“I remember during my childhood, may have been around 10? Years old – 1965, my brother, Tom Autieri and a few friend (Benny McCoy, Mike & Ted Johnson) started practicing in our garage. It was the time of the Beatles, and Rock & Roll. Benny on drums, Mike & Ted played bass and rhythm guitar and all sang backup with Tommy as lead singer and guitar. They were only 15 years old at that time. They all played pretty darn good! During the next few years, as they practiced a lot, played all the popular local events, county fairs, teen venues, every Battle of the Bands in every nearby town and either won, or came in the top three. At one point, the parents (Albert & Angela Autieri & Bob bower (Findlay police officer) & Marge Johnson-Bower) got more involved and became their Managers as they were becoming more well known and enjoying their success. Most Sundays, they rented VFW, American Legion Halls, Green Mill, etc. for teen dances, fully chaperoned and it was only a dollar! Even us kids went to the dances, even the youngest, our brother Chip was only 3 years old at the time, sat on our Dad’s lap, and enjoyed it all! They had their own van, to carry their equipment, emblazoned with their name “The Raging Storms” and had their friend Harry Phillips as the driver.

May 1967, the Beatles Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band started a new revolution, heralded as the Summer of Love, Psychedelic Era, with colorful clothes, Nehru jackets and outfits, and a new sound of music evolved. The Raging Storms, and our local bands followed suit, learning and performing this new music.

​

I recall, our “Auntie” Gilda McKee, an accomplished seamstress, having the boys over at her house, getting fitted and was able to make all the Nehru jackets, shirts and pants for this new style of clothing. With two sewing machines going, the moms and sisters were there to help.

​

They played all the local nightclubs in Findlay and surrounding towns; The Pub, 224 Club, Rusty Nail, My Place, and the Other Place, when they were old enough, through 1972. The band broke up around that time. Tommy and Benny went on to play with a couple of other bands, and Terry McClanahan was always jamming with him now and then. I know he was in a band playing in a nightclub on July 31, 1973 in Lima, Ohio. I had just turned 18, and my parents finally let me go by myself, because I had the whole band and entourage to watch out for me.

​

All these years later, my memories growing up revolved around the Band, a lot of fond memories growing up revolved the band, a lot of fond memories and fun times.

​

The band changed their name to “The Raging Storms II” once it was known that there was another band of the same name.”