As the youthful innocence of the 50s faded, mainly 'cause I don't remember that much, we hit the 60's in full stride! When you are eleven the whole world's out to lunch! The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan show! Now that is something I remembered! Paul McCartney singing Yesterday and all the controversy and excitement left some impression on pre-teen little Gooch's expanding mind! No! I never dabbled in hallucinogenics. JFK's assassination, moving from the good old Adrean Terrace to Tracy St, checking into Kemble School for junior high and more music! The Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five , The Kinks [I don't remember The Who yet], The Troggs, Donovan and Beatles Beatles Beatles!!!!Ya say ya wanna revolution... HUH? WOW! AND THEN
SPIDERMAN!!!!!! COMIC BOOKS! SHEESH! CHANGE MY LIFE OR WHAT!

Kemble School Graduation June 1966

Where is gooch?

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind...like you care! Second row down, 7th head from the right. Check out those ears!

I entered Utica Free Academy, UFA, in September 1966. What a place. Four years. Went by kinda quick. I didn't get involved in any activities or sports or any high school stuff but nonetheless I did well academically. My strict and ultra-controlled upbringing had now affected my high school days. I wasn't at all comfortable and those big ears were bothering me! HaHaHa But 1967 and the "Summer of Love" and flower power and hippies and HAIR!!!!!!were here! AND THE MUSIC!!! Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, The Byrds, Cream, Creedence, Iron Butterfly, Janis, Jimi,and BEATLES BEATLES BEATLES: we'd love to turn you on....Psychedelia which BLEW MY MIND!!!! 15 years old and I can see for miles! THE WHO!!!! and those funky clothes! I didn't quite go overboard but bell bottoms and beads were a part of the limited Gooch attire. I remember going to New York City with John Sigbieny in the summer of'67 to see the Yankees(big deal) and the city was alive and vibrant and today.Wow I bought a coupla Nehru shirts and just exuded coolness back in Utica! I didn't hang out with any of my high school friends but spent the days in James Street park with the gang. A colorful and sometimes motley mixture of youth; prone to raising a ruckus well after I hied home to study. I love reminiscing on those lazy, care-free days and the wonders of James Street. Finally I found an interest in sports. Started watching and rooting and lo and behold-"Let's Go Mets" and the New York Rangers and then on a pedestal of their own- THE OAKLAND RAIDERS. Football base ball hockey The sporting 60's had the legends never to be equalled today and the games played like they were meant to. Didja ever watch the television show THE WONDER YEARS? It captured the essence of small town 60's and at times brought tears to my eyes. My favorite tv show. And the days rolled by as my sophomore year ended. An "A" student and the political ineptitude of '68, more assassinations- america where are ya now. Steppenwolf! There's a monster on the loose! Let's get on that Magic Bus and Viet Nam. I couldn't understand why people kept hurting people. But something was drastically wrong! But how about those Jets and Mets!!! WOW 1969! I was 17 and the world beckoned. So much STUFF out there! Pinball wizard and WOODSTOCK!Eveyday there was a new and exciting occurrence. THINGS WERE HAPPENING! That summer I went to the Colgate Seminar at the university. A rather incredible experience and got me interested,tho very short-lived, into wanting to go there some day. That impossible dream never played out and I was kinda disappointed. Oh well, that is college life and a tale to be finished later. The White Album and Abbey Road. The Beatles were creating music history-unbelievable music and then it hit me what the drug scene was all about. Being totally without a clue as to what it all meant, reality set in when I walked by the porch next to Jweid's on James St. and the gang was extolling on the merits of Romalar! HUH? Drugs!!! Never used 'em and never will. A sad part of America. But hey it didn't affect me! We are the Volunteers of America! The Airplane!!! Who woulda thought all my heroes would be killing themselves in years to come. But another mind-boggling happening! WE WALK ON THE MOON!!!!The 60's! What an unbelievable bunch of things going on. That summer of '69, 16 soon to be 17, and the month of August that was THE MOMENT of my life! Wow, we will continue this tomorrow on Aug. 5 2001. We must acknowledge a few people. So if I leave ya out don't be offended! Where do ya begin? Anthony C. and family, Lump, Dodge, Tobe and Red, Duff, Mike K., Hank, Bro. Yac, Alex, Richie and Freddie, John S. Pete M., some of the Wams, the Kelly's, the Professor, Smitty, Mike F., Gary, Dickie and Steve, Teapot, Nicky R, Dave, George and Ray....and yes, you too ELLEN!!!! I am sure there are more but you get the gist. Gaucho Cookies Forever!

But wait a minute....I remember a voice from the past.....in the year 2003, a few pictures from this era have been unearthed! Harken back 34 years as we check 'em out! Here's another clue for you all.....

Today is Sunday Aug.5, 2001. Happy Birthday to Ray Krol! Ray was 1 when I last cut my hair! It is hard to believe that 32 years have passed! I can still remember that summer Wednesday. The Mets had fallen far behind the Cubs and the excitement of the moonwalk was fading,[resurrected by Michael Jackson, recently]. My 17th birthday was 2 weeks away and senior year was in a month. It was a confusing time and my family life was brutal! Typical teen-ager, eh! Coming home that afternoon, my father, in a rage, ordered me to get that hair cut. Now it had grown kinda nicely and I actually liked it. Nothing a big eared soon to be 17 year old wanted to hear. Well down to Butch's I trudged, to keep peace in the family, and off went those precious locks. BOY DID THAT HURT! There were those ears again and I looked like a skinny goofball! [Kinda like today, eh!] [[hahaha]] And I was never the same. HMM, kinda wierd.

Well, school began and I started missing a lot of days. College dreams had become just that and nothing went right at home. My brothers and sisters were all unhappy. People were dying in America, in a raging war, and now at the music scene. Altamont. Brian Jones dies and....the 60's came to a close. It ended on a miserable note for me and my country and my music. I was just 17 and The Beatles were breaking up. So Sad about us

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