It all started with $2,000 and 10 songs in November of 2000. The rest has been a movement of God. Victor started the project with an acoustic demo recording and handed it out to some people that he thought were strong Christians and strong musicians. Victor made a deal with God that he would make the CD as good as the resources would allow. The recording band was assembled in April of 2001 and they practiced 2 times and recorded for 3 days on loaned equipment. They did some overdubs and vocals during the months of April and June. Victor flew back to a friend's studio in Louisiana to mix the album for a price that doesn't even pay for Dave's time much less his expertise. Dave Fortman co-produced the 12 stones album that is all over the world. The guys in 12 stones were actually there the night Victor arrived. They were finishing the demo that got them signed to windup (creed's label). Nice guys! Dave worked with another little band called Evanescence. Dave even got 'deeper life in You' mastered for free by a guy who did the Being John Malkovich soundtrack, Fleetwood Mac and some others you'd recognize. The bbs lounge pressed 1,000 CDs and they came out on Victor's birthday the day before the release party. Victor thought it was a cool present from God and a reminder that God knows every detail, every hair on our head. Victor had told God years earlier that he would give up on doing music for himself if he didn't make it in the business by a certain age. Well Victor gave up doing music years before he hit that age and God put the right motives in his heart and brought him back to doing music. Victor started doing music for God and it resulted in the CD releasing on that same date.
The band led worship more often around California after the release party in October of 2001. The first 1,000 CDs were gone in a month because it is really easy to give away music. Hint, hint, musicians record songs that include the gospel and give it away. People won't take a bible sometimes but they will take a free CD most of the time! Victor's prayer was that if enough donations came in that another 1,000 CDs would be pressed and wouldn't you know just enough came in to do just that. After the second thousand the realization was that the quota for God had been met and that they'd all done their part. They got to this place and prayed about selling CDs after 2,000. They never had a consensus in the band and have continued to give CDs away. One prayer is that they would always be able to offer a CD to anyone who is unable to afford one and that people would keep supporting them through donations so they can continue to do so.
In December of 2002 they made some minor changes in the bbs lounge lineup. From April of 2001 to December of 2002 the bbs lounge commitment just kept growing and in December the old guys, as we call them, decided to make room for the young guys who didn't have families and other ministry commitments. The older wiser men of the bbs are still involved and play with us when schedules permit. You will probably see them on future albums, at future concerts and as contributing members to the website and devotional book. However, they are too old to keep up with the younger, more agile guys and their disciplined practice routine and late nights of ministry. Just kidding! Basically the band was condensed to Victor, Tamira, Brian and Jerremy. Jerremy has actually been playing the songs longer than anyone else. Jerremy, Victor and Tamira worked together at public access (a young adult service). The members may look different to some but they've been part of the ministry for years even before there was the bbs lounge. Music ministry is a funny thing because there are not many other places where a band's members can be totally different from one night to the next.
Their ministry is being used to reach a wide range of ages and cultures so they prepare their personnel accordingly. Sometimes you'll see old guys and sometimes you'll see young guys and sometimes you'll see spots. The spots are not a multimedia effect; it means you need a trip to the eye doctor. They have to be careful how much they let Dan play though because he's always having them play those convalescent homes and it's tough fighting the feedback of hearing aids all the time : so they try to mix it up a bit for each event.
So they are younger, faster and surf well together but still lacking a bald guy. Victor just shaved his head but Tamira won't let him Bic it. Yet! So for now they just visualize Tory in their minds at least until God tells them to hold Jerremy down and give him a free haircut. Although the immediate lineup has no bald guys, the ministry and music keeps paddling to the deep end.