John Logan Parsons III – Immerser

These days having a chance to submerge into something that makes us feel great is a welcomed opportunity. Well, Lead Vocalist/Guitarist John Logan Parsons III provides just that relaxing escape with his debut single “Transmute.” The video for this single is also proving to be a hit on YouTube making Immerser, his hard rock solo project, a true success.

Catching up with this extraordinarily talented musician, he revealed some details about the song, his musical background and style and what fans can look forward to.

SFL Music: I was listening to the new single. It’s awesome. What inspired “Transmute”?
John Logan Parsons III: So, transmute is an alchemical term for change. Right?

SFL Music: Right.
Parsons: So, it’s about transmuting something negative into a positive. Whether that’s a feeling or an experience or you know, whatever it may be, and so I don’t know. I tend to study a lot of different esoteric and a cult traditions and things like that, and I kind of wanted to write like a esoteric anthem sort of using alchemical symbolism and things like that. I feel like it’s such a powerful tool. Like transmutation is such a powerful tool in my life. Its helped me grow as a person and get out of some pretty dark stuff and use sort of, instead of having those painful experiences or traumatic experiences sort of hinder my growth, learning to use them as a stepping stone to change into something better. So, I wanted to kind of create something that maybe other people can kind of get the same message from. You know what I mean?

SFL Music: That’s a great idea. It’s a great song. Are there any other new singles coming out as well?
Parsons: At the moment, nothing. I’m working on some new stuff. There’s nothing set to be released yet. I am kind of hoping to work with Kane Churko again who produced this last single. I really enjoyed working with him, so hopefully we can do something. There may be some collaborations coming up possibly with like Gemini Syndrome or Violent Idols, but nothing set in stone yet (he chuckled).

SFL Music: That’s something for people to look forward to. How did it come about working with Kane? Did you know each other?
Parsons: Yeah, it’s kind of a weird story. So, I was really into this band called In This Moment. I love their stuff. I love the way it sounds, especially like the production of it. I was just kind of researching different producers that I thought did a great job, and I was looking into who did the In This Moment stuff and this name popped up Kane Churko, and I was like, why does that name sound familiar ‘cause its such a strange name. I looked him up on Facebook and It happened to be that we were already friends through like some other mutual people, so it was kind of a weird coincidence, and I reached out to him and he liked the idea. We got along really well and it just kind of unfolded from there. So, I’m really blessed to have that opportunity.

SFL Music: So, are you working on an entire album with him?
Parsons: Well, no. I mean, we worked on that single together, and then hopefully we’ll do some other kind of singles stuff a little bit down the road. I used to do a lot of you know, release albums and it’s just (he laughed). Nobody buys albums anymore. So, it’s kind of like, eh you know? What’s the point, right? I mean, I still love listening to albums like Pink Floyd The Wall and stuff like that. You can’t like, have those anymore. Nobody really listens to full-length stuff anymore. It’s kind of a bummer, but so, probably for the foreseeable future it will be singles. As Immerser, I released a few EPs as well, like before this. So, I’ve got a little bit out. There’s some stuff out there. Nothing full-length album wise yet.

SFL Music: What inspires you when you write your music?
Parsons: Hmm. I don’t know. Like I tend to come from a very emotional place, so usually I don’t tend to write happy stuff. It’s really hard for me to write happy stuff. It drives my mom nuts. She’s always like, why don’t you write something happy? I don’t know. When I get in a bad mood or I’m sad or depressed or hurt. That’s my start to kind of get creative. So, emotions inspire me. Love inspires me. Spirituality inspires me. Sometimes politics, but mostly just the mysteries of life, right? Like the mysteries of emotion. The mysteries of a spirit and just you know, crazy stuff.

SFL Music: How did you choose to become a musician? What made you decide to get into music?
Parsons: I don’t really think I really chose it. I think it was just kind of my thing. You know what I mean? My mom was a violinist and my father was a guitar player, a musician. So, it’s in my blood. My dad passed away from cancer when I was about four years old and that had like a huge impact on me, and I think picking up the guitar was my way of sort of staying in touch with him even though he had passed away. It was a way for me to kind of feel like I still had a part of him in my life. So, I think I just was super attached to the guitar ‘cause it’s kind of like my dad you know, and I never put to down. I started when I was eight and just kept going. So, that’s kind of why I picked up a guitar, I guess.

SFL Music: Did you take formal lessons or did you just kind of teach yourself?
Parsons: I took some lessons for a few years, but mostly I’m self-taught. Like I got the basics down through some lessons and stuff, but I mean, I mostly just taught myself. Like just locking myself in my bedroom and just playing like Metallica Kill ‘Em All or just whatever I had at the time. It was weird because I remember like I wasn’t satisfied just playing one song. You know what I mean? Like I had to learn like the whole album, so it’s just like jam until I got the whole thing. So, now it’s funny because as an adult, I can still play like these albums all the way through from start to finish (he laughed).

