The Oswegonian

The Independent Student Newspaper of Oswego State

DATE

Nov. 21, 2024

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Archives Laker Review Rising Student Artists

Rising Student Artist: Liam Taylor leads Nothing Personal

Liam Taylor keeps Open Mic Night entertaining drawing inspiration from punk bands like Blink-182 and All Time Low.  Photo provided by Alison Flanagan
Liam Taylor keeps Open Mic Night entertaining drawing inspiration from punk bands like Blink-182 and All Time Low. Photo provided by Alison Flanagan

Nothing is more unforgettable than bright pink hair. Except, maybe, Nothing Personal.

That pink hair belongs to Liam Taylor, a freshman at Oswego State and founding member of the band Nothing Personal of Rochester. Don’t be surprised if you catch the singer with a new hairdo. His hair varies as much as his talents.

As part of Nothing Personal, Taylor is currently part of a nearly completed project to release the band’s first full-length album. Senior Mike McKean is recording and mixing the album for the group.

“I’ve wanted to do a full album for a long time, but I haven’t really had the opportunity,” Taylor said. “It was such an awesome opportunity that Mike McKean gave us.”

The album is titled “Unforgettable” and consists of a variety of sounds. Nothing Personal takes inspiration from their favorite bands, including All Time Low (ATL). Their namesake is a tribute to ATL’s hit 2009 album. Blink-182 and Twenty One Pilots also offer a source of inspiration for Taylor, especially when he writes.

“There’s a lot of, kind of heavier pop punk songs, a lot of brighter ones,” Taylor said. “And then there’s like, a folky, acoustic song on there. I’m really excited about that one.”

The album also includes a duet featuring fellow student artist Kristen Geary.

Having already finished most of the recording process, McKean is eager to finish work on the final product.

“It’s something that I’m proud that he’s getting and I’m also proud to show,” McKean said. “This is what I’m doing with my life so I’d be proud to show this to future employers.”

During the recording process, pride is a visible feature on both Taylor and McKean’s faces. They both have a passion for the project and their roles in the creation process, as well as for the music industry they both aspire to work in. Taylor has enjoyed being involved in the recording process and hopes that “if the whole ‘rock star’ thing doesn’t work out,” he can find success as a producer.

McKean discovered Taylor’s talents at a Thursday Open Mic Night at the beginning of the semester. As a first time performer, Taylor captivated his audience and has done the same each time since. Taylor says he always finds support in the audience there “even if he messes up.” He shows his modesty by making lighthearted jokes regarding his performances, which never seem disappoint his audience.

“There’s never a rude person there,” Taylor said. “They can be so accepting of everyone, and even if someone messes up, they can just keep cheering them on and make everyone feel better. … I look forward to it throughout the week.”

The positive atmosphere at Open Mic is something McKean encourages as the Lifestyles Center Peer Mentor in charge every week. So far, his encouragement has resulted in a nearly completed full-length album, with a hopeful release date in early December.