The History...

Part One:

It all started way, way, way back in, uh... oh, around the summer of '95. Craig and I began working together at the zoo. It took us awhile to get to know each other, but we did. We came to the realization that we were both pretty damn smooth. As time went on, we found our niche: harmonizing to Slaughter's "Fly To The Angels." Ya see, when you're in the basement, pickin' up monkey shit, in 80 degree temperature, with gloves and masks on, and big, black, rubber boots, and you're tired, like hell you're gonna not go insane. Either that or start singin' your ass off for some form of entertainment. (Some people think we may have chosen both paths, but that's a whole 'nother psychoanalyzation...) Craig is stuck in the '80s. Well, not as much mentally as musically. Now don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with that, but... ya know.... hahahaa... I remember the good ol' days, coming home from school and rushing to the big family stereo and putting my blank tape in, just hopin that WMEE would play the new Duran Duran song, just once! (true story!) So, um, yeah. We like some of the same stuff. Some would even say, we bonded. (gasp!) Old school Run DMC, Slaughter, Warrant, Motley Crue, etc. We would try to pass the time wailin' away with the apes, just raisin' a ruckus. It was fun as all get out!

Part Two:

We expanded our song repetoire to include a kick-ass version of Son of Byford by Run-DMC and a medley of Motley Crue jams as well. One time we even pulled out Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham! but I doubt either of us will ever admit it. Anyway. During the late part of the '95 (or it mighta been during the winter) zoo season, something came up in a conversation we were having about music, and it turns out Craig played trumpet in high school. Well, whaddaya know, I played trumpet in middle school, too. I think I then asked if he played anything else and he said yeah, drums and kinda guitar. Well, shit! I can play drums! (well, the jury's still out on that one.) So he's like, no kidding? Hmmm... yeah, we'll have to get together and jam sometime... Although I don't know how serious he was about that one... 'cuz it didn't happen for awhile. I kept on bugging him about it, though. And we finally did, around late May '96 sometime. Maybe earlier, no one really knows. I brought my trusty red plastic sticks (had 'em since 7th grade!) and my own unique sense of rhythm, sat down at Craig's kit, and The Dillys were born! Craig played some songs he knew and I tried my best to play along... I still remember the awe in Craig's voice, when he said (after a few tunes) "wow... you can actually play!" I still don't know if it was a compliment or not. Hmmm. I guess he'd had some other friends of his try to play along with him also, but it was nothing but disaster after disaster. I just think he was amazed that I could actually keep a beat! One fact you should always keep in mind : Craig is way better at drums than I. (It's his set, after all.) But... I can't play gee-tar worth monkey-doo, so that's how it is. We thought about tracking Craig's drumming and letting him play over top of his own fills, and having me "drum-sync"...but we decided against it, because frankly I'm not that talented.

Part Three:

Ok, so we were having a grand ol' time fuckin' around with the tunes...we were such innocent lads back then. After we had played a few times, of course we started running our mouths at the zoo, like we were bad-ass hardcore rock-n-rollers. (Who said we weren't?!?!) We whipped up a verifiable frenzy at work and had the females droolin'... Such interest in the general public demanded some form of product for the masses! So we put together a little "demo tape." Basically we took the first two tapes that we had recorded and picked out some of the better songs we had down at the time (Back In Black, Don't Tell Me, Shook Me All Night Long, etc.) Since I was doing the picking, I of course included some bloopers and general stupidity as well. It wouldn't have been right without 'em! It was quite the hit with the zoo crew. Glenda: "Wow, you guys are really good. No, I mean it!" Awww yeah... even my brother-in-law saw the light and started singing along to Back In Black. I can't even begin to describe the feeling one gets from seeing another human being hear the music you so painstakingly strive to perfect. Actually, its fuckin' cool when they can just tell you what song it is that you're playing! Anyway... we really didn't have a decided name at the time. When we were spouting off to all the peeps at work, we were taking all kinds of suggestions and making up weird shit like: Chet Robbins and The Cookie Monster, The Robert...BOOMS Brothers, and other silly crap I can't really remember. Nothing really stood out. The Dillys was a favorite of mine, though... and since I was the one who put together the tape, when I brought it to work to amaze and astound everyone, I put a label on it with "The Dillys" in bold letters. Thus, our name had been born. It would stick.

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The Dillys!