July 2001: Fat Moe's show, Rochester, NY. First live Rats experience!

August 11, 2001: Dead Pig, Live Rats (see link below), Spencerport, NY. Got to meet and talk to the boys for the first time. Drank a lot of wine, got loaded, danced like a maniac. A truly unforgettable show.

Sept. 14/15, 2001: Fat Moe's shows, Roch, NY. Reintroduced myself to Gene and Stefan (Gene thought my name was Jillian and called me that the whole time at the Pig Roast).

Oct. 20th, 2001: Star Cafe Reunion show, Milford, CT. Bought four tix, two for my folks and two for me and my man, drove 3.5 hours to pick up my folks, the drove 3 more hours to CT with my folks to see the band play. Worth every second!

November 16/17, 2001: Fat Moe's shows, Roch, NY. Really got to hang out with the guys and get to know them. I went alone both nights and had a splendid time! Hung out with Gene and Stef til about 3 am, got yelled at by the fiance for staying out so late...OOPS, sorry honey.

November 18, 2001: Private function in Rochester, NY. Had quite a few laughs with the guys...sat around and talked until they went on about 9:30ish. Really good time, got to know more about the boys...they're nice people! :-)

December 31st, 2001: Private New Year's Party, Rochester, NY. So much fun, it should have been illegal. Especially at the hotel "after party" we created! NOTE: Gene, you rock! I hope you feel better.

February 23, 2002

April 6, 2002

May 25, 2002

July 14, 2002

July 20, 2002

August 24, 2002

October 11, 2002

October 12, 2002

October 26, 2002

March 1, 2003

**June 21, 2003- cancelled, but went to their house.

August 16, 2003

August 29, 2003

READ BELOW FOR MORE ARCHIVED ADVENTURES!!!!

10/25/01: *To explain: The old bassist, Denis Perry, was recently replaced by Joe Cumia, who is the brother of Anthony from the "Opie and Anthony Show". He's FANTASTIC!! To update the page a little further, I went to Fat Moe's the 14th and 15th of Sept. and enjoyed two nights of fuckin' great music. I did show the Rats my scrapbook (AKA the Ratbook, as it is affectionately known), and they loved it! Unfortunately, the alcohol consumption by yours truly on the night of the 15th made for very horrible photographs. I don't think I got one decent shot the whole night! 'Tis okay, as October 20th in Milford CT, the Good Rats reunited Peppi with the other four original members, and I did happen to get some shots of them inbetween dancing and drinking! Stefan was there as well, he played the first song ("School Days") as Joe Franco was LATE....no biggie cuz Stefan is much nicer to look at than Joe anyhow...LOL! It was a good night filled with a lot of great old tunes. They even performed "Victory In Space", which came as a welcome surprise to me...I love that song! As for next month, November 16th and 17th the Rats will be back in Rochester at Moe's, and I'll be there as well. As long as they keep coming around, I will be there to see 'em. Be sure to visit www.goodrats.com to see if they'll be playing in your area anytime soon. Next time I gotta remember to ask Stefan why they call him "The Weasel"...hmmmmm. ;-)

11/16 and 11/17/01: Fat Moe's shows in Rochester NY: Awesome shows again! They actually did some songs I didn't expect them to do, such as "Boardwalk Slasher" and "Victory in Space"...they never got to do "Ashes to Ashes" or "Cherry River". Peppi was right on the ball both nights and delivered a fantastic vocal performance. Gene was SIZZLIN' HOT and played four cover songs both nights; he's amazing! Stefan really put a lot of energy and vigor into his drum playing, as he always does--he coaxed the crowd to their feet! Joe, who is still a fairly new member, played the songs as if he'd been doing this forever. I think he was a great choice for bassist and I certainly hope it works out for them all in the long run. Peppi did invite me to a private function tonight, the 18th, and I am going to try and make it...I'm pretty run down, probably only had 10 hours of sleep this whole weekend, and I gotta work tomorrow! I DID ask Stefan about the Weasel thing...I didn't really get a good answer...we brought him a bottle of wine this visit from my father, who got both he and Gene shitfaced (moreso Gene than Stef :-)) at the Pig Roast with four bottles of wine. :-) (SEE PICS ABOVE!) I also helped Dan the Man out a bit, by watching his stuff, and in return Dan-O gave me the tape from the Oct. 20th reunion and also is going to send me the shows from this weekend. I have to tell you, if you've never been to a live Rats show, GO TO ONE! Even if you gotta drive a little way out of your way, it's more than worth it. I guess they won't be back up this way til next year, which is a bummer, as I always look forward to their shows, but I'll still keep in touch with the band and see how things are going and report it to you, the real die-hard Rat fans. Signing off for now...will report if I do get to the show tonight....

