What does FortyPercent mean? Well, FortyPercent really does not mean anything. It is simply a name conceived from the confluence of four distinct personalities in pursuit of one indiscriminate passion. Not fame, not fortune, but the opportunity to inspire others as they have been inspired themselves. One can look at it as a sort of beg, steal and borrow concept, with the intent to give back, of course. FortyPercent's inspiration can be traced throughout several generations of brilliance: from classical movement, to romantic melody, to the opus of intricate, yet simple guitar structure, and back again. Beg for simply an ounce of genius from a mind like Beethoven, steal a handful of heart and soul from 'Ol Blue Eyes' himself and borrow as much artistic adeptness from the likes of a modern talent such as U2 as possible, and one (or four) would have enough musical inspiration to go anywhere and everywhere. Where exactly do they want to go? Into the passionate hearts and creative minds of those aspiring musicians to follow in their footsteps. To have the opportunity to give back what they begged for, perhaps stolen, and borrowed from those who inspire them. A lot of people are curious about what the name 40% means. Well, the explanation is a little poetic and sincere, so just bear with it, and you'll understand. It's the idea that we shouldn't sit around and waste our lives worrying about all the little things. The forty percent of life that weighs us down. The job, the traffic, the bills to pay, the failed relationships, the ex-boyfriend, the ex-girlfriend. Don't let it all hold you back. Don't let your better days fade away. Celebrate all the things in life that keep you going. The things that lift you up. For us, that "thing" is music. Always has been, always will be. Sure, it sounds a little corny, but if you can't relate to that, then you won't like our music anyways. 40% was officially born on May 24th, 2000 in Deep Ellum at its first gig. The music is familiar, blending influences of U2, Third Eye Blind, "underground" acts like Shiner, Far, and even some "emo" rock. Their lineup features Coach (vocals), Joey Otto (guitars), Chad Monroe (bass), and Moe Martinez (drums). The music is unashamed and sometimes a little uncool. But in a time when derivitive rap-rock and super polished pop rule, uncool can be an important thing. The basic rock band is a breath of fresh air. Good songs, true sentiments, these things still matter. Always have, always will. Earnest isn't the right word, but it's the first one that comes to mind. With all of these grand ideas, and a love for music, who knows where 40% will end up? And maybe knowing isn't the point. <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Fortypercent">Read more on Last.fm</a>. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.