Building 429

Building 429
Building 429 Performing in Nashville, TN
Background information
Origin	Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States
Genres	Christian rock
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Essential
Website	www.building429.com
Members	Michael Anderson Aaron Branch Jesse Garcia Jason Roy
Past members	Scotty Beshears Paul Bowden Christian Fuhrer Saul Johnson

Building 429 is a Christian rock band signed to Essential Records. They were the Gospel Music Association 2005 New Artist of the Year. Their name is derived from a Biblical passage known as Ephesians 4:29, which, in the New International Version of the Bible, reads as follows: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." The band members originated from Snyder Memorial Baptist Church and various areas in North Carolina as well as Texas.

In late 1999, bassist Scotty Beshears and guitarist/vocalist Jason Roy met in North Carolina at the final performance of Roy's band All Too Familiar. Beshears had formerly been involved with Elijah's Ride, another independent band. They teamed up with drummer Christian Fuhrer to form a new band which blended modern pop-rock music with Christian-themed lyrics. The trio began to perform under the name "Building 429."

According to Jason Roy, the band's name originated from a youth group. Roy's wife Cortni had once belonged to a youth group that had a system called the "429 Challenge," based on Ephesians 4:29. Whenever someone in the group spoke negatively about another, others were allowed to issue a verbal "four twenty-nine." This resulted in the offender having to say something nice to the person that was offended. The band members took this challenge and created a name around it - building one another up, hence, "Building 429."

Throughout the year 2000, Building 429 held a relentless touring schedule, with over 100 shows played and 3,000 copies of their first (self-titled) CD sold. In 2001, they deepened their sound by adding a second guitarist, Paul Bowden, to their lineup. Further success saw the band place number 1 on Flicker Records' A&R online website and forum (no longer online). Much of the band's early success can be attributed to their extensive touring schedule and tendency to write and perform upbeat, commercially-friendly pop-rock songs.

In the summer of 2002, Building 429 released the EP Preflight, featuring three rough-mixed recordings from their forthcoming second independent release and four acoustic demos. This EP was only available at live shows and on the band's website. In the fall of 2002, the band's second full-length independent album, entitled Flight, was released. Initially packaged as a CD-R in a sleeve with no artwork (save for a thermal printed disc label), the album was sold at shows and through the band's website. In 2003, the album was re-titled Building 429 and was professionally pressed and repackaged in a full-sized jewel case with complete artwork. 2002 ended with Saul Johnson replacing Chris Fuhrer as drummer.