11/18/01: Of course I went to the private party, and it was GREAT!! Not only did the band sound fantastic (as they always do), but I got to get to know the guys a little better. They are all so funny, Joe Cumia was doing his impression of Arnold Schwarzenegger..."Good morning...who is your Daddy and what does he do?" I cracked up so many times that night. I am so grateful that Peppi invited me to that show, because I really wanted to start to get to know the people that the bandmembers are, and not just them as musicians...and you know what? They're truly good and friendly people with great senses of humor. This was the best weekend I think I ever had. PS: Gene, you hottie, the next time I see ya, I'll be sure to save the best backrub for you! ;-) (Ya know you like it!--LOL)

12/3/01: Rat Withdrawal! The next time I'm going to a show is New Years' Eve. That's a little less than a month away, but it seems like forever. Thought I'd stop on and give a shout out to Chuck, who was so kind to be the first visitor to bother signing the good old Ratbook. All you Jersey fans be sure to get out and support the boys this month, they'll be in Secaucus and Piscataway. CT fans: get to the Star Cafe in Milford for Peppi's 8th annual 50th birthday bash! And LI fans, Freeport is the place to be near the end of Dec. Go to the Official Good Rats Website for more information. GET TO THOSE SHOWS, FOLKS!! They love to see everyone there. -J.

1/1/02 Went to the New Year's party last night...OH MY GOD what a fun time we had! Especially me :-) It started at about 7:30ish, the Rats got there at 9:30 and started playing at about 10:30. My friends and I did not stop dancing until the music stopped at 1:30 AM! Then to top off a perfectly great evening, we followed the boys back to their hotel, and hung out in Gene's room until all hours of the night. I got home at 7:15 AM. I'm pretty beat, as you can guess...poor guys had to pack up all their gear this morning and drive back to LI...wish I could have helped them out with packing the van, but I was dog tired and had to get some sleep. Apparently from what I have heard they will not be back up until April 6th to play at Moe's which is a HUGE bummer as I really enjoyed hanging with Gene, Stef and Joe. You guys, I'll never forget room 326 at the Marriott and the crazy ass stuff we watched on TV (you know exactly what I'm referring to!), especially Britney Spears who isn't yet a woman but not quite a girl, and I hope we can do it again in April. Kisses to all and hope your year brings great things....

2/24/02: Just got back from the CC Muggs show in Union. Fabulous show (of course), very small venue with a LOT of big fans. Great bartender, too! The band was in fine form and delivered a killer show! My friends Jen and Scott who live in two areas of Jersey came along and enjoyed themselves immensely. Next show for me should be Fat Moe's April 6th, and Gene, I expect we'll be doing some more Jager shots together! ;-) Stef, hope you enjoyed the wine! Pictures soon, will get the roll developed sometime this week.

4/7/02: OK...what a NIGHT! I'm still awake and it's the next evening. Didn't sleep at all after the hotel party, what a crazy night it was. I can't go into the gruesome details with you all here, but it was a HELL of a party. The show at Moe's was fantastic, Pep performed the entire 3 hours, the crowd was insanely huge, Gene, Stef and Joe were at their finest, and best of all I was 100% sober (until the hotel party, that is!). Peppi had Stefan film some new footage for the "Let's Have Another Beer" video at Moe's when they first went on, which was cool, I can't wait to see what it all looks like when it's finished. I'm gonna give a few "shout-outs" to the wonderful people we had at the hotel party: Scott, the singer for "Most Wanted" who USUALLY opens for the Rats but couldn't last night: Thanks for coming, man! It was fun! Dan the Man: you're hilarious! See how much fun a party with Jillian can be? Gino: Feel better, hottie...I'll talk to ya sometime this week. And believe me, even in such circumstances, I was glad to have spent the 2 hours with you! (TO MY READERS: NOT what you think, you perverts! LOL) Stef: I WANNA SEE THE VIDEO YOU SHOT LAST NIGHT!!!!! :-) Kristy: thanks for coming up again for some Rats fun, sorry you had to jet this morning. Missy: We'll DEFINITELY do it again, hope you can sit down comfortably now. ;-) Joe: JOE CUMIA from ROCHESTER, glad you joined us crazy folks last night, and hope you enjoyed the HBO programming of the evening.

5/2/02: Only 23 more days 'til I'm a married woman...YIKES!! Hard to believe I'm gonna take the plunge! Well, the next Rat show is a private function, one which I am looking forward to GREATLY: My wedding reception! You got it, my Dad hired the Rats to come down to the wedding and play for a couple hours at my reception...could it get any cooler than that? There is still a slight issue with what they're gonna do for a bassist...in case you Rat Fans haven't heard the news, Joe Cumia is no longer a member of the band, due to reasons I cannot disclose. We all wish him the best in future endeavors, of course. Anyhow, Peppi told me he'd figure something out, but they'd be at the reception regardless. They might have to record drums and have Stef play the bass! How crazy is that? :-) It oughtta be interesting either way. They promised to stay late and party with us, which will rock, since I probably will be overwhelmed with guests and won't have a chance to chat with the boys until after the reception dies down a bit. I'm shooting for getting down to LI for the two Hicksville shows June 14th and 15th, since that's right after my birthday (June 13th), and will definitely be at Ratstock IV and perhaps the next reunion concert in Jersey in July. Maybe I'll catch you all there, eh? Rat on, guys!