SFL Music: What would you recommend to a new artist? Somebody young.
Parsons: As far as like getting into music.

SFL Music: Yes.
Parsons: ok Well, I would say, do what you want to do. Like, play the music that makes you happy. Don’t worry so much about what other people think. You know, stay true to your own self, is important. You could write music other people enjoy, but if you’re miserable, what’s the point, right? I’d rather be happy and have no listeners, than miserable and have millions personally. And I mean, if you can find a happy balance that’s cool too, but I would say yeah, be true to yourself. Practice you know, and just yeah man, don’t be afraid to shine.

SFL Music: That’s good advice. Are you doing any live shows?
Parsons: It’s a solo project, so I can’t really do anything live at the moment. I’m not really looking to do anything live anytime soon. Like I mean, I’ve been in bands since I was ten years old and I’m just kind of burned out of playing live because it’s so much work, and I can’t tour and do stuff like that because I got a you know, I got a full-time job and I like having a house and being able to pay bills and stuff you know (he laughed), so going on the road is not the ideal situation, but I mean, maybe someday I’ll find the right people, but I’m really content just having complete creative control over music. So, it’s good.

SFL Music: The video, I know a lot of people like the lyric videos. Are there any plans on doing like the old-fashioned kind? Like a story?
Parsons: Well, we did the lyric video and then I did a collaboration with a friend of mine. She actually helps run like a interpretive dance sort of company. And I was like well, that’s kind of weird. I wonder if they’d be interested in doing like a heavy song because I had never seen anything like that before. So yeah, she was totally into it. So, they did an interpretation, dance interpretation video of “Tansmute” which was really cool. You can find that on YouTube, but yeah in the future I’d love to. Like I mean, I’d love to actually be in the video right, but it’s just expensive like you know, to have it done correctly. It costs a lot where as a lyric video is a little bit cheaper. Just so I don’t forget, the company that did the dance video for me, they’re called Sanctuary Media Productions in case anybody wants to check that out.

SFL Music: This was all in Las Vegas?
Parsons: Well, I went out to Las Vegas to work with Kane Churko to record it and produce it, but I’m from Denver, so the rest of it happened in Denver. And then Sanctuary Media Productions. I think they’re based in like California. So, it’s kind of all over the place.

SFL Music: Did you feel being in Las Vegas (at Hideout Studio) was inspirational?
Parsons: I don’t know like so much being in Las Vegas, but being in the studio again was real inspirational to me. I mean, I’ve recorded a lot in studios throughout the years, but it had been like a decade since I’ve been in an actual studio because I’ve been recording my own stuff like literally, like in my closet (he laughed). So, it was nice to kind of get out and actually go to a studio in that sort of environment again, So, that was definitely inspirational but yeah, that could have been anywhere and I’d still be inspired. Like Vegas didn’t really have any impact on it.

SFL Music: Was there anything else you wanted fans to know about? Any other projects you may be doing?
Parsons: Not really. “Transmute”s kind of still pretty fresh, so kind of focusing on that, and like I said, I’m just writing some new stuff and gonna probably have a new single out I don’t know, within the next six months or so, but yeah, I’m just enjoying this song. It’s funny, when you release something usually, I’m like Oh God, I have to hear that song again that I’ve listened to a million times and played a million times, but I’m like just not getting tired of this track. So, I’m really pretty content.

SFL Music: Do you try to have a theme with your songs or they just come from like you said, different emotions?
Parsons: I don’t really have like a theme, I guess. I tend to tap into different styles of music. Rock, grunge, some surf stuff, like whatever I feel like. Like the name Immerser right? It’s about immersing yourself or you’re immersed in something. I just feel like I want to continue kind of going in that direction like whatever it is. Whether it’s you know, immersing a listener into whatever experience I’m trying to get across to them, and then an immerser is also somebody who initiates people or a baptizer, right? Like John the Baptist is otherwise known as John the immerser. So, it’s like you’re initiating people with your music. You know what I’m saying, into something positive.

SFL Music: Who would you say were your musical inspirations?
Parsons: Oh God, there’s so many. No, I mean, when I was younger, I guess Nirvana, Megadeth, Metallica, David Bowie, Eric Johnson, Marilyn Manson, Frank Sinatra, (Ludwig van) Beethoven. It goes on and on.

SFL Music: Was there anything else you want to add?
Parsons: No, I mean, I’m just glad to talk about it. I’m really happy that people are listening to the song and enjoying it. Hopefully it brings them something positive. Gives them strength to get through whatever it is they need to get through.

SFL Music: Yeah, it had a lot of streams on YouTube. That’s awesome!
Parsons: Yeah, I’m excited.

SFL Music: Thank you and hopefully we’ll see you play live somewhere, sometime maybe.
Parsons: Maybe yeah. Maybe I’ll just bring an acoustic guitar. Thank you very much for taking the time to give artists exposure. It’s fuckin awesome!