Biography
Ollie Mercer was born in Chester in the UK in 1989. He first started playing guitar when he was 9 years old and at the time listened to a range of music, mainly Metallica, Rancid, Green Day and whatever was out on the radio at the time. He then got into more Punk Rock at the age or 10 or 11 when he heard the likes of Goldfinger, Dead Kennedy's, The Vandals, The Suicide Machines and Suicidal Tendencies on the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.
During High School, Ollie got into a few bands, but nothing ever stuck. At the age of 14 or 15 a friend of his gave him a NOFX CD, which then became his favourite bands among others. He then started up a Skate Punk band with his friends George Blything, Will Lobina and Tom Williams. The band only stayed together for around 6 months and played one or two shows at school.
After this band Ollie and Al Kirkman, both punk rockers from that school who started a couple of bands but still nothing ever stuck.
When Ollie Graduated from High School, he went onto Mid-Cheshire College in Northwich, Cheshire to study music technology; it was just before this over the summer that Al and his brother, Will asked him to join another punk band. Ollie was dying to play in a band again as it had been almost a year and so he did. The band started out in Al's bedroom, playing a few covers and then writing their own material, inspired by the likes of Blink 182, New Found Glory and many more.
Geneva's Lab then became a 4 when Ryan Nichols joined the line up 9 months after the band had started. The band at this point had played several gigs over the county and build up a small fan base. Ryan then left in December 2006 due to personal reasons. Jake Hardie then took his place.
Shortly after Jake joining the band, Ollie graduated from Mid Cheshire College, however decided he was going to stay to a degree in Commercial Music Production. He then Left Geneva's Lab in April 2008, almost three years after the band had started.
In his own words: "I had a great time in GL and learned so much about music and the way the business works, but I was finding it hard to juggle between, work, college and the band and as I had started college and was paying for it through my nose for it, so I decided to leave."
Ollie then decided he would focus more on production, but wanted to produce himself, so here he his with George Blything on drums.
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