5/20/02: 5 DAYS LEFT! Scary, isn't it? Truly, I am looking forward to my wedding and especially the reception to follow...the Rats have found an up and comer to play bass and he sounds very talented and eager. I will report back when I am back in Rochester next week. Hope all of you are well and are attending Rats shows when you can; it's important to keep a steady fan base out there going to the shows and introducing new people to the music. Keep it up! See you all at the next Rats show, perhaps!

6/2/02: Hey everyone! Well, the wedding is over and done with, and it's great! The Rats showed up at the reception about 5 minutes before they were supposed to start- many slow people in front of them driving up Route 17! Matt, the new bass player, is very personable and highly talented. He learned so many songs in a short span of time! They started off with "Elbo" and then "Back To My Music", and once they started "Let's Have Another Beer", people started doing keg stands- there was a HUGE line of people waiting to get up and do one (or two, like my brother Rich)! The Beer Song was requested over and over and they ended up having to do it twice, which Peppi enjoyed. Gene did some covers with Stef and Matt; some STP, some Journey, a little Kryptonite...it was awesome! I came over and gave everyone a Twat Twister, this really tasty drink my friend Tammy made (she was the bartender that night), and everyone had a great time. It was too bad they had to go right home afterwards, because we were set on having a great evening and we certainly did just that! As a wedding gift, Peppi gave us tickets to the reunion show in Jersey in July and Ratstock IV in Pennsylvania in August. You know I'll be there! All in all it was a blast and a wedding no one will ever forget, that's for sure (unless they were too drunk to remember in the first place!). Rat ON!

6/20/02: So are you guys gonna be at the reunion show at Bazooka's in Piscataway NJ or WHAT? I suggest you all make an appearance and show your support for Pep and the boys! The DUM CD is finished, we're just waiting on a release date. The Fat Moe's show is July 20th, and you know I'll be there! Hope to see all you big Rat fans!! Rat on...Jes

6/9/03: 2000 VISITORS HAVE HIT THIS SITE! Yay! I have a truly mediocre website, and I am VERY excited about that! Ha ha...how is everyone? My birthday is Friday the 13th and I will be here in Walton at my dad's place (The Daily Grind) if anyone wants to come hang out with me. The Wankers (The Daily Grind House Band and good friends of mine) are playing, which is GREAT...too bad the Rats aren't following them, then it would be the perfect birthday! I will be at the Beach show on the 21st, barring some type of problem. I think it's gonna be me and my Dad for that show. WHERE ARE YOU, MISSY?! Email me soon, k? Talk to everyone later! Jes

6/22/03: Unfortunately the beach show was cancelled. We were already on the Island anyway, so Gene called us up and had us come over to the house. We had a good time just hanging out with the guys and I had the pleasure of meeting Gene's friend Dora (who I KNOW has visited this site- isn't it cool?). Stefan's wedding is coming up so he's busy all the time. Peppi was in high spirits and seems to be feeling very well! We got home late (of course- have I ever gotten home EARLY after hangin' with the Mini-Marchellos?) and trekked back here to Walton this AM. Thanks again, guys, for your hospitality- hope you had as much fun as we did. See ya in July!

7/14/02: What a show! Returned from Bazooka's in Piscataway NJ where the phenomenal reunion of the original Good Rats took place. For those who missed it, you really did miss an awesome show. They all were right on their game last night, Peppi's voice was GREAT and the band was rockin'! We were literally packed in that place like sardines in a can. Missy, the Jersey Ratette, and her friend Courtney, who is pretty new to this Rat thang, showed up and worked the door handing out info about Ratstock IV which will be happening August 24th in PA. The Mini-Marchellos, Stefan and Gene, also made an appearance as well as Matt, the new bassist. I left the front of the stage halfway in the show so some other folks could get in there and get nice pics, went to the bar, bought Gene a Bass and hung out with him for a little while. I met his good friend Jen there as well, who he apparently has told a lot about me...uh oh!! It was all in all a wonderful show and worth the 6.5 hour drive! Come to the July 20th show in Rochester at Moe's. See ya all in PA in August!

