Dilligaf
...The Year 2002...
After a successful first show (out of state) with the return of Jeff (vocals) back into the band,we decided to take a few weeks off from each other and everything and spent the holiday season pretty much by ourselves for a well deserved break (as mentioned just earlier).I do remember though that me (Mike -Drums) and Jeff (vocals) spent New Years hanging out at Hammerjacks and a few other places,yet that was about it.Then the usual practices resumed.I was very surprised of how well musicianally we all fit together even for taking that much time off.With still basically being "new" (being a group of new musicians working together) that is we seem to fit right back into the groove of things nicely.We then opted for our first official local show for the return of the band geared towards Hammerjack's on February 2nd.The show and the crowd response seeing Jeff back was intense.One of the greatest "stand out" moments for me was looking over a sea of faces and hearing them sing back the words to "My Sacrifice" by Creed while we were playing.Another "stand out" moment was that believe or not I had never played in a "headlining band" where they were doing a "wolf night out" up to that point.That was something I always dreamed of doing."Fast Freddy" was on hand for this event and I tried all night to bribe him out of his DILLIGAF t-shirt (because we were still sold out of them at the time).Here is where I feel was the true beginning of where we "hit our stride" and things were steadily improving and would stay that way for the next almost 6 months.
And when we played Boomer's for the first time (which was something I had been looking forward to for a little while),as I was overlooking my drumriser,on both parts of the building there was just nowhere to stand or breathe.Not in the back or along the walls,sides and there were even people crowded outside,the response was fantastic.And I have a confession here (no,actually two of them),the first one is to Mick (guitars),yes I was the one who took the "poster" off of the front window when I said "I didnt know who took it",and also to Garry (bass) when he said "that night was probably the most you ever made in in a band at a show anywhere around here".When I said "no" I was only kidding and that was (yes) truly the record for anything I had ever made in one night with ever being in a band around here in the area.
...it just doesn't get any better then this!
This photo (taken by Bob J who also did most of our photos at the time) was one of my favorite photos ever.It was taken at Boomer's at the very show I am talking about here -(03-16-2002).Absolutely a fantastic night!
It was by this time also (late March 2002) we had plans on "re-releasing" the old DILLIGAF CD as well as more DILLIGAF t-shirts (which by the way as of this writing I still never got one and I was in the band -sigh :( )... and we were at the moment writing new material for the next DILLIGAF CD as well as pondering possibilities to travel to new locations such as Cleveland,Ohio and Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania to expand outward at new venues.Yet in the meantime we just stuck to the same areas,venues we had been playing at before and it worked well for us.
What's also to note is that around this time (late March to April 2002) we were beginning to have problems during our practices because we would not get anything done.The reason behind this was because we were starting to have more and more people "drop-in" to our practices.It was like playing "mini-shows" in itself everytime we played.I actually do remember onetime where downstairs where we practiced at Hammer's there had to be nearly 100 people alone down there.To tell you the truth I loved it,it was fun.It was by this time were we had set our "inner circle" of friends as well as the "usual people" we would see regularly and everyone did their own role to help the band out.Billigaf and Brian as well as Wayne and Eric were just incredible.Also even within the band DILLIGAF each one of us used to do our own part such as:
Mick (Guitars) - Would take care of the setlists and songs for us to learn next.
Garry (Bass) - Was the band manager and made final decisions (booked shows for the band) and resolve of conflicts were needed.
Jeff (Vocals) - Was the "frontman" who made the show interactive for everyone who came out.He also worked being involved with roles of both what Mick and Garry did.
Mike (drums)> me that is - Did all the online "P.R. Work" (public relations) work for the band and maintained the website.
I also thought it was "cool" to have "cool looking" (and professional too I might add) Budweiser/Dilligaf posters.Looking back at it now I only wish I would have worn something more professional in the photo we took then what I just showed up in.Bob J,who took the photos just did an outstanding job.It was a snowstorm outside and I showed up in kind of a bad mood (long week) and debated on whether or not to change out into something better,thats why you can see the facial expression I have in the picture below (im the one in the blue shirt to the right)
.........
