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Wizard rock

Summary

Wizard rock (or Wrock) is a type of novelty rock music themed around the Harry Potter franchise. The music was largely prevalent in the United States in the early 2000s.[1][2] Wizard rock initially started in Massachusetts with Harry and the Potters, though it has grown internationally.[3][4]

Wizard rock
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsEarly 2000s, United States
Regional scenes
United States
Other topics

Characteristics edit

Leading bands in this genre include Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys.[5] Although most listeners of the genre are fans of Harry Potter, some bands have attracted listeners outside of the books' fanbase.[6] Wizard rock songs are often written from the point of view of a particular character in the books, usually the character who features in the band's name. In contrast to mainstream bands that have some songs incorporating literary references among a wider repertoire of music (notably Led Zeppelin to The Lord of the Rings),[7] wizard rock bands take their inspiration entirely from the Harry Potter universe.[8] When performing live, wizard rock bands often cosplay, or dress as, characters from the novels.[8] Some bands perform at fan conventions.[9]

History edit

 
The Parselmouths, a wizard rock band consisting of Brittany Vahlberg and Kristina Horner, perform during Wrockstock in 2007, displaying the Harry Potter-themed costumes common within the genre.[10]

The earliest Harry Potter-themed song is conventionally traced to 2000 when the Los Angeles-based pop-punk band Switchblade Kittens released an "Ode to Harry" from the perspective of Ginny Weasley.[11][12] Harry and the Potters originated the Harry Potter-themed band, which became the genesis of a fandom-centered genre of music called wizard rock.[11][13] As Harry and the Potters increased in popularity, other wizard rock bands emerged. Brian Ross and Bradley Mehlenbacher originally conceived Draco and the Malfoys as a parody of Harry and the Potters performing at a local house party. In April 2005, Matt Maggiacomo invited Harry and the Potters to play at an all-Harry Potter show at his Rhode Island home. That night, Maggiacomo made his debut as The Whomping Willows, and his friends, Mehlenbacher and his brother, Brian Ross, played for the first time as Draco and the Malfoys.[14][3][15]

There were also festivals focused on the genre such as Wrockstock, which was first held in 2007 in the United States[10][16] and ended in 2013 after six editions.

In 2015, Mexican band Velvet Darkness released the song "Death Eaters" as part of their debut EP Delusion. It was later re-recorded in 2018 as a bonus track for their debut LP Nothing but Glory, and a music video for the song was released in 2019 with a live recording of it.[17] "Death Eaters" has led the band to play at several Harry Potter-themed events, playing both their songs and heavy metal covers of the movies' soundtracks.

As of 2021, there remains a small but active wizard rock scene. Notable events include the Wrock from Home and O.W.L. Fest online music festivals;[18] the annual Wizard Rock Sampler compilation series;[19] and websites such as Wizrocklopedia and the Facebook group "Wizard Rock Revival" see much activity, with dozens of active musical acts and thousands of fans. Bandcamp currently features many wizard rock releases from past and current bands.[20]

See also edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Brady, Shaun (2006-11-28). "Yule Ball rolls into Philly". The Philadelphia Daily News.
  2. ^ Humphries, Rachel (2007-07-13). "Harry Potter 'Wrockers' Conjure Musical Magic". ABC News. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  3. ^ a b Loftus, Meghan (2007-07-20). "Wizard Rock". The Post-Standard. Archived from the original on 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  4. ^ Davies, Shaun (2007-07-20). "The unexpected wizards of rock and roll". MSN. Archived from the original on 2012-05-25. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  5. ^ Grossman, Lev (July 20, 2009). "The Boy Who Rocked". Time magazine. Archived from the original on July 15, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-16.
  6. ^ Rose, Lacey (2005-07-13). "Wizard Rock". Forbes. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
  7. ^ Gleason, Janelle (2007-01-04). "Four reasons you should raid your parents' music collection". Fort Wayne News Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2007-03-30. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
  8. ^ a b Sweeney, Emily (2004-09-16). "Sibling musicians bring out the 'punk' in Harry Potter". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
  9. ^ Traister, Rebecca (2007-06-01). "Potterpalooza". Salon.com. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  10. ^ a b "Wrockstock Festival Dates Announced". WIRED, 8/11/2009.
  11. ^ a b Zumbrun, Joshua; Sonya Geis (2007-07-08). "Wizard Rock Has Fans in Hogwarts Heaven With an Assist From MySpace, Bands Ride Harry Potter Mania Into the Spotlight" (newspaper). The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
  12. ^ Thomas (2018), page 28-30.
  13. ^ Thomas (2018), pages 30-35.
  14. ^ Harry Potter 'Wrockers' Conjure Musical Magic
  15. ^ Thomas (2018), pages 35-40.
  16. ^ Thomas (2018), pages 81-84.
  17. ^ "VELVET DARKNESS celebrates two years of album with virtual collaboration". 9 June 2020.
  18. ^ "O.W.L. Fest 2021". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  19. ^ "2020 Wizard Rock Sampler, by Wizard Rock". Wizard Rock. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  20. ^ "Wizard Rock Music & Artists | Bandcamp". bandcamp.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.

Bibliography edit

Further reading edit

  • Beahm, George W. (2007). Muggles and Magic: An Unofficial Guide to J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter Phenomenon (3rd ed.). Hampton Roads Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-57174-542-2.
  • Gilsdorf, Ethan (2009). Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms. Lyons Press. ISBN 978-1-59921-480-1.
  • Gunelius, Susan (2008). Harry Potter: The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-230-20323-5.
  • Hayashi, Aya Esther (2017). "Musicking, Discourse, and Identity in Participatory Media Fandom". Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY) Department of Music. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  • Paré, Joelle (2009). "Magical Musical Manifestations: A Literacy Look at Wizard Rock". In Diana Patterson (ed.). Harry Potter's World Wide Influence. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 181–200. ISBN 978-1-4438-1394-5.
  • Pyne, Erin A. (2007). A Fandom of Magical Proportions: An Unauthorized History of The Harry Potter Phenomenon. Nimble Books. ISBN 978-0-9788138-8-8.
  • Turner-Vorbeck, Tammy (2008). "Pottermania: Good, Clean Fun or Cultural Hegemony?". In Elizabeth E. Heilman (ed.). Critical perspectives on Harry Potter (2nd ed.). Routledge. pp. 329–342. ISBN 978-0-415-96484-5.
  • Koury, Josh (director) (2008). We Are Wizards (DVD). Brooklyn Underground Films.
  • Rohlman, Kelli (2010). Identity, Rhetoric and Behavior: The Contradictory Communities of Wizard Rock (Thesis). Texas Tech University Department of Musicology. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  • Schuyler, Megan & Schuyler, Mallory (directors) (2008). Wizard Rockumentary: A Movie About Rocking and Rowling (DVD). GryffinClaw Productions.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wizard rock.
  • Fanlore.org page about wizard rock
  • Your Wizard Rock Resource, a comprehensive database of bands and lyrics

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