7/20/02: Again, a great show followed by an interesting get-together at the Best Western. Missy and Courtney drove up from NJ, those crazy Ratettes! At first, Pep was disappointed with the turnout, as he was entitled to be, because WHERE THE HELL WERE ALL OF YOU?! The crowd wasn't horrible, just not as large as it usually is. Peppi was in rare form, dancing around the stage like little kid and spouting off into the mic; he had us in tears, he was being so funny! The guys went on at 11:30 and played til 2:30, and we helped the guys pack up and watched the new "Beer" video before we left. Then we shuffled off back to the hotel and drank a little vino and sang classic hits such as "Uncle Fucka" from the South Park movie and "Without Me" by Eminem. Stefan graced us with a fine performance of fake farts, as did Gene and Neal, who performed fake farts with various parts of their anatomies. Scott from Most Wanted showed up with his girl. Dan was completely wrecked, talking about South Park and Martha Stewart sticking a turkey up her ass, but it was WAY funny. Matt fell asleep halfway through the night as did Missy. We left the hotel at 6:30 am very tired, and very voiceless. It was another of those stories I'll never be able to tell my children. :-) Even though this visit was more in the spirit of silliness, I have to say I'm even more glad to have these guys as friends. I'll see 'em next in August at Ratstock!

8/24/02: RATSTOCK!! Some of you guys missed the GREATEST time ever! At first, it really sucked. We got there at like 12 noon, and all it did was RAIN until 5 pm when the guys went on. It stopped as soon as the show began. It was a whole lotta fun! I got one of the Ratstock mugs and got buzzed, Missy got piss drunk, and Neal and my sisters had a ball! Pep promised, and delivered, 50 songs- a top of the line show all the way. I'll definitely be back that way next August. Next show I'll be at is Ogden, NY at the Buffalo Roadhouse Oct. 26th. Hope you'll all be there, show your support for the boys and DUM!

9/24/02: Boredom. The next show is a month away! I need my Rats Night Out. Missy wants to come get me in October and whisk me away to a wonderous weekend of Rattastic fun and frolicking...I'm all for that, so hopefully as long as my wonderful, caring, dear husband doesn't object, I may be able to romp with the girls in a couple weeks. It would be nice to be able to chill with the girls and hang with Gene, Stefan and Matty again. I want to give a shout out to my little sister Mallory as well...you've been invited back for more shows if you ever want to go, so let me know and we'll figure something out. LATER!

10/14/02: The Ratnapping was done this past weekend, and boy, was it ever an interesting one! Where have all you die-hard fans disappeared to? No one really showed up...I was a little disappointed in all of you fans. People always tell Peppi not to stop doing shows because it's their release or their break and then nobody shows up. Now, I can't be at every show, and certainly none of you can either, but when they're near your town, why not stop in and say hey, give Pep a thanks and listen to a few songs? It's all in the name of keeping the music alive. But anyway, if you didn't hear, sadly Matt McCarthy has to leave the band due to a new job promotion. It's all on good terms, and he will be playing on some occasions when he has the freedom to do so. No word yet on any replacements, but you know I'll keep you up-to-date. Next show I'll be at is Oct. 26th at the Buffalo Roadhouse in Ogden, NY. Hope to see you guys there! SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!!

10/27/02: It's the Sunday after a Rats show, and it's typical- I'm too exhausted to even get out of my PJ's and into clothes, let alone go anywhere or do anything. My voice is completely shot, as I've come to expect after a really good show, when I have been singing as hard as Peppi down there in the audience...The Buffalo Roadhouse in Ogden was a GREAT bar with a huge open area and lots of people. I met fans Tim and Karen there (join Tim's Yahoo group "fromratstoriches"), and saw a few fans from past shows (Scott and Joanna). Pep was at his finest, as were the boys. Gene performed "Park and Ride" and "Monster Girlfriend", two of my favorite songs, but pretty much this was a total Rat Fest. It was great to see so many fans out there! This what the shows should be like: packed full of fans and new faces who get really into the music. Anyway, Gene, Stefan, and Matty were all over at my apartment last night before the show for a few hours, watching porn, drinking beer, and eating pumpkin pie and candy. Missy again drove up from Jersey as it is her "last hurrah" for awhile- she's going back to the Navy ship today in S. Carolina. We basically hung out and talked and had a few laughs- it is always nice to just be able to hang out with them, because they are my friends, and because we hardly get to spend quality time talking and getting to know each other better. Gene was cracking jokes all evening as was Stefan. This show was Matt's last Rochester show, which is disappointing, but he and I have become good friends and will be keeping in close touch. It really turned out to be a good night for everyone. Dan the Man stayed over and everyone else was crazy enough to drive back home right after the show. It was great fun, as usual, and I hope to see them before the close of the year. Thanks for the memories, Matt, and good luck with your job!!

