James, John, Greg, Sam, Rick. Not quite the same as John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Okay, they're not the Beatles, but don't call these five friends -- students at Glenelg High School -- just a boy band either.

Victory By Revenge is the group's name and they are getting noticed. They recently rocked their way to first place in the Live 12: Battle of the Bands concert held April 11 at the Gathering Place, in Clarksville.

A fellow student, Caitlan Dowling, partnered with Courtesy on the Road as part of her school project to help Bridgeway Hope Academy in Webuye, Kenya, the beneficiary of monies raised at the event. The winning band received a check for $500 and the chance to appear in a music video for Courtesy on the Road. The video will be viewed by high school students and their parents in mid-August, prior to the assignment of parking passes at the beginning of the school year.

Courtesy on the Road is the brain child of Howard County residents Lisa Morrow and Steffin Rubin who founded the program to encourage young drivers to practice safe and courteous habits on the road. Now in its third year, the organization partnered with the Howard County school system in March 2007. Today, the partnership includes the Howard County police department and the Maryland State Highway Administration.

"We (Rubin and co-founder Morrow) thought it would be great to get kids excited about courtesy on the road when they first got their licenses, to show them they can be role models, to make them responsible," Rubin said. "We wanted to give them a good attitude about it right from the beginning."

The video contains good news, noted Rubin, explaining the presentation points out both something to achieve and something to avoid. Rubin said eight bands from seven Howard County schools were finalists in the competition, and were each sent five sets of lyrics and each band chose one which best worked with their style.

"They were judged on musical quality and how well the song would work with the Courtesy on the Road promotion," Rubin said. "The guys (Victory By Revenge) had a winning way about them."

Judges included local musician Deanna Bogart, Ed Plant and Ian Collins, Exit 76 band member whose group performed in the first Courtesy on the Road video in 2006.

Meet the band

James Ennis, the youngest member at 16 and the drummer, plays in the symphonic band, the jazz band and the marching band at Gleneg. John Rossomondo, 18 and one of the two seniors in the group, plays bass and has been playing guitar for four years. Greg Friedman, 17, also plays guitar in the band and his basement is where the group meets during the week for practice sessions. Sam Everett, 17 and a junior, is the lead singer and guitar player while Rick Butler, 18 and the other senior in the group, is the backup singer and plays keyboard. Everett and Butler are also in the Madrigals singing group at Glenelg and along with Rossomondo are in the men's choir.

The composition for the winning song "Everybody's Gotta Ride" was a definite collaboration, according to the group.

"We all contributed to the lyrics," Butler said, while Friedman chimed in, "the week before." Everett explained, "each band did a cover song (established song by the band) and the original song."

This particular configuration of the band just came together recently with the addition of Everett, the lead singer. Butler, Ennis and Friedman were bantams two years ago with other Glenelg students and then Rossomondo came on board. Ennis, who knew Everett from another musical collaboration and "knew how good he was," brought him on board to complete the group.

The band has played for social events and at Fletcher's in Baltimore, a restaurant and bar which showcases local bands and currently putting together a demo CD. The two members of the group set to graduate this year will be attending local colleges so they can continue to practice and perform with the group.

"We intend to make a career out of this," said Butler, who will be studying audio engineering and noted the $500 check will be put in the band's bank account. The band also has its own transportation, a van Rossomondo inherited from his parents, big enough for all the members and their instruments.

Currently, the band is practicing for upcoming summer competitions and getting ready for graduations. The Courtesy on the Road video will be filmed by the Centennial High School film class sometime between Centennial's graduation ceremony May 21 and Glenelg's May 29.

One of the band's biggest fans, Friedman mom Colleen Friedman, who bakes snacks for the band in her kitchen above the basement practice room is on board with their efforts.

"As long as they can stay well-grounded doing what they love and are able to make money, to make a living with their music I'm all for it," she said.

Ennis mentioned a writing assignment he shared with the class about his career plans. "I wrote that I wanted to be a musician in a successful rock band. A few of the kids laughed and said, 'Yeah you and a million other people.'"

"That's how we'll get our revenge, by being victorious," Butler said.

For more information on Courtesy on the Road, go to www.courtesyontheroad.com.

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