker song "Up Against the Wall". The band tried to get Mombo up on stage but he stood his ground and said no.

After a long layoff, ROCKS launched back to the scene at the Irish Cottage BBQ on September 11. Many friends stopped by to say hello. The last set included a few blues numbers and people are still asking about the "Mysterious Harp Player". Zoot stopped by to play a few numbers on the sax. The last set also had its fill of enthusiastic dancers that cried for more.

What a "rockin" party at the Daum house on June 19. The boys pulled some old numbers out of their hat and the crowd seemed to enjoy it. The Craw and Booger joined the band. Seems like all the little kids wanted to play the "Who" on Bob's guitar". Butzie and Johnny McGee joined the boys on "Dead Flowers" which was dedicated to Tommy Flynn. The boys dedicated a few "Who: numbers to their departed friend Joe Menesick.

A packed house at the Irish Cottage welcomed ROCKS on this special night. Bob Kinney, the original ROCKS guitarist , rejoined the band for one night. Bob DeLucie came all the way from New Jersey to hear some Stones, so the boys in the band did the whole second side of the "Get Yer Ya Ya Yas Out" album. The whole crowd did the "who whose" during "Sympathy for the Devil." Who got the "head" this time?

ROCKS ventured into a new club, Center Ice, on Friday, May 21. Thanks to a lot of friends the crowd was good as was the attitude. People started dancing in the first set. Security (Butzie and Carno)did a fantastic job scouting out the place. Hey, there was even a Craw sighting. The boys changed their repertoire by ending the night with a slow blues.

A good night at Callahan's with a lot of new faces on hand. While our regular group of routees decided to take a weekend, many new people came down to taste the ROCKS maddness. Many from South Nassau and some who couldn't take Zachary's.. The "Southern Rock" stuff seemed to get them going in the second set. There were a lot of "rebel yell" from the crowd during "Call Me the Breeze".

Weird night at the Irish Cottage. It went from a western ghost down to a packed New York street. When the band started at 6:30, there was only the band, Butz, John McGee, Diana, and two bartenders. At 8:00 you could even walk through the place. By 8:15 the tables were pulled away and the people danced and sang till 11:00. Eddie OD sand a few Irish songs celebrating the first annual "Brian Boru Day". This looks like it could be a tradition in ROCKS history.

For those that decided to stay home and drink old egg nog and stale cookies, you missed one of the great parties of the year. The Irish Cottage/ ROCKS Xmas party was one rocking event. The place was packed at 5:30 and stayed that way to the early hours in the morning. The second set saw no one sitting but up dancing. Even Mikey "One Leg" was moving and grooving. The band played quite a few rocking Xmas numbers as well as their standards. Alan Koeppel sat in one drums to help out the band. Who was that big man singing "Silver Bells" at the end of the night. There was even a guest appearance by the illustrious and charismatic "Herr Ball".

Great party at Buck and Nanette Sweeney's Solomon Grundy's Reunion party. Brought back a lot of memories. The crowd got warmed up in the first set and broke loose in the second. Kenny even had the waitresses shuffling during Mack the Knife. Zoot lent some hefty sax throughout the night. Tommy Menkes sat in while BiGG Ray did his thing out front. Bob kept the crowd amused with his inspirational quips and guitar diddies between sets. Mikey was certainly the trooper after a 7 hour playing marathon the previous night. Thanks to Mike the Taper (Bob's son) for his video graphic assistance. This must have been the first time Mombo didn't shuffle about on the dance floor. Well, there's always Xmas. Buck made a request for "Born to Run" at the end of the night. Thanks Buck and Nan.

It was cold outside, but hot and rockin inside Callahan's on Nov. 8. Seems like the whole bar was on stage for the last song of the night. The band did their timeless rendition of that great hit "Me and Johnny McGee". Good crowd, great night.

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Kenny played with the TommyGunn Band in early June. They asked BiGG Ray to come up and sing a tune or two.

Happy Birthday Edward

The trip to Eire was a success. Kudos to Edward for running the trip, Johnny Waldron for being MVP, Quinny as the vet, and Jack Carney as Supreme vet. Well up Jake on the pipes and welcome to America, Doovie.

Change in situations on Sept. 10 at the Sunset Grill. The Schwarz boys went down to see the TommyGunn and BiGG Ray played drums and Tommy Menkes sang out front. We have to work a little more on his stage moves.

Welcome John Raguso as the newest member of ROCKS.

Congratulations Chemiclene and Ed O'Donnell on their awards.

Kenny's birthday party was a grand success. Thanks to all those that came.

A few of the boys in ROCKS joined the TommyGunn band for a few numbers at the end of September. Kenny sand most of the night. Bob and Ray came up and did a few numbers. Stu flew all the way from Reno for the event.

Johnny McGee through a great party down in Long Beach for the Irish Festival.

Well the lads just got back from the "ole Sod" and a good time was had by all. We all enjoyed the "Ring of Kenny". "Well up Edward" you really know how to throw a trip. "Ta tart orm" was the battle cry of the trip. It is Celtic for I'm thristy.

Goodbye Joe. We'll miss ya. You were one of a kind. Harry will be waiting at the bar for you.

Some of the boys in the band went to see their inspirations last week when they went to see the Rolling Stones. Bob went and saw a great show at the Roseland. He got real close and personal. BiGG Ray and Kenny went with Stuball and the Daumster in style by limo to the Meadowlands. A good time was had by all.

Congratulations to Stephen and Dina Daum on their wedding. Good speech Thomas

Cherrywood Football to begin shortly. Get those football shoes dusted off.

Jersey D-thon was it's usual fantastic weekend. Frank Parker once again came through. All participants had a great time. .

The Jake Basketball Game 2002 was once again a hit. Though participants were lighter than usual, the fun was the same. Eddie led the singing in the back of the Twins and Weavy and the Whale helped out. By the way, St. John's won.

The Daum luxary box party at the Coliseum on Decemeber 15 was fabulaous. All had a great time.

The Sept. 11 and after was been pretty tough on everyone. If you have any kind of soul you must have felt the grief and bewilderment from the events that unfolded. This was eased a little with the show of support from around the world. We can only pray and wish the best for the friends and families of those who were taken away from us last week. We will prevail.

Jersey Drinkathon 2001 was great. This year there were 12 participants. The boys even blew off the Met - Yankee game for this. After the stickball and Cave-man basketball events, all went to Seaside Heights for a time of fun and frolick.

Knights of Scuz hockey game was on March 11 and there was a great turnout. This year all donations were in the name of our dear friend Corinne Dalasandro to the Washington Cancer Foundation. Donations were also be made to John Theisen's Toys for Tots Foundation. Jack Kratzer, the Organizer, and Kenny did a fantastic job. The boys in the band won alot of prizes and generously re-raffled them for the cause.

New Years Eve at the Cherrywood was a fine Kratzer event. All had fun.

Leemix did it again throwing his annual ski weekend at Okemo. A condo on the mountain and Captain Cholesteral cooking breakfast, Who could ask for more. It was a blast.

The Jake basketball game was fantastic as usual. SJU even won.

ROCKS is doing a benefit at the Irish Cottage on December 16. It will be an all acoustic set. It should be interesting for all those that have seen the band for years. ROCKS has never played acoustic. The time is 6:00 pm and will last to 7:00 pm. The benefit is for US Marines' Toys for Tots drive.