There were some "laminate backstage passes" made out of these photos and were prepared in advance for the next Boomer's show that we were about to play in April.Again it was to be another "Wolf Night Out" this time with "Viking Jim".
I look back at this show kind of with humor.We showed up and I don't think neither of us really cared what the outcome was going to be like rather then to just go out and have fun.We also had a great party after the show too.And I think that the crowd also reflected on the energy that was really great there that night.There were alot of really great photos taken here like these ones shown below that I feel "capture" the energy that was there that night.......
Here,.....this is where I feel we reached our "height",our "peak" of everything that we never reached again.We had a nice 'thing' going on and we knew it. (or namely how I noticed things),which because of it,also marks the beginning of the downfall for everything.
Saddeningly in just within two months after this show (which would take you to June 2002) we were beginning to have problems.One of the problems I felt we had (looking back at it now),was that we just were not adding new songs (again this is at 'that time period') fast enough to either keep the fans happy or as well as the new bands that were appearing left and right out of the woodwork.Also it looked as if Mick and Jeff began to not get along (which would spell out the end later for Jeff leaving).Lastly,I feel that we just became at the time "too used to letting the name speak for itself" rather then working harder to be better and more consistant of a band each time we rehearsed or played a show.Some disagreements began to happen here for the first time between us,and then it turned to Mick and Jeff,and at one time myself and Garry.The pressure was beginning to show on everyone of us what we were afriad to admit.I even noticed myself being at "the wrong end of the stick" when I wondered why the former (and original drummer) kept showing up to our practices = (to want back in the band at my expence).I let this go for awhile and pretended it didn't bother me (saying nothing about it) yet it only added to the problems that were beginning to appear.And then eventually less then one month later Jeff left the band.
I knew we were in trouble by this time and I realized just how far things had gone.I then decided to hold out for one more show (which was our first show at "The Ice House"),to see what would happen.Even though the "show" went ok,I noticed that already our crowd was almost cut in half in attendance.And furthermore myself and Mick began to not see "eye to eye" on a few things.
Two weeks later after one of our rehearsels one night,I stared at my pc screen online for awhile and then wrote an email to Garry and Mick in which I said (in so many words) "I quit".There wasn't just one reason why I decided to leave the band,I had a few,yet it couldn't be more important then to realize that I felt that the "magick" was now gone from the band,and I felt I needed to leave.
Ron (the orignal drummer) replaced me immediately and then Dan (who had played a show with us back in December 2001 that I had told you about earlier) came back and continued onward to be their vocalist for the next almost 2 years afterward.And the rest of what had happened is truly beyond me since it's after I had left the band.
Yes I am sure that there were some things that I forgot to add or other things that happened between us all yet it's entire irrelavant to mention about it now.I will say that from time to time after I left I did hope for a "re-union" of the band and to pick up where we left off.However reality told me there was too much time that had passed and the fans around here were ready to move on,and that it wouldn't had worked out anyways because of this.
I still talk to Garry (bass) weekly,Mick (guitars) I lost contact with completely when I left the band back in 2002,although I had heard that he moved on and formed a band with Dan (vocalist who replaced Jeff).And Jeff I was in contact off and on twice after I left the band yet eventually lost contact with him again and hadn't seen him since Winter of 2004.I (Mike-drums) myself moved onto working with studio projects in and around the Cleveland,Ohio area and also having the honor to work with Joey Belladonna (formerly of Anthrax) and his band BELLADONNA.
Drawing to an end here,I wanted to say a thanks to everyone I met while being a part of this band,a thanks to those all those who had all come out to see us,and a thanks to all of those who had helped us.It really meant alot and this was the greatest act/band that I had ever had the honor of being a part of in this area.I am sure that I will never be able to match something like it again....
Thanks.........
Mike Hissam (former drummer)
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