After listening to Bryon Parker ‘s new recordings on 3 Consecutive Championships you will undoubtedly feel the same way we do . . . that you have just discovered one of Denver’s best kept secrets. In our fast-paced culture filled with cold, artificial and disposable everything Parker’s music is refreshingly patient, real, sincere and intimate.  We feel so lucky to have had an opportunity to get to know him a little better.

What was the spark that inspired you to become a musician?

Growing up in upstate NY in the 1990’s, I was learning blues and country material with an assorted cast of characters. That was the spark. Not so much a band as it was a music community that I valued. Small-town eccentrics of various stripes covering The Band and Merl Haggard.

You first rose to prominence for your work with Denver-based band Accordion Crimes (2009-2016). Following the departure of that noise-rock trio, you released music with the two-piece, post-punk collaboration Simulators (2016-2019). Can you tell us a little bit about your experience in these projects?

Accordion Crimes and Simulators were similar in the vein of direction and influence. Both bands were hands-on with the collaborative writing process and our recorded output was specifically designed to reflect material conveyed in our live performances. We recorded in home studio settings and released vinyl on boutique labels. While I was intent on aligning us with respectable touring acts locally, neither band was interested in touring beyond a regional level.

You’ve been a part of so many different music projects in Denver which in a lot of ways puts your thumb on the pulse of the music scene. How would you describe its evolution over the last decade?

If I have a thumb on the pulse of the local music scene, then at best, I’m locked into a murmur. I live in obscurity and I love local bands that pride themselves on pushing their own limitations. In the last decade, I’ve learned to not seek out a headliner status or to appear to be bigger than I am. The same could be said of the local musicians that I surround myself with.

On April 1st of 2022, VanGerrett Records has released your new solo EP 3 Consecutive Championships. How would you describe the sound of this new venture and what can you share with us about the process of making the record. 

VanGerrett Records holds this up as my best work to date. From the beginning, they gave me confidence to create music that reflects a more imaginative sound. Their roster reads like my record collection and I’m very lucky to be attributed to such great talent. Unlike previous band affiliations, I wasn’t concerned with creating new music that I had to recreate verbatim in a live setting. I was merely concerned with servicing these slow jams with a careful balance of tension and melody. Over the course of a couple weekends, my friends were tasked with helping me bring these ideas to life. Working with Ben Mund is like working with weather. Tracking remotely, he used keyboards and synthesizers to create much needed atmosphere as he thinks about music as color rather than notes. Hans Buenning gave us some steady drumming and I trust his ear immensely. He reminds me why I value music taste over virtuosity. This marks the seventh time I’ve collaborated with Lucas Johannes at his Base Mess studio. He produced these songs and he’s developed a role in my world as being the glue that binds. It was a fun process, and the session serves as a reminder of that.

We really love your sound and can hear a bit of Pavement when we listen to your music. Who would you say you draw inspiration from and who do you listen to on the regular?

Pavement are a significant influence. Lately, I’ve been fascinated with the recorded output of the late great, Jason Molina. His voice is as haunting to me as it is timeless. Every Friday, after work and on my drive home, I blast Protomartyr’s debut ‘All Passion No Technique’ in my car. That album encapsulates raw energy. I still love rock music.

Can we expect to see you playing live anytime soon and how do you envision the future of your musical journey?

I aim to continue assembling thoughtful recordings with my friends and conveying them in a stripped-down format. In the likelihood that I play solo in the coming months, it’ll most likely surround me playing first on a bill of friends in an alternative venue. That sounds frightening and exciting at the same time.

You’re a long-time Denverite? What are some of your favorite things about living in Denver and Colorado in general?

Living in Colorado can be compared to having a library of partially read books. I like the idea of having so many choices and not feeling like I must commit fully to a favorite. With so much to do, I feel like I’ve only just scratched the surface of living a life here. I’m lucky to live in a place where the community truly cares about its local creatives. Above all, I value my wife and our neighbors. Thanks for taking the time to get to know me!

The pleasure was all ours, Bryon! Be sure to check out 3 Consecutive Championships at https://vangerrettrecords.bandcamp.com/album/3-consecutive-championships