12/12/02: Hey all! Sorry I haven't been here on the site for many days now...we had a few major changes in our lives. Well, I am bored, haven't seen my guys since what seems like forever. Gene and Stef are doing Zone shows, so I am hoping all of you who are able to are getting out there and showing your appreciation for these guys! I hope to be able to see the guys after the holidays, if things get back to normal around here. I wish I could tell you more, but why don't you just visit a site called Work or Spoon for now, register (it's free), and bitch about your shitty jobs/bosses/clients/customers, etc.? It will make you feel better and it's a lot of fun!

http://www.workorspoon.com

See ya soon, everyone! Rat ON!

12/28/02: Hey all!! Pep wanted me to let you all know he's doing very well and feeling better than ever! He is going to most likely remain on hiatus until March in order to ensure he's at his best for all you guys. He thanks everyone for their support and also for supporting Stef and Gene while they're out on the road doing Zone/Rats gigs. Remember that the "Play DUM" album is now available-- see Peppi's section below for the information regarding the songs, how much the CD costs and where to send the cash. Buy 4 CDs and get a copy of the video for free! Other than that, not much new here- I will be moving by the end of January three hours south to Walton, NY, so I'll no longer be the Rochester Ratette, but the NY Ratette! No worries, friends in lovely Rochacha- I will be making appearances to shows up in that area even after my move. Anyhow, hope everyone had a Rattastic Christmas and I hope your New Year starts out wonderfully! Thanks again for your support of the site and of the greatest, most famous unknown band in the world, the Good Rats!!

1/2/03: HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Last year I had the pleasure of spending the holiday with the Rats, but this year was a couch potato kind of year. We're going to be moving away soon, so we're busy packing and all that fun shit. However, I will try my damndest to keep you guys up-to-date on what's new in Ratland! Pep is recovering from a mild case of pneumonia, his lovely wife Cathy reports, but as long as he doesn't overdo it, he should be back on his feet in no time! Has anyone bought the DUM CD yet? I hope so! I have to wait because money's tight around these parts with the move coming up, but you know I'll have it soon. And there will be a full report on it when I am done listening to it 100 times! A few site updates: The Matt McCarthy pages have been removed. He's no longer the bassist, so I took his page down. When they finally have a more permanent guy, I'll set him up real nice! WE wish Matt the best of luck. I am still trying to put up the guys' individual pages, but haven't had much time as of yet. So don't be mad at me, OK?! I'm trying, and you gotta admit, my page has got more info than the OFFICIAL site has had in years (no offense Bill!), so keep watching. Well, it seems that I won't see the guys until the spring, so until then, I'll do my best to stop on here and update you on what I'm up to (like you care!). Tell everyone about my site and remember to sign my guestbook! I like to see how many people appreciate my work here. I have to go, but I'll be back soon. Miss all you Rat fans, and see you guys at shows soon!!

1/7/03: We're coming close to leaving Rochacha, and my dreadful place of employment. We're almost completely packed up, which is good, because I wasn't about to wait until the last minute. Anyway, just checking in- anyone been to the Zone shows? Let me know how they're going. And a shout out to Missy and Courtney- I miss you guys! Tell everyone to show their support when you're out at the clubs! And come Ratnap me again soon! PLEEEEEAAAASSSSEEEE!!!! Rat on!

2/7/03: I know, I know...it's been a month since I udated anything. Sorry! I have finally relocated to Walton and am having bad luck from the start! I twisted my knee two days ago and am having a wonderful time trying to hobble around. They gave my crutches, which I refuse to use. I can't walk on 'em! I almost fall every time I try, and frankly, I don't want to hurt my OTHER knee trying to walk on those suckers. I work as a waitress, which is even WORSE! Thank god I have three days off to recover. They did an x-ray but I know nothing is broken- I think it would hurt a lot more if something was! Anywho, enough about that. Hope you guys are planning to go to Peppi's Belated 9th Annual 50th Birthday Bash on March 1st- I am planning on making it, but don't tell! SHHH!! I wanna surprise the guys. Remember, all monies collected go directly to Peppi to defer medical costs from his heart surgery. So BE THERE! Show your support for a great musician! I can't wait to be able to see the boys again, I miss those little creeps! ;-) Well, signing off for now- OH! If anyonw travels into the Southern Tier and down to Walton, visit a little place called The Daily Grind- it's FABULOUS! Rat on!

2/25/03: Hey you all! I am checking in to let you guys know what's up- NOTHING! I am so bored and we have no money to do a damn thing. BUT, I AM going to be at Peppi's Benefit, and I hope you guys are all showing up as well (weather permitting). It's MARCH 1st, at THE DUGOUT in COMMACK, LI. Tickets are $20 at the door and the event starts at 8 PM(but if you know me, I will be there much earlier to liven things up a bit). Now you have no excuses, because I have relayed all the info right here. I wanted to give a shout out to Chuck, Chris, Noelle and Ian from Walton, NY, and say hello- they have visited my site but neglected to sign the Ratbook- SIGN IT GUYS!! They love the Rats and especially the "World Party Anthem" (formerly known as "Let's Have Another Beer"). I believe it would be safe to say that they are single-handedly getting people addicted to that song by singing it in the bars around town and amongst their friends. Thanks to you guys and we love ya! Well, all, I am off for now- remember to always blame it on the dead guy and RAT ON!

