Changes and Room to Grow:
*Warning:* This page is only for people who already have some respect for Vertical Vision. If you do not, please find someone who lies, and get them to tell you nice stuff about us first. It's not that we're not respectable or anything, it's just that you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who knows who we are.



----This is interesting. Once again, I'm writing this story for you, but this time it has nothing to do with the production of CD's. That's one reason why this page is no longer called "About the CD" anymore. The other reason is that I feel our stories need to move more out of the monetary (having to do with money) and more into the personal (having to do with the person). So, then what could this story possibly be about? you may ask. Well, I'll tell ya. At least over the next 10 paragraphs I will. Just remember, good things come to he who waits. Either that or a bladder infection. Anyway, let's move on to the story . . . (fancy music, following a train into a land of puppets and fake props, with a man in a pink cardigan rambling off in the distance . . . okay, no, not really. Just insert the hazy dream sequence again until I think of something better.)

----The saga continues in the same place it usually does, in my head. Now, it's not that the members of Vertical Vision are fictional or anything, but these things happen so long ago, that's it's hard to really remember what happened. When we last left off, we had started selling the new CD, and started our little band tour. Things have changed a lot since then. Now, we're all pretty much the same people, no one has had any major surgeries, or severed any limbs, but the band is different now.

----Later on in first semester, Luke made it known that he had had about enough of ABU (not that it's a bad place, it's just not wonderful for everyone), and so decided to leave. Now, since Luke had only been in the band for a short time, this wasn't anything totally devastating. We'd made it that far without him, so it shouldn't be any problem to keep on going. So, Wesley decided to write a song about it, being the go-getter songwriter that he is. He had already come up with a tune for the verses of the song a few weeks before, so he thought that it wouldn't be all that hard to come up with the rest of it. Wes sat down on his chair (one of his major places of inspiration, also one of the major places that he sits), and started writing. The first verse came out easily, and boy was it ever depressing. So depressing, in fact, that Wesley was rather concerned. "He's not dead, for crying out loud. This isn't THAT sad!" he tried to tell himself over and over again. When he tried to rewrite the verse, the words wouldn't come, and when he tried to write the chorus, they were still not there. He felt asif God was telling him to wait, because he didn't realize what he was supposed to be writing about. Wesley, being the avid God-listener he is, continued trying to make the chorus for well over an hour before he finally gave up. "This just isn't working. If the song's not about Luke, then what is it about? Doesn't sound like anything in my life." Wesley's always held to the line by Harry Chapin, "Just write about your feelings, not the things you never did." So, feeling a little dishonest about the song, Wesley had supper and his day ended the same way all of his days do, at 12:00am.

----The very next day (as they do tend to come one right after the other in Moncton), went by rather uneventfully, and that night Wes was sitting in his chair (hey, there it is again!) talking to Luke about something really dumb, no doubt. Why are we starting with Wesley? you may ask. That's because the story is more suspenseful that way, and more interesting to read. Why? Just read on and find out. Then, Brad Douglas (lead singer and guitarist of the Christian band Evidence of Truth) came in and sat down on Ben's bed (Ben Porter is Wesley's roomate, if you didn't know).

"What's goin' on, Brad?" thinking Brad wanted to talk about something, since he didn't just come in and sit down all that often.

"You don't know?" said Brad, thinking that Wesley had had something to do with his being beckoned to the room.

"No, I didn't think there was anything going on." Wesley peeks a look out into the hallway.

"Well then why am I here?" Brad said.

----Wesley and Brad simultaneously put two and two together and just kinda looked at each other for a few moments, wondering if the other knew more than they did. The silence was quite powerful, but not all that long lasting. (Yes, the story is getting serious now. I'll try to be at least interesting, but funny just isn't in place right here.) They were both the lead singers of their own bands, and most of both bands were out in the hallway, with other people as well. The mood of the night had not been one of bliss, and there had seemed to be something dark and almost creepy about. There was tension so thick in that wing of the dorm by that point that you couldn't have sucked it through a McDonald's straw.

----Brad obviously wanted to leave, being prone to pessimism, saw the worst scenario was at hand and didn't want to be in the middle of it (I think you know what the worst scenario is for a band leader). Wesley, being as curious as a cat named Sherlock, wanted to stick around and find out for sure what was going on, and suggested that Brad stick around too.

----After only a minute or two of small talk, the room began to fill with various people who were involved with both bands, and people new to ABU (The room now consisted of: Wesley Perry - lead vocalist and guitarist for Vertical Vision; Luke McAdam - lead guitarist for Vertical Vision; Brad Douglas - lead vocals and guitar for Evidence of Truth; (here come the extra people into the room) Chris Primrose - bassist for Evidence of Truth; Ben Porter - drummer for Vertical Vision; Brett Nissen - part time manager, PR man, and friend of Vertical Vision; Jamie Cambers - new guy, guitarist; Jordan MacKinnon - new guy, singer/rapper). Needless to say, the room was packed with people, and everyone soon found a place to sit or lean. If I said the silence was powerful between Wes and Brad, this silence was now a hurricane.

----Soon Ben was the first to speak, as he usually is in tight situations. Ben started out talking about how he, Chris, Jamie and Jordan had been jamming off and on for a little while, but just for the fun of it, just spare time when their own bands weren't doing anything. Brad, on the other side of Ben's bed, was, well, unhappy with what Ben was saying. He kept going and said that they all had had a talk that night, with Brett present as someone outside and rational, just before this meeting was called, and found that they all felt called into persuing this as a band; that they felt asif God was leading them in that direction. The description of the feelings they had, when talking with each other, they found was very much the same.

----This wasn't a good time to be doing this, for Evidence of Truth, because they had just put a lot of time and money into cutting their first demo CD. They all realized this, but felt that it was time to do something. By this point in the conversation, Brad had had enough of this, and decided to leave, much to the objections of Brett. Some thought of chasing after him, but it was decided that it was best if he had a moment to cool off and let all this sink in. The bands were breaking up, and going their seperate ways. No one wanted to hear this, and no one wanted to do it, but it was happening, and now that the ball was rolling, there was no stopping it.

----Jordan and Jamie just stood there, too nervous to say anything, and feeling sorry that they had had a part in bringing on something like this. Now that Brad was gone, all eyes were on Wesley to see his reaction to this. Some thought he was going to flip out, and to something crazy for being 'betrayed'. Some thought he would cry, or do something embarrasing like that. Some thought that they had had too much to drink that day, and really wished they could call a time-out on the moment for a bathroom break. Then Wesley said, "I guess I kinda saw this coming, but I just didn't want to admit it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think that God has been trying to get me prepared for this for a while now, but I just haven't been listening."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's this song I've been writing, and I just couldn't finish it. I thought it was about Luke leaving, but the words were just too sad for that, and when I tried to write a chorus about it, I just couldn't. God was trying to tell me something but I just wasn't ready to listen at that point." Just to show to everyone that he wasn't just losing his mind, Wes got up and reached over his bed and picked his clipboard (covered with an obscene amount of Vertical Vision stuff and scotch tape). The item present when opened, instead of the usual class notes, was the song that had been pulling at him. He pulled out the sheet and showed it to everyone. "It's just called 'Lament' for now, because I know that it's gonna be a sad one." Wesley then proceeded to read the first verse:

"Well I guess it's time, that we'll be moving on
And I guess we'll have to play another song
We're moving forward, all good things must end
So let my say this one last thing my friend-"

----After much remarking about how creepy that was, and a shiver or two of wierdness, we all got to talking about how this was God's will, and how this was a great affirmation to the guys with the new band. Then we realized that if this was a change for and by God, we should get this meeting into more of a God focus. "Why don't we sing some worship songs now?" someone said. So Wesley got out his guitar and they tried to agree on what to sing. No one could think of anything.

"Why don't you just sing the beginning of the song to start us out?" someone else said (probably Ben, but the evening is hazy to us now). "Okay, but I only have this one verse. I don't even know how the chorus goes yet." So, Wesley started singing - and didn't stop. He sang three verses and four choruses in total, and it was really quite moving. God put the words in his mouth, and he sang them from the heart. There were amens, and out-loud prayers to God in the midst of it from various people in the room, and the spirit of God could be felt in a powerful way. After the whole song was over, I won't say who had tears in their eyes, but it could not be questioned that this was from God - this was the answer that they guys had been searching for all night.

----Prayer seemed to follow the moment naturally, and Brett started the group out in a long prayer that almost all in the room added to at least once. After that everyone was smiling and satisfied with the resolution (everyone in the room, at least). They broke and talked out in the hallway, and the new band talked about future prospects, and even considered naming themselves Wesley's Song. In the end things turned out alright for everyone. Vertical Vision is now an acoustic duo with a new sound and some new songs, Ben's new band called themselves Are You In?, and are doing well, and even doing some shows with Vertical Vision opening for them. Brad's band, Evidence of Truth is still looking for a new bassist, if you're interested, and play bass.

----All in all, it was a rather interesting night, and a lot of stuff changed. Only God knows why all of this happened, and where it will lead us, and not exactly in a Kid Rock kinda way. No, we will pray as we go, and write songs, as the song said, continuing to seek God's words in all of it.

----So, until next time, remember that when you're in a small room with eight other guys late at night and the tension is high, open a window before anyone says anything serious, you'll really be glad you did. Also, if a penguin tries to cut you a deal and sell you a Saturn car, don't accept it. Saturns are North American cars, and penguins are from Antarctica, so either it's a fake, or one of their cult leaders trying to get you to join. Either way, it's just not safe, take my word for it.

----Most of all, keep it right with God, and always seek His guidance in your life. -V2