Music is an art form with many genre specifications that can form preconceived notions of a band prior to hearing them for the first time.

As listeners, we form opinions of these genres in order to find new music to love or demise.

The simple fact is that not all bands fit into a mold.

Fortyminusone is a Charleston-based band that certainly doesn’t fit a mold.

“We don’t try to be a certain style,” said Todd Keating, the bassist for Fortyminusone. “We all brought our own influences and let it become what it is. I wouldn’t want to be confined to say we’re a ska band or we’re a punk band.

“We don’t like to watch a band play for an hour and every song is the same basic style, so we don’t want to be like that. We just let things evolve as we write.”

Fortyminusone formed in 1998 and performed only cover songs, but they have developed their own style of Christian alternative rock.

The band will be performing at 9 p.m. today at Friends and Co., 509 Van Buren Ave.

Through the years the band has underwent several changes. Craig Hunt, the guitarist and backup vocalist, remains the only founding member of the band.

Also in the band are the drummer, Aaron York, who joined little over a year ago, and Keating, the bassist.

The lead vocalist for the band is Hunt’s wife, Heather Gustafson Hunt.

“I joined the band by accident,” Gustafson Hunt said. “My friend was trying out for this band, and I just happened to come with her. They talked me into getting up there. I was always interested in music. I just never thought I would be in a band.”

The common love for music and their faith in a higher being has continually helped the band keep their beloved hobby of performing alive throughout the years.

“We would rather have four people up in the front, having fun with lots of energy than 100 people sitting in chairs,” Hunt said. “Our goal live is to be as high energy as possible. People come out to see a show. If they just wanted to hear good music they would just put in a CD.”

Although music is a passion that all the members share, it simply doesn’t pay the bills.

Hunt is a farmer that lives with his wife and two kids. He focuses a majority of his free time promoting and booking gigs for the band.

To an outsider this may seem challenging, but Hunt has balanced the task and learned what to expect from himself.

“Heather and I have a couple of kids. Todd has a wife and kids. (York) is getting married. We all have jobs and or school. Music is part of our lives, but its not our life,” Hunt said.

Over six years ago the band enlisted the help of a Charleston High School chemistry teacher, Keating, to act as bassist.

A bond was soon formed, and Keating became a functional, as well as emotional, asset to the band.

“Music theory to me is just another math exercise. I just love doing the puzzle,” Keating said. “I’m intrigued by the idea of taking what is a mathematical relationship between vibrating bodies and being able to effect people’s emotions with them.”

Some bands form imaginative dreams of rock star lifestyles and playing for sold out venues nation or even worldwide.

Fortyminusone remains humble to their roots, and claim that right here making genuine music is exactly where they want to be.

“I really don’t know what I find attractive about it (music),” Keating said. “To me it’s sort of like eating. I just have to do it. I’ve often thought, what would I do if I couldn’t play bass, or what if I lost an arm? I would still find a way to play. I have to do that. Its such a necessary thing, I just couldn’t stop.”

Fortyminusone is a Christian alternative rock band from Charleston whose members include a married couple and a high school chemistry teacher. Fortyminusone is performing tonight with Learn to Fly and Little Boy Jr. (Photo courtesy of Foryminusone)

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