3/2/03: Just got back from Long Island, spent the weekend there to visit family and to attend Peppi's 9th annual 50th birthday/benefit in Commack at The Dugout. I took along my dear friend Jennifer Tanzini, who celebrated her (count 'em folks!) THIRD Rats show in her whole entire life! I was impressed with the number of fans who showed up-thanks for all the support, folks! You know I like it when more than 10 of ya show up, ha ha! I met some interesting folks, let me give a shout-out: Ken and Bob, the twins, Chris who looks like Robert from Everybody Loves Raymond (Don't be offended--I honestly think that guy has some serious sex appeal, dude!), and the Connecticut fans whom I always end up meeting up with. It was a rockin' party with a great fan base...and Peppi sung for us last night: Beer, Elbo, Back to my Music, Songwriter, and School days! It was his first performance since the surgery and I will tell you what--he didn't disappoint. He sang a few more than he was going to originally, and then Gene and Stefan did some Zone covers. Dean Guiffrida was in attendance and played some bass for us as well. I was in seventh heaven. Rats shows are truly my one and only stress-relieving outlet, and since I haven't seen them since the Roadhouse in Roch in October 2002, I was DYING for a show! As usual, they delivered- Gene was passionate and seriously burned up the stage on guitar, belting out songs as if he hasn't sung in years. And my honey Stefan kicked royal ASS on the bass! I have NEVER seen Stef do anything but play drums, and I also have never seen a Zone gig. And it was my first (but definitely not last) LI show. Sadly there was no craziness at any hotels later on that evening, but we talked to the boys until 4:30 am about silly stuff, and then went on our way to Oakdale for a few hours' rest before heading back upstate. It was a wonderful evening and I am so glad to have shared it with all of you!!! What a way for everyone to honor Peppi's artistic brilliance and his friendship with each and every one of us. I hope you had a great time, Peppi, and I will see you soon!

(NOTE: Sadly, upon my return to Walton, I discovered that my dear Grandpa, Claude Fling, who I had just gone to visit at the hospital in Bay Shore yesterday, passed away due to complications from surgery he had a week ago. I want to take a moment here to honor Grandpa Claude's spirit and everlasting love that he had for each and every one of us, his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was a wonderful, sweet soul with a great sense of humor and he will be sorely missed. I am on my way back to LI tomorrow to assist in the arrangements. I am having a very hard time right now, but when things calm down I will be back at shows and back here on the site reporting more to everyone. Thanks for your wishes and please make sure to call or hug everyone you love today, because as I have learned, they may not be here tomorrow. Rat on, Grandpa...I love and miss you.)

3/11/03: Hi everyone, just checking in, keepin' the page fresh, ya know...I am SO missing shows right now. Just a heads-up for everyone: Stefan's OTHER band, LINT, is playing at CBGB 313 Gallery in NYC April 10th and 11th. Please make sure to show some support for Stefan and his bandmate. I am hoping to be able to check it out, but finances really suck right now. I can't wait until my hubby finally has a job that will allow us to go out and have fun, cuz this shit sucks. Anyway, hi out there to all you fans-hope to see you guys soon. Until then, rat on!

3/22/03: It's my day off, and I'm hoping to find something to do! Missy is somewhere in the Middle East and Courtney is down in NJ, so I am completely without Ratettes at the moment. Right now my father, myself, and some other folks are thinking about doing a Rats show up here in Walton over the summer. This would be a big deal, and of course we'd want everyone to show up! I'll keep you updated as things progress...right now, we're still searching for the right venue. I wanted to say hi to Boner, who for some reason will no longer email me (that's fine, Boner, be that way!)- I'll see you and Stefan in April at CBGB's barring some change in our situation. Also watch the goodrats.com page for club dates as Peppi should be getting back into the swing of things by May sometime. And buy some merchandise! You shouldn't be without a Tasty shirt!! Bye for now...

4/3/03: Ok, so this isn't a Rats-related incident, but over the last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing (and performing with) the world's greatest Beatles tribute band, British Export! They are WONDERFUL- if you're a Beatles fan, you'll love these guys. Check out their link at the bottom of the page. They have a great website and are on tour a LOT! I along with 7 other souls had the pleasure of performing "Yesterday" with Paul Lynch (aka, Paul McCartney). It's the first time in many years that I have played my viola and it felt wonderful. I also played the part of a little Piggy and I walked around the theater before the start of the show. :-) Too bad the Beatles didn't write songs about RATS, I would have REALLY fit right in (being the Ratette that I am, ha ha)! If anyone is interested, please visit http://www.dailygrind.ws and go to the "Previous Events" section. There you may view pictures from the British Export show. I will also have you know that the Daily Grind is my father's new club here in Walton, NY, along with his partner Joe Fulco. Soon I will have a cool link at the bottom of my page for their website. Enjoy the Britsh Export page and look for a show near you! PS: Hi Paul! Hope you had fun hanging out with all of us crazy Waltonians!!

4/16/03: Here is the schedule thus far for future Rat shows. As you know, things come up, so be sure to call the hotline at (631) 696-0707 to check and make sure shows have not been cancelled or rescheduled elsewhere. Peppi is looking forward to getting back on stage, and I am hoping many of you will be able to come out and show your love! I am figuring I'll be at a couple shows in June, July and definitely at Ratstock V in August. Here's the list, be there or be SQUARE!

Sat. May 3rd (PEPPI'S FIRST SHOW BACK!!) - Gabrielle's 1351 Centennial Ave., Piscataway, NJ (732) 981-1234

Sat. May 10th - C&D's Corner 275 S. Middletown Rd., Nanuet, NY (845) 627-7001

Fri. May 16th - Yankee Peddler 70 Merrick Ave., Merrick, NY (516) 378-9735

Fri. May 23rd - Shamrocks 369 Lake Ave., St. James, NY (631) 584-3623

Sat. May 31st - private party

Sat. June 7th - Purple Frog 267A Merrick Rd., Lynbrook, NY (516) 599-9650

Sat. June 14th - Star Cafe 131 Bridgeport Ave., Milford, CT (203) 874-5474

Sat. June 21st - Smith's Point Beach Long Island - 4 p.m. - FREE ADMISSION!

Sat. June 28th - Krogh's 23 White Deer Plaza, Sparta, NJ (973) 729-8428

July 26th - John Wambolt's 4th annual Good Rats bash Wallingford, CT! -More details to come

August 16th - Ratstock V - Waymart, PA (Please email [email protected] if you are interested in attending Ratstock!)

Also, another original Good Rats reunion later in the year!

5/17/03: It's been a month since I've done any updating and I apologize profusely. There isn't really much to update you guys on, truthfully! I haven't gone to any shows as of yet, being that I am so busy, but plan on going as soon as I can. I spoke with Peppi a week ago, he really enjoyed being back on stage on May 3rd- they are currently in the market for a drummer. Stefan has decided to switch to bass, so what they need is a young, unattached guy who would kill to play for the Rats and won't be the type to skip rehearsals and shit like that. If you fit that profile, and live in the LI area, call and leave a message on the hotline. They're going to need someone soon, so don't hesitate! Well, sorry so short, but not much has been going on. I'll see y'all soon! J.

6/1/03: I am really missing the shows. Missy is finally getting back to the states, and as soon as she does, we've gotta come up with the plan for my second Ratnapping. I haven't heard from Pep at all as of yet, and (big surprise) Stefan and Gene haven't gotten in touch with me regarding the possibility of them coming up to visit this summer. We'll see how that transpires. Not much new, been busy at work. Will update as things progress! Later, J.

7/14/03: Hi all. This week has quickly turned sour for the old Ratette. An old friend of mine has been murdered and it is making me extremely sad. Seven kids, ranging in age from 16 to 23, beat Tim to death with their bare hands and a skateboard, which is now thought to be the lethal object in this tragedy. Tim was six foot two, skinny, had dirty blonde hair and had a friendly smile a mile wide. I wanted to take a moment to honor his memory here on my site, so please bear with me:

Thanks, Tim, for all the times you slow-danced with me at the high school dances because nobody else would ask me to, even though you were a good two feet taller than me... you'd let me stand on your feet and you'd ask me to dance for every single slow song. Thanks for all the sweet little notes and poems written in your tiny neat handwriting that you'd slip in my locker. Thanks for always being a sweetheart and always being a friend to me back in the old days. Rest in peace, Tim Cutting...I'll never forget your smile.

The place at the top of the dirt mound is where Tim's lifeless body was found on Friday evening, 12 hours after his brutal slaying. I hope all seven of those little bastards rot in jail for the rest of their pitiful, meaningless lives.

7/27/03: Howdy from the Ratette, hope everyone is well. Just a reminder to everyone that if you are a working stiff and have great job-related stories, you should be registering for Work or Spoon at www.workorspoon.com. I am actively involved with the site and am beginning a huge promotional campaign to get you all to register and post stories about your jobs; funny stories, rnats, stories of stupid people you unfortunately have to work with, etc. So visit the site today and register (it's FREE). I'll see you guys at Ratstock in Waymart on August 16th- til then, rat on!

7/20/03: Hey everyone, hope all is well with you guys and you've been going to shows...I've been a bad ratette lately, haven't seen the guys since I went to their house back in June. I am planning to get to a show sometime soon, hopefully before Ratstock V kicks off, but money is tight- you know how that story goes. Things are looking up around here, though! Anyway, get to those shows, folks- show your support for the Rats and for live music! See you guys soon!

10/01/03: HOLY SHIT, y'all! I have to share with you guys the most exciting news of my entire life, but be warned---it's NOT Rat related. I've been one of the lucky ones who has been invited to the View Askew Stash Bash 2 in NJ on Oct. 26th! For all of you who don't get why that is so important to me, let me explain. You see, since I first saw "Clerks", Kevin Smith has been my hero. I watch all his films, I love each and every one of them. It's been my dream to eventually meet Kevin and Jason Mewes (better known as Jay and Silent Bob), and I am actually going to fulfill that very dream in 25 days. I'm very thrilled about this and wanted to share my excitement with you all! I'll definitely be sure to report back to you about my experience and hopefully I'll have some pics to share as well. I'm hoping to get down there on Saturday the 25th, hit Leonardo, NJ to get pics by the Quick Stop and RST Video where "Clerks" was filmed, then attend the invitee-only pre-party being held at the Bowling Alley near the Secret Stash, where the event is being held on Sunday. If I get lucky, I'll meet Jay and Kevin at the alley the night before and won't make a complete ass of myself! Keep your fingers crossed, guys! I'll letcha all know how it went! Rat on...

9/10/03: I have been so busy, I forgot to update the page when I went to the show at the Dugout on the 29th of August! Missy, that crazy Ratette, drove from Jersey to pick me up and bring me down to LI for the show, the we drove straight back here (got here at 7 am...UGH!). What a fun time, tho. Kristi was there with Linda, and even Stef's new bride, Corrina, showed up. It was a great night. I'm looking forward to doing it again, but won't have the chance to do it til maybe November. Ah well, such is life! Other than that I've just been overrun with stuff to do. Hope I'll get a break soon! Anyway, be good, everyone, and see ya at the next Rats show.

8/17/03: RATSTOCK V WAS AWESOME! Holy shit, did I have the time of my life or what?! It rained AGAIN, but not as bad as last year. It cleared up by the time they started playing. We got there about 3:30ish, and hung out with Stef, Gene, the new drummer Mike LaVolpe (sorry if I misspelled your name, Mike- you have to email me some info about you anyway for your section of the site!), their sister Kristi Marchello, and her friend Linda. Mike is a cool guy and a GREAT drummer! He doesn't like to be called Justin Timberlake, though, so everybody just stop it right now. You had to be there....LOL! They started playing about 5 PM, and then two other bands went on while the boys hung out and talked to everyone. Their sister Kristi and Linda are the shit, we had such a good time dancing around- Kristi even sang a bit- YOU GO GIRL! Jenn was also there again this year- she's a wicked fun chick! (HEY, BTW Jenn--did you ever talk to that guy?!) Peppi was at his finest, belting 'em out one after the other- he even did "Phil Fleisch"! I did the Yellow Flower as usual- boy, it's been a long time. Rich, the webmaster for the DUM site, will have pictures up soon, I am sure. I myself took three rolls for you crazy freaking fans out there- I'll get them developed ASAP and put them up on my site for all to enjoy. Anyway, if you missed it, it sucks to be you. Make sure you go next year! The show ended at about 11:30 with Gene doing "Monster Girlfriend" and "I Wanna Be Sedated". It was a blast! I didn't realize how much I missed shows until yesterday. I really have to go more often. Thanks, guys, for another wonderful performance and remember to call me so we can get plans together for you finally coming up here!

8/6/03: Piece of shit Geocities! There's something awry with my guestbook. Every now and again it will say you're unable to post to it or view it for some reason. If anyone wants to sign it but gets that message, you can email me directly at [email protected]. (All hate mail should be directed to [email protected].) Hope everyone is having a good week thus far...talk to ya all soon!

8/4/03: I am so disappointed to have missed the Rochester show, but now that Rochester is three an a half hours northwest, I kinda half expected to miss it. :-( BUT, as it stands, I should make it to Ratstock. IF my husband's job doesn't get in the way. I really have to call Peppi and say hello as I haven't seen them in so very long. How's everyone doing out there? Has anyone visited the Work or Spoon site? Please do! Anyway, not much else happening...check my links page for another link I just added to a really funny site: EmotionEric.com! Rat on....

10/27/03: BACK from Red Bank, NJ! Here's the link, I've just started to post some pics...mine haven't been developed yet but here are a few teasers: