Even as a two year-old dancing around in his living room with his dad’s guitar, junior Dan Mulkeran has always had a passion for music. Whether it is singing at the top of his lungs or strumming his bass guitar until his fingers bleed, Mulkeran has always had the gift of music within him.

“I am someone who enjoys making my own music. It is a fun hobby that I have and learned a lot from. I have been able to work with some great musicians and talented people. That makes the experience even more enjoyable,” Mulkeran said.

At Troy High School, students may know Mulkeran as the bass player of his band  “Forest Trump,” formerly known as “If Thans and Buts.”

“It was basically just a few friends. We just wanted to play some music together. We would write and cover songs that we enjoyed. It was something fun that we all wanted to do,” Mulkeran said.

Sophomore Ian Thompson, one of Mulkeran’s bandmates, was the person who originally recruited Mulkeran into the band.

“Dan joined the band last April when I met him in Spanish class. I noticed he was wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt and I was like, ‘oh man that is cool.’ He was a sophomore and I was a freshman so he was too cool for me. So as he told me off and did not talk to me, I just kept trying to get his number until we jammed,” Thompson said. “It was just me at the time, so it was kind of like our first date. Once we did play together I realized he complemented our sound and that he would make a great bass player for our band. So I put him in.”

Mulkeran is not only working with the band to create original music, but he also has his own solo band called “Project Melody.”His fifth album, to be released Dec. 5, is titled  “A Song in our Hearts is a Song that is Forever.”

“The music I make is ambient music. It is my guilty pleasure,” Mulkeran said.“ This particular album is about a message I like to keep at the back of my mind, which is: no matter what happens you should just keep going.”

For Mulkeran, creating original music often comes from well-known inspirations.

“Some of my musical inspirations are Marcus Elliott, a saxophonist from Detroit, whom I worked with, Larry Judaism, a member of the Detroit symphony and also a good mentor of mine and David Gilmour from Pink Floyd, who is a great guitar player with a unique way of approaching music. I also admire Fred Zaflic’s innovative and original way of making music,” Mulkeran said.

Without realizing it, Mulkeran has become a musical inspiration himself.

“Dan pretty much inspired me to make my own music. He taught me how to use the computer for making music and not to use the old school tape machines. He pretty much helped me start my own music,” Thompson said.

With Mulkeran’s multi-instrumental talent and creativity, a successful future in music is awaiting for him.

“Even though if I want to be a musician I have to accept being poor initially. I wish I did not have to take money into consideration but I kind of have to,” Mulkeran said. “But in ten years I hope to see myself performing in the Colosseum for millions of people.”

To keep up with Dan Mulkeran’s band “Project Melody” visit his website at www.projectmelody.bandcamp.com and follow his facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/projectmelodyband.