The Bad Livers’ sound has been described as “thrash-bluegrass” or “bluegrass punk.” The band combines banjos, acoustic guitars, the mandolin, tuba, fiddle and button accordion with vocals and has opened for acts as diverse as the Butthole Surfers to Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys.

Often described as alternative, lead vocalist and various instrumentalist Danny Barnes explained, “We are not alternative like Pearl Jam, but we are alternative in that we have a vision unfettered by a commercial approach.”

The Bad Livers’ music is not meant to be played on the radio, Barnes said. “I like music not made for commercial reasons but for personal reasons,” he added. “I like to use the pool cue example.”

Ninety-nine percent of the population will go to the pool hall and shoot pool with their factory made cue, but one percent will go down and and shoot with a custom made cue by a guy who sits in his garage using the finest wood, Barnes said.

“He doesn’t make a lot of money but he likes to do it,” he said.

The band members, each with his own diverse background in music, came together nearly eight years ago in Austin, Texas, and have since developed a sound all their own.

“I can’t describe our sound; it’s something you have to listen to yourself,” Barnes said. “Have you ever taken an art history class? You can’t describe art to anyone, you have to see it for yourself.”

Barnes, whose resume includes winning the Texas Bluegrass contest, frequenting the country dance band circuit and jamming in a punk band, was booking himself as the Danny Barnes Trio before the group met.

The trio usually consisted of anyone Barnes could get to play the gig in time.

“I met tuba player and bassist Mark Rubin when we toured with Killbilly in Dallas,” Barnes said.

Rubin had been playing reggae for two years in Oklahoma City and had played everything from western swing to klezmer.

Mandolin player Bob Grant joined the line up soon after.

The uniqueness of the band members makes it more difficult to put the band into a single category, Barnes said.

“Several groups are easy to market when they are all in one category,” Barnes said. “A fan of punk rock will have a punk rock girlfriend and punk rock house and punk rock records.

“Although our sound may be different, composition is what we’re about. We write and play. No angle,” he added. “The jist of what we’re doing is forming compositions.”

Writing its own music, The Bad Livers try to incorporate many themes, including dignity as a poor person, alienation and trying to find spirituality in a material world.

“Our vision encompasses our own take of everything,” Barnes said.

Since The Bad Livers first formed, the band has played 1,697 shows in seven countries.

The band also played back-up for Michelle Shocked on her tour in ’92, and has opened for a wide range of acts across the country.

“We have opened for such diverse groups because we are interested in a broad range of things,” Barnes said. “If you’re a fan of music, a real enthusiast, you can get something out of each type of music.”

The Bad Livers recently released “Hogs on the Highway” and began to tour behind it.

The Bad Livers will be playing tonight at the M-Shop. The show begins at 9 p.m. Tickets are $6 with a student fee card and $